Written
by His Grace,
Aug.
09, 2004
Main
thought: to explore the contrasts between our ways and God’s.
Main Entry: te·na·cious
Pronunciation: t&-'nA-sh&s
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin tenac-, tenax tending
to hold fast, from tenEre to hold
1 a : not easily pulled apart :
COHESIVE <a tenacious metal> b : tending to adhere or cling
especially to another substance <tenacious burs>
2 a : persistent in maintaining or
adhering to something valued or habitual <a tenacious royalist> b
: RETENTIVE <a tenacious memory>
synonym
see STRONG
- te·na·ci·ous·ly
adverb
- te·na·cious·ness
noun
Matthew
5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for
righteousness, for they will be filled. (Whole Chapter: Matthew 5 In context:
Matthew 5:5-7)
Matthew
10:8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,[ 10:8 The Greek word was used for various diseases
affecting the skin–not necessarily leprosy.] drive out demons. Freely you have
received, freely give.(Whole Chapter: Matthew 10 In
context: Matthew 10:7-9)
In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help
the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more
blessed to give than to receive.' " (Whole
Chapter: In
context: )
Hebrews
11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God,
because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards
those who earnestly seek him. (Whole Chapter: Hebrews 11 In context: Hebrews
11:5-7)
Galatians
3:11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the
law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."[
3:11 Hab. 2:4] (Whole Chapter: Galatians 3 In context: Galatians
3:10-12)
Our God is a precious gem collector and by precious gems I
mean those who have depth of character rather than depth of knowledge, wealth
or popularity. Oh, you may have those other extra things but that is all they
are to Him, just extra things. Those who
emphasize their technique of service or the quantity of their works rather than
the fire of their passion for Christ are like fools gold to God. They may
appear like precious gems to mankind from the outside but inside they are
worthless to God.
Oh, the outside of our appearance is
important but only that which is there from the inside out and not the other
way around. It seems that if our focus is on the outward appearances of
relationship with God rather than a passionate love walk with Him, than those
appearances mean absolutely nothing to Him. In fact, they make Him sick! 2 Timothy 3 5having a form of godliness but
denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. For these are ones
whose focus is on their appearances and not on their relationship with
Christ. But those who find themselves
focusing not on their outward actions but on their inward passion for Christ
find that God begins to develop in their lives an outward appearance that is
visible to the world as well. The more we focus on our appearances and
techniques of service rather than a love relationship with Him the more He
hates it! The thief that hung next to Christ on the cross wasn’t baptized with
water, but he was saved. He didn’t pray the sinner’s prayer, but he was saved.
Faith, Hope and Love are those things that spring from the heart not from a
religion. We have so perfected the art of putting God into our man-made boxes
of religion, He has left us to our own devices and our churches have become
social clubs that specialize on appearing like children of God rather than
being children of God. He is getting ready to gather His Bride for His wedding
feast and would like to have all of those who have heard the Good News to be
ready. Unfortunately, there will be many who have so focused on the News
itself, that they will have totally missed the One of whom the News is about.
God’s people have become so brainwashed by the spirit of this world into
thinking that it’s the amount of our righteous activities, popularity,
knowledge, and or wealth that determines how successful we are. All of these
equal zero in God’s scales. We have grown so accustomed to going through the
motions of acting like God’s people that we have neglected a loving
relationship with Christ. Love is more than words and more than actions. It’s a
state of relationship between the creator and His creation that surpasses
everything else. We have become experts of Godly activities without a Godly
passion for Him. You can have all the right words to say and all of the right
works to display before others but be totally bankrupt in your relationship
with Christ. But, you can’t have a passionate walk with Him and not have the
fruits of that relationship expressed towards others. Just like fool’s gold
where it is so easy to appear like the real thing from the outside and yet be
worthless on the inside but gold is gold not only on the inside, but from the
outside as well. We get so focused on those things that appear great while God
is waiting for us to learn how to weep with those that weep or to give a glass
of cold water in His Name to a thirsting soul. How amazed many will be when God
gives out His rewards in Glory. There will unfortunately be many that will have
had many outward signs and activities and yet their rewards will be minimal due
to their relationship with Him not being where it should be. Just as the Jews
made the Ten Commandments their God by so focusing on it and not God Himself,
so many Christians today have so made the revealed Word of God their God and
not a passionate loving relationship with Him. How so very sad for so many
people to have so clothed themselves with His Word that they neglected to
clothe themselves with THE WORD! Just as God sent John the Baptist to prepare
the people’s hearts for the coming of Christ into this world, so He is raising
up those hungry for Life and Truth today
to prepare the hearts of His chosen ones for the wedding feast of His Son.
Those clothed in the beauty of His Son will be welcomed to His Feast but those
who have so clothed themselves with their appearances or their activities
rather than their relationship with Him will not.
And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me,
to give every man according as his work shall be. (Whole Chapter: In
context: )
He which testifieth these things saith,
Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
(Whole Chapter: In
context: )
Heavenly Father, thank you that You
are a God of whole hearted passionate Love. Teach us how to listen to the Holy
Spirit as He seeks to prepare our hearts for Your Wedding celebration. In Jesus
Glorious Name, Amen.
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