The Devotional - 097- In Love, Fear is absent

A Thought for the Day – 097 – In Love, Fear is absent

 

Proverbs 25:6-7 – in the hub of our mind it is possible to desire greatness; like to be third in line to a kingdom or some other public desire. Don’t be hasty for positions that God has appointed for others since their desire may be; to be where you are. Both you and his greatness are as common as the prince who is third in line.

 

Comments and challenges

You have often read over the years that I love the Word of God and daily I am in the Word of God looking around for some thought or idea that can be applied to my soul. Either to share with myself (selfish I know) or something to share with others. This is tremendous joy to my soul to search out a theme or thought that comes from God’s Holy Word. So until the day when God calls me home and as long as my fingers can move across this key board and as long as you are willing to read what I write; I will always challenge us (as I am challenged too) to observe the Word of the Living God with love.

Now here is one of those thoughts that dart through my mind that I feel the need to place on paper. If you are married then you will understand, if not; maybe you are thinking of marriage. If not that then think of some very important person in your life whom you have “set apart” from everyone else. You know; like a parent or both parents, a brother or sister (that could be pushing it) or a best friend. Okay you have the picture of sanctification, good! It is love.

I believe that the Holy Bible is alive with God, I believe it is infallible (this means that I believe that the Holy Bible is not capable of error). So to be honest, if I believe that the Holy Bible is alive and absent of error, then I believe that when I am in the Word of God that I am abiding with Christ, when I am in the Spirit and in Christ, then as such I am being sanctified in the grace and knowledge of Christ, which is a calling or command of God from His Word to everyone who is born of God. Notice these few verses of scripture: John 1:1-18

Now you have to open your Bible and READ those verses, daily when I write, I also read and I THINK about what the Word is saying to my soul. Now sometimes if it is a very familiar passage and I do skip over the words quickly (this is to my shame) even because the familiar words still speak and still bring comfort, joy and wisdom; so (like I challenge you) I should read the entire passage. God has not skimped with US; He has abundantly provided peace and comfort to you and me. Why should we even think to skip a moment of reading HIS Word?

Our subject this morning is Sanctification, yesterday we ended I believe with a passage that goes like this: “Be diligent to present your-self approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth”. 2 Timothy 2:15; when I first came to the church that I go to; that was in June of 1975; written in the cement walkway was that verse. Today that verse of scripture is written in my soul, along with other wonderful challenges; like 2 Peter 3:14-18; AND 1 John 1:1-4 I really enjoy these sections of scripture and many others.

Sanctification is a process, I have studied for years and have all sorts of certificates to prove that, but those studies were not sanctification, those studies simply helped me know the various theologies that millions of others have applied to the Word of God over the centuries. Yes; these studies mean important things to the way we worship and believe God, but these studies do little in sanctifying or presenting oneself approved to God. While these studies are needed if one is called to pastoral leadership or teacher; this in-depth study is not needed in sanctification. So here is the challenge.

Since 2008 I have been publishing a daily devotional, this has caused me to personally involve myself with the Living Word of God and not just an academic exercise; let me just say; this has turned out the better for me since while God is interested in the world (John 3:16) He is also interested in you and me personally (Jeremiah 29:11). Don’t you like peace and hope? Let me just say too that, this provision of God is GRACE, He does not have to provide us with His Word to live and grow in Him, but He does because He LOVES us. Honestly there is nothing greater than the love of God.

So I confess daily to you that Jesus is the Son of God, I do not see God daily through my earthly eyes, but I do love to tell you that God abides with us in a very personal relationship. God has given us His Spirit in order that we can know that He abides with us in Spirit and in Truth. There is no fear in Loving God since being sanctified in Him is simply Him perfecting us in grace. Oh my! The thought of this sends joy to my soul. There is no fear in love. 1 John 4:12-18.