Devo - Responding to God's Word
Responding to God's Word
James 1:22-25
Jesus wants to radically change every part of your life. We are truly transformed by God when we respond to what he calls us to do in obedient, faithful action. This devotion is taken from the fourth message in the “Alone With God” series titled “Responding to God’s Word.”
When God speaks to you, he has a purpose. The Creator of the Universe has a purpose in mind when he speaks to you through his Word and in your time with him. And he’s speaking to you for that purpose, at that time, in order to get you to do something.
Your ongoing relationship with Jesus Christ, or a lack thereof, is a direct result of your responding to him. Stated differently, your relationship with Jesus will either increase or it will decrease based on your response to him. Where Jesus Christ is involved, there is always a response required.
We won’t begin to be transformed by God until we begin to respond to what he calls us to do in obedient, faithful action. That’s where the transformation begins.
Our life with Christ is not a string of Hallmark cards that we get to read nice little encouraging lines but then go on living however we want. Our life with Jesus Christ is meant to be a radical transformation. He wants to radically transform how we think, renew our minds. He wants to radically transform how we see things, give us his mind, his sight. He wants to radically transform how we act. And he wants to radically transform how we react.
Every part of your life, Jesus Christ wants to radically transform. Why? Because you were born with a sin nature. You were born with a sin nature, and if you were – like I was – then you have got to come to the point where you say, “Jesus, I need a new one! I need a new one! This life must be crucified with you completely, and your life must take over, and everything about my life must be transformed.”
That’s what Jesus wants to do in your life. That’s the only thing he sold you when you came. He said, “If you follow me, you will get a new life. You will be born again. Your old life will be crucified, and I’ll give you a new life, a new beginning.” But it will only start when you bring your relationship to the point of actual action.
The obedience, the response, is the issue today. When God led the Children of Israel to the Red Sea, he didn’t part the Red Sea until they were all there, and Moses put his staff in the water. THEN God worked. At the Jordan River when all of Israel is at the Jordan, the Jordan River did not back up until the Priests carried the Ark into the water. They had to be standing in the water, and then God worked. Peter did not walk on water until he got out of the boat.
The trigger for the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives is obedient, faithful action.
When God speaks to you, he has a purpose. The Creator of the Universe has a purpose in mind when he speaks to you through his Word and in your time with him. And he’s speaking to you for that purpose, at that time, in order to get you to do something.
Your ongoing relationship with Jesus Christ, or a lack thereof, is a direct result of your responding to him. Stated differently, your relationship with Jesus will either increase or it will decrease based on your response to him. Where Jesus Christ is involved, there is always a response required.
We won’t begin to be transformed by God until we begin to respond to what he calls us to do in obedient, faithful action. That’s where the transformation begins.
Our life with Christ is not a string of Hallmark cards that we get to read nice little encouraging lines but then go on living however we want. Our life with Jesus Christ is meant to be a radical transformation. He wants to radically transform how we think, renew our minds. He wants to radically transform how we see things, give us his mind, his sight. He wants to radically transform how we act. And he wants to radically transform how we react.
Every part of your life, Jesus Christ wants to radically transform. Why? Because you were born with a sin nature. You were born with a sin nature, and if you were – like I was – then you have got to come to the point where you say, “Jesus, I need a new one! I need a new one! This life must be crucified with you completely, and your life must take over, and everything about my life must be transformed.”
That’s what Jesus wants to do in your life. That’s the only thing he sold you when you came. He said, “If you follow me, you will get a new life. You will be born again. Your old life will be crucified, and I’ll give you a new life, a new beginning.” But it will only start when you bring your relationship to the point of actual action.
The obedience, the response, is the issue today. When God led the Children of Israel to the Red Sea, he didn’t part the Red Sea until they were all there, and Moses put his staff in the water. THEN God worked. At the Jordan River when all of Israel is at the Jordan, the Jordan River did not back up until the Priests carried the Ark into the water. They had to be standing in the water, and then God worked. Peter did not walk on water until he got out of the boat.
The trigger for the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives is obedient, faithful action.