Perfect Love

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18

The definition of fear is “a distressing emotion aroused by impeding danger, evil, pain, etc., whether it is real or imagined. Fear is the feeling or condition of being afraid.” We fear many things including the fear of the unknown and loss: fear of death, illness, disasters, failure, rejection and loneliness.  The “unknown” can keep us feeling uneasy and uncertain. We can plan, be prepared and hope for the best, but we just don’t know the future and the outcome. Others common fears include the fear of flying, heights, public speaking, the dark, spiders, clowns, crime, the economy, the environment, the government, and on and on it goes.

When we are fearful, we are in a battle for our very lives. Fear creates discouragement which leads to army of problems including anxiety, depression and others. Fear is punishment but there is life by the Spirit. “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” Galatians 5:16. The Bible tells us repeatedly how to retrain our minds against fear and to stand firm in His perfect love for us: “This is what the Lord says to you: Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army; for the battle is not yours, but God’s. You will not have to fight the battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.” 2 Chronicles 20:15&17.

Hearts needing transformation and renovation desire money and other external comforts to make them feel secure. The Bible tells us to be content and not fall into temptation which leads to ruin or punishment; “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:6-10.

God’s grace is enough: “Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed.  As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.” 1 Peter 1:13-14. The world looks at us in amazement because we have heart and mind of Christ. No matter how odd we may appear to the world, we must follow the Lord’s leading. There is freedom in Christ. Stand firm knowing His perfect love that drives out fear. 

Transformation of the Heart

Total transformation of the heart takes time, sometimes perhaps more than we would want to admit. Psalms 119 gives us many answers how to walk consistently with God.

"How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from the commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, O Lord; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statues as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word." 119:9-16. 

Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord." 119:1 
These verses are packed with disciplines to stay in his Word, and to "be" conformed to His image: 
Be committed to stay in the Word. Be consistent: 

As much as possible, try to do daily bible reading, from your phone, on Facebook, or even the good old fashioned way, straight from the pages of your bible! 

Be thoughtful: meditate on the word, do a bible study. Look up the definition of words if you are not sure what they means.look up other verses on the subject. 

Be teachable: Allow the Holy Spirit to convict you. Be humble. Be open to truth. 

These actions produce a changed and joyful heart full of thankfulness.

Spiritual Blessings in Christ

Our God is good. This is what He has done for us who believe in him:

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment to bring all things in heaven and earth together under one head, even Christ." Ephesians 1:3-10.

This is where you stand, your position with God through the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ: 

1. We are chosen and made us holy and blameless, his adopted sons. We are secure and reconciled with God! 
2. He has given us his glorious grace, redeemed us through the blood, the forgiveness of sins. All barriers between us and God have been destroyed! 
3. He has lavished on us all wisdom and understanding and he has made known to us the mystery of his will. We have the Spirit of God in us that gives us insight to the mystery of grace! 
4. He makes his love known to us and fills us "to the measure of all the fullness of God." Eph 319. Praise the Lord!

Process of Growing

"Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." John 12:24

The process of growing wheat takes about a year and goes through four growth stages. First the plant grows leaves and branches. Then it shoots up stems, growing to it's full height. Then the stems terminates in it's head and it develops flowers, fertilizing its self from the movement of pollen. Once this happens the grain is it's ripping stage, the plant begins to wither and die. Each grain or kernel of wheat has it's own resources to protect and nurture the embryo of the wheat germ (as in germinate), allowing it to grow out of the soil into a new wheat plant, continuing the cycle of growth.

God made us us to grow and multiply: "Be fruitful and increase." see Genesis 1:28 But just like the wheat plant, unless we die to self, we cannot fully grow, increase and multiply. "What you sow does not come to life unless it dies." see 1 Corinthians 15:36.

This process of dying to self is for the believer who has decided to be a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ: "Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God." Romans 8:8. Life with Jesus no longer revolves around a "me" attitude. When self-centeredness begins to die, finally I begin to live. The "old self", of self-centeredness and sinfulness begin to fall away.

This lifestyle of making life "all about me" no longer fits. We no longer have to struggle with the sinful nature because there is life in the Spirit: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit." Romans 8:1-4.

Death to self is a radical concept. But it is a principal, a design of God, shown in the example of a kernel of wheat dying, that it may grow and multiply. We must die to self, so that we can live the way God had intended. To accomplish this transformation or renovation of the heart, He uses our pain and sufferings but rejoice: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." James 1:2-4.

Our suffering in Christ leads to a future glory: "I consider that our present suffering are not worth comparing with the the glory that will be revealed in us." Romans 8:18. "In all things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." Romans 8:37. Because of who Jesus is and what He has done, you have greatness in you!