Acting Like Jesus

   As believers in Jesus we are offered tremendous provision! Christianity stands alone in these provisions and an available personal relationship with our Creator. (2 Peter 1:3-4 TPT)
THE PROVISION    
    Whoa!!! Talk about loaded verses. It would be good to return to times of mediation in the Word to adequately mine the richness of the Scriptures. How much has God given us!!! Our first understanding must come from the fact that before we can function in something – something or Someone must be put imparted to us! I love the wording of these powerful passages regarding this extravagant gift. “Everything we could ever need has already been deposited in us by His divine power!” WOW!
     The word translated “power” is the Greek word dunamis. We generally take to mean miraculous power. Literally it means “force” and can be translated “ability.” He has freely and lavishly deposited within us this powerful force through knowing Him. Beyond anything else, knowing Him is the richest most wonderful gift.
     However, let’s not stop there but receive what that relationship provides for us…a partnership with His divine nature!! It just gets better and better. Not only has He deposited divine ability within us but He wants us to participate in His very nature. This translates into the practical side of one’s relationship with God. Being a Christian looks like something…it is something that should be evidenced in our day to day lives!! That’s why Jesus said: (John 14:15 AMP)
    Our love should look like something…there should be a difference in the lives of those in relationship with God who are partakers of the divine nature, having His force or ability working through them. There are many ways we could go with this but let’s just continue on in the context of Peter’s Second Epistle.
THE PARTICIPATION  
     I don’t know about you but I am anxious to participate in and with that Divine nature!!!(John 8:48-59 TPT)    
     These verses are more than an equation. They are a blueprint for a lifestyle that will produce Christlikeness in each of us and we will also be active participants in the fruitful life God has planned for us! I WANT THAT!!! And if I do – the first thing that I must do is to be devoted to this! We are devoted to many things but only we know where our heart’s devotion is directed.
     Out of this devotion we will supplement what we believe with actual goodness. Now that is a broad stroke but it’s living in a way that is opposite of the evil that is in this world system, abhorring anything that is against the principles and actual display of the love of God. (Romans 12:9-10 TPT)
  Once we are devoted to love and goodness we must press on into understanding. I believe one of the greatest needs of our hour is to snap out of our cultural stupor and be alert and discerning! This will then translate practically to our function of self-control with a desire to suppress the works of the flesh and express the life of the Spirit! (1 Thessalonians 5:5-8a TPT)
     This drunkenness is not with regards to alcoholic beverages as much as it is with alertness and unimpaired awareness to the Lord’s ways and His leading! Functioning in this type of a lifestyle will then produce a patient endurance, a will to hold up under the adversity of our day and remain steadfast and immovable! (1 Corinthians 15:58)
     Out of this solid, sustaining faith will grow godliness…we will continue to look more and more like Jesus and His life lived out. In real time that will translate to an expression of mercy and unending love towards those around us. Our relationships and the way we treat each other will express Jesus to the world. We will be the most merciful, forgiving, longsuffering, ever-loving people…evoking curiosity towards Christ! (1 John 2:5-6 TPT)
    This is the ultimate goal! To walk in His footsteps, to walk as He walked, love as He loved, give as He gave, and live a life that is pleasing and fruitful for the glory of the Father!
     As lovers of Jesus, let’s be encouraged by these powerful verses written by our brother, Peter. He was such an example of a life transformed by the power of God working in Him! This is available to us! Let’s be wildly devoted to a life lived for the glory of the Father!! Much love from all of us at WILD!

No Comments