I've been accused of being a Jesus freak. My response to this person was you have it backwards because I ran from Him most of my life and He never stopped pursuing me. Really Jesus is a Randall freak and He's a freak for you..
-Randall Taylor

Personally I tried to run from God, when I was much younger, I did try. But I always found myself running right into His arms.. Eventually you discover that no matter what you might have done or not, God still loves you.. He just can't help it.. For He is love.. His love is not subject to time, and His love never gives up,not for you, not for anyone..

peniel465:
Personally I tried to run from God, when I was much younger, I did try. But I always found myself running right into His arms.. Eventually you discover that no matter what you might have done or not, God still loves you.. He just can't help it.. For He is love.. His love is not subject to time, and His love never gives up,not for you, not for anyone..

All this means absolutely nothing if you are only submitted to and living in obedience of the commandments and teachings of Jesus Christ.

As we come into the knowledge of God's love for us, it teaches us to love God in return.. The problem is that many of us 'try' to love God as an action, not knowing that our love for God is not an 'action' but a 'reaction'..
See the scripture below:
1 John 4:19
[19]We love him, because he first loved us.

So you are not the one who iniates, you're the one who responds..
So first immerse yourself in the consciousness of God's love for you.. It is His love for you that teaches your heart to love Him in return.. Your obedience, adherence to instructions, your conformity to His norms all rise from this point..
See God never intended for us to struggle.. God didn't send Jesus to die, just so we could continue to struggle.. For this was the case prior to the Lord's death and resurrection....God's opinion about you is of a son not a slave...we're not supposed to strive(work with our strength) to serve the Lord.. Infact, God's idea is for us to 'breathe' LIVE this life(Zoe-the God life).. And of the ways we learn to Live this life, is to first know that we're are loved..
Do this, irrespective of your present state, immerse yourself in the knowledge of His love.. You would find, your heart bending simultaneously to God, loving Him in return(whatever it entails)..

peniel465:
As we come into the knowledge of God's love for us, it teaches us to love God in return.. The problem is that many of us 'try' to love God as an action, not knowing that our love for God is not an 'action' but a 'reaction'..
See the scripture below:
1 John 4:19
[19]We love him, because he first loved us.

So you are not the one who iniates, you're the one who responds..
So first immerse yourself in the consciousness of God's love for you.. It is His love for you that teaches your heart to love Him in return.. Your obedience, adherence to instructions, your conformity to His norms all rise from this point..
See God never intended for us to struggle.. God didn't send Jesus to die, just so we could continue to struggle.. For this was the case prior to the Lord's death and resurrection....God's opinion about you is of a son not a slave...we're not supposed to strive(work with our strength) to serve the Lord.. Infact, God's idea is for us to 'breathe' LIVE this life(Zoe-the God life).. And of the ways we learn to Live this life, is to first know that we're are loved..
Do this, irrespective of your present state, immerse yourself in the knowledge of His love.. You would find, your heart bending simultaneously to God, loving Him in return(whatever it entails)..

Now, this write up is not a subtle attempt to make you a lazy Christian.. I'm a disciplined person myself, and I can assure you, like 'assuredly assuredly' as the Kjv would say that if you are a believer who has tried to love the Lord or serve the Lord with his/her own strength, that you have always failed.. It is impossible to serve the Lord by yourself.. You would strive and strive, and yet end up in despair..But if you function from rest and do not set aside the grace of God, you would live the Life effortlessly.. Just breathing, living,enjoying the life.. Yes. Enjoying the life..

Its important to note that, one way to immerse yourself in the consciousness of God's love, is "meditating on scriptures that talk about God's love for us"..e.g Romans 5:8
[8]But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.


Romans 8:37-39
[37]Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
[38]For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
[39]Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Another way is to "confess, that is intentionally speak those scriptures to yourself". Constantly tell yourself that God loves you.. (you could check my other post 'breaking addictions...'for more on the power of confessions)..

Good morning everyone and have a blessed day..