Who doesn’t have childhood memories where Mom or Dad came in and turned the light on in that cold, dark room where you were buried under the warm comfort of blankets; and those words of: “Time to get up for school” sent some really negative vibes through you as you wanted to just disappear back into the darkness of your place of comfort.

“I just don’t feel like getting up!”

I – don’t – want – to!

While there have been many new ‘revelations’ that I have come to see and experience since I began this journey three years ago of learning what it means to truly ‘abide in Christ’, one of the more significant changes that have come about in me is this change in my ‘want to’.

I want...to do those things that please the Father. That is what a surrendered heart truly wants to do...in everything, not just ‘some things’.

Now before I get ahead of myself here, let me assure you that just because one is abiding in Christ does not mean they are never ‘tempted’ to sin or do those things that are not pleasing to God...but it’s different now.

If your current walk of faith is better characterized by you ‘doing things’ because you ‘have to, need to, ‘should be’ or are supposed to’ be doing...then that might be an indication that something (your heart) is not aligned properly. Ever been driving your car down a road, and take your hands off the steering wheel and the car immediately pulls to the right ...or the left? Your tires need an alignment and to ignore that fact will wear them down...quickly.

So it is with our hearts. If left unguarded...and our hearts are constantly being drawn or pulled in a direction that is contrary to that ‘narrow path’ of pleasing God that we thought we wanted to travel...it’s time for a heart-check.

People that we truly love...we want to please. In fact, when you were first ‘courting’ that one who caught your eye...you probably could not do enough to please them. It’s how we are wired.

So when Jesus tossed out that statement about ‘If we love Him...we’ll do what He says’, (John 14:15), there really is more to that than what many of us may realize.

“IF...we love Him”...is that not the first and single most important commandment that sums up all the law? -We are to ‘love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength’? (Matt. 22:37-40)

It’s one thing to sing that worship song –“You are Lord...”; but it is an entirely different thing to surrender to His Lordship. I mean...Jesus even asked some...”Why do you call Me, ‘Lord’, and not do the things I ask or say?” (Luke 6:46)

Again...let me say this emphatically...what I have come to discover: When you are abiding in Him, you WANT...to do the things that please Him.

Go take a peek at John 8:42-44 and read what Jesus told a bunch of religious folks who were convinced they were ‘saved’.

“IF...God were your Father, you would love Me...why do you not understand my speech/words? Because you are not even able to listen to My word.”

[Heart Check Moment] – does anyone find getting it a ‘chore to spend time reading the Word ...like maybe eating vegetables because they are good for you but you’d rather be eating other stuff? I mean...really...I’ll just read these other ‘Christian’ books and devotionals and listen to praise music and maybe quote a few favorite verses...it’s all the same, right? Yet what did Peter say we would ‘desire’ if we were truly ‘newborn babes in Christ’? Answer: The pure milk of the word’ so that we could grow. (2 Pet. 2:2)

And Jesus did not ease up with that crowd in John 8 either. He tells them rather bluntly as to why they struggle to hear and understand His word. Are you ready for this?

“You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want...you want...you want...to do.” (44). This was the same crowd who had become proficient at putting on the appearance of being all ‘God-like’ and holy...Yet Jesus told them in another place they were nothing but white-washed tombstones full of dead dry bones. (Matt. 23:27)

People...who were convinced they were ‘children of God’...and probably at the ‘front of the line’ in their thinking as to who would be greeted at heaven’s gates...were told by Jesus they were ‘sons of the devil’...because of the ‘want to factor’ that resided in their hearts. Their hearts were not aligned with God and therefore were incapable of pleasing Him.

Would you like to know why that was their condition? Look at Romans 8:7-8 where Paul writes:

The carnal mind is hostile towards God, for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.”

I’m sure some get tired of hearing this over and over again, but it needs to be said over and over again....If you are continuously having days of simply ‘not wanting’ to do those things that please the Father...it’s a good indicator that you are not abiding in Him. And that becomes problematic.

Look what Paul wrote in Eph. 5:10 – “Find out what is pleasing to the Lord...”. Then do it.

Or what about 2 Cor. 5:9 – We make it our aim, whether present or absent to be well pleasing to Him.” (you should read those next two verses that follow)

When you are alone by yourself, in front of the TV or a computer screen...and nobody is around....where does that ‘unchecked’ heart begin to gravitate towards? Oh...sure...you know better than to ‘cross any lines’, and yet...what is the ‘draw towards that line’ all about? Most likely it is where you ‘want to go’ but know you shouldn’t or better not. Friend...I’m not condemning or judging you...I’m just speaking truth in love here...your heart is not properly aligned and it will wear you out.

And ‘trying harder to do better’ is not the solution. Trust me on that one.

Let's say you're sitting around a table at work and the conversation amongst your peers takes a turn and folks begin talking about someone who is not there...and as the dogpile begins, you add to it. Yet, something within you told you don’t say that about this person...but you ‘wanted to say that’ because you knew it would get a favorable response and gaining the approval and praise of others...more than the praise and approval of God was more important to you. So you said it. And they laughed and agreed with you. (John 12:42-43)

Your heart was being tested in that moment and guess what the test revealed? (That’s the whole purpose of testing , you know...to see what is ‘sticking’). You really were not serious about wanting to please God and love him more than anything else. That’s fine...just accept the fact instead of trying to cover it up and be double-minded. James had much to say about this tendency. (James 2:9-12; 4:4)

At least the rich young ruler was honest enough to admit he was not ready to surrender totally to Jesus and went his own way. (Matt. 19:22) I wonder sometimes if God is more lenient with people who are honest enough to admit their heart is simply not ‘right’ as opposed to those who try to convince themselves, and everyone else, just the opposite. I merely cite that conversation Jesus had with them there in John 8:44 as evidence.

I bet some of you are wanting to bring up Paul’s comments again, from Romans 7 where he spoke about ‘wanting’ to keep the law but found himself incapable of doing so...putting himself between a rock and a hard place. Oddly, many people find solace in those comments suggesting it justifies their own personal struggle. But here’s the deal with that: Paul goes on to offer up the solution to that struggle as he continues on in chapter 8. It’s that old nature/man that needs to be dealt with, as in ‘put to death’. This is not a metaphor or symbolic or figurative language. If you continue to cater to and live for that old nature...you will...surely die. (Rom. 8:13; Gen. 2:17)

What do I mean when I say ‘cater to’ that old nature? I often will emphasize this need to ‘put to death’ that ‘old man’, as opposed to putting him on a leash, or in a cage, or just ‘dialing him down some’. If you had an old mangy, sick pet that really needed to be ‘put down’, and yet you just could not bring yourself to do that, then guess what? He would still need to be ‘fed’. And if you were trying to conceal the fact that you had kept him alive, it would be hard to keep that a secret if you stopped feeding him. Ever heard the term ‘hangry’ before? I’ll leave that here for today. Be blessed.