I am starting to learn to live a totally new way, as described in the Bible—with
the attitude of a little child simply doing what Daddy tells me. Shockingly, and I am beginning to notice (naturally, spontaneously and unconsciously) some amazing things happening to me.
I find myself beginning to think of loving and not being loved; giving not receiving; being last, not first; serving, not being served; being a sinner, not a righteous Christian saint, etc.,
This is just the opposite of the way I normally think! The Bible tells me that these are all characteristics of a Christian who is “walking by faith,” or, “entering the kingdom right now as a little child” (Mark 10:15).
“Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1). This verse tells us that in God’s economy, faith (trusting) what Daddy has told me will happen to me becomes real in my experience, right now! “Believing is seeing,” not “seeing is believing”—I trust Daddy first in order to, then, see; not see intellectual proof in order, then, to trust Him!
There are many verses that tell us amazing things that God says He is doing, and will do, in our lives, that we pay no attention to. They are too impossible to imagine really happening, even though God says they will! I want to look at three of them. Ask yourself honestly as you read them, “Do I believe what God says in my heart just because God said it, or does it fly through my mind unnoticed?”
1.”He who calls you (to do these things) is faithful, who also will do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
Here Paul comes to the end of a string of injunctions for the Thessalonians to follow in the final comments of his letter. This rarely-quoted verse is at the end of these commands, and is never emphasized by pharisaical, Christian, do-good addicts; It is hidden at the very end of Paul’s list of “important injunctions for us to do.’” It is viewed as almost a throw-away verse, because we don’t know what to do with it.:
This verse is astounding! God tells us (through Paul) that all the injunctions He has just commanded us to follow, He will do Himself! This is because He knows we can’t ever follow them. So, my contention is that, when we read these commands, they all become PROMISES of what God Himself will do—by His Holy Spirit Who lives within us!
Do you really believe this, experientially, in your heart? Here are a couple of other nuggets I struggle to really get my mind around and what they mean if I could
2. “For it is God who works in you, both to WILL and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 213).
This means that “ought-to,” “need-to,” and “should-do” Christianity is over. Little children WANT TO do what Daddy says. God begins to change our wills, our “want-toes,” to conform to His! How do we know God’s will? If I am walking by faith as a little child, what I want to do is God’s will for me!
This does not mean that there will be no consequences as we imperfectly begin to walk this way. If I don’t want to be on time for work, am a spendthrift, and am unfaithful to my wife, I will be fired, go broke, and ruin my marriage, but my relationship with God is not affected!
He simply chuckles and says, “When will you ever learn? Be patient. We’ll take care of that. I’ve got it. You are right on schedule!” He will powerfully use all the difficulty I have brought upon myself, by continuing my stubborn insistence on continuing to “be like God,” My current conduct is far subservient to His goal of totally capturing my heart!!
3. “…That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled IN US, (not “by us”) who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:3, 4).
Can you believe it? Paul tells us that, as we walk as little children, doing what we want to do, that “want to” will, naturally, spontaneously, and unconsciously, be the law of God! Yes, I said it: I will, without ever thinking about it, want with all my heart to do what Daddy tells me, and the Holy Spirit will, without my awareness, do so in me!
Brothers and Sisters, do you believe this good news? Oh, do so, because it is The Truth, and BELIEVING it in your heart is SEEING it in your life! Jump in the “Believe, Then See” sandbox and play with me as we learn from Daddy together!.
