“I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6

You will be surprised how Christ Jesus views the subject of consistency in a believer.

In dealing with this, you have to study the life of Jesus. He was inconsistent, unpredictable, and controversial in both His words and actions but He was very consistent in His loyalty to God. Jesus lived to please His Father.

When you think about consistency with Christ you have to forget about doing anything for Him. You have to think about walking by faith and living in absolute loyalty to God. Remember, loyalty is not about works. It is about coming to know Jesus and living in obedience to His voice.

God covets your worship, prayer life, and living with Him through His Spirit. This is how you can learn consistency with Christ.

The goal is to be be zealous to know Jesus and live by faith believing in His promises. However, it is much easier to take the short cut through religion and works than to be loyal to God. If you pursue the works approach you will never experience the transfigured Christ.

Your loyalty to God will crucify your ego and independence and cause you to become a humble person. And, your preconceived ideas about pleasing Christ will disappear as you discover the importance of walking by faith.

Living in loyalty to God will change your priorities and reshape your thinking patterns. Consistency with Christ is following these disciplines:

Fervent prayer seeking the will of God.

Obedience to the voice of Christ when He makes no sense to you.

Living in oneness with Christ for who He is and not for what you can get out of Him.

Giving up the the right to yourself for Christ.

Consistency is simply asking Jesus each day “Not my will but Yours be done”!

 

“Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” Ephesians 4:13

The challenge for a disciple of Christ is to be able to disconnect from the values of the world while staying in the flow of life. This is very difficult to accomplish and requires the help of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus was not a recluse; He entered fully into life. For example, Jesus enjoyed participating in Jewish celebrations, helping his disciples catch fish, and celebrating at a wedding.

Jesus lived in the world but he was not of the world. The priority of Jesus was to live in oneness with His Father. Jesus knew His source for strength and wisdom came from His Father and He spent a great deal of time in prayer. Jesus would frequently retreat from the world and find a quiet place to be with His Father.

Jesus invested His life in teaching His disciples the truths of God and He did this by entering into their lives. He taught others about God through all the vagaries of life.

How does all this relate to you and I?

The role of a disciple is to be totally consecrated to God. This happens through prayer and seeking the perfect and acceptable will of God in every aspect of your life. You live in oneness with Jesus through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

The role of God is to sanctify you with His righteousness. This happens as you walk by faith believing in the promises of God. It is not your responsibility to attempt to sanctify yourself through sacrificial living, religious activities, or withdrawing from the world. This has no value in becoming Christ like.

The goal of a disciple is to identify if your interests in life are compatible with what God wants for you. This covers the full spectrum of life—your work, family, money, social activities, spiritual habits, and daily living issues.

Why waste time on pursuing things which are not important to Jesus? The best way to determine this is simply to ask Jesus what is on His mind about your life? You will be surprised to find out His answers and how His concerns deal with many ordinary things you tend to overlook or don’t consider important.

The purpose of all this is to make sure you and God are on the same page. Then God can do great things through you!

 

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:23

What causes a believer walking with God to waver in his faith?

The cause will always relate to fear or doubt. Something has happened in your world to cause you to doubt God.

In actuality, you have brought this doubt upon yourself because you are judging God by the standards of the world and not by His Word.

God does not function according to the world. In fact, He died to overcome the world. As a believer, you and I live in the world but we are not of the world.

So when the trials of life come upon you what is vitally important is to operate under the promises of God and give no power to your feelings which will always lead you astray from God.

Your feelings have no power to change your life but the Holy Spirit living within you can overcome your feelings and do a powerful work to restore your faith in the Living Christ.

Come to God by faith living in this precious promise from your Creator; “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than you ask or think according to the power working within you.”

When your ship is seeking turn to Christ Jesus who can steady your vessel. And, He will give you more than you could ever imagine!

 

“Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,
And saw My works forty years.” Hebrews 3:9

Your relationship with Jesus Christ begins with faith. Faith is believing in something you cannot see. The genuineness of your faith will determine your devotion and loyalty to Christ.

The most important substance in your walk with God is your faith in His promises. God will judge you on the merits of your faith and you cannot please Him without faith.

The question becomes how can you have unyielding faith in God and be free of doubt and fear?

Let’s begin with what won’t work. Faith cannot be achieved intellectually or through self discipline. And, memorizing scripture will fail you.

Your faith won’t grow through religious activities, reading spiritual books, or doing good works. It has to be lived out in real life. Faith comes exponentially as you let go and trust God regardless of your circumstances.

Genuine faith will only come out of a personal relationship with Christ Jesus. You have to meet the Living Christ, get to know Him, and experience His characteristics at work in your life.

When you abandon yourself to Christ, He becomes alive in every aspect of your life. You experience His greatness, power, glory, victory, and majesty. You understand He is an omniscient God and wants the very best for you.

Faith is seeking Christ out for your every need in life and recognizing He is your only hope for an abundant life.

Faith is not something you can choose to practice or reject depending on your feelings or the situation facing you.

Faith is the cornerstone of life with God and nothing can be substituted or replace the importance of your faith.

Faith is breathing in the life of God and rejecting the ways of the world!

“Commit your works to the Lord and your thoughts will be established.” Proverbs 16:3

The fundamental question is does Christ really care about your ability to be successful?

Christ was successful in fulfilling His role and was rewarded by God with power and dominion over all things in heaven and earth.

You and I are mere mortals so how can we utilize the values of Christ to be successful in the world? Or, should the concept of worldly success be forgotten in the pursuit of Christ? Is life just about dying to self and sacrificial living for Christ?

The scriptures speak about God’s desire to give you an abundant life and bless the desires of your heart. Is this a reality or just a “feel good” promise?

Why should a disciple of Christ experience a life of pain and misery when those around you are living in luxury. Isn’t something wrong with this picture?

The religious response to these questions is to seek God first and then all the other things of life will be added to you. This seems a little over simplified in the big scheme of things.

What if you do this and nothing changes. Where is the relevance of Christ?

These questions cannot be brushed aside in the pursuit of Christ. As a believer, you and I need to understand the reality of God concerning success.

The point of view of God is much deeper than just seeking God with the understanding He will bless you. You cannot compare spiritual success to worldly success. The ends are not mutually related to each other. Jesus never experienced worldly success.

Jesus Christ died for all so you and I can have the gift of salvation. This gift is a promise of eternal life, redemption by God, forgiveness of sins, and receiving the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Your success as a new creature in Christ Jesus is determined by God and will happen in His perfect timing.

The journey of a disciple is to walk in the footsteps of Christ. At times this will create pain and suffering as you lose your life and gain the life of Christ.

God has created a hand crafted journey for you with a calling to fulfill a specific role in the kingdom of God. Your spiritual success will come in performing the work Christ has assigned to you.

Your worldly success is measured out by God in accord with His purposes for your life. There will be seasons of both blessings and hardships.

Without faith it is impossible to please God!

God rewards those who diligently seek Him out and He desires to give you more than you ask or think.

God wants you to be successful in whatever your calling is at this time—work, education, raising a family, or a ministry. This success will come when you commit your works each day to God and walk by faith.

The real significance of success is living grounded in Christ where ever life takes you!

For in Him we live and move and have our being.

 

“For the Lord loves justice, and does not forsake His saints; they are preserved forever.” Psalm 37:28

God defines justice in ways you and I cannot understand. God looks at your heart and not so much your actions in determining how His justice will prevail in your life.

Do you love God with all of your heart and are you willing to follow Him without any preconditions? Most of the men and women who have been raised up by God to do powerful things for His kingdom have suffered greatly and endured impossible hardships.

The justice of God will preserve you forever both on earth and living with God in heaven. You may go through the fires of God and be severely tested but you will belong to the precious remnant of Christ.

The justice of God defeats evil from destroying your life. Look at how Daniel escaped death several times by the hand of God.

The justice of God blesses your descendants. Abraham believed God and was given an heir from his blood.

The justice of God provides for your needs in times of deprivation. Elijah lived with the widower and her son during a long famine and God miraculously kept the oil and grain bowls filled.

The justice of God does not overlook your prayers and obedience to God. He promises never to forsake you. Enoch walked with God and never tasted death.

The justice of God is the knowledge you will inherit His promises in the land of the living and dwell in the riches of God forever. Look at the outcome of Job!

The justice of God will fill you with His wisdom and counsel for those around you. The Psalms authored by David under the power of the Holy Spirit have helped and encouraged millions of saints over many generations.

The justice of God will implant His truths into the depth of your heart and your steps shall not slide. The spiritual man judges all things but is judged by no one. He lives with the mind of Christ.

The justice of God comes to those who have a heart for God and a desire to obey Him. You live by faith never questioning the authority of God or the circumstances in your life.

 

 

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

We all want Christ but with stipulations. It is just too painful and requires too much sacrifice to accept Jesus without compromise.

It is relatively easy to participate in religion and do works for God. This is a safe zone and will allow you to keep your privacy and independence. And, you are working hard to accumulate points for God.

Jesus looks at your commitment to Him from an entirely different point of view. Will you lay down your life for Me? This means you give up your ambitions, desires, and hopes to live for Christ. The end game is not about results. It is about knowing Christ.

God wants your absolute loyalty to Him and He will test you to the ends of the earth to make His point. Loyalty to God is simply expressed by walking with Jesus by faith without any proof or evidence of God’s blessings in your life. You accept Christ for who He is!

If you want a genuine relationship with Christ you will be deeply convicted of your ego and pride which blocks the efficacy of Christ.

You can’t change your character defects through effort or works no matter how hard you try. The spiritual solution is to live out your faith in Christ and He will fill you with His righteousness. This is the only way you can be transformed into the personality of Christ.

God wants to give you an abundant life and bless you with more you ask or think. However, He dispenses His blessings by your steadfast faith in Him.

Change your mind set with Jesus by seeking out His values for your life. Make this your priority and then God will honor your shopping list.

He lives so you can live!

 

“Cast your cares on the Lord
and he will sustain you;
He will never let the righteous be shaken.” Psalm 55:22

There will be times when you can’t see through the confusion and disorder. There is no logic or clear direction from God.

This situation has been orchestrated by God to serve His purposes. You may never clearly understand the reason for some of the actions of God.

You may be afflicted with health issues, lethargy, or feelings of depression. Or, there may be other conditions at work. God’s plan is to bring changes into your life or those around you. And, God’s ways are not your ways. So when the tidal wave hits you must seek out God.

Without giving you religious advice, how can you and I deal with these situations? Remember, everything in life begins with God so He is your source to find answers and direction.

God may not choose to divulge His plans or give you any direction but you can ask Him for strength, joy, and protection. God will never refuse to fill you with His life.

During times of affliction the most important counsel is to hear the voice of God and live under His canopy. The answer from God may be simply to rest in Him and wait. Or, there may be other specific instructions.

We lose sight about the sovereignty of God in difficult times. What you think you need may not be God’s priority. However, God has power and dominion over every detail in your life and He can change your circumstances in a split second.

You may not be able to grasp this but you are probably in the perfect will of God. So rejoice and be thankful!

There is no one who can compare with almighty God!

 

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:30

What makes you treasure God?

If your response to the question above relates to what God has done for you then you are off track in understanding the gift of salvation. The correct response should be “I treasure God for who He is”. This takes the results of your relationship with God off the benefits accruing to self and recognizes the character of God.

Making a decision for Christ is not about what He will do for you. It is a commitment to walk by faith with steadfast loyalty to God regardless of the circumstances in your life.

Christianity has a twisted perspective about God with a focus on the importance of adhering to laws and doing works to receive the blessings of God.

Most believers hear the gospel and accept the gift of salvation by faith. Who wouldn’t want to have their sins forgiven and live with God forever?

God looks at salvation from a different point of view. You are unacceptable to Him in your natural condition so He gave up His life so you can be born again as a new creature in Christ Jesus. He expects the same from you following in His footsteps. You agree to die to self and live for Christ.

Salvation is not a superficial experience. It is a transformation into a new person dedicated to live for Christ. The role of a believer is to know the Living Christ and live in obedience to Him through the pain, suffering, and hardships of life.

God rewards those that diligently seek Him. However, the goal should not be the rewards but living intimately with the transfigured Christ whose characteristics are greatness, power, glory, victory, and majesty.

God wants you to walk by faith with or without His blessings. This is the heart of a disciple of Christ.

Not my will but yours be done!

 

“The Lord is in His holy temple,
The Lord’s throne is in heaven;
His eyes behold,
His eyelids test the sons of men.
The Lord tests the righteous,
But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.” Psalm 11:4-5

God lives in a holy temple and His throne is in heaven. The eyes of God see all things. He is an omniscient God and knows every detail of your life. God understands the depth of your personality and all your strengths and weaknesses.

God tests the righteous but those who do violence and evil His soul hates. The purpose of His testing is to determine your loyalty to Him above all else.

God is very approachable but you have to reach out to Him. You can do this through prayer, reading His Word, and listening for His voice. You will find the Living God through His Spirit.

You and I come to God with a long list of needs but in the midst of dealing with God we forget about His priority for our lives. God wants to expose your sins and cause you to repent. You can only get right with God by admitting you are a lost soul and unworthy to be in His presence.

The spiritual person opens himself up to God every day of his life seeking conviction of sins and forgiveness through the blood of Christ. This person knows he is a sinner for life and his only hope is in the Cross. If you think you are a good Christian and above reproach you are deluding yourself.

It is not so much about the sin itself but it is about your inner attitudes of pride, arrogance, and hypocrisy. Thinking you are better than other people is opening yourself up to a juggernaut of conviction and judgment by the hand of God.

Today, God is looking into your heart with a desire to change you. Are you in touch with Him?