Have You said “I DO” to God?
God wants three things from us… Before I begin, let me start with saying, we cannot earn God’s love. It is a free gift. However, the Lord would like 3 things from us. He does not need them to be happy–WE need them to walk straight, be happy, fulfilled, and in peace.
Have You said “I DO” to God?
“I DO” stands for Intimacy, Dependence and Obedience.
Intimacy:
What is intimacy?
intimacy (from World English Dictionary) – Close or warm friendship or understanding; personal relationship.
On the flip side: aloneness, antagonism, disunion, isolation, opposition, rivalry, seclusion, separation, solitude.
The flip side alone makes me realize how detrimental it would be to NOT pursue intimacy with God.
It is basically crawling up on Daddy’s lap and just resting in His love. It is a relationship with the living God. It is spending time with Him simply because you love Him and want to know Him better–He sure wants to spend time with you…
“Would you be satisfied going to Heaven and finding all your friends and family you’ve loved and all your sensual delights and pleasures… would you be satisfied with all of that for eternity if Jesus was not there??” — CS Lewis
Knowing God is vital. The only way to know God is to build intimacy, and the only way to build intimacy is to spend time with the one you want to be more intimate with…
Look up the Following Scriptures For Further Study:
-Matthew 22:37
-John 17:3
-Romans 8:15
Dependence:
What is dependence?
dependence (from World English Dictionary) – The state or fact of being dependent, esp for support or help. Reliance; trust; confidence.
On the flip side: independence, subtraction, want.
We tend to get really dependent on God when things go bad. Sometimes, however, we stray when things are going well in our lives. God wants us dependent through the good AND bad times in life. He does not want us independent.
Growing in faith means you are becoming more and more DEpendent on Him.
God is pleased with our dependence on Him. It is impossible to walk with Him and be independent. It is an oxymoron.
Look up the Following Scriptures For Further Study:
-Proverbs 3:5-6
-Hebrews 11:6
-Matthew 11:28-30
-Romans 8:31-32
Obedience:
What is obedience?
obedience (from World English Dictionary) – The condition or quality of being obedient. The act or an instance of obeying; dutiful or submissive behavior.
On the flip side: disagreement, insubordination, rebellion, bad behavior, disobedience, misbehavior, mischief, mutiny.
Even Jesus was submitted to and obedient to the Father. We obey Him, not because He will love us more, but because WE love Him. We obey out of love and for our good. God’s love never leaves, regardless of our actions.
He wants our obedience, because it is an important ingredient in our spiritual growth process.
Something to Ponder: God is full of grace AND He wants me to obey Him!
Look up the Following Scriptures For Further Study:
-Titus 3:1-7
-John 14:15
-Romans 8:1-4
You see, God wants all of us, not just our leftovers. He has established His plan long ago, and wants nothing more than to implement it in each of our lives. However, He first needs willing vessels and obedient hearts that know Him, trust Him, and rely on Him completely.
“But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the Lord. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” – Jeremiah 31:33
So, let me ask you again, Have you REALLY said “I DO” to God??
Copyright © Lara Velez, Moms of Faith, All Rights Reserved