I WANT TO BE LIKE CHRIST PART 1

I want to be like Christ. I don’t want to just be enlightened or in touch with my inner spirit. I don’t want to just be present now or know the secret to attracting good things into my life. I don’t just want to know the laws of success and how to be at one with everything. I don’t want to just know how to conquer my fears, my inner demons or insecurities. I want all of that and I want to know how to be at peace with myself and my world. I want to know how to live better, love better, and do better. I want to love the unlovable, be kindhearted to the difficult and have compassion for those in need. I want to be an advocate for the weak and a hope to the hopeless. I want to exude confidence, strength, stability, forgiveness and love. I want to be like CHRIST.

Sometimes being so eager and excited to be like Christ, we so desire a better way of living and existing in this world. And because of this desire we can be enticed by teachings that promise to transform your mind, body and spirit and while the desire may be noble and good I am always leery and cautious when they teach the lessons but leave out the Teacher or when they lessen Him in any way.

1 John 4:1-6 New International Version (NIV)

1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 2 This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world.

4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 5 They are from the world and therefore speak from the viewpoint of the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit[a] of truth and the spirit of falsehood.

Sometimes people are scared of Jesus and to even say or call on His name for fear of judgment. Jesus is love and there is no fear in love. He has often been misrepresented which is unfortunate. I have to tell you, the Jesus I know loves, protects, accepts, teaches, guides, is gracious, merciful, peaceful, stable and sure. He never changes and is totally and unapologetically enamored and in love with you. You will never know anyone who will be more fiercely protective of you than He is. You will never know anyone who can feel your pain and heal your wounds like He can. And you will never know a better more intense love than His.

1 John 4:7-21 New International Version (NIV)

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

Don’t be afraid of Him or His name. Don’t shy away from looking For Him in all of His Deity when searching for peace. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

John 14:6  New International Version (NIV)

6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

He is your safety net, your power, your protection and your guide. Say His name. Call on His name. JESUS. He is our salvation. He is also our example, our guide. Because of and through Christ we transform. As we grow in Christ pain is inevitable as we struggle with the two sides of ourselves. The spiritual side and the carnal, flesh or worldly side. You do not wake up one day with the mind of Christ. You transform into His likeness as you make decisions one by one to do as He would do as opposed to what you feel like doing.  You begin to analyze and measure your responses and attitudes by the Word instead of your head and heart.  The Word is your measure because if the heart is sick it will lead you astray. The Word will not only heal your heart it will lead you in the right direction and give you peace and security.

Part 2 to come.

With Love,

Ms. Wanda, GAC