"And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." (Hebrews 11:6)
The writer to the book of Hebrews outlines one of the key transformation principles of all times: you must believe there is something bigger and wiser and beyond yourself. In order to be transformed by God and His word, you must believe that He exists and that it is worth your while to live His way. You must embrace the truth that outside of our universe there is a God and that this all-powerful God wants to bless your life if you follow His precepts.
This is really not a very difficult belief to embrace; it makes the most sense of all the things to invest your life in. The key to this belief is that this Almighty God is for you, not against you. He wants you to get life right. He created the world and its rules and laws. He knows where the land mines, the traps, and the dead ends are located. Follow His advice about life, and life will go much better.
Too many people today believe that their own smarts are the best guidance device. Some allow the culture to convince them that science is the ultimate truth and can be relied upon. But there are competing scientific experts and competing scientific studies which prove opposite things.
Your transformation to a life of blessing gains strength everytime you make a choice to do, say, and think the way that God has suggested. If you and I continue to do, say, or think what we want or what someone else directs us to, then we will miss out on the reward of doing, saying, or thinking what God wants. There are hidden choices in life that you will be given the chance to make today and are rewardable from God's point of view. Think through what you have planned today. Are their people, activities, or situations that will require you to make choices that God would be disappointed with or that He would applaud? Make the decision to have faith that making the godly choice is worth it and will pay off with a blessed life.
Everyone trusts some kind of guidance and makes choices based upon it. The question is whether the guidance you are using is building a blessed life or creating chaos. Some people allow pleasure to be their guidance. Some people use their own reason as their guidance. Some people use the government as their guidance. Some people use human intellectuals, living or dead, to be their guidance. Some people use religious books to be their guidance. Some people use spirits to be their guidance. Some people use the stars to be their guidance. Some people use witchcraft and the magic arts to be their guidance. Some people use a family member or trusted friend to be their guidance. There are these and hundreds of other choices for what will guide your choices. But you would be wise to trust in God, who created the world, gave us a written record of who He is and what He wants in the Bible, and sent His only Son to model what He is like and save us from our sins. This is the one you should look to for guidance as to how to live your life and what choices to make.
He has three overarching guidance principles: love God, others, and self within the boundaries of the 10 Commandments. These pieces of guidance are crucial to obtaining the blessed, abundant life. Do that which will glorify and please God. Do things that will meet the needs of others. Do healthy and beneficial things for your life. Realize that the 10 Commandments mark the boundaries of acceptable behavior, even if going beyond them feels like it is right.
You must begin to trust in God and how He says to live. Make choices that show that you embrace the existence of God and the fact that He rewards people who live His way.
Join me next week for affirmation #4.
Serving Him,
Gil Stieglitz
P.S. Missed the Transformed Series Introduction? Click HERE!
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Follow God as You Learn How to Talk to Him!
The Lord's Prayer is one of the most common Scriptures in the world. Thousands have memorized this prayer and have no idea they are reciting one of the most powerful keys to intimacy with God and access to His power. Unlock the hidden keys to ignite God's power here and now and watch your spiritual life explode to a whole new level.
Join Dr. Gil Stieglitz in Getting God to Talk Back, as he explains how Jesus teaches a whole new way of approaching and dialoguing with God about the things in life that matter to Him most as we live for Him. Includes a verse-by-verse analysis of Matthew 6:9-13, prayer exercises, and practical applications to help readers progress on their spiritual journey.
We all want to experience unimaginable blessings and God's power in our lives--this is where it all begins.Talk with God about the things that matter to Him, and He will talk back.