Devotional 101008

Dear brothers and sisters,
Good morning. It was a cool sunny day; it made me realize that autumn really arrives. It seems like our economy also goes into autumn and may quickly turn into winter. But no matter how seasons may change, God remains in control. “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven…He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end” (Eccl 3:1, 11). Indeed, men cannot fathom the work of God by their own wisdom. Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children” (Matt 11:25). Men can only see the work of God unless He chooses to. Not that God chooses to prevent people from knowing Him and His work, it is the disobedience or rebellion of mankind blind us from seeing Him at work in our lives.
In spiritual relationship we do not grow step by step through our learning or thinking; we either have a relationship with God or we don’t. God does not cleanse us more and more from sin, but when we are in the light, walking in the light, we are cleansed from all sin. “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all…if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” (1 John 1:5, 7). It is a question of obedience (to walk in the light), and instantly the relationship is perfected. Turn away from the light for one second out of obedience, and darkness and death are at work at once in our lives: “If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth” (1 John 1:6). This relationship with God is born out of obedience – we call it born again.
All God's revelations are sealed until they are opened to us by obedience. You will never get them open by philosophy or thinking. Immediately you obey, a flash of light comes. Let God's truth work in you by soaking in it, not by worrying into it. The only way you can get to know is to stop trying to find out and by being born again. Obey God in the thing He shows you in the Bible, and instantly the next thing is opened up. One could read volumes of books on the work of the Holy Spirit and remained confused. But one ‘five minutes’ of drastic obedience would make things as clear as a sunbeam. You don’t need to say; "I suppose I shall understand these things some day!" You can understand them now. It is not study that makes you understand, but obedience. It takes tiniest fragment of obedience, and heaven opens and the profoundest truths of God are yours straight away. God will never reveal more truth about Himself until you have obeyed what you know already. Beware of becoming "wise and learned" in the eyes of the world. Your philosophy, theology and self-help books will never make you understand the work of God better than your obedience to the word of God.
Have mercy on us, O Lord. We thought we knew enough of You. But in reality, we knew nothing if we do not obey. Help us to walk in the light just as you are in the light. Amen.
Love you because of His love within us,
Lawrence