I Do!

These are the famous two words said by a bride and groom at the commitment time of a marriage ceremony.  Wow!  When you say them it seems so........huge.  That's because it IS huge and seemingly real and lasting.  But with marriages, Christian and non-Christian, failing over half the time those words seem to lose their meaning and their PUNCH!  Why?  I think it is a systemic result of the type of faith we are living as believers in these present days.  We SAY a lot.  But we many times DO very little.  It doesn't mean we plan on not doing what we say, but there is something very deep and problematic in our lives that generates a lot of unfulfilled commitment in our actions.  In the Book of James in the Bible we see where James was urging the church to not only hear about a life sold out to Christ, but to DO it.  James 1:22-25 has some wonderful truth about some of the reasons for broken commitments.  In verse 22, James says to not just listen to the Word and then deceive yourself, but do what it says.  He's speaking about the Word of God here and God's promise to those who are doers is that they will be blessed in what they DO.  Sounds like James is sharing some truth that will shine God's light on how to live a victorious life in Christ.  Please read more....

In the next fews days I will share just how important being a doer of the Word is and how it impacts every area of our lives.  In fact, if you are living a "just get by" Christian faith right now, you will benefit from the next few days immensely.  You will get to see how God's Word puts it out there step by step for each of us to learn and live.

Today's truth is the first step and it deals with the connection between our heart and His Word.  If Jesus were to come up to you right now and say, "Do  you live for me every day with all your heart?"  Most people would become nervous and after doing a quick self evaluation would say, "I try to."  Try is a word that can lessen the blow of having to say, "Yes, I do"  or "No I don't", but try is not what God is looking for.  In fact, we may try, or dabble, or experiment with a lot of things in our life.  Living for Christ is not one of those dabbling areas.  It is a firm I Do, that changes the way we exist, think, and live, and a truly changed life is a guaranteed result of life change in Christ.  It's not that you might "change", or possibly you might "clean up your act", or you might "try" live a better life.  It is CHANGE!  2 Corinthians 5:17 says that when the new has come, the old is gone.  You have eclipsed the DEADNESS in your life when you receive Christ, and now you are supposed to live in the NEWNESS of who Christ is in your life.  You have a straight connection to God through Jesus and all His understanding and power are given to empower us to live and DO what He commands.  In fact, you don't have to be talked in to doing it, because it is who you are.  If the connection has not been made, then you have just made another temporary "feels good" commitment to yourself, not God, and that commitment will sooner or later fail.  I do, becomes I did.  WRONG!

Buzzzzzz - Think about it.  When did you accept Christ? How much have you grown in your faith? Is your I DO still functioning?    Make sure your connection is true.  1 John 1:9 says a lot.  Read it!

The pilgrimage has begun....Stay with it.

In His Name,

David Warren