THE FRAMEWORK OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE CHANGES EVERYTHING
I had a discussion recently with friends about how amazing it is to see the difference between people who follow Christ, and know God intimately versus those who become mesmerized by the world, worldly wisdom and achievement, and a focused “Faith” grounded in “Self” and “Mankind”. It is the difference of Trusting God in all things versus trusting the viewpoints of what I like to call the “ smartest people in the room”. THIS DIFFERENCE IS MASSIVE IN HOW WE ESTABLISH AND VIEW THE FRAMEWORK THAT GIVES US FOUNDATION AND LIFE ! It calls us to make the effort to understand and discern the differences of these “FRAMEWORKS”, and truly explore, meditate on, and UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE ! Jesus made it very clear in His Message to the world as He spent time on the earth that He was focused on God His Father and His Kingdom. He spent His time building relationships with people like us, sharing the Truth and Wisdom of God and His perfect instruction on how to build a life that was “different” than the world and all it’s components. Jesus was interested in the Heart of a person and the fruit that was produced when they were able to overcome the sin and iniquity they (and we) had been born into. Jesus spent His time teaching those around Him the Words and Will of His Father. Jesus spent His time showing everyday men and women the path to Faith, Forgiveness, and Eternal Life that could be found if one embraced relationship with Him ! He Had Such A Clear And Discerning View Of The World And Mankind…..because He Had Created Us. All the messy things we see in the world today existed in more or less the same fashion in His time on earth. He saw Evil and Tyranny. He saw Impurity and Covetous Pleasure. HE SAW IT ALL, AND YET HE CAME TO SAVE,HEAL, AND REDEEM IN COMPLETE LOVE. Jesus NEVER wavered or changed or flip-flopped one time….because GOD IS ETERNAL AND ALWAYS THE SAME EVERY SINGLE MOMENT.
IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. John 1:1
AND THE WORD BECAME FLESH AND DWELT AMONG US, AND WE HAVE SEEN HIS GLORY, GLORY AS OF THE ONLY SON FROM THE FATHER, FULL OF GRACE AND TRUTH. John 1:14
THIS JESUS IS THE STONE THAT WAS REJECTED BY YOU, THE BUILDERS, WHICH HAS BECOME THE CORNERSTONE. AND THERE IS SALVATION IN NO ONE ELSE, FOR THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN GIVEN AMONG MEN BY WHICH WE MUST BE SAVED. Acts 4: 11-12
JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAME YESTERDAY AND TODAY AND FOREVER. Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Is and was God. From the Beginning to the End. He doesn’t change. He is the Cornerstone of who we all are. He came down to live among us, and has shown us the Glory and Majesty of GODS KINGDOM ! To be complete, lets take a look at the world and it’s Framework. The world puts and emphasis on SELF. It celebrates Mankind and all the things that make us all unique and special. The problem is that mankind has a rather nasty habit of singling things out that for a time may be unique and special….until suddenly “They Aren’t”. And if you are smart, you had best agree with “Those In Charge”. There are truly so many people that operate in a good person framework and truly care about others, but their reality is constantly subject to the changing winds of ruthless men, ruthless times, cultural manipulation, and an inability to define right from wrong. Good from Evil. Ideology from TRUTH ! It grieves me to see so many people get caught up in this storm and see them FRAME their lives around self wisdom and self direction. For a long time I wrestled with it, because it is hard to consider that some people will spend Eternity apart from God. Why Jesus ? In my quiet times with Him, I feel that I have gleaned the answer. JESUS IS A CHOICE ! HE DOESN”T FORCE HIMSELF ON US ! We as mankind made a choice long ago to reject Him, and it has been a long process for that wound to be healed and salvation and relationship to be restored. It means making Him your Framework. Asking Him into your life and helping you roll up your sleeves and start LIVING FOR HIM. Breaking things up that don’t move you towards Him and His Ways, and then Rebuilding yourself on Righteousness and Holiness. Building Faith and Trust. Giving up Unhealthy desires and habits. The Key is that your Framework is built and maintained by Him and His love for you. Within that comes self worth as HE DEFINES IT. Humility, Obedience, Fear of Him, because HE IS GOD ! If these things sound absurd to you, or silly, then I ask you to set aside your self assurance and seek Him. Find out who He Is before you reject Him.
AND THIS IS THE TESTIMONY, THAT GOD GAVE US ETERNAL LIFE, AND THIS LIFE IS IN HIS SON. WHOEVER HAS THE SON HAS LIFE; WHOEVER DOES NOT HAVE THE SON OF GOD DOES NOT HAVE LIFE. I WRITE THESE THINGS TO YOU WHO BELIEVE IN THE NAME OF THE SON OF GOD THAT YOU MAY KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. 1 John 5: 11-13
HE SAVED US, NOT BECAUSE OF THE WORKS DONE BY US IN RIGHTEOUSNESS, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS OWN MERCY, BY THE WASHING OF REGENERATION AND RENEWAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. Titus 3:5
Wow ! What a Choice we all have. Giving your life to Jesus and being reborn into a new creation….a son or daughter of the Most High God; or reliance upon self and counting on the goodness and wisdom of those in power for the moment to guide you and do “right” by you. I am 65 years old. Jesus found me at 17. I gave my life to Him. I have slipped and fallen and wrestled and struggled in my flesh and selfness for a long time….but I am so GRATEFUL AND JOYFUL that HE NEVER LEFT MY SIDE. Jesus helped me up, dusted me off and gave me a hug every time. As I bow my head in prayer I often wonder, Why Me Lord ? I’m so imperfect at times. His answer is always the same, as He smiles and looks me in the eyes. “ I LOVE YOU JIM. I ALWAYS HAVE AND I ALWAYS WILL” ! THANK YOU JESUS/JAA
THEN I SAW A GREAT WHITE THRONE AND HIM WHO WAS SEATED ON IT. FROM HIS PRESENCE EARTH AND SKY FLED AWAY, AND NO PLACE WAS FOUND FOR THEM. AND I SAW THE DEAD, GREAT AND SMALL, STANDING BEFORE THE THRONE, AND BOOKS WERE OPENED. THEN ANOTHER BOOK WAS OPENED, WHICH IS THE BOOK OF LIFE. AND THE DEAD WERE JUDGED BY WHAT WAS WRITTEN IN THE BOOKS ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY HAD DONE. AND THE SEA GAVE UP THE DEAD WHO WERE IN IT, DEATH AND HADES GAVE UP THE DEAD WHO WERE IN THEM, AND THEY WERE JUDGED, EACH ONE OF THEM, ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY HAD DONE. THEN DEATH AND HADES WERE THROWN INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE. THIS IS THE SECOND DEATH, THE LAKE OF FIRE. AND IF ANYONE;S NAME WAS NOT FOUND WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE, HE WAS THROWN INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE. Revelation 20: 11-15
May you seek God, give you life to Jesus, and FIND ETERNAL LIFE SHALOM