My class was recently discussing fear and God's love and how marks of others knowing that we are truly becoming (His) disciple indeed is that we share that love (agape) one to another. I emphasized "His" because though I teach them and may influence them, becoming my disciple should not be their goal! It's important to me that they know what His word says because He is the truth, the way, and the light and I am only a vessel or conduit to "His" disciple.
My role is not to point them to me, but that they may see Jesus! Perhaps, this is why many will cry "Lord, Lord, I did many things in your name only to hear, "Depart from me you worker of iniquity/lawlessness I never knew you (Matt 7:21-23). I want them to know Him and only identify with me. Ok, back on topic.
A New Command I Give You.
Love is not an option, but it is a Commandment for a Christian!
John 13:34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."This brings me to my next point....Relationships!
Have you ever heard anyone say, "I love you, but I just don't trust you!" I know I have. Keeping it real, I have said it myself! The thing is, "We have been reared in a society where we have learned to separate the two in order to survive!" Every last one of my students can tell you that they learned to live with a pattern of behavior that fostered this dysfunctional way of thinking. Many of us even made exceptions and enabled the abuser because it came from someone who "loved us"or whom we thought had our "best interest" in mind.
Perhaps, we even suffered mind battles of guilt and shame when we thought our pain would make others view our abusers as such, because we loved them and we knew they loved us in a "twisted" way, but God's way is not man's way. While I recall one time in my life, long after salvation; when I was dealing with a great deal of fear. I quoted scripture, (2Tim 1:7) "For God hath not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind."
A Christian should never be bound by fear. I recalled praying one day and hearing God say, "If IAM your Lord, what's up with this fear?!" Wow, this got my attention. I read and studied the bible, but I could not shake fear. The word said in (1John 4:18) "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."
I had learned to identify with God the way I identified with man. Man's love had not been made perfect in my life, therefore, I had identified with God the way I learned to identify with man. I couldn't trust man, so I had not fully been trusting God. Fear and faith simply cannot operate simultaneously!
Some of you may never be able to relate to this, and praise God for that! But many of us had to learn to survive at an early age. Little did I know, God would use everything I went through to help others be delivered and overcome.
Trust God with your whole heart. (Proverbs 3:5-6).
In order to fully be free we must trust God. He loves all of us so much! He sees and knows all about your issues and problems and he cares. (Jeremiah1:5) "Before you were formed in the womb He knew you." All things are working for your good (Romans 8:28). What you have gone through may have been to help someone else overcome. (Rev 12:11) "They overcome by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony...)Your labors are not in vane (1 Corin 15:58).
Deliverance is just that deliverance...only "The Truth will Set You Free" (John 8:31-32) "So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, "If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.
Trust Him on your journey. He knows the mistakes that you will make because He alone is perfect, but His plumb line of truth will always deliver you safely to your destiny!
I love you all, but God loves you more!
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