SCRIPTURE

Seeing Clearly

Saul


 

I used to think that somehow you could grow in knowledge of the truth making yourself stronger. But it doesn’t work that way. Jesus is the vine. We could be the most productive branch on that vine, but if we remove ourselves from the vine, we die1John 15.

How do we connect to the vine? In John 1 He says He is the Word2John 1. Jesus is the Word made flesh. We connect to him directly by reading his Word first. Without that, we can’t know him.

This world creates a lot of things to block or make foggy that simple truth3Mark 4. People create organizations, creeds, rituals, the Jews have their Talmud, the churches in America have their denominations and worldly traditions4Mark 7 but there is only Christ. To follow him you have to be willing to let those go5Matthew 10.

How do you follow Him? By keeping His commandments6John 14. 1-10.

“I and the Father are one7John 17” Jesus did not remove anything from what the Father commanded. Keep His commandments. It is the mark of a believer.

I wanted to live according to how the Father wanted me to live. How do I live in “good standing”, in regards in how to care for my family? Who does GOD say is a good Father? For our Family, what does it mean to be good to them? What does GOD say is good? Those who are called righteous fathers teach their children to follow Him8Deuteronomy 11. Noah was called righteous9Genesis 7 and taught repentance and to follow GOD. He lived out the Word he was given. Abraham was obedient in faith. When GOD told him to do something he did it, without question and in faith. Because it is written, righteousness was attributed to Abraham because of his Faith10Romans 4. Faith without works is dead11James 2. If we believe Him, we trust Him. If we follow Him, we keep his commandments and teach others, especially our children, to do the same.

I think this is very important because GOD tells us how to follow Him. Obedience is the mark of a believer12John 14. The mark of the beast is lawlessness13Matthew 7.

In the world, many churches will tell you that you can follow any way you are comfortable with. That contradicts scripture. GOD always gives specific instructions. He has given us the appointed times14Jeremiah 8, instruction to observe the sabbath15Exodus 20, what is clean and unclean162 Corinthians 6, how to pray17Matthew 6 and how our heart should be towards him and others181 John 3. The modern church creates and keeps worldly traditions, events, plans and programs that are not part of His plan19Matthew 15.

This is significant and impacts believers tremendously. We are instructed to not be Lukewarm20Revelation 3, not to call what is good, evil and not to call evil, good21Isaiah 5. But when we mix his holy things with the profane that is not acceptable to Him to say the least22Ezekiel 22. As believers, we can feel this conflict, dragging us down. We were apart of it for so long, we didn’t realize that there was a conflict. In my life, I felt I was being shaken, torn apart. I didn’t know why. It was because I was trying to keep the world and His Kingdom23Matthew 6. They are not compatible. When I finally started to accept only His way and was ready to let go of anything that wasn’t his, a process that is still ongoing, there was a tremendous sense of relief and freedom.

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