LIFE IN GOD ALONE (REVISED)

[tomdurst]

LIFE IN GOD ALONE

by Thomas E Durst

John 4:31-34 Amplified Bible (AMP)

31 Meanwhile, the disciples urged Him saying, Rabbi, eat something.

32 But He assured them, I have food (nourishment) to eat of which you know nothing and have no idea.

33 So the disciples said one to another, Has someone brought Him something to eat?

34 Jesus said to them, My food (nourishment) is to do the will (pleasure) of Him Who sent Me and to accomplish and completely finish His work.

Acts 17:28 (NKJV)

28 for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, "For we are also His offspring." [Emphasis Supplied]

Jesus had been talking to the woman at the well who asked Him for a drink of water and He offered her the water of life and told her that if she drank of it she would never thirst again. The disciples were concerned for Jesus' physical needs and He assured them that He had food "to eat of which you know nothing and have no idea." What was His food? He stated clearly that it was to do the will of His Father Who sent Him and to finish His work. In the fulfilling of His calling He was fully sustained and not dependent upon physical food although He ate food during His life and after His resurrection.

Now I'm not advocating that any of us should discontinue our normal food and drink but it is not our physical food and drink that actually sustains our life for it is in God and in Him alone that we live, move, and have our being (see Acts 17:28). I further believe that the so-called "natural laws" that literally change from day to day are not what really sustains our life. Science so-called tells us one day that something is really essential for good health and longevity and then later contradicts itself. The purveyors of vitamins would have us believe that without certain of their products we will have this and that deficiency. This is all fear based thinking. I've known so many conscientious people over the years who were following strict health regimens and meticulously guarding everything they ate, taking lots of vitamins, tenaciously eating "organic" food, exercising compulsively, and worrying themselves to death about environmental pollutants over which they have no personal control, who ended up with serious degenerative problems and in numerous cases died of cancer. I've met several people who were obsessive/compulsive about doing a lot of running and even traveling all over the country doing marathons, that were complete physical wrecks and experiencing heavy premature aging in particular.  Rather than giving anything in the realm of matter, which certainly includes our body, our primary attention, we are privileged to dwell in Heavenly Realms and rejoice in being a child of the Kingdom.  

2 Corinthians 5:6 (NKJV)

So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body [focusing on and being obsessive about the body with all of its pains and pleasures] we are absent from the Lord [losing sight of our true spiritual identity and absent from the sense of His presence]. [Brackets are my interpretation]

I chose to follow a healthy lifestyle in my teenage years and observe nutritional eating habits, regular exercise, and following a positive lifestyle in general but I've come to realize more and more everyday that my life is totally in God and that assimilating His life is what will sustain me both now and throughout eternity. I will not be taking this body which I try to take care of into the afterlife but the Life of God will still be my sustenance and the essence of my existence. I'm glad for that certainty.

"Our health is ultimately related to our awareness of God’s presence and power.”—Curtis Wahlberg

I especially invite you to read THE SECRET OF REAL LIFE AND ENERGY which is on the link below. It is the companion article to this one:


THE SECRET OF REAL LIFE AND ENERGY


The three articles THE IMPLANTED WORD, THE SECRET OF REAL LIFE AND ENERGY and LIFE IN GOD ALONE are closely related and are possibly the most important articles that I've written thus far. Read them often.  TD

[auratus]

Amen.

[Susan Hughes]

Wow! All of these three inspired articles speaks in agreement to my heart Tom and I am eager to share them to show others what GOD is seeking from us. Many times over the last month these two scriptures has resonated in my heart over and over from Jeremiah 17:7-8 which shows how GOD sustains us by the waters (of His Word), growing greater and more wide spreading roots with GOD's word to root it deep into other hearts. Our heart, body, strength, soul will remain strong (leaf shall be green) through nourishment, goodness in the daily feeding on GOD's word into old age and it confirms all that you have said Tom - when the heart is renewed through His Holy Spirit it is touched and changed into an instrument of GOD's beauty which is HIS heart. Yes people want to know more as we share His Word, our testimonies and our HOPE in CHRIST shines through. How can it not when we are so in love with the One Who created us fearfully and wonderfully :-) God Bless from one heart sold out to CHRIST to another.

[Darryl]

Amen. These are the same principles that I live by each and every day. Thank you for sharing this.

[Raymond Charron]

Do keep coming I may be working but I still love of what you are doing I in-joy what you are doing.Your friend that put you on my group keep up the good work.

[tomdurst]

"God must be first in every choice. The worship of God must be seen as our first duty and the source of all our fruitfulness and joy."– Des Ford, founder of Good News Unlimited

[Andriy]

Thank you for good presentation.

I believe that we have to live only by God it is absolute truth, but let us not forget that it was God, who said that every tree will be for you to eat...

Yes the major problem is that we as humans are mostly materialists. We learned to rely on our personal efforts.

Otherwise good presentation I enjoyed it reading.
Praise the Lord.