Dear Friend, How are you? Hope you had or are having a good day, today? Last week, I wrote that I would share what Pastor Rick Joyner said on how we become sons of God. Actually, the answer is already known in the Bible: Love your God and love your neighbors. Yes, this is simple yet true. Pastor Rick said that these sons of God don’t even realize they are the sons, as their focus is not on them, but on the Lord. And they help others reach the goal before they do. When we love Him, we would only think of brining joy to Him and loving our neighbors as ourselves is bringing joy to Him. Through our mundane life and menial works in our daily life, we learn to become like Him. I’m in the middle of reading a Richard Foster’s book, “Streams of Living Water” and his message on Jesus’ teachings in the Gospels echoed what I learned and believed on our lifestyle: Where did he learn all these things and so much more? I will tell you where. He learned them in his carpentry work and at home with his parents and his brothers and sisters. Jesus did not all of a sudden one day start spouting nice sayings about God. No, when he began his public ministry, he was speaking out of a life that had been tested and tried. He had proven the teachings to be true over and over again as he sawed wood and assembled chairs and built cabinets. It is critical that we understand the significance of this. Today we tend to confine Jesus and his work to stained glass and high altars and silent retreats, or perhaps to intercessory prayer work and revival meetings. And clearly there was a specifically religious or liturgical dimension to Jesus’ incarnational living. He went to synagogue “as was his custom” (Luke 4:16). As a faithful Jew he recited the Shema twice a day: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD one” (Deut. 6:4, NIV). In addition, he observed the three hours of prayer that were part and parcel of Jewish practice: morning, afternoon, and evening. But as good and essential as these things were (and are), we must recognize that the majority of Jesus’ life — and of ours — is found in our families and homes, in our work and play, among our neighbors and in our everyday surroundings. This tangible world is the place we most fully express the meaning of incarnational living. This is where we experience the outflow of love, joy, peace, and all the fruit of the Spirit. Here and nowhere else. It was true for Jesus; it is true for us. This is the Incarnational Tradition. Foster, Richard J.. Streams of Living Water (pp. 20-21). HarperCollins. Kindle Edition. This year, somehow, the word, “truth” was being highlighted again and again in my Bible reading. Jesus is the Truth, and He said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)” And He also said, “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:24)” What would be worshipping in truth? I believe it’s our walking in love, obeying His Words. I love to worship Him, singing praises. Whenever I take a walk, I sing praises. When I wash dishes, I sing praises. After dinner, I sit on the sofa and sing praises. I love to sing praises and worship our Father. And I keep it in mind that if I don’t obey Him and don’t love my family, friends, neighbors and others, I don’t worship Him in truth. If I have an unforgiving heart or bitterness toward someone, I don’t worship Him in truth. If I am selfish and self-centered, I don’t worship Him in truth. I would dread hearing Him say that I’m a hypocrite or my worship was in vain. Friend, It’s my desire and prayer that you and I bring joy to Him, by walking in love and worshipping Him in truth. He doesn’t see what we do, but what we become. Friend, do you think it’s impossible that we would become like Him? I recently reread Pastor Rick Joyner’s book, “Overcoming the Religious Spirit.” He wrote ten things we can do to get free of the religious spirit and one of them really refreshed me: Pray that the same love with which the Father loved the Son would be in us. The Lord Jesus Himself prayed for the same love with which the Father loved Him to be in us (see John 17). We know that this prayer of the Son of God, who was in perfect harmony with the Father, will be answered. We have not because we ask not. When this love replaces religious duty, our good works will greatly exceed what they would be otherwise. Joyner, Rick. Overcoming the Religious Spirit (Combatting Spiritual Strongholds Series) (p. 25). MorningStar Publications, a division of MorningStar Fellowship Church. Kindle Edition. How powerful this prayer is, as Jesus already prayed for us! It would be answered, if we prayed in agreement with Him. Friend, would you like to join me in praying this prayer for you and me? Have a bliss! Yunee He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. (1 John 2:4~5)” Comments are closed.
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