Full of It part 3
What's inside comes out. Or rather, what you BELIEVE is inside comes out. That's why it's so vitally important to know and believe the love of God. The love of the Father. The love that IS God. That's why it's so vitally important to fill yourselves with the fulness of what you've been filled with. To look within, instead of without. And that cool turn of phrase works in two ways. 1. We don't look at outside forces to define our reality. What do they say? Don't tell God how big the storm is, tell the storm how big God is. Be a thermostat, not a thermometer. SET the temperature instead of just reading it. And 2. We don't go around trying to get something we think we don't have. We don't act like we're going without, and we don't settle for anything less than abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life. Because we're full of it. Bursting at the seams. There's a light inside of us. And, "No one lights a lamp and then hides it or puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house" (Luke 11:33 NLT). The very thing that allows us to see things clearly... is us! We don't just HAVE a light, we ARE the light of the world. Even as Jesus is the light of the world. As He is, so are we in this world. It's the same light. The same life. Because, remember, His LIFE is the light of men! And when that light is shining, and we can clearly see who God is (because we can clearly see who we are... He is our loving heavenly Father and we are His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased), that's when everybody else sees the light too. And catch this: Light's don't shine because we try really hard to make them shine. It's not about human effort. It's not about trying to be someone you're not, or get something you haven't got. Light's shine because they are connected to a power source, and because they've been turned on. God is that power source. An unlimited supply of love. He is the vine--He produces the fruit of the Spirit (which is love)--and we are the branches--we bear, or carry, that love to those who need it. And since EVERYBODY needs it, we simply share it with whoever we come into contact with. Because we're full of it. Filled to overflowing with love. We couldn't keep it in if we tried. Because it's too big, and too good. It's not too good to be true, but it's SO good that it MUST be true! That's what Jesus meant when He said He is the way, the truth, and the life. The difference between life and death is love. If you love your brother you know you have passed from death unto life. But if you don't love... you abide in death. Always trying to get something. Always trying to be someone you're not. That's no way to live. To live is to love, and to love is to live. Life, and love, and light are all the same thing. So when we know it's inside, when we believe it's in there, it comes out. Naturally. And that's when we partake of the Divine Nature. That's when we live Jesus' life by letting Him live it in us, and through us, and as us. That's when we love... because we know that we ARE loved!