What is Obedience Through Grace?

I was in a time of worship a couple nights ago and I felt as if God was showing me something; another revelation of living life through His grace. Grace is not simply a right to do whatever we like. Grace is the empowerment to live and love greater, to accomplish the will of the father with rest and joy. Grace = Empowerment. 

I was receiving a prophetic word a few weeks ago and the person said "Just walk in obedience." That struck a chord in me. Not a good chord nor a bad chord, simply a chord. It had been in the back of my mind since.

I've always felt strongly that when the father speaks a word, it is not simply a voice or simply a sentence. His words are living things; they are lasting and they are made of grace[the empowerment]. If he tells me, "Get up!" I picture His words flowing into me, then like hands, picking me up so I can get up. His words are laced in grace. Therefore, when the father says "Get up" it is not only a commandment, it is an empowerment. When he says "Get up" he is saying, "You now have the power to get up. You can do it." You now have the ability!

To the woman caught in adultery Jesus said, "Go and sin no more!" He was not commanding! He was generously handing to her the opportunity and ability to sin no more! To be free of her need for adulterating! Imagine him saying, "Now you CAN go and sin no more!" 

His words are life! Grab hold of them and let them take you on a journey of growth. When the father tells you, "Rest", he is handing you the ability to do it with His grace! When he says "Do the impossible", it is no different, you have the empowerment to do the impossible! In His words are power and grace; ability and empowerment. 

Now obedience has a different ring to it. To obey the father is to trust His ability; It is to delve deeper into love and respect for Him. It is another opportunity, not to show your perfection, but to allow Him to show you His. Learn to walk in obedience through grace, and you will find yourself falling so fast for Him. 

He is faithful.

Relationship

At a worship service last night I felt anticipation for something great. By the time the night was over I felt that the great thing I was anticipating wasn't an extravagant show put on by The Lord. It was a time of peaceful serenity. I was able to quiet my mind and simply be with him - without strife or an expectation for something bigger. I was satisfied by being with him. 

And in that moment I felt a gentle lesson being taught to me. Relationship with the Father is actually a relationship. Time spent together in one instance may be Him teaching you lessons. And other times you are dwelling, enjoying the company. 

Growing in The Lord is not to be confused with striving. Pursuit is not meant to be the equivalent of toil. It all comes down to relationship, romance, and knowing each other more. When you love someone, you want to be with them. When someone loves you, you trust they want to be with you. 

And so you are together and each day you learn a little more and fall more in love. Life with the father is an adventure and journey. In every moment he is loving you and you are learning to see it more clearly.

Restore

Sometimes life can be a thief. 

I've had one thing in particular taken from me: friendship. In my elementary years I had a group of close friends. To this day I consider them the best friends I've had although we don't talk anymore. My childhood was in Louisiana. I think I was 12 when my family moved to Alabama. I won't go through the boring details, but the summary of this story is I've not had true friends since moving. There have been many lonely nights when I only wished to have a girl to chat with about my struggles, other than my mom. 

I'm now 19. And I have learned a lesson about God. He sometimes takes us to the desert places, so we can see and crave Him. He wants to be wanted, because He first wanted us. He also loves to give us the desires of our hearts by restoring what's been taken from us.

Through my lonely years I've come to know a deep love and longing for God; He is my closest friend. I've also come to value my family; they are the ones who won't leave you behind. 

But here is the fun part: God has restored to me what I've been missing all the years. Friendship. Not only do I have strong support from many friends, but in the last couple weeks God has had fun with me. I've met two different girls that (no joke) physically resemble my 2 best childhood friends. 

I think God likes to play around and show me who's boss. I say that jokingly, but in all honesty, I'm so deeply reminded of His enduring faithfulness and His adoration for me. 

Sometimes things are taken from you, whether it be emotionally, physically, spiritually, or relationally. There is hope. God restores the things that were taken, but he makes improvements on them. Even down to the last detail. He wants to be the best friend to you. He wants to bring you the desires of your heart. 

Let Him in.

He is trustworthy.

Touched

I was in worship today and was wishing I had someone to join me because "where two or more are gathered" was on my mind. But I had no one to go to. Then The Lord showed me an image of Jesus whispering into God The Father's ear. I knew it was Him standing in as the second person, for me. I'm so touched by the generosity of my friend. He fights for me. He loves me.

Intimacy

II feel like in order to grow in favor with The Father, you must grow in intimacy. People in intimate relationship with Him will have more pull on his heart than those that beg. Relationship is what He is after.