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Category: growth

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Many christians would say that an important goal or mark of growth in their lives is becoming like Jesus. The Bible encourages us to cast off sin, to be loving, to forgive, to “walk as Jesus walked.” (1 John 2:6)

He has extended revolutionary love and grace to us.

“…when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.”  Titus 3:4-7

It doesn’t take much for us to understand that we need to be like Jesus and extend love and grace to others. However, we completely miss the boat when it comes to extending grace to ourselves.

I’m not talking about making excuses or justifying our selfish behavior.  It’s time to stop listening to the lies running through our heads. I’m a failure. I’m worthless. I’m not as skinny as so-and-so. Why can’t I get it together? If people knew the real me, they’d be shocked. Lies.

It’s time to start forgiving ourselves the moment that God forgives us. It’s time to start giving ourselves the opportunity to make mistakes.

If you want to be like Jesus, then give yourself grace. Right now. Today, tomorrow, and every day. Give grace to yourself because God always does.

By Posted on Posted in God the Father, growth, hearing God, prayer 1 Comment

Over the past 2  years or so, I have grown in my personal relationship with Jesus more than all the other 18 years of my christian life combined. The single most influential thing I have learned to do is to visualize myself with Him. I have discussed this many times on my blog already, but will touch on it again. The change that has taken place in me cannot be explained in mere words.  When we imagine ourselves walking and talking with Jesus in person, and we allow Him access to our imagination, He can communicate to us in amazing ways. Through this practice, the depths of His love for me have been uncovered. His will for me has been more clear. His character and His heart have been revealed like never before.

By no means have I neglected to read His word or worship Him in prayer and song. Visualization is not the only way to fellowship with Him, and must be kept in balance with the truth of His word.

While I have grown ever close to Jesus in recent years, I must admit that my relationship with the Father is strained and undefined. Frankly, I don’t know what to do with Him! My growing-up father was not a model of love and care. Surely that affects my view of Father God. Typically, He is assigned a distant, judgmental persona in my heart.

This week, a breakthrough came in this area. I was reading in Hebrews chapter 1:

 1 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe. 3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being…

That last verse really came alive. I remembered when Jesus said in the book of John, “If you have seen Me, you’ve seen the Father.”  If I know and trust the heart of Jesus, then I already know the heart of Father God!

In the middle of bible study worship this week, the Father spoke to my heart and assured me, “I am as tender as My Son. You can trust Me. I do not judge you; I love you.” What a breakthrough.

I am working on visualizing the Father. Uncertain of His form, I have been asking the Holy Spirit to help me in my imagination. Great things are happening in me as I grow closer to both Father and Son.

By Posted on Posted in growth 1 Comment

After months and months in the Psalms, I am loving my recent quiet study time in the book of Ephesians. It is chock full of truth for my life today.

This morning, I was hovering over Ephesians 4:22-24:

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

I was automatically reminded of all the years I spent in my Christian life trying to make myself new. Make myself good. Make myself presentable to God. What a waste of time and energy!

I was also reminded of my 7th grader’s recent lesson in science. Consider the Law of Conservation of Matter and Energy:

Neither matter nor energy can be created or destroyed,

but they can be changed from one form to another.

Man is not capable of creating anything. God has created all things in the universe, and what He has made can only be changed from one form to another. For example, matter can be changed from liquid to solid. In the case of energy, it can be converted from mechanical energy to chemical energy. But science is clear… we are not able to create anything.

Ephesians 4 says that our new selves are “created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness”. Since we are not able to create anything, this work is up to our Creator. 

The word “created” here is ktizo, which means to make, to found, to create, to shape. This is the same word used in Colossians 1:16 where it states that “by Him all things were created”.  It is from a root word ktaomai, which means to acquire for one’s self. There is an underlying meaning of marriage here… to acquire a bride for one’s self.

The Lord has created in us a new person, to be His bride, to be the love of His life. We cannot create a new person within ourselves. We are only able to take our old selves, try to dress them up, and pretend to be new, good, and holy.

If you’re like me, you’ve spent way too much time trying to do this. It’s exhausting. Frustrating. It leads nowhere. The cracks in the veneer show too quickly.

Give up, friend!! Stop trying to make yourself new. Turn yourself over to God and let Him create the new you. Let Him show you who you really are. His treasure. His child. The one He loves. The one He died for. Stop performing and start living. Get off the stage and throw yourself into His embrace. He is waiting with open arms!