Written by His Grace
Kevin K. O’Connor Mar. 10th, 2006
Main thought: to examine the trait that pleases the
heart of God our Father
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever
your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for
in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor
knowledge nor wisdom. Ecclesiastes (in Context) Ecclesiastes 9 (Whole Chapter) 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore
ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.1 Corinthians 10:30-32 (in Context) 1 Corinthians 10 (Whole Chapter)
Proverbs 24:16 for
though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are
brought down by calamity. Proverbs 24:15-17 (in Context) Proverbs 24 (Whole Chapter)
If there’s one thing
that it seems that God really hates, and that is not putting our whole heart
into what we’re doing. God loves whole heartedness even if we may not be going
in the right direction because He knows how to steer a heart that is in motion
like a ship. But a heart/ship that is still cannot be guided. Our Precious
Brother Paul as seen in the book of Acts was all for the killing of God’s
people. Once he saw that he was going down the wrong path, he became a
wonderful instrument of God’s Love and Purpose in this world.
Don’t we all love it
when someone puts all of their heart into what they do? Whether it is music,
art, acting, physical labor, whatever it is. There’s something about putting
all of ourselves into what we do that reaches down deep into our being. I think
the reason it does is because God Himself put All of Himself into what He did
in the creation and even today as He is reaching out to those who hunger and
thirst for righteousness.
How I love to take time
to look at the smallest flower or gaze into the heavens at the brightest star
and wonder at the infinite majesty of Who God is! I say wonder because there is
not enough capacity in the hearts or minds of man to fully take in Who He is.
Oh how we’d love to
wrap our minds around Who He is or even just to be able to fully see the
beginning or the end of His wisdom. It fascinates me how mankind is always
trying to make a more powerful telescope to find the end of the heavens or a
more powerful microscope to see the beginning of an atom. And yet, the further
we look, the more we see and the more we learn that we have yet to see the end
or the beginning. Why do you think that is? I think it is because when God
makes anything, He puts all of Himself into it. And so, just as He is infinite,
so within all we take time to look at, we will be looking into the infinite
beauty of the wisdom, power, and creativity of God.
Praise God for those
who know how to go beyond the surface of what they can see or feel to get to
the heart of something. It seems that God is looking for those who know how to
press in to get something of value. Kind of like Jacob of old who would not let
go until God blessed him. Genesis 32:26 Then
the man said, "Let me go, for it is daybreak." But Jacob replied,
"I will not let you go unless you bless me." Genesis 32:25-27 (in Context) Genesis 32 (Whole Chapter) And again in the
book of Matthew; Matthew 5:6
Blessed
are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Matthew 5:5-7 (in Context) Matthew 5 (Whole Chapter)
How it blesses God’s heart to see us exploring His Infiniteness. Oh the
joy of learning or experiencing something new. How sad is one who has lost the
fire to explore or look for higher heights or deeper depths. These people are
like those who He warns us about in the book of Revelation; Revelation 3:15 I know
your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or
the other! Revelation 3:14-16 (in Context) Revelation 3 (Whole Chapter) Revelation 3:16 So,
because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my
mouth.
Revelation 3:15-17 (in Context) Revelation 3 (Whole Chapter) By being cold or
hot it at least shows that we have passion and conviction about what we are
doing, but to be lukewarm just shows absolute laziness to do doing anything of
worth. Oh how we need to stir up the fire of passion within our hearts so that
we may be used of Him; John; John 15:6 If anyone
does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers;
such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. John 15:5-7 (in Context) John 15 (Whole Chapter) God Loves those who
are passionate. But those who have become so consumed with their own laziness
or pride He has no interest in.
The cleanest water is that which is flowing from a pure source. The
moment it begins to sit still is the moment stagnation begins to set in. God is
the source of purest water and desires us to be His vessels. But, to be vessels
fit for His use, since he is living and active, He is looking for like hearts
to enter in with so that our lives may truly be full of His joy and peace.
Notice that just as even the purest water can stagnate if left to sit still, so
even branches of a good tree can die if not producing fruit. God didn’t even
spare the Jews, His chosen people, when they refused Him but cut them off and
grafted us in their place and will not refuse to do the same for us if we
refuse to enter in to a walk of service with Him. Romans 11:22-24 22Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God:
sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in
his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. 23And if they do not persist
in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
24After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and
contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more
readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!
The only problem I see with the “once saved, always saved” issue is
that it is contrary to God’s Word. That statement is true ONLY to those who
continue to walk with Him, but to those whose love grows cold are on very
dangerous ground for God Himself warns us over and over again about the
consequences of such; Revelation 3:5 He
that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not
blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before
my Father, and before his angels. When God Himself says that He has the
authority to blot someone’s name out of the Book of Life, I would listen! There
is coming a shaking upon the earth and it will be like a refiner’s fire. The
impurities will rise to the surface and be skimmed off and that which remains
will be for His Glory, Honor, and Praise. Those who learn to press in to Him
now will have the fortitude to press on. For, it’s God in us the hope of Glory
(Colossians 1:27 To whom
God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the
Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Colossians 1:26-28 (in Context) Colossians 1 (Whole Chapter)) that will see us
through, not our determination or will-power but His Grace and Presence that
will carry us through.
How sad it will be for many people who have had a life of “religion”
and not “relationship” with Christ when they pass from this life to the next.
What a frightening awakening many will have when they close their eyes in their
own false peace of relationship with Him when their life was only a life of
head knowledge or words of service that lacked the passion of relationship with
Christ. Matthew 7:21-23 21"Not everyone who says
to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the
will of my Father who is in heaven. 22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord,
Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and
perform many miracles?' 23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you.
Away from me, you evildoers!' These are ones that even call Him “Lord”
and yet, they don’t even know Him as such. Heaven will not be a place full of
people who know how to talk the talk without walking the walk. It will only be
for those who pressed in to knowing Him passionately and personally. Knowledge
has a way of pacifying us but if that knowledge doesn’t make it from our heads
down into our hearts, we will die in our sins. Being half-hearted instead of
whole-hearted gives us just enough of something to make us comfortable but not
changed. We need to enter into the Fire of God’s Holy Presence and let His
Infinite Holiness consume us and transform us into His image.
Heavenly Father, Thank You for the perfect example of Passion You gave
us in Your Son! May the Fire of Love that was in His Heart, be in ours so that
our hearts may soar together on the heights of joy! In Jesus Glorious Name,
Amen
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