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SOUL DANCE (excerpt): Faith Thinks Differently

by Tonja Taylor
7/22/2024 / Salvation

(Jesus said), If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.--John 12:26, AMP

While following the LORD requires that we be flexible and even spontaneous (It's only spontaneous/sudden to us; God knows everything ahead of time, since before the world began.), we also need to learn to think differently, and follow God, even when it doesn't make sense, and even when other people pay not agree (as long as what we believe God is telling us is not against His Holy Bible. He will never lead us to do something that violates His Word!).

We need to think differently and use wisdom and discernment before saying "Yes" to more activities than God has planned for us and/or our families to do.

We must learn to make our relationship with the LORD Jesus Christ, the only Savior and LORD of the world, our number one priority.

The LORD is the Good Shepherd, Who leads us in right and peaceful paths. He never pressures us; that is what the enemy and the world, and even other well-meaning people (who do not think differently, but whose lives are based in performance, trying to please God and others by accomplishment) do.

Although my parents and I did not know this, I am learning to rest and rejoice in it, do what I know to do that the LORD wants me to, and receive blessings from Him, as He tells us in Proverbs 10:22 (NIV): The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it.

We need to learn to truly follow Him in these strange and potentially dangerous times.

We have to learn to think differently--especially in these Last Days, before the LORD Jesus returns to take all who truly have made Him Savior and LORD back to Heaven with Him, to escape the hell of this world, and the hell in the afterlife!

So they went out and preached that men should repent [that is, think differently, recognize sin, turn away from it, and live changed lives].--Mark 6:12, AMP

We do this by reading and respecting and following His holy Word, the Bible.

Having been raised by well-meaning parents who came from poverty and did very well for themselves as they broke out of that bad mindset, I was a "super-achiever," and my worth (which they did not know to teach me otherwise, for they thought the same about themselves and others) was based on performance.

They took me and my little brother to church a few years, and then they got offended and dropped out. They stopped reading the Bible, although I was told they prayed every day, and I believe it. They did not know a lot about the Grace of God, although they were very kind and generous and thoughtful toward others--and that is part of the Grace of God.

Because they did not know the Bible well, nor know God as their loving Father, they (and thus me, until I learned to think differently, praise the LORD!) saw God as very rigidly religious and legalistic, and ready to punish if they messed up and/or did not do well enough.

Praise the LORD, the true God Who loves and created us and gives us every breath is not that way! The devil, the world, and the religious, legalistic church portray Him like that, but that is a false picture of our dear Father God (He becomes our Father when we use the free will He gave us to choose to repent of our sins by asking His forgiveness, and to ask the LORD Jesus to cleanse our lives with His blood shed at the cross, and come into our lives and be our Savior and LORD. Hallelujah!).

We have to learn to think differently, and that is accomplished by crying out to Him to reveal Himself, and repenting and receiving Him as Savior and LORD, then doing several things--which He will help us do:

1. cultivating a relationship with Him, the ultimate Spirit Guide, through prayer and listening;

2. pursuing Him through reading His Book, the Holy Bible

3. attending a Bible-based church

4. listening to Bible-based teaching and preaching

5. listening to Bible-based praise and worship music;

6. asking the LORD to connect you with other true Believers, who will help you stay focused on God and pray for you;

7. making changes as He shows you things to change, so you can think differently, and experience more of His love and blessings; being thankful to Him, which will bring you and Him and others more joy, as you realize and share how very good He is; and using your gifts, time, talents, and treasures to bring Him glory and help others know how good He is

But if God was really that way, He would never have sent His only beloved--and sinless--Son, Jesus, to pay the price

They loved me very much, of course, and I knew that somewhat, but the performance thing overshadowed just about everything, and the enemy was able to steal a lot of joy, peace, and satisfaction through my childhood and teen years, and for decades beyond.

That is a problem with most people, I would say around the world, even most true Believers in Christ, and certainly with those who are not.

We are certainly supposed to be good stewards of all God gives us; of our time, talents, skills, abilities, finances, bodies, possessions, and other resources.

But truly--who are we trying to impress?

The LORD God Elohim, the Creator and Sustainer of Heaven and earth and of all living things is not impressed by us.

He is moved by our love and trust in Him and His Son, Jesus Christ. He is moved by our hearts connected to Him in that most sublime of relationships.

There is nothing that we can do to make Him love us more. He has chosen to give Jesus for all the world as a blood Covenant sacrifice, and give each of us the choice to choose Him as the only way to Heaven, so we can know Him now, and enjoy many benefits of that most Divine relationship that is far above any earth can offer.

Thank goodness, God's love is not based on anyone's performance--except that of the LORD Jesus Christ, and what He did on the cross by shedding His pure blood to pay the sin debt of all mankind! Hallelujah!

So God thinks differently, and so should we. By His help, we can!

Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore, I have set my face like a stone, determined to do his will. And I know that I will not be put to shame.--Isaiah 50:7, NLT

If you don't know the LORD, you can meet Him today. Being friends with Jesus, God's Son, and asking Him to be your Savior and LORD, honors the God of Heaven and earth, Who created you and gives you every breath; Who loves you and is reaching out to you right now. He wants you to be part of His Royal Family, so He can help and provide for you, protect and guide you, communicate with you, and give you the best life possible on earth, and a glorious eternal life with Him in Heaven after your body dies!

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.--John 10:10, KJV

What are you waiting for? Maybe you don't know anyone that thinks differently like this--but you can be the first in your family, your community, your country--and you'll be so glad you did!

Jesus wants to be your Best Friend Forever right now!

Hallelujah!

Tonja and her husband live to exalt God through service and creativity. Her P.O.W.E.R. GIRL ADVENTURES books 1-5 are out, along with VISIONS OF THE KING, YOUR HOLY HEALTH; LEGACY - CRAFTING YOUR CHILD'S FUTURE WITH WORDS, and more. Also, she is a member of CIPA--Christian Indie Publishers Assn.

Article Source: http://www.faithwriters.com-CHRISTIAN WRITERS

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