Knowing God's word… A matter of the heart

Depending on how awakened our hearts are to God and his great love will determine how we interpret and read his word(s). 

If we have experienced none of His love, we will see scripture as a bunch of rules and regulations given to us to win his love. It will be more of an owners manual than a love letter. 

This results either in:

• Guilt, shame, and condemnation because it reminds us of our failure to live by (obey) His word(s) or
• Self-righteousness because we think superficial/external conformity is true obedience - hint, it is not.

If we have truly seen/experienced God's love to any degree, we will see scripture as his loving guidance and direction to the degree we have seen/experienced His love. 

How we view scripture is more a matter of the heart than the mind.

The more of his love we experience, the more this will be true, and the more God's word/Commandments will bring us joy and be embraced with delight. 

Psa 119:14,16,24,35,47,70,77,92,143,174

In short, legalism and the misunderstanding of God's Commandments/words/direction are nothing more than the fruit of not believing, knowing, and experiencing the goodness of God and the greatness of His personal and infinite love for us.

"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome." - John the apostle of Jesus 1Jn 5:3  

Enjoying life… Rejecting the giver of it

Being disconnected from the Source of life and love can only result in pain and suffering. Why? Because we were not designed to operate apart from our Creator/Source, no more than the body was designed to function without food and water. To go without these, we die i.e. we experience pain and suffering.

To go without spiritual life (a sense of meaning/purpose/value) and love we also die. But this is a spiritual and emotional death that does not immediately result in physical death. 

Because our disconnection does not result in immediate physical death we continue to operate and seek life (a sense of meaning/purpose/value) the best way we know how, but on our own terms, not Gods (the very God who gives and sustains all things we enjoy).

Our disconnection is total in the sense of our trust in God. We have totally rejected him.

However we are not totally disconnected from the benefits of creation. We can still see, hear, smell, taste and feel the good gifts of this life. But we no longer view them as gifts from our Creator (due to our distrust and rejection of him). We view them as resources to use (and often abuse) as we see fit without any regard to God the giver.

Passion, trust and the glory of God... how they are connected?

Passion (e.g. longing/desire/ emotions/affections) and trust are closely connected.

By that I mean we want and long for most is what we most ¹believe is in our best interest. The more we believe, the more passionately we go after (pursue) something. 

That belief at times is so great, our confidence (conviction) so strong, we know we will get what we desire. It is as if we ²will into existence what we believe. 

When we have this kind of faith it translates into strong and compelling affections and actions. We are blessed when our passion for God is at such a level of emotion, it drives our actions/obedience to and for Him.

Acting for his glory first

However, often our emotions are nowhere to be found. We simply choose to act because we believe - know by faith - what we are doing is for his glory, the good of others, and our ³ultimate good. Sometimes the only thing we have to move us to action is knowing it is an action that honors/glorifies God, blesses others, and strengthens our union with him. We rightly conclude there is no immediate reward for us in acting. 

In fact, this may involve actions resulting in just the opposite; actions that are dishonoring to and for us; actions that may likely cause us hardship and loss - not *unlike when Christ took action i.e. his eventually going to the cross, after asking God in the Garden of Gethsemane to remove the "cup" of his impending suffering and death.  

But we are told in scripture that we sometimes must die to live; die to our immediate gain so we might better honor God - which eventually results in our long-term gain; gain that far exceeds any present loss. For pressing into and experiencing God is ultimately our greatest reward/gain. To act in this way is a greater act of faith, for there is no immediate or even long term earthly reward in doing so. This only offers a reward after death. 

This was the characteristics of the saints listed at the end of Heb 11. 

All obedience is acting by faith

The key is how much do we believe/trust in God and whether the actions He calls us to are ultimately the best actions.

And what is the nature of our faith? It isn't in a particular outcome that we bring about through our independent efforts but a belief that the direction He calls us to and the results He will bring about through them is the best possible outcome there is i.e. actions dependent on his leading and the results he provides/promises.

The greater our belief/faith/trust these things are so, the stronger and more driven our emotions will be i.e. the greater our desire, longing, motivation and confidence to act. Or as a friend commented in reading this, the more *inspired we are to act or in acting. 

*(foot note: the Greek word for "inspired" is θεόπνευστος or theopneustos

theh-op'-nyoo-stos and means: divinely breathed in: - given by inspiration of God. [Strongs Greek Dictionary]. 

If you break the word down it basically means "in spirited" or indwelt by the Spirit or breath of God. Breath that comes forth from the passion of God. The passionate love between the Father and Son that sends forth the Spirit of love.  

For a further discussion on inspiration click here. 

We have little awareness of why we desire what we do.

In truth we often have no idea where our desires and longings to act come from. We simply know we want whatever it is we want.

But if we peel back the layers we will discover we want what we want because we believe (either from prior experience or the experience of others) it will give us what we most need and believe is best for us. But this is based on short term gratification which is not necessarily what is best.

And what is it we need that is best? In a word it's love. Usually it looks more like having what we want simply makes us feel good about ourselves. But why does it make us feel good? Because when we get what we seek we feel important, valued, we matter, have purpose and meaning etc... in a word, we are loved (granted it's only self love but self love is better than no love at all).

The problem is what we usually seek (i.e. which is usually everything but God) never actually gives us what we truly need. Why? Because what we really seek is to feel good about ourselves all the time, not just for the moment when we feel that temporary rush of getting what we are after. This is why we repeatedly keep going after whatever it is we believe will give us this. It only works for a short time so we must keep coming back for more.

What we really need is permanent, never changing, constant love (which makes perfect sense since we were created to be loved by the Infinite).

But, guess what? Nothing in this world can give us this. Only the Source of eternal, never changing, constant love will do (i.e. love that is not dependent on or determined by what we do or don't do). Why? Because we were created for infinite, constant and permanent love, not temporary love.

Defining "best interest"

All action is action based on what we believe is in our best interest. However we must define "best interest."

There is our best immediate interest.

And

There is our best long term/eternal interest.

Sometimes God will call us to action that will have a more immediate benefit. These type actions are the easiest to take for they have the most immediate gratification which creates greater excitement and emotion. When we are excited we are energized/inspired/passionate, making the action easier. 

However God often calls us to take action simply because it honors him and offers no immediate benefit. In fact it may result in immediate loss. This kind of action still has benefit to us, but only long term, and therefore far harder to carry out because this kind of action is more purely by faith i.e. in the belief it is in our best interest long term even if not short term. There is little to no short-term benefit.

As our faith grows we can experience emotion even in this kind of faith but only when our faith is strong enough. The stronger our faith the greater our emotions/inspiration will be, even in the absence of immediate gain or gratification.

My experience has been that as we mature God seeks action more and more based on faith in long term reward not immediate award. Why? Because he knows this requires greater faith. And greater faith causes us to press closer into Him and draw our strength from Him; who he is versus what he does for us in the moment. In other words our faith in the character of God moves us to action not in anticipation and excitement over immediate benefit.

Great trust requires great love

This kind of faith requires great love/passion for God which can only be sustained and flow out of great love from God (vs. excitement over immediate benefit/reward). We cannot live by this kind of faith if we don't have total trust/confidence in God's infinite love for us.

We cannot experience this great love for us without a clear and great vision of the love demonstrated to us in Christ.

And that love is demonstrated most clearly and fully in the work of Christ on our behalf; his death burial and resurrection. The work by which he has secured for us a love from God that has nothing to do with what we do or don't do. This kind of faith exalts Christ and his work done on our behalf. The work that completely and infinitely restores us to the Fathers love.

Eph 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly - vs earthly - places,

Rom 8:30-32  And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. 

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

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¹Actually from our point of view we pursue anything that gives us the most gratification. I use "believe" because what is actually most gratifying is knowing God. Because we refuse to believe this we pursue things or others thinking the will give long term satisfaction when they don't. What they give us is temporary satisfaction when lasting satisfaction is available.

²Ultimately God must bring this about but our trust in God is so great it results in God empowering us to accomplish far more than we could on our own. 

³This involves delayed gratification. We do not experience the immediate reward of our pursuit but we trust the ultimate reward is greater.

A common challenge for the evangelical church

The issue with the typical evangelical church is they have the right form but are often missing substance; the right motivation. There is a lot directed toward the head (right doctrine/ information) and the will (doing the "right" thing) but not the heart.

Given our natural inclination to be our own god (the essence of our original and ongoing rebellion), we must be ever-vigilant over our hearts. After all, we are cautioned that the heart is desperately sick (or wicked). 

Because our hearts are still fallen (even as his children) we are naturally inclined to focus on form (law/commands/right behavior) and lose sight of the substance (intent) that brings about that form/fruit. Therefore, many endeavors (churches, schools, ministries, etc.) start out well but only decline and deteriorate into a shell of their original self i.e. they/we lose sight of the good heart and passion that birthed and drove the action/behavior/ministry to begin with, like the Ephesian church in revelation, who lost sight of their 1st love.

This is also why unbelievers can hide in and be a part of a church and never experience saving faith. They can hide behind "right-thinking" and "right-doing" without ever looking at their heart. They hide behind "correct doctrine" and "righteous" behavior and find comfort and a false sense of security in these instead of depending on the gift of righteousness God provides for us only in and through Christ. As a result, they can do and say all the "right" things for the wrong reasons. 

Possibly one of the scariest passages in all the bible for church goers is...

22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

The prescribed thinking and behavior of a church may be perfectly spot on but our hearts are so rebellious and so inclined and committed to being our god that we can and often do use the best things (even prayer or the very commandments of God) for the wrong reasons and miss the importance and necessity of the gospel completely i.e. the grace and love of God extended to us only through Christ.

Right doctrine and "right behavior" do not automatically indicate a right (righteous) heart.

To act without total trust and dependence on the Father and passionate love for Him can be an act merely of the will and not of the heart i.e. not out of love for God and the desire to increase His honor and notoriety. Actions that only engage the will and not the heart lead to pride and arrogance and away from humility. This results in the classic, "do as I say, not as I do" approach to others i.e. the hypocrisy that often plagues otherwise "good" evangelical churches. 

This also eventually leads to burnout and can lead to disillusionment with the church and unfortunately sometimes even burnout with God. For more discussion on this point, click here and here. 

In truth we are to engage all three; the heart, the head, and the will. But the last two can only be pursued correctly to the degree the heart is first engaged properly and fully.

Mat 15:8  "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; 

1Sam 15:22  And Samuel said, "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 

For more discussion on the difference between head and heart knowledge click here. 

Hardship ---> humility ---> love.

When going through hardship, humility is what God is after and ultimately what we need (and should seek). Hardship is only a means to that end and valuable to the extent it helps us acquire greater humility. 

If we seek humility directly, we may not need to experience self-induced hardship; at least not as often.

There is also self-imposed hardship (i.e. self-denial) as well. Taking up our cross would be an example.

Either way it seems we can not obtain sufficient humility and necessary dependence on God without self deprivation (or denial) in one form or another. 

Self-induced hardship is hardship that comes as a consequence of violating God's law i.e. Disobedience 

Self-imposed hardship (self denial/self discipline) is hardship we experience as a result of choosing to follow God i.e. Obedience

There is also hardship that simply comes by virtue of living in a broken world full of broken people who are disconnected from the Source of life and love. 

(foot note: Being disconnected from the Source of life and love can only result in pain and suffering. Why? Because we were not designed to operate apart from our Creator/Source, no more than the body was designed to function without food and water. Deprive the body of food and water and what happens? We die i.e. we experience pain and suffering) 

The ultimate goal of humility is so we might more fully know and experience God in the greatness of his love, majesty, beauty, wisdom, power and glory.

Arrogance and pride is what we should avoid with everything we have for it is the enemy of unity and harmony with God.

Jas 4:10  Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.

1Pe 5:6  Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you,

Luke 14:11  For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Our problem: the law or unbelief?

Rom 3:20  For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

God's law tells us how we are designed to live, i.e. if we live according to the law, we will experience the life God created and designed us for. This is a good thing, not bad. Therefore, the law too is good. The law is simply God's operations manual for how mankind can best function according to his design and, therefore, to his optimal capacity, bringing the greatest honor to God and drawing others to him. 

But in order for us to live according to the law, we must believe it is given by God for our good. So the problem isn't the law per se, it's our unbelief. We don't trust God, so we are unwilling to obey God and his directions for us. We believe our way is better than His. 

Because we have no faith in God, we have no faith in his directions (the law) for us either.

As a result, the law actually reveals to us how we don't trust God; how we have rebelled and continue to rebel from believing God is our Creator, director, rightful owner, sustainer, provider, lover, caregiver, protector; the all-wise, all-powerful, always present, always loving, all benevolent, beautiful God.

If we knew and believed God was all of this for us and more -- i.e. exactly who he says he is -- doing as He says; following His direction; and obeying the law would be no problem.

Unbelief/distrust is our problem, not the law.

The heart of the law brings all of this out most clearly.

Jesus answered, "The most important (commandment) is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 

The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Mar 12:29-31

So are we good or worthless?

Rom 3:12  All have turned aside; together, they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one."

We are not worthless, but we become worthless when we don't do good.

"Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear." Jesus. Luk 14:34,35

We can do good because we are created in God's image. But because of our disconnection from God, i.e. our rebellious distrust/unbelief, we cannot do good for we were never designed to operate without God, separated from his love for us that empowers us to be loving.

We can not love as we were designed to love because we have disconnected from the source of love. We are not the source of love, God is. Love comes from God to us, and out to others. We inturn are empowered to love others, because we are loved.

Obedience… drudgery or delight, part 2

The reason obedience feels like drudgery or hard work for many professing Christians is there is no "want to" in their actions. It's a "have to." It's performance based behavior. It's ¹"do it or else..."  

We don't have complete confidence and trust in God's love for us to follow his directions with delight yet. This comes over time as we get a fuller/clearer view of Christ and all He did for us. But also after trusting in, seeing and experiencing God's love in various difficult circumstances. As our trust grows, so does our increased willingness and desire to obey.  

In 1Jn 5:2,3 we are told

"...By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome."

When love is driving our actions, the doing/acting isn't a burden, drudgery, or hard work. It is actions from the heart, not out of shear "willpower." We "do" because we want to out of love for God and a desire to honor Him. This is the oil, if you will, that lubricates all our actions. It keeps things from wearing down, heating, and tearing up. 

When I used to surf, it was always a strenuous workout. I would usually be out for 2 or 3 hours per session. When I was done, I was hungry, exhausted, and probably 1 or 2 pounds lighter. But I LOVED it! Did I exert myself? Big time! Was it work? Well, in a sense. I definitely exerted a great deal of energy and effort, but it didn't feel like "work" because it was something I loved to do. ²It was something I delighted in.

The following passage captures the essence of this: 

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation (deliverance from behavior contrary to God's will and design) with ³fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. - Phil 2:12-13

When God's love gets a hold of us, it creates the "want" to pursue him. If there is no "want to" we need to take a hard look at whether we are truly his child that understands and believes in God's loves. 

The solution? Ask God to help you see more clearly what Christ did for you and why he did it i.e. fall more in love with Jesus!

Sometimes, the only way we experience God's love is to step out in faith on God's character and claims (promises) - regardless of how we feel - and love others. This is the essence of obedience to his greatest commandment to love him with all our hearts and our neighbors as ourselves. 

His character/love/wisdom has already been demonstrated to us by giving us Christ. This alone is enough when we really see and believe it. To step out in faith releases our experience of his love to us and through us. Not his actual love - which is already fully secured for us in Christ.

He who is forgiven much loves much.

And Jesus answering said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he answered, "Say it, Teacher."  

"A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debt of both. Now, which of them will love him more?" 

Simon answered, "The one, I suppose, for whom he canceled the larger debt." And he said to him, "You have judged rightly."

 

...Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven--for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little." - Jesus Christ - Luk 7:40-43;47 

The truth is anyone who puts their trust in Christ is "forgiven much." Our problem is we don't have a full understanding of the greatness of our offense, how desperately we need God's forgiveness, how totally impossible it is for us to be righteous enough to be accepted by God, and what lengths God went to, to provide the solution to our otherwise impossible dilemma. The more we see the greatness of our offence and the completeness of God's solution, the more in love with God we become. We love much because we see how we have been forgiven much. 

This is not just at our entry into God's reign of love over us - i.e. His kingdom - but at the heart of our maturing and where growth lies; in seeing the infinite extent of his forgiveness and great love for us and the extent of our absolute need for it. The power and influence of this good news - the gospel - in our everyday behavior is not only ongoing but increases over time.

For further discussion, click here. 

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¹or else you will be condemned, rejected, make God mad, etc. 

²obedience isn't always fun (often it is the opposite) but we know the outcome of it will be "fun" later, if not now. This is our hope. 

And this hope empowers us and makes it fun (rewarding beyond comprehension) in a real and vital way. It is living through dying; it is finding our life (truly and later) by losing it (now). It is dying to what we naturally want and living to honor God - which is ultimately best for us and most rewarding long term, if not always immediately rewarding.

³Why fear and trembling? Is it a fear of condemnation and rejection by God? No. It is a fear of the consequences of going contrary to God's design and dishonoring God after He did everything necessary to honor us. 

#Wantto #haveto #Drudgery #thotsaboutGod #thoughtsaboutGod