Wednesday’s Word – Jesus Take the Will

Hello All,

Yep, I’m still beating that drum 

It’s a sad reality how often we get into the troubles of life where it’s obvious that we can only blame ourselves. I also find it interesting how complacently we accept some things in life that lead to such immature choices. I’m sure you’ve noticed, unless you’ve been living under a rock, the bumper sticker that says “Jesus is my co-pilot”. A view of Jesus as an assistant, rather than Lord automatically puts us in a perilous position of too much authority. But there’s also the flip side where I’ll be focusing my attention today. “Jesus, take the wheel.” A popular ‘Christian’ song that’s not hard to relate to. How many times have you prayed that prayer (or something similar)? That Jesus would commandeer you in your ineptness and work a situation to your immediate benefit and His eternal Glory? Never? Maybe it’s just me. It is very important to realize that God doesn’t work that way. Our predicament is this: We are under authority, and submission to that authority doesn’t happen by force. Your choices are your choices.

Here’s The Word;

Joshua 24:15 But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve

Psalm 25:12 Who, then, are those who fear the LORD? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.

Proverbs 1:29 since they hated knowledge and did not choose to fear the LORD.

Proverbs 3:31 Do not envy the violent or choose any of their ways.

Proverbs 12:26 The righteous choose their friends carefully, but the way of the wicked leads them astray

James 4:4(b) Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

The Word of God is such an awesome and complete resource to navigate this brief life on earth. I’m not equipped enough to delve into a theological discussion on where the lines of God’s Plan and our choices begin and end. And please don’t misunderstand that I’m saying we shouldn’t pray for Divine intervention in the midst of life’s problems. Not saying that at all. As much as He’s an ever-present help in times of trouble, don’t disregard that if Jesus is truly Lord, you have work to do in regards of living righteously and making choices that reflect it. Simple fact is, Jesus does not take the will.

In Him,
Cros

Wednesday's Word - Personal Portraits

Hello All,
Okay, this should be fun. Take out a blank piece of drawing paper. Well, you may not be in an appropriate situation at the moment to do that so let’s try it a different way. Imagine a clear area. Now in that clear area, mentally draw a picture of Jesus. What picture you got? Is it Jesus with the sheep saddled over His shoulders? Is He smiling? Praying? Is He the King mounted on an elaborately dressed horse in Glorious Splendor? Now answer me this, What did you use for your picture? Pure imagination? Something that stuck in your mind from TV, or from the walls of a church or Christian book store you’ve visited? Well, your personal portrait of Jesus and the Inspiration behind it is the topic of the day.

Here’s The Word:

Colossians 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Romans 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

It really would’ve been a great experiment to have everyone take paper and a pencil and draw Jesus. You know why? Because every portrait would’ve been singularly unique. That’s the wonderful thing about our personality. Many people have a hard time reconciling our distinct personality with the idea that we’re all being transformed into the image of Christ. Do we lose our personality? I believe that the distinctness of our personality is a gift from God and being so, it’s preserved in the transformation. As C.S. Lewis puts it in The Screwtape Letters (once we get rid of our selfishness) “He really gives them back all their personality, and boasts (I am afraid, sincerely) that when they are wholly His they will be more themselves than ever.”

As Christians living for Christ, our very lives are the development of a portrait of Jesus Christ. It’s a portrait that is expressed with our own flair or creativity or personality. The Holy Spirit is the Inspiration that keeps us on the right track to producing a picture pleasing to The Father. He reveals Jesus directly to our hearts. So how’s your picture turning out? If you’re motivated by self, don’t be surprised by your end result; a Self Portrait. If you’re picture is missing a certain something, make sure you’re using the Right Inspiration. Because of your personality, something about it will be uniquely beautiful. It will be Jesus, but it will be your own Personal Portrait of Him.

In Him,
Cros