"But who do you say that I am?"

This is the personal question Jesus asks each of us:
Mat 16:15 NKJV - He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"Mar 8:29 NKJV - He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said to Him, "You are the Christ."
Luk 9:20 NKJV - He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered and said, "The Christ of God."
This is what the Lord has been asking me, and like Peter, I know He is the Lord.  If in fact I believe He is the Lord, should I not desire to follow Him as the disciples did?  And BE obedient to Him as my Lord? I say; YES to both of these questions.

I have been in prayer regarding personal decisions in my life. Struggles within myself and my obedience to Him.  I lied to myself, made excuses as to why it was ok for me to live as I was living. Oh I do not mean living in outright sin, but 'the appearance' of it. People may 'think' I was sinning (fornicating) when in fact I wasn't. BUT; the 'appearance' remains.
Both my young grandsons have questioned me; asking 'aren't you and **** married? (we are not, but live together, in a non-physically intimate relationship)  The Lord has been speaking to me about this for over a year now.  (Isn't He patient!! and we want things NOW. haha)
In dealing with me about this; The Lord has revealed to me, that my choices affect other people. INCLUDING my grandchildren.  I want them to be obedient to our Lord. I want them to HONOR our Lord.  By living with the opposite sex, is not honoring our Lord when He requires us to keep His commandments in our heart, to obey them, to not harm others. (yes, my living with a man can harm my grandsons later in life...... by my example of OBEDIENCE to Christ, or not as the case may be.)

Again; the Lord asks, "But who do you say that I am?"  
I must consider this question in earnest:  If He is my Lord, then I must obey Him.  I have been praying, yes and praying, and more praying. I know He answers prayer. and last night He did. I woke up with the following that I had to write down:  (THANK YOU LORD JESUS FOR YOUR LOVING KINDNESS, YOUR FAITHFULNESS, THAT YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE ME NOR FORSAKE ME. amen)

First imagine: a person walking up to the Lord, and laying down a rock at His feet. (the persons burden) Then realizing, there is a boulder above them; they are carrying it around..... but only give Christ a small part. (is this trusting Him?  no)  Do not lay a piece of your burden down, but rather the entire BOULDER.... He says His burden is light .......... so why not take His and give Him mine??? hemmm;

This is what I wrote last night in the middle of the night:

The Word says to write His word on our hearts, to KNOW His Word.

Psa 119:11 NKJV - Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
Pro 15:14 NKJV - The heart of him who has understanding seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness.
In order to know His Word, I must read and study it to become approved by Him

2Ti 2:15 NKJV - Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

I must keep fellowship with other believers, join in bible studies, and gatherings at Church, I must OBEY Him, (Christ, the Word of God) & obey His commandments.
Act 2:42 NKJV - And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
1Cr 1:9 NKJV - God [is] faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
1Jo 1:3 NKJV - that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship [is] with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.
1Jo 1:7 NKJV - But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
God sent His son so that we (me and you) can have life everlasting WITH HIM. (there is life everlasting for ALL of us, but not all will be with Him because some will NOT chose Christ as their savior from eternal suffering)
Jesus chose to be punished, took on the penalty of death (& beatings, humiliation, suffering, etc) so I would not have to be punished for my sin.  He died for ME. God only asks in exchange, is that I accept Jesus as the RISEN Lord, His son.
Jesus says; if I love Him, I will keep His commandments, that I will love Him above ALL others.
Exd 20:6 NKJV - but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments
Lev 22:31 NKJV - "Therefore you shall keep My commandments, and perform them: I [am] the LORD.
Deu 4:2 NKJV - "You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.
Deu 4:40 NKJV - "You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong [your] days in the land which the LORD your God is giving you for all time."
Deu 5:29 NKJV - 'Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me and always keep all My commandments, that it might be well with them and with their children forever!
Deu 6:2 NKJV - "that you may fear the LORD your God, to keep all His statutes and His commandments which I command you, you and your son and your grandson, all the days of your life, and that your days may be prolonged.
Deu 6:17 NKJV - "You shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, His testimonies, and His statutes which He has commanded you.
Deu 8:6 NKJV - "Therefore you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.
Deu 13:4 NKJV - "You shall walk after the LORD your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him.
AND; then love others as myself:
Mat 22:39 NKJV - "And [the] second [is] like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'
Gal 5:14 NKJV - For all the law is fulfilled in one word, [even] in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Jam 2:8 NKJV - If you really fulfill [the] royal law according to the Scripture, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," you do well;

Because I love myself, I love God. He has given me life everlasting with Him. The only way to KNOW His Word is to read it daily, and pray. Pray that God would give me a hunger for His Word. That God would give me a personal desire to know Him BETTER, more personally. The only way to do that is to PRAY. (talk with Him) Read His Word (listen for Him to speak to me) Keep fellowship wit other believers.This is also keeping fellowship with Him. Jesus disciples kept fellowship; 1st the walked with Jesus, they followed Jesus, they Listened to Jesus, they learned from Jesus- by watching Him. Trusting Him. I AM His disciple. my job is to continue to follow Him- ti lead others to Him.Jesus knew God, He knew His Word, He prayed, He trusted God- even to raise Him from the depths of Hell.
There is eternity- with God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit- in light & in His presence- His PERFECT LOVE.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OR~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There is eternity AWAY FROM GOD- in uttermost darkness. 

God IS light. Where Gos is not- it is DARK.

Imagine you get up at night, there is no light, you can not See where you are going- You may make a turn into a wall, a piece of furniture, ha, over a cliff?? you can not see.
If you do not have God- His son Jesus, Christ- you ARE in the dark and can not see-

1Jo 1:5 NKJV - This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.
peace and grace be with you in His Holy, Holy, Holy name;

Kim