Erwin continues to share some great messages as part of the “Proof of Life” series at Mosaic. Here are some highlights from this past Sunday:
“There are certain proofs we can use to determine if we are fully alive spiritually. If we’re not fully alive we are settling for far less than what God has in mind for us.
Sometimes there may be areas of our lives that have not yet seen God’s light.
1 John 2:3-6
John creates a contrast between life and death. He is an idealist when he writes: “This is what life looks like. He is also a pragmatist when he says: “When it doesn’t work out just right here is what to do.” John isn’t trying to establish rules or policies but trying to help us connect deeply to God thru Jesus. Once we come to know God then living in truth becomes a natural result. He isn’t saying we need to obey God so that we can know God.
Eternal life is knowing God. The end game isn’t eternal life. The end game is knowing God which results in eternal life. (John 17:3) Eternal life isn’t a destination or location but a relationship.
Relationships change us.
Jeremiah 24:7 God’s plan all along was to create a new relationship between us and Him. Religion gets this backwards. Legalism doesn’t bring life. Life and relationship changes how we live.
God has our best interest in mind and He knows what He’s talking about. We obey because we trust Him. We cannot obey His commands unless we hear His voice.
There is not only a relational shift but a perceptual shift. A conceptual shift is more a religious shift. We may say we believe but we don’t actually change. A perceptual shift enables us to see the world differently. We begin to see the way God sees.
When we live in relationship with God we begin to live more and more in tune with Him.
1 John 2:6
The closer we grow to God the more we live as Jesus lived. Keeping the 10 Commandments is easy compared to walking as Jesus walked.
When we live outside of God, the idea of obeying God sounds oppressive and constricting. Once we come alive we see the freedom that comes in obeying God. Psalm 119:32
There is also an essential shift. We change in our very nature. (Gal 2:20) We can hear the God who was inaudible. We can see the God who is invisible.
We need to act when God speaks.
Can you hear God’s voice?
If so, are you willing to obey?”
Listen or watch this message at www.mosaic.org/podcast.
What are some of your favorite insights from this message? How can we live out truth more faithfully?
