GRACE AND TRUTH

FLESH VERSUS SPIRIT- A SURRENDERED LIFE

• Total surrender to God causes us to be accountable to God.
  
• When actually you have surrendered to God and the things of the world are still attracting you, then there is a conflict. You can no longer live the life you used to live before.
  It is a matter of total surrender. He has given us the power to become His own – His sons.


• A true hearer is a doer of the word of God. Hearing God requires doing what he says; otherwise we have not heard from Him yet. Those who accept what He says in His word and begin to live that life are surrendered to Him.

Anyone who is born of God is of the Spirit of God – John 1:12-13; John 3:5-6. Those born of God are god. They are His – His Spirit.

But as many as received him, to them gave he the right to become children of God, even to them that believe on his name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:12-13 ASV)

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God! That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. (John 3:5-6 ASV)

For whatever reason God knows, He drew you out of all the people in the world to know Him. It is a privilege. You need to cherish and keep that privilege. When God chooses you and draws you to Himself and gives you understanding; it is given to you (a privilege) to have understanding. Drop arguments -you cannot argue with God. If you cannot accept what God says in His word, then are you given to understand it?

Once we know the truth, the truth shall judge us.

I have come as a Light into the world, so that whoever believes on Me should not remain in darkness. And if any one hears My Words and does not believe, I do not judge him, for I do not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My Words has one who judges him; the Word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. (John 12:46-48 MKJV)

We cannot claim we don't know any longer. We must stop sinning and move on to the call of God for our lives. God’s commandments are not grievous. We are to purify ourselves as He is pure.

Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God, (Hebrews 6:1 KJV)

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous. (1 John 5:3 ASV)

Giving thanks unto the Father, who made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light; who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the kingdom of the Son of his love; (Colossians 1:12-13 ASV)

To grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Should serve him without fear, In holiness and righteousness before him all our days. (Luke 1:74-75 ASV)

Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (Romans 6:6 KJV)

Though I was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious: howbeit I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief; (1 Timothy 1:13 ASV)

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? (Romans 6:1 ASV)

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, "The just shall live by faith." For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because the thing which may be known of God is clearly revealed within them, for God revealed it to them. For the unseen things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being realized by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, for them to be without excuse. (Romans 1:17-20 MKJV)

We are not to focus on "we have to grow” and “it is a process” and forget the things we have been told to stop doing:

While it is said, "Today if you will hear His voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation." For some, when they had heard, did provoke; however, not all who came out of Egypt by Moses. (Hebrews 3:15-16 MKJV)

While it is said, today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. (Hebrews 3:15-16 KJVR)

Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, Behold, you are made whole. Sin no more lest a worse thing come to you. (John 5:14 MKJV)

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away; it is impossible, I say, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify the Son of God afresh to themselves and put Him to an open shame. (Hebrews 6:4-6 MKJV/KJV)

Son of man, I have made you a watchman to the house of Israel. Therefore hear the Word of My mouth, and give them warning from Me. (Ezekiel 3:17 MKJV)


KEYS OF THE KINGDOM:

1. ENDURANCE

The kingdom of God is an endurance race – whoever endures to the end will be saved.

And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (Matthew 10:22 ESV)

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (KJV)

You know that many runners enter a race, and only one of them wins the prize. So run to win! Athletes work hard to win a crown that cannot last, but we do it for a crown that will last forever. (1 Corinthians 9:24-25 CEV)

The kingdom of God is for those who will overcome - Revelation 2:7, 17, 26

Be the first and be the last. Always be the first to find God (in any situation) and be the last standing with Him.


2. OBEDIENCE

Obedience is to love as love is to God. If I say I love God and don't obey him, it is a lie.

If you love Me, keep My commandments. (John 14:15 MKJV)
You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. (John 15:14 MKJV)

If you disobey God, you don't love God, neither do you like or even care about God. If you don’t do what he says, you are not His friend. If you don’t obey Me, then you actually hate Me.

But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do. Arise, let us go hence. (John 14:31 KJV)

We would be identified as children of God, if we do the works of God. The one you believe is the one you know. The one I believe in is the one I’ll obey and hear His voice. To know God is to be in agreement with and to identify with God [Amos 3:3].

He who does not love Me does not keep My Words, and the Word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me. (John 14:24 MKJV)

The only duty of man is to obey God. See Joshua 1:5-7- where God told Joshua to be strong and courageous so he (Joshua) can obey God in all that God commands. Only be diligent enough to obey God, and He (God) will ensure that no one would be able to resist you (stand before you) – Joshua 1:5.


TRUE OBEDIENCE

The only way to know God is to love God.

And by this we know that we have known Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, I have known Him, and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. (1 John 2:3-4 MKJV)

Jesus is Truth so if the truth is not in us then we are of the devil –If someone is a liar he or she is not of God -John 8:44.

If we would really do what God tells us to do (true obedience); God promises to be with us always.

And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things which please Him. (John 8:29 MKJV)

If Christ didn’t do things pleasing to God, God would not have been with Him. If our Lord, Jesus Christ met that requirement, we ought to. God is not a respecter of any human being. Whoever is not willing to accept the whole doctrine of Christ is against Christ (anti-Christ).

God promises His protection to those who have set their love upon Him – obedience!
Because

He has set His love on Me, therefore I will deliver Him; I will set Him on high, because He has known My name. (Psalms 91:14 MKJV)

We can do everything we like for God, unless we obey Him – our works for Him, will be in vain:

Not everyone that says unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name? and in Your name have cast out demons? and in Your name done many wonderful works? And then will I say to them, I never knew you: depart from me, you that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23)


HOW DO WE OBEY GOD?

God will not accept our obedience unless it is done in a broken spirit and a contrite heart.

The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. (Psalms 51:17 MKJV)

And the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw nigh unto me, and with their mouth and with their lips to honor me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which hath been taught them; (Isaiah 29:13 ASV)

Unfortunately, many of us become proud as we get older, especially in the Lord. We should always pray that God will grant us divine humility before Him. That is what God expects and respects. God’s only begotten Son was born in a manger. His birth announced to shepherds. God can send a child to teach us.

And Jesus said, I have come into this world for judgment, that they who do not see might see, and that they who see might be made blind. (John 9:39 MKJV)

When a student is hardened, then there is no point to teach him or her. Be like the pine tree that is not resistant to the wind and in a storm it does not get easily destroyed.

And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. (Matthew 21:44 KJV)

And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be Mine. (Leviticus 20:26 KJV)

Do not obey God out of obligation and fear. Rather, obey God because of the love and reverence we have for Him; otherwise it is eye service.

When we are in the Lord and the Lord is in us, obedience becomes natural. We should obey from a humble heart.

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. (Proverbs 8:13 KJV)

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (Romans 8:35 KJV)
Sin can separate us from God!
But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear. (Isaiah 59:2 KJV)

God does not want us to fall away. He says – “Don’t fall away. I am God. I am in heaven. You are here on earth. Do it My way. It’s only My way that counts!

When God sees a heart that is not willing to fall away, He (God) will help that person.

THE GRACE TO OBEY AND FOLLOW THE TRUTH IS AVAILABLE FROM GOD -
For the law came through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (John 1:17 MKJV)