Friday, November 26, 2010
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Jeremiah 16-18 and 2 Timothy 3
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Jeremiah 16-18 and 2 Timothy 3
THE LONGING TO BE WHOLEHEARTED
SCRIPTURE READING
John 14:21, 23 (NIV) Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me...If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching...
In looking for a model of wholeheartedness, we need to look no further than the words of Jesus and recognize that our love for God must be expressed in obedience not merely religious sediment. Many people today are stumbling through their Christian lives without pursuing obedience. Jesus requires obedience; we can’t just do our own thing. We must root out the sin in our lives and fully submit to Him. Half-hearted believers have too much of God to enjoy sin and too much sin to enjoy God and therefore they are miserable. Large percentages of believers think living half-heartedly is acceptable, they couldn’t be more wrong. Some people would consider wholeheartedness as our gift to God but really it’s His gift to us. In demanding our full attention, He is setting the stage for giving us a life of fullness. When we radically pursue God and align with Him we are freed to become who we really are. We begin to have larger capacities to love God and others, a greater inclination to serve with joy and we have less difficulty obeying God.
PRAYER AND MEDITATION
1. In what ways have you been doing your own thing instead of living a life of obedience?
2. In listening prayer, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you an area of disobedience that God wants to correct in you today. Confess this as sin and ask the Holy Spirit to forgive you and restore you.
3. Spend some time thanking Jesus for not letting you get away with living half-heartedly, thank Him for the great rewards of growing in relationship with Him. Praise Him for the fullness that He wants to give you as you move toward wholeheartedness.
