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Dear brothers and sisters in our Lord Jesus, part of the growing repentance remnant, cleansing as His Bride, getting ready for His soon return as our Bridegroom-----
Joh 14:15
If you love me, keep My commandments.
John 15:10
If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in His love.
A question I've so often heard people ask, and have wrestled with myself at one stage is: "Why must I ?". this is often asked when you know what is the right thing to do, but you feel compelled and have a strong desire to go and do something else instead - that you instinctively know this isn't right - but you just can not put your finger on it, nor fully understand the consequences of going the opposite direction.
It all boils down to that question of "Can I" or "May I"...??
Like the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:12 "All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. "
Yes, we "can do" just about anything we want in life, but the real question is "MAY I DO IT" ??
Meaning - not everything is really lawful and not everything is really Good for us !! Cause if we for instance do choose to go the "wrong way" in the traffic, there will be consequences !! It might even lead to death !! Even though there wasn't anything really preventing me from doing it. I can choose at any moment to go upstream, and drive on the "wrong side of the road"...
'Cause there is just a line separating me from danger - and thus I have to choose - "do I want to go over into the "Danger Area" - or - "Am I staying in my lane - staying the Safe Area - where I'm under the law, and going with the rest of the flow of the traffic, etc"...
BUT: Hypothetically speaking - If we decide, "we are not going to listen to the laws, and want to be rebellious - and step over into the "Danger area" - there isn't much physically preventing us from doing it !!"
The only thing that keeps us from doing it - is our Conscience - our Will Power - listening / obeying that inner voice warning us - "I'm now going into the wrong side" vs "I must stay in my lane!!"
And we all know the "possible consequences" when we make these choices in the traffic. Although, even if nothing happened today, we know that we know - it won't always be the case - and the possibilities will catch up with us, sometime or the other...
Well, these 2 scriptures in John 14 & John 15 opened my eyes as to "Why" we choose the "Road of Holiness" and pushing through the "hard" things in life, instead of "going the easy road" / being rebellious / going upstream / ... etc.
The word refers to this type of "Wrong Behavior" as "Transgression" !!
Let me explain...
Take for instance Moral Values - when we look at the human race in general - each person has a set of Moral Values of their own - which is often different to the very next person, even differs to that of their very own family or household - and often this causes friction within the family! Especially when one person throws everything overboard that everyone else is believing. And neither party can "understand" why the "other person" just don't "behave or obey" and thus they just can't see eye to eye - with constant frustration and arguments - causing a lot of heart ache for everyone - which can eventually cause the whole family to break up and everyone sitting with so much bitterness and anger from all the hurtful words that have been spoken over the years.
But it all comes from each person's "understanding" of Moral Values - as one person will keep stricter values than the next person...
Just as an Example:
One person will say that "smoking and drinking" is totally taboo - whereas the very next person that "likes taking a sip at the bottle and smoke a cigarette" can't see nor understand what is the other person's problem - as they can't seem to see what is the reason that this is so "wrong" - and then fights and arguments will sure rise up because of it in that relationship at some stage or the other.
NOW, please don't get me wrong - I'm not here to judge either person - I just want to bring across the "reason why" people fight over these types of issues.
It is all because of each person's moral values - and what each person has decided in life what is important to him/her, and what is ok for them to live with, or even to do, etc...and what is not. Some will "go over the line" way further than someone else will...
Galatians 5:19-21 refers to it as the "works of the flesh"...
For one person all those things listed in this scripture are their guideline as to what to do and what not, and they will work at changing their lives for the better !! BUT: for the next person, (s)he will throw it all overboard and do as they wish...and not take any of it serious - with lots of consequences, fights, arguments following with anyone that does value these principles.
And often the one throwing all values overboard will ask the question "Why must I..??", and they just can not see the reason as to "why" they should change. We see it in our governments, and we see it in the world - but what is heartbreaking is, we also see it amongst God's children also. And some seriously struggle with this issue, and just can't find a good enough reason to actually come to a point of Repentance, and choose to really change and stop doing certain things.
Well, what our Lord has showed me over the last couple of years, is that our Moral Values, also Reflect our Level of Spiritual Maturity. It is only through "Maturity" that we start making certain decisions others would not want to do.
Now the question arises as to, How do we get to that point of Spiritual Maturity?? As for some it comes with age, for some it comes with experience and for some it comes through understanding - spending time thinking about certain things in life - asking themselves really hard questions - like "Why do I Value something"...
And one answer that often comes up is: "I value it - because someone in my life that is really special to me or someone I love, valued that certain thing also..." - and then we treasure that specific Value, over others...
And, often it is parents' values that are carried over to their children. But not always. If a relationship got hurt, because of some or other reason between a parent and child, often the child will either throw those values overboard, and will live in rebellion - because they don't value their parent's opinion and moral standards - for whatever reason. Or they are trying to "prove a point"...but the message often gets distorted, and instead of either side working through the mis-understandings, there comes more arguments, more rejection, more rebellion, etc...
And as you can see it really is all about LOVE - which is built through Trust and Respect - and when Trust or Respect gets hurt and is lost, because of pain, disappointment, rejection, etc, that is when the question also arises often through the eyes of anger: "Why must I...?"
And that brings me back to Jesus' words in John 14 & John 15 - "If you Love Me, you will keep My Commandments"...
Meaning - we need to ask ourselves: How much do we as His Children really VALUE His Word - even more - VALUE Him - really Appreciating Him for what He went through on the Cross for us - and do we really understand WHY did He do all that??
And to answer this question - I want to share a scripture with you that shook me one day to my core:
2Cor 5:21: "For He (which is God) hath made Him (which is Jesus His Son) to be sin for us, Who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."
Meaning that Jesus was born totally Beautiful & Innocent, Holy, Pure, and was set apart from all hurt and pain (sin) in this world, He was totally loved by His Father, never experienced rejection or ever had a broken relationship with His Father - He was always with the Father - trusted Him fully !!
And now the day He was captured, Jesus experienced Rejection on the Cross, though He is absolutely innocent - and yet was now declared GUILTY of every possible crime - even though He did not do anything wrong.. !!
And I was reminded by the Holy Spirit of Barabbas - a murderer, full of pride and arrogance, had no Moral Values - loved the sinful fleshly life - and didn't respect anything or anyone's feelings or even had respect for life..etc... - and he was released instead of Jesus - and Jesus looking at Barabbas that day - and quietly saying to Himself - I'm doing this for you !!
Jesus seriously did not have to do it - HE WANTED TO DO IT !!
He wanted to go through those scourging of 39 lashes - and then was nailed to the Cross - He surely was not not weak (as many think and say), HE definitely did not save Himself - like everyone tried tempting Him in doing that day - He could have saved Himself in a moment's notice - and just vanished from their eyes if He wanted to - but HE DIDN'T !!
He stayed on that cross - not because He was guilty - but because we were totally guilty (Rom 3:23) - and He knew there is no way out for us, unless we ARE FORGIVEN BY GOD !!
For God required a Certain Punishment of anyone that Rebelled against Him - that did not obey His Commands - For He was, is and forever will be a Righteous God - right is right and wrong is wrong - and there is no middle way in between!!
But in order for Him to be Merciful, Forgiving and Gracious towards us, BLOOD needed to be shed - and like Hebrews 8 to 10 tells us - the Blood of bulls and goats was just not good enough !!
The only Blood that could be shed had to be Pure and Holy, which had no Rebellion in its veins - which could satisfy His Anger !
Like the Word said - every soul that sins must die (Ezek 18:4, Rom 3:23, Rom 6:23) - unless we are FORGIVEN !! (Exo 34:6-7)
And that is why Jesus said those Power filled words on the Cross - just before He died... He said in Luke 23:34 "Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do...."
At that very moment our forgiveness was sealed !!
Like the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 5:8 "But God commends His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
That Word Commends literally mean: present as suitable for approval or acceptance
That shows the deep meaning - the absolute importance and even reveals the Hidden Power of the Atoning Sacrifice of the Lamb of God!!
i.e. It was our Transgressions - our Disobediences - or our REBELLION - that kept Jesus on that Cross:
Isaiah 53:5 Gives us the full picture !! When we study the Hebrew words - you will get the deeper meaning of all the words I highlighted below:
Isa 53:5
But He (The Messiah / Jesus) was wounded (pierced through or rather Crucified) for our transgressions (Our Rebellion), He was bruised (Bruises that cut through) for our iniquities (Wickedness / Deceptive wrong behavior): the chastisement (Verbal & Physical rebuke) of our peace (Shalom) was upon Him; and with His stripes (scourging) we are healed (being made whole).
MEANING: We are Forgiven - Because of His Sacrifices !!
Not of what we've done - our good behavior - but What Jesus did !! (Ephesians 2:8)
It was because Jesus was the one fully obeying God's Will, was under Full Submission and Obedience at all times to the Father's Will - and totally refused to ever step into Rebellion.
Although He had ample opportunities to mis-step, and to rebel (He was hungry, at His weakest, and He was beaten, Weary, even while on the cross He was tempted again) - even that night before His capturers arrived - He could have stepped into Rebellion that night - also asking "Why must I...??"
But we know that if He had overstepped only once - He would have disqualified Himself, and thus we would have been lost forever..!!
But thank God - He didn't. Instead He chose to say "Not My will, but let Thy Will be done...." (Luke 22:42)
He knew and understood fully as to "WHY HE HAD TO STAY IN LINE AT ALL TIME - not slipping once...!!" - as He knew, if He does not make the right choices at all times - even when He was facing death on a cross of all places - that all our hope as the human race was lost, and also He would have lost His Glory as the only Son of God !!
BUT: The Love of the Father, and the Glory He had being with the Father was more important to Him than stepping out of line - not even once !!
He pushed through all the temptations, all the pain, and even death itself !!
And until this absolute truth brings us to our knees, and pushes us to the point that we will make the same choices also - no matter what we have to face - we will forever continue to ask the question "Why must I..??" - and probably make the wrong decisions, over and over again!!
Cause it is only when this deep truth hits our hearts, and you and I fully understand the depth and the importance of what God really did through His Son - all for us that day on the Cross - we will not be able to fully Respect Him, nor Trust Him with our whole life, and definitely not value, nor fully obey His Word and His commandments - or even take His Promises to heart !!
And Repentance will not fully have its value in our lives !!
But - instead - it will just be a word that no one really takes seriously !!
Only once we take Jesus seriously, and fully Respect and Appreciate Him for what He went through - appreciate the choices He had to face, and we really come to a point of realising He Really Loves me (1 John 4:19) - and I want to VALUE what He Values, and thus I want to Obey His Voice - Respect Him for Who He is - then we will stop asking these questions of "Why must I..??" - and instead start saying "Not my Will, but Let Your Will Be Done, Lord!" - even if we have to face death one day for choosing Him !!
Prayer:
Lord, thank you that You Love me and Forgive me for all my Rebellious Actions, and for often asking "Why must I...??" - when I did not understand...
But instead - today - I choose to Submit my life before Your Throne, and placing my life in Your Hands as a Living Sacrifice for Your Will (Rom 12:1) - and I will start making the right choices, even if it is very difficult for me, but I will follow Your commands, because I Love, Trust and Respect You so much....
AMEN !!!
You are welcome to watch any of my communion messages on our NDR YouTube Channel - as I often spoke about Isaiah 53:5.
Here is just one of my last videos we did earlier this year during our Africa Kneels call....
https://youtu.be/LjrhfA2CT38
Many Blessings to you all
Your Sister in Christ
Susan Hammer
South Africa
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