Imitating Jesus

As we exercise our spiritual capabilities, they expand.

Meditation Thought: “He who believes in me will also do the works that I do.” (John 14:12)

Jesus came to teach us the way, not just preach about the way. He is our example; therefore we can learn to imitate Him – but in order to imitate his results, we must imitate his works. That includes the attitude (willing, self-sacrificing, compassionate), the spirit (listening to the Father and obeying Him), and the action (travelling where the need is, doing whatever is needed to bring comfort and healing).

As we exercise our spiritual capabilities, they expand – just as exercising our lungs expands our capacity, or exercising our muscles makes them grow. We must keep using our capabilities, or they will atrophy. Therefore, we must stay in prayer, practice diligently what we learn of God, seeking constantly for new enlightenment. As we have results, we will be encouraged, and try even harder – and the deeper the channel we dig for God’s love and power to flow through the more “works” will be accomplished through that channel.

Perfect Method

Help me to be alert so that I can be an apt pupil.

Meditation Thought: “We know that in all things God works for good with those who love him, those whom he has called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 GNT)

“works for good” – the good is not limited to those who love God, it extends to others too – often resulting in adding children to God’s Kingdom.

“with those” – “those” are needed to be used by God, and in order to be used, they must be aware of God’s call, to heed that call and act on it, and to trust God with the results, not judging the immediate results, but knowing that the ultimate results will be good for everyone and for God. The trusting is as important as the initial response, for the trusting is the acting on the faith – the believing that keeps the energy moving toward the completion of the purpose of God – whether that purpose was initiated by a call from God, or as by His response to a call to Him in prayer.

“everything” – Life is made up of a series of “things” – things involving seconds, things involving years – things that are crucial, things that are irrelevant, things that change the course of history, things that seem to not matter at all – but every one of these “things” is important enough for God to express His care, and His interest. All of creation is His and He is vitally concerned with all of it – He does not judge, as we do, that some “things” are so unimportant as to be unworthy of His attention. We need to think more in line with God’s example, so that as we work in tandem with Him, we accomplish His purpose more quickly than if we seek to accomplish that purpose by devising our own methods being ignorant of His more perfect method.

Prayer: Dear Father, I ask You to work in me in such a way that I will be using Your methods of accomplishing the tasks You set before me. Help me to be alert so that I can be an apt pupil. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Listen More

Put your mind at rest now that you know how to proceed.

Meditation Thought: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22) and “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)

If I remain alert to His leading, and am obedient, He will have me be a doer, for I will recognize and acknowledge the true Giver, who is using the attributes which He gave me. I can be happy in what I am doing, but must remember that what I’m doing has no meaning aside from obedience to God, and I must constantly check to see that I am on the path where He wants me to be.

Perceived reply: “Oh, my child, relax – I did not give you qualities which I want to use to cause you distress and doubts. I gave them to you to further my kingdom, to the extent of your willingness to dedicate them to me.

Listen, listen more than you ‘do’; this assures our harmonious working together for a common goal, and should enable you to push aside doubts and fears, as you concentrate your energies with a devotion and dedication that shuts out evil forces. Do not try to proceed to the work without fully understanding the instructions, for that is where danger lies.

Put your mind at rest now that you know how to proceed. Spend adequate time in reading My Word, and communicating in prayer, in serving others as a privilege of serving Me, and be open to my instructions through all channels. This formula will not fail, for your energies will all be dedicated to Me, and not siphoned off in useless contemplation.”

The Whole or the Part

Would I have created you if I did not intend to enjoy you?

Meditation Thought: “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. (1 Peter 2:16)

Prayer: Lord, I want to live as Your servant – a happy, contented, competent servant. I feel so downhearted… guide me!

Perceived Answer: “‘I AM’ with you. Trust this statement despite your downhearted mood this morning. Remember the times I have worked good for you out of your miseries. Many times you were annoyed with what took place in your life only to realize later that that which you perceived was bad was actually the situation from which I worked good for you. 

I see the whole; you see the part. You must trust Me as one who loves you – would I have created you if I did not intend to enjoy you?”

Run to Win

Run. Do not dawdle, be distracted or wander off the course.

Meditation Thought: Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,” (Hebrews 12:1)

“Run, run to the goal – to complete communion with Me – do not dawdle, be distracted, or wander off the course. Set in mind clearly that you are running to win – not in the sense of beating others, but in the sense of reaching your goal as quickly as you can. You know the ways of running faster: Time spent with Me; in My Word, in your mind searching for my plans for you and how to accomplish them in expressing my love to others by service to them.”

Perceive the Valley from the Mountain

Our role is to share our experiences, to share our knowledge, and to share our love which has been quickened.

Meditation Thought: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

To be baptized is an act of being set apart for special service – the observing of the commandments is the nature of the service – the presence of Jesus is the moving power of the service. The baptizing, or setting apart, is the reason that those who believe cannot behave as the crowd behaves.

It is as if Christ takes us to the top of the mountain, where we can come to new perspective and knowledge of the valley, and then we can go back to the valley to share our new knowledge and wisdom to help others, and to urge them to go for themselves to find the new view of the valley.

Living in the valley after the trip up to the mountain is not the same as before the trip – it is more intense in every way, for awareness is sharpened, and new knowledge changes perception. Some will resent the ‘differences’, others will see it as being desirable and wish to take the trip too; our role is to share our experiences, to share our knowledge, and to share our love which has been quickened. Thus we provide the opportunity for our neighbors to respond to our sharing, and through their response, Jesus moves. And so the process becomes a ‘making disciples of all nations’.

(When we look at the world with our human eyes only, it is as if we look at a map in a book. When we look at it with spiritual eyes, we see it as a globe with topographical markings added – we can perceive so much more of the true qualities when we have a more complete perspective.)

Wholeness

It is imperative, therefore, that any change in us be a change toward God’s will.

Meditation Thought: “If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.” (1 Corinthians 12:26)

If one part is missing, the “whole” has disappeared – it is now something different. It may even be considered a whole, but the original “whole” has disappeared, it no longer exists. When a part is altered, no matter how slightly, the whole is altered too. It may take a while for parts of the whole to be affected by other parts – but it will happen, for all are interconnected.

Therefore, we must take care that we, as a part of the Body of Christ, are a healthy part, a part that is in good working order, bringing joy not only to ourselves, but to all the many other parts, and to the whole. We must remember that no matter ow slight an event might appear, that creation all is structured so that one tiny cell changing in the slightest manner, can have an effect that becomes magnified – a chain reaction in fact, a geometric multiplication.

It is imperative, therefore, that any change in us be a change toward God’s will, toward the furthering of the health and purpose of the Body, for our own good, and for the good of the whole.

Heavenly Wisdom

We learn patience, and trust, as the heavenly wisdom does its work of oozing into the situation.

Meditation Thought: “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.  And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.” (James 3:17-18) Also pertinent is “By his good life let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.” (James 3:13)

Qualities of heavenly wisdom:
1. Meekness
2. Pure
3. Peaceable
4. Gentle
5. Open to Reason
6. Full of Mercy
7. Full of good fruits
8. Without uncertainty
9. Without Insincerity

The wisdom that is earthly is:
– bitter jealousy
– selfish ambition
– unspiritual
– devilish
– false to the truth. (See James 3:14-15)

Look at the qualities of heavenly wisdom – they are almost all foreign to our quick reactions when we experience attack, or when we perceive what we believe is foolish – unless we have come to know and to trust God as His principles are revealed. If we walk in the flesh, we use worldly wisdom, and are confused when the results are frustrating. It is a strengthening experience to set aside our human emotions of annoyance and desire for revenge, and to act in heavenly wisdom – for the results are not immediate, at least usually.

We learn patience, and trust, as the heavenly wisdom does its work of oozing into the situation, of gradually – by a replacement process – changing the situation and the results of it into something positive, something good for all, whether or not it is perceived as good by the participants – for to those who love God and believe him and act on that belief, every situation will, by prayer, and by “heavenly wisdom” action, be changed to be good for His believers. With God there is no defeat – but His respect for free will is so great that often His wisdom is seen by us as more of the “turtle” speed than the “hare” speed; nevertheless the result is the winning of the race.

Turning From, Turning Towards

Your task is to learn of My methods, of My attitudes, of My will in general and My will in particular – and then in prayer, in yielding to the Spirit, speak and act. 

Meditation Thought: “For it is God’s will that by doing right, you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish men.” (1 Peter 2:15)

“Take your cue from Me – I only invite, suggest, touch lightly, lovingly. The response is left to the one touched. But it is when you are behaving in imitation of My ways that the response is likely to be positive – a response which will turn one from selfishness, from foolishness, from sin – toward love, consideration, wisdom, respect, righteousness.

Your task is to learn of My methods, of My attitudes, of My will in general and My will in particular – and then in prayer, in yielding to the Spirit, speak and act.

When you are in this state, you are doing My work, and when you are doing My works, it will not be in vain.”

Presence = Fullness of Joy

When I am concentrating on being where You are, then no matter what scene You are in, and I am in with you, I am content – fulfilled.

Meditation Thought: “Thou dost show me the path of life;
    in thy presence there is fullness of joy,
    in thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16:11)

“In thy presence there is fullness of joy” – in thy presence  – when I am concentrating on being where You are, then no matter what scene You are in, and I am in with you, I am content – fulfilled. For it is not the place, the action, that is important to my life – it is the Presence – the Presences that:
assures me of total confidence,
shields me from harm,
brings me joy,
raises my hope,
delights me,
excites me,
relieves boredom,
surrounds me with love so powerful that all else pales beside it,
being as nothing as I bask in the closeness of My Lord’s Presence and all that Presence brings to me. It satisfies every need, every desire – even those I was unaware that I had until after they have been fulfilled.