This is my 8th post on things we should always be doing. All of them are impossible without the anointing of the Holy Spirit. For years I would consider it ridiculous to attempt to live according to these instructions. Yet God does not put these instructions in the Bible to be ignored. I don't consider failure to be discouraging. I just refocus and move forward.
Now I have to be honest here. I sometimes am discouraged. But 1 John 1:9 is put there for spiritual life to be restarted. If I am only going to live according to what is possible than why would I pray for God to change things? God wants us to look for His supernatural intervention in this fallen world.
“Psalm 16:8 “I have set the LORD continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
Psalm 25:15 “My eyes are continually toward the Lord,
for He will pluck my feet out of the net.”
Set the Lord continually before me.
I see this as a life lived in the presence of God.
Here is an example that the Lord brought to my attention a while back. I had a job where the leader did not come around often to see what I was doing. So I became lax and did not do my work as I should have. It was a counseling job. One day as I was chatting with my coworkers it occurred to me, how would I be acting if Jesus showed up? I knew I would be more diligent in doing my work if Jesus was there.
In reality Jesus was there, I was just not conscious of it. Jesus is with us now, whether we are aware of it or not. He sees our heart and our attitude as well as our actions.
What is the value of knowing this? Yes it will keep us on our toes, but with the proper attitude being awake spiritually is a much more fulfilling way to live than being naive or ignoring God. I can be aware of what is going on around me not just in the 3 dimensions, but also spiritually.
Colossians 3:4
“When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”
This could be referring to the 2nd coming or in our spiritual understanding in the present. Using the meaning in the present:
Keeping Jesus before us, as we walk through the day, we will be with Him (spiritually) in heaven in glory. The glory is the place of God's power. The power flows from the glory of the Father. Romans 6:4 So when we are with Jesus in glory we are with Him in power.
As we sit with Jesus at the right hand of the Father we rule with Jesus.
Psalm 110:2 “The Lord will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying,
“Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”
Jesus rules and now He asks us to rule. Matt 28:18,19 All authority has been given to Jesus therefore go and make disciples.
Be awake.
Listen to the voice of the Spirit constantly.
Also be aware that Satan will try to knock us off course.
Jesus is our friend and will guide us as we look to Him for help.
The book “The Practice of the Presence of God" by Brother Lawrence is a good book on this discipline.
Now I have to be honest here. I sometimes am discouraged. But 1 John 1:9 is put there for spiritual life to be restarted. If I am only going to live according to what is possible than why would I pray for God to change things? God wants us to look for His supernatural intervention in this fallen world.
“Psalm 16:8 “I have set the LORD continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
Psalm 25:15 “My eyes are continually toward the Lord,
for He will pluck my feet out of the net.”
Set the Lord continually before me.
I see this as a life lived in the presence of God.
Here is an example that the Lord brought to my attention a while back. I had a job where the leader did not come around often to see what I was doing. So I became lax and did not do my work as I should have. It was a counseling job. One day as I was chatting with my coworkers it occurred to me, how would I be acting if Jesus showed up? I knew I would be more diligent in doing my work if Jesus was there.
In reality Jesus was there, I was just not conscious of it. Jesus is with us now, whether we are aware of it or not. He sees our heart and our attitude as well as our actions.
What is the value of knowing this? Yes it will keep us on our toes, but with the proper attitude being awake spiritually is a much more fulfilling way to live than being naive or ignoring God. I can be aware of what is going on around me not just in the 3 dimensions, but also spiritually.
Colossians 3:4
“When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.”
This could be referring to the 2nd coming or in our spiritual understanding in the present. Using the meaning in the present:
Keeping Jesus before us, as we walk through the day, we will be with Him (spiritually) in heaven in glory. The glory is the place of God's power. The power flows from the glory of the Father. Romans 6:4 So when we are with Jesus in glory we are with Him in power.
As we sit with Jesus at the right hand of the Father we rule with Jesus.
Psalm 110:2 “The Lord will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying,
“Rule in the midst of Your enemies.”
Jesus rules and now He asks us to rule. Matt 28:18,19 All authority has been given to Jesus therefore go and make disciples.
Be awake.
Listen to the voice of the Spirit constantly.
Also be aware that Satan will try to knock us off course.
Jesus is our friend and will guide us as we look to Him for help.
The book “The Practice of the Presence of God" by Brother Lawrence is a good book on this discipline.
Another great post.
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