WWJD
I have heard the phrase WWJD (What would Jesus do) and while on the surface that is a good model to keep us on the right track, if we do it just as a modification of our behavior we are going to slip back into old ways. When we look at the hope of the return of Christ, it should motivsate us to live for Him. This means being mentally alert, thinking clearly in our recovery walk, maintain disipline, exercising self control regularly, and stay focused and looking forward.
I have to constantly ask myself, am I ready to meet Christ? Am I living as His obedient child? or am I doing it Rodney's way?
Isnt it great to know He is a God of mercy and justice who cares personally for each of His followers. He does expect us to imitate Him by following His high moral standards and by being both merciful and just. Peter's words from the book of 1 Peter 1 means that all parts of our lives and character should be in the process of becoming conformed both inwardly and outwardly to God's standards. After we have committed our life to Him and changed as a result of drawing near to Him, we can sometimes feel a pull and a temptation to want back into our old dysfunctional ways of thinking, thought patterns and habits. Peter tells us we should be like Christ, holy in everything we do. Holiness means being totally dedicated and commited to God. To be set aside for His special use and purpose here on earth and set apart from sin and its influence. We are called to be differnet and set apart, not blending in with the crowd, yet not just for the sake of being different. His qualities inside us make us different and should naturally overflow from what is happening inside of us. Our focus and priorities must be His focus and His priorities. This is in direct contrast to our old ways. We cannot become holy on our own (thank goodness) but He gives us His Holy Sprit to help us obey and gives us power to overcome the sin and battles in our life. We sometimes can fall into the excuses and justify slipping back into sin cause "we can't help it". But we need to instead rely on His power to free us from sins grip in our life.
It is not about looking the part or looking perfect or healthyi, but it is about being the part and being so that we can do as a natural overflow of what He has made us to be. Maybe it should read WWJCMIFHG. What will Jesus change me into for His glory. Not as catchy though I guess. :)
CR Ministries FBC
I have to constantly ask myself, am I ready to meet Christ? Am I living as His obedient child? or am I doing it Rodney's way?
Isnt it great to know He is a God of mercy and justice who cares personally for each of His followers. He does expect us to imitate Him by following His high moral standards and by being both merciful and just. Peter's words from the book of 1 Peter 1 means that all parts of our lives and character should be in the process of becoming conformed both inwardly and outwardly to God's standards. After we have committed our life to Him and changed as a result of drawing near to Him, we can sometimes feel a pull and a temptation to want back into our old dysfunctional ways of thinking, thought patterns and habits. Peter tells us we should be like Christ, holy in everything we do. Holiness means being totally dedicated and commited to God. To be set aside for His special use and purpose here on earth and set apart from sin and its influence. We are called to be differnet and set apart, not blending in with the crowd, yet not just for the sake of being different. His qualities inside us make us different and should naturally overflow from what is happening inside of us. Our focus and priorities must be His focus and His priorities. This is in direct contrast to our old ways. We cannot become holy on our own (thank goodness) but He gives us His Holy Sprit to help us obey and gives us power to overcome the sin and battles in our life. We sometimes can fall into the excuses and justify slipping back into sin cause "we can't help it". But we need to instead rely on His power to free us from sins grip in our life.
It is not about looking the part or looking perfect or healthyi, but it is about being the part and being so that we can do as a natural overflow of what He has made us to be. Maybe it should read WWJCMIFHG. What will Jesus change me into for His glory. Not as catchy though I guess. :)
CR Ministries FBC
Gail McConnell: WWJD? What would Jesus do? He already did it! He set us free and paid the debt we could not pay in our own sinful nature. The truth is that I cannot do what Jesus calls me to do in my own power. Self-willed Christianity is one of satan's biggest schemes to keep God's children bound in chains of defeat. The only way out is JESUS. The only way out of the self-will is by faith to turn my life and my will over to Him and surrender all to Him. Yes, I am quite ugly and dark. Only He can pour His Light in me through a process of fire and water that is not to be analyzed or understood by the human mind or intellect. RATS! That is very humbling in and of itself. That means I am not HE. That means I have to admit I have been DUPED by the devil and deceived by the nature put into me by the devil...the nature of self-will, self-absorption, and self-centeredness. I don't know about you...but that really ticked me off at first! I attempted to ignore this truth and still try to fix myself, change myself, heal myself, and even fix and change others. OH WELL! Whatever it takes it whatever it takes to LET GO and say "I can't...I am desperate for YOU LORD!" And so in admitting how helpless I am in my own person, I then began the process of wrestling with God....then wrestling before Him with me...with people...with circumstances...
ReplyDeletefinally reaching the place of sighing and saying "I trust YOU LORD...YOU ALONE ARE GOD...i am not. We both start with the same letter "G", but I am but a speck next to YOU. YOU ALONE SIT ON THE THRONE OF LIFE. Today I ask myself..."Why did it take me so long to trust Him completely?" I have no answer. All I know is that a death process has taken place within me progressively that has changed me. I am sure there is more to come. I am glad. I am glad that HE IS GOD AND I AM NOT. I AM GLAD TO TURN OVER FALSE IDOLS (including my narcissistic self) AND LET HIM HAVE HIS WAY IN ME AND WITH ME.
WWGO? (What would Gail do?) Gail would do nothing but say "I can't, You can. I trust you to complete the holy good work in me You have started." WWJD? (He would and is doing it!)
Very well said; it is not about what shows on the outside: it is a matter of the Heart A Heart that belongs to and longs for Jesus.
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