Without FAITH it is impossible to please God. FAITH IS GOOD, there is no doubt. FAITH IS THE SUBSTANCE OF HEAVEN THAT GIVES LIFE. Faith is CREATIVITY, and CREATIVITY is FAITH. As we are IN FAITH, we CREATE, which PLEASES GOD.
Micah 6:8 “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?”
Jesus is our example to follow. God is restoring WHAT IS GOOD, and what is not. God is the ONLY GOOD. Jesus knew NO SIN, He only KNEW GOD AS GOOD. God is restoring HIS REPUTATION OF GOOD throughout the universe, and He has done it IN HIS SON, and NOW IN US AND THROUGH US. God is taking back what is GOOD.
3 John 1:11 “Beloved, do not imitate what is evil, but what is GOOD. The one who does GOOD is of God; the one who does evil has not seen God.”
Philippians 2:13 “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for HIS GOOD pleasure.”
Our ONLY IMPORTANT BATTLE in this life is the battle fought in our hearts, which is our imagination. Our heart is the only battlefield, the only prize, and the only reason for EVERY FIGHT.
There is nothing more valuable of GOD’S CREATION than our hearts. Jesus suffered and died in order to RESTORE OUR HEARTS TO GOD, and that we would ALL KNOW HIS GOODNESS FOR ALL OF ETERNITY.
Hebrews 13:16 “And do not neglect doing GOOD and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”
The battle in the flesh was and is to establish GOOD and EVIL. The question is, “Who really determines good and evil?” REPENTANCE is to change one’s mind toward GOD regarding His goodness. Repentance means to think differently about God, to completely change our opinion of Him, acknowledging that ONLY HE IS GOOD, and we aren’t even qualified to judge between good and evil. Apart from Christ, we can’t do anything.
John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”
Through the Blood of Jesus Christ, God has RECONCILED THE WORLD TO HIMSELF, and He has given us this very same ministry to share the GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL OF GRACE; it is THE GIFT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST. There is NOTHING more important or valuable in all of the universes compared to GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS. It means WE HAVE BEEN MADE right with God. It is over with, done, and it is ETERNAL IN CHRIST.
2 Corinthians 5:15-21 "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. Now all these things are from God, WHO RECONCILED US TO HIMSELF THROUGH CHRIST AND GAVE US THE MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and HE HAS COMMITED TO US the word of reconciliation. Therefore, WE ARE AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. He made Him WHO KNEW NO SIN to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
God wants us to KNOW THAT HE MADE US RIGHTEOUS FOREVER BY GRACE so that we will give HIM all of our TALENTS and INVEST ALL OF OURSELVES (our imagination and creativity and our heart) to enjoy and display HIS MAJESTY AND SPLENDOR IN OUR LIVES AND THROUGH OUR LIVES, as TROPHIES OF HIS GRACE.
Hebrews 12:2 "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
In the Goodness of God is LIFE.
Good creates life. In Heaven, everything has life. Words have life, music has life, and thoughts have life. In Heaven, there is OPEN CREATIVITY, and nothing is withheld from our heart’s desire because there is ONLY GOOD in HEAVEN.
1 Peter 4:2 "so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for the lusts of men, but for the will of God.
Faith is our imagination, and exercising faith is exercising our imagination. Faith is in our heart, and our heart has faith IN HIM alone. Jesus is THE AUTHOR OF ALL FAITH, and HE gave it to us as a FREE GIFT.
John 16:24 "Until now you have asked for nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full."
Jesus only knew Grace and Faith. JESUS never KNEW NO SIN, and there was no sin was in Him, it never entered His heart (imagination). The only thing Jesus ever saw in His heart was the absolute goodness of God. Sin never ever entered JESUS’ heart or His imagination, ever. He only KNEW GOD’S GOODNESS, as HE WAS BORN OF GOD’s GOODNESS. Jesus knew NO SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS, and He always KNEW He was BORN OF GOD, therefore HE COULD NOT SIN.
2 Corinthians 5:21 "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."
Jesus was BORN OF GOD’s GOODNESS, which is HIS GRACE, and HE KNEW ALL OF THIS IN HIS HEART, HIS IMAGINATION. HE CAME TO SANCTIFY OUR IMAGINATION JUST THE SAME. IT IS CALLED THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST, A FREE GIFT OF GOD’S GRACE.
John 15:3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you."
Lust of the flesh wars against us in our imaginations, always DEMANDING but never supplying. Lust is a lie in the heart, a lie in our imagination working AS IF IT WERE TRUE.
1 Peter 2:11 "Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul."
What is PORNOGRAPHY, but sin within our imagination, our heart?
Matthew 5:28 "but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
THE ONLY BATTLE IN THE UNIVERSE WORTH FIGHTING FOR is the BATTLE OF OUR HEARTS, OUR IMAGINATION. He who has lust in his heart has already committed the sin.
Faith builds; faith is a real substance like glue or concrete. Faith is a building material in HEAVEN. Faith mixed with Grace changed the universe forever, and now man is favored once again; by His Grace alone, are we saved. We can only receive faith as a gift from God’s Grace.
Jesus COMMANDED US to GUARD OUR HEARTS.
John 14:1 “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me."
John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful."
The WORD OF GOD warns us continually, GUARD YOUR HEART, YOUR IMAGINATION. How do we guard our hearts? Simple, we dwell on the TRUTH ALONE and receive the truth by faith in His Grace ALONE. We also guard what we see and what we hear.
1 John 2:16 "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world."
What is REALLY EVIL is MAN’S ATTEMPT TO FORTIFY HIS OWN HEART WITH HIS OWN WISDOM AND HIS OWN EFFORTS. To all the “leadership” gurus out who are filled with man’s wisdom, to those who have grossly misled us (which I was once), to you who attempted to magnify man’s wisdom, abilities, talents, and leadership capabilities had better repent, or like me, you’ll have some splaining to do…
Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things."
This is a two-part series on THE GRACE AWAKENING:
To read YOUR GRACE AWAKENING Part 1, CLICK HERE
To Read YOU ARE CLEANSED Part 1, CLICK HERE.
About the Author:
Craig Rogers
Grace Coach
Craig Rogers has been a Christ-centered leader in the...
Craig Rogers has been a Christ-centered leader in the behavioral health industry for the past 25 plus years. Craig Rogers is an...
