How Far Do We See

‎Sunday, ‎May ‎7, ‎2023

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Memory of the Month: John 10:27-28

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Today's reading: 2 KINGS 1-3 LUKE 24:1-35

How far Do We See?

Jesus asked, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave Him a piece of broiled fish and He ate it. 44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you..."Luke 24

It is hard for a lot of us to see past the rules of this world. We have rules for living in a healthy way; we have rules for morality; we have rules for ethics-we have rules for rules.

Jesus came that we could live a life free of rules-and at this, the nature of man protested until man killed Jesus. Rules mean someone is enforcing the rules-someone has power over us. In response, we must enforce rules over ourselves so as to have some control over, at least, our own lives. When control is interrupted, we rebel. When we break rules over us, we usually pay for it, i.e., speeding tickets.

People who live by the power of the Holy Spirit do not have to follow rules. The rules are written on our hearts. This does not mean that we get 'special' treatment. It means that Jesus is real. He ate broiled fish after he was dead on the cross. They all saw Him up there.

He was there because he did not follow the rules of the world He lived in. He did not have to. It was all in God's plan. He lived and died like all of us-but-He broke the laws of nature-He came back to life after the world exerted all the control they possessed-they killed Him and He didn't follow that rule either. He arose and lived.

We must live in this world and be 'law-abiding, citizens' at the same time we live in the Kingdom of God by the power of the Holy Spirit. A verse reads, "Be holy as I am holy"; four times it says this in Leviticus and then repeats it in 1 Peter. So what is the rule for being Holy? Where do we see this list of rules for being Holy? I am sure there would be many who could come up with a list and a life of piety has many things we should do to grow in the Lord-but living truthfully before our God means that our hearts are in tune with Him and His living leadership. Can you see it yet?

A child eats when she or he is hungry. Most sleep when sleepy; the cry when they hurt-and no one has to force these basic things on these small people-it is natural.

I have seen some children fight sleep-the same way I have fought my own conviction to pray and study and read scripture. Some children fight sleep until they are out of control and in trouble and in chaos and then they pass out.

We must see that discipline comes by the hand of God but so does the simple 'Spirit-nature' to be in God's presence and live the life free from rules. How far into this can you really see?

Most of us see the 'Holy Hill' but only see how hard it is to get to the top. We depend too much on our own strength and forget that God gives more than we need to get to the top and have a 'forever view' of God's kingdom.

We must stop thinking of the Bible as a rule book-it is not a rule book-it is an outline of how God thinks-infinitely more than rules. The 'golden rule' is not a rule at all-it is how we love our neighbors as ourselves.

Loving is living...

How far can you see?

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

Forgive me for living by my own rules and not yours. I want to sit at Your feet in Your peace.

Gracious God of all holiness and peace,

In the name of Jesus,

Amen