CAN YOU OPEN YOUR HANDS AND LET GO OF THE WORLD, AND LET GOD FILL THEM WITH HIS PURPOSE AND LOVE ?

11/22/2019

WHEN I AM IN CHURCH AND I AM SINGING TO THE LORD, I OFTEN FIND MYSELF CUPPING MY HANDS AND GIVING THANKS TO THE LORD. I AM THANKING HIM FOR ALL THE AMAZING THINGS HE HAS GIVEN ME. I AM ASKING HIM TO FILL ME WITH ALL HE HAS FOR ME. I WANT MY HANDS TO BE OPEN AND WILLING TO RECEIVE FROM HIM THE THINGS THAT HE HAS FOR ME, AND THAT HE WANTS ME TO ADD INTO MY SPIRIT AND MY LIFE. OUR HANDS, IF WE LOOK AT THEM CLOSELY, OFFER A TRUE PICTURE OF WHO WE ARE, AND WHAT WE DESIRE. OUR HANDS REPRESENT OUR FOCUS, OUR ACTIONS, OUR CRAVINGS, OUR FAITH, AND MOST OF ALL OUR CHOICES OF WHAT WE WILL DO, AND ALSO PERSUE. OUR HANDS ARE ALWAYS AT A CROSSROAD OF CHOICES…..DO I PERSUE THE THINGS OF THE WORLD, OR DO I PERSUE THE THINGS OF GOD ? THE CHOICE LIES IN OUR HEARTS AND MINDS, BUT THE BATTLEGROUND SEEMS TO SIT LITERALLY RIGHT AT OUR FINGER TIPS. GOD MAKES IT VERY CLEAR IN HIS WORD THAT THERE IS A MAJOR DIFFERENCE IN FOLLOWING THE WORLD AND ITS PRACTICES, OF FOLLOWING HIM, AND ABIDING IN JESUS.

NOW THE WORKS OF THE FLESH ARE OBVIOUS: SEXUAL IMMORALITY, MORAL IMPURITY, PROMISCUITY, IDOLATRY, SORCERY, HATREDS, STRIFE, JEALOUSY, OUTBURSTS OF ANGER, SELFISH AMBITIONS, DISSENSIONS, FACTIONS, ENVY, DRUNKENNESS, CAROUSING, AND ANYTHING SIMILAR. I AM WARNING YOU ABOUT THESE THINGS-AS I WARNED YOU BEFORE-THAT THOSE WHO PRACTICE SUCH THINGS WILL NOT INHERIT THE KINGDOM OF GOD Galatians 5: 19-21

BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, PEACE PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS,AND SELF CONTROL. THE LAW IS NOT AGAINST SUCH THINGS. NOW THOSE WHO BELONG TO CHRIST JESUS HAVE CRUCIFIED THE FLESH WITH IT’S PASSIONS AND DESIRES Galatians 5: 22-24.

SEEKING THE THINGS OF GOD VERSUS SEEKING THE WORLD BECOME VERY CLEAR IF YOU WATCH WHAT YOUR HANDS ARE DOING ! ARE YOU SPENDING TIME PICKING UP THE BIBLE AND READING IT, OR ARE YOU BUSY DOING OTHER THINGS….. LIKE PUNCHING A T.V. REMOTE. ARE YOU PUTTING YOUR HANDS TOGETHER IN PRAYER, OR ARE YOU PUSHING COMPUTER KEYS, WORKING LATE, SHOPPING, OR SURFING PORN ? ARE YOU REACHING OUT A HAND TO HELP SOMEONE IN NEED, OR INSERTING YOUR CREDIT CARD TO BUY ANOTHER ITEM THAT MAKES YOU FEEL GOOD ? ARE YOU OPENING YOUR HANDS TO LET GOD FILL THEM, OR ARE YOU CLOSING THEM TO THE VERY THOUGHT OF WHAT HE MIGHT OFFER FOR YOUR LIFE. HOW WE SPEND OUR TIME, AND HOW WE USE OUR HANDS IS NEVER EASY, AND IT WILL NEVER BE PERFECT. WE ALL HAVE TIMES WHEN OUR HANDS FOCUS ON OURSELVES…..BUT THE KEY IS TO OPEN THEM UP AND LET GOD FILL THEM, EVEN IF IT SEEMS TO BE NOT VERY OFTEN. ONCE GOD PUTS SOMETHING IN YOUR HANDS, IT MOVES INTO YOUR VERY BEING, AND IT BEGINS TO CHANGE YOU. IT MOVES FROM YOUR HANDS INTO YOUR MIND, AND YOUR SOUL, AND YOUR HEART, AND YOUR SPIRIT. YOU BEGIN TO FEEL A THIRST AND A HUNGER TO HAVE YOUR HANDS FILLED AGAIN, AND AGAIN, WITH THE THINGS GOD HAS FOR YOU.

IN HIM, WE HAVE OBTAINED AN INHERITANCE, HAVING BEEN PREDESTINED ACCORDING TO THE PURPOSE OF HIM WHO WORKS ALL THINGS ACCORDING TO THE COUNSEL OF HIS WILL. EPHESIAN 1:1

SET YOUR MINDS ON THINGS THAT ARE ABOVE, NOT ON THINGS THAT ARE ON EARTH. Colossians 3:5

SO THE CHOICE BECOMES OURS AS TO WHETHER WE OPEN OUR HANDS TO GOD AND HIS LOVE, OR WE FILL OUR HANDS WITH THE WORLD. THE WORLD AND ALL ITS’ BLING AND ADRENALINE AND STUFF ! ITS’ PROMISE OF FAME AND FORTUNE AND EXHILARATION…..FUNNY THING THOUGH…..ALL THE PROMISES OF THE WORLD REALLY DON’T SEEM TO MAKE YOU FREE, OR COMPLETE IN THE JOY OF KNOWING WHO YOU ARE, AND ESPECIALLY WHOSE YOU ARE. OPEN YOUR HANDS TO GOD. FEEL HIS LOVE. FEEL MEANING AND HOPE AND DIRECTION. LET HIM FILL YOU IN THE SALVATION, REBIRTH AND PROMISE OF HIS SON, JESUS. BE HIS, FOR THOUGH WE LIVE IN THE WORLD, WE ARE NOT OF IT. SELAH. BE FREE IN CHRIST/JA

JESUS SAID TO HIM, “I AM THE WAY, AND THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER BUT THROUGH ME.. John 14:6