John 1:16-17 (Amplified) says, "For out of His fullness (abundance) we have all received, all had a share and were all supplied with, one Grace after another and Spiritual Blessing upon Spiritual Blessing and even favor upon favor and Gift heaped upon Gift. For while the Law was given through Moses, Grace (unearned, undeserved favor) and Spiritual Blessing and Truth came through Jesus Christ."
We've had a problem understanding God's will in our lives and struggle between Law and Grace. Like those under the Law, we continue trying to deserve what Grace has already made ours. The above scripture tells us that, Grace is unearned and undeserved favor of God. We cannot earn or deserve it, we must simply receive it by faith in God's Word and His Love. We limit the Father by trying to deserve it, thus stopping the flow of His Grace.
We see the Father's heart and what His Grace will do for His children and His willingness to deliver His Blessing on His children, in Luke 12:28-32 (Amplified) where Jesus says, "But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today, and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace; how much more will He clothe you, O you people of little faith And you, do not seek by meditating and reasoning to inquire into what you are to drink; nor be of anxious, trouble mind, unsettled, excited, worried and in suspense; For all the pagan world is greedily seeking these things, and your Father knows that you need them." Verses 31-32 go on, "Only aim at and strive for and seek His Kingdom, and all those things shall be supplied to you also. Do not be seized with alarm and struck with fear, little flock, For it is your Father's Good pleasure to give you the Kingdom."
It is, and always has been, the Father's will to give us the Kingdom. As a matter of Truth, it gives Him Good please to give us the Kingdom and that's not just for when we die and go to Heaven. No one will have to worry about what to eat or drink in the Father's Presence (in Heaven). Jesus speaks about the same subject, but in a slightly different way in Matthew 6:27-34 (Amplified).
Jesus speaks about the things on the earth that we need and then He talks about the Kingdom. In Verse 33 He says, "But seek (aim at and strive after(, first of all His Kingdom and His Righteousness (His way of doing and being right), and then all these things taken together will be given you besides." We have yet to understand the Laws that govern God's Kingdom and their ways of doing so. God has a way of doing and being Right. These don't come by the Law or works, but by trusting in His Grace.
God's way of doing and being Right, Righteous and being in right standing with Him don't come by Law or works. We must have faith in His Grace, that Jesus died to make us in right standing with God. This is God's way of doing and being right. It's not our righteousness, it's His. When we try obtaining our right standing with Him, we're not in His way. These are the Spiritual Blessings that came through Jesus and they can only be obtained by faith, in His Grace.
None of us can deserve to be Blessed in our natural bodies or lives. We still see all of our own weaknesses and failure, because we don't see what Jesus has done for us. We shy away from God's Good pleasure of giving us the Kingdom. We've lost sight of what faith truly is, because we've heard so many different teachings about faith. Faith is God's Gift to us, allowing us to see Jesus as being ALL we need to obtain His way of doing and being right.
The more we try to deserve God's Grace, the more difficult it is for Him to deliver what Grace has made available to us. This isn't a blank check, giving us the right to live any way we choose, but is a way of deliverance from ourselves into His Grace. We must first believe, that Jesus has made us righteous. If we don't have faith in this One Truth, then we'll continue striving to earn our own righteousness. You might say, "This is so basic to the Word, that it shouldn't require explanation." You're right, but we "feel unworthy and unclean" in our own natural selves, because we know we're unrighteous. God's way of doing and being right (or righteous), has nothing to do with our feelings. God's way of doing and being right, come only by our Trust in Him.
The words "righteous, right standing and right way of doing and being right," are the same thing in God. They all imply and declare that in Jesus, we now have the right to come before the Father again, just like Adam and Jesus did. In Jesus, we've been restored to the place where Adam was before the fall. Through Jesus, we have the Kingdom right, to come into God's Presence as clean, holy, consecrated and acceptable to Him. We must have faith in the Blood of Jesus and what His Blood has done for us.
Many believe that this happens when we arrive in our Glorified body and fail to allow the Father's Great pleasure to give us the Kingdom now. There's so much He wants to do in our lives that we prohibit Him from doing so, because of not understanding Grace and Truth. Psalm 85:10, 12-13 (Amplified) says, "Mercy and Loving-kindness and Truth have met together; Righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring up from the earth and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven." This tells us that, "Truth shall spring up from the earth and Righteousness shall look down from Heaven." We use Truth, to receive what Jesus has done and then return it by faith, while we're on this earth, then Righteousness (God's Promise to us through Grace) will look down from Heaven and the fruits of Righteousness will bring Him Glory and Good pleasure.
How will "Truth spring up from the earth?" It springs up when God's people receive by Grace, the Promise made to us through Jesus. There's no other way. It's so simply, that only faith can obtain it in it's Truth. The more we try working to earn and deserve God's Grace, the more we hinder Grace from working in our lives. Verses 12-13 continue, "Yes, the Lord will give what is Good and our land will yield its increase Righteousness shall go before Him and shall make His footsteps a way in which to walk."
In Psalm 23:3 (Amplified) David writes, "He refreshes and restores my life (my self), He leads me in the paths of Righteousness (uprightness and right standing with Him), not for my earning it, but for His Name's sake." God leads us by His Name and His Righteousness. We are called by His Name and we are His Own people. We are examples of His Righteousness and when we withdraw from His Presence because of guilt and condemnation, we fail in His right standing and revert back to being in our own righteousness (which is like filthy rags). This limits the Father from doing His Good pleasure of giving us the Kingdom.
Psalm 25:14 (Amplified) says, "The secret of the sweet, satisfying companionship of the Lord have they who fear, revere and worship Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal to them it's deep, inner meanings." When we believe what God's Grace and Love has already done for us, then we fear, revere and worship Him in Spirit and in Truth. And, God will reveal to you it's deep, inner meanings and you'll be able to receive the Kingdom now.
The "sweet, satisfying companionship of the Lord" is trusting in what He sent Jesus to do, which removes the burden of trying to do it yourself, by your own works. When we don't understand the righteousness and justification that through our faith in Jesus, we cannot walk in the Grace that sent Him. We try improving on what Jesus has already done, by our own works and trying to earn it. Works are important, but not to be made righteous, but because you are righteous; not for right standing, but through right standing. Stop living for God and start living though Him. Let the Father in you, do the work.
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