Are We Intentional

But there were some of them, men of Cyprus and Cyrene, who came to Antioch and began speaking to the Greeks also, preaching the Lord Jesus. And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a large number who believed turned to the Lord.  Acts 11:20-21 NASB 

Through Holy Spirit, we are enabled to miraculously share in His sure perspective when it comes to how we should live. The Lord empowers obedience and increasing faith to obey even more. Here’s how it works. When we choose to obey God—impossible to fully do on our own—we step out in faith, knowing that we are not “flying solo.” 

Galatians 2:20 NET I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. 

Jesus keeps the law in and through us. Of course, we must believe—and also make an effort ourselves. This effort would get us nowhere without Christ’s help. But if we make no effort at all, He will not just drag us along and force us to do right. We must cooperate in partnership with Him. Only this will produce ongoing obedience to God’s commandments in the full spirit and intent. This is living faith—faith accompanied by righteous works, obedience to the prompting, guidance of Holy Spirit. 

Joshua 4:23-24 NASB ”For the Lord your God dried up the waters of the Jordan before you until you had crossed, just as the Lord your God had done to the Red Sea, which He dried up before us until we had crossed; that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the Lord is mighty, so that you may fear the Lord your God forever.”

How do we accept this gift of faith, trust the outcomes to Jesus when what we WANT to do – what we feel we MUST do - is somehow find a way to “fix all the things,” and to maintain control (or at least what feels like control). If we are going to walk with Jesus, actually cleave to Him, we must RELINQUISH control. We often use the word "surrender" here, and God’s plan for that is not at all what the world’s idea of surrender is. 

Have you noticed that when we are struggling, wondering why things aren’t going as we expected or hoped, that life begins to feel heavy? And the harder we strive to fix things, the heavier the burden begins to feel. You see, we were not designed to handle the burdens of this life alone. God has told us throughout scripture that we will experience hard times. 

Isaiah 43:2 NASB ”When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you.“ 

Jesus He teaches that He will be with us “WHEN we go through deep waters.” Not IF. WHEN. In John 16:33, Jesus also tells us that in this world we WILL have trouble. But NO WHERE in His word does God tell us to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, or read more self-help books. As a matter of fact, it’s just the opposite. Put your trust in the Saviour, the king of kings, Jesus Christ.

Obeying God’s commands for His people is of extreme importance. Intentionally following your own plan and not God’s plan is rebellion. No matter how someone tries to fashion disobedience, God is not pleased with the deliberate rejection of His word.

It is vital that we don’t allow other religions, fear, watered down teaching of the Bible, pride and our opinions to interfere with obeying God’s commands, instead faithfully aligning in obedience to carry out His commands for the glory of His kingdom.