Being Taught and Having Learned

In one of our classes, I remember our teacher showed us this comic strip to contrast what is being taught and having learned.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

James 1:22 (NIV)

In our lives, let us not just diligently read our Bibles but also apply what we learned from His Word in our lives.

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Holy Pause. Heartily Listen.

Pause.

We are often distracted by our surroundings today and forget to pause and listen to God. Whenever we find ourselves entrapped by overwhelming problems, we rant at God for the awkward or painful situations we find ourselves in, and yet we neglect to actually spend intimate solitude with Him.

A Holy Pause flavored with a fervent prayer and deep listening to God’s Word is the best means to cultivate an intimate solitude with God. It is a great avenue for spiritual transformation, but may also cause spiritual waywardness if we don’t prepare ourselves. To achieve the former, it is important to pause and listen to God’s Word. No wonder why Solomon wrote,

“Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply your heart to my knowledge, for it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, if all of them are ready on your lips. That your trust may be in the Lord, I have made them known to you today, even to you.” (Proverbs 22:17-19, NLT)

Heartily Listening to God’s Word is a vital step in achieving spiritual transformation and a holy pause, its prerequisite. Change begins where the stubborn heart ends – when one starts to listen, change starts to happen. God speaks to those who have time to pause and listen.

Listen.

 

Grace Moves!

God’s grace fuels acceptance that paves the way for moving on.
Once we begin to move on, we’ll be surprised to know how far we can go from the point where we thought it was the end. 

“Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.”
So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” —2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT)

 

Strive Thriving

The feeling of being pushed on the brink of losing yourself and
just when you were about to grope your way out of the darkness
to start gasping for air to breathe afresh survival,
a scheming reality choked you.
That you are surrounded yet alone;
Needed but needing;
Moving but drowning;
Living yet dying. 
Hopelessly hopeful.
Quitting…

…and with a fervid desire to feed the pain for mundane gain, you succumb to giving up. 
Yet all of a sudden, the churning within calms as the Comforter comes, saying… 

“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.
I’ve called your name.
You’re mine.

When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.
 
When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down…

Because I am God, your personal God,…your Savior. 
.
…That’s how much you mean to me!
 
That’s how much I love you!“

— GOD (Isaiah 43:1-4, The Message)

Strive thriving in living and loving HIM.
May God’s unfailing love always be your comfort.

 

Wholly Holy

“We forget that God’s primary goal is not changing our situations or relationships so that we can be happy, but changing us through our situations and relationships so that we will be holy.”

— Paul David Tripp

“So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. For the Scriptures say,
‘You must be holy because I am holy.’” 

— 1 Peter 1:14-16 (NLT)

Chasing for holiness paves the way for a life of wholly holiness for God that allows us to traverse the grand pursuit of the ultimate END in life — the pursuit of God
…a never ending chase for the Sole Prime Mover of life and beyond.

Chase holiness. Chase HIM.