“All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus’ life as a model for our own.” ~Apostle John

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1 John 3, Children of God, Hope, Jesus, Maturity, Purity

We are children of God but we are becoming like Jesus. Being children isn’t the end game. Sometimes I think it is. But the end game is not to be children but to become fully mature in God. Jesus challenges us to grow up and be mature.

Jesus life is my model. And my hope is that when I see Him, I will become like Him. And for that I have hope and look forward to His coming.

The focus now is staying ready. I should run the race knowing that I will gain the prize. The purity of His life becomes my standard.

Am I there yet? No.

Do I run to gain the prize? Yes!!!

But friends, that’s exactly who we are: children of God. And that’s only the beginning. Who knows how we’ll end up! What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we’ll see him—and in seeing him, become like him. All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus’ life as a model for our own. 1 John 3:2-3

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Is God our friend?

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Friend, Jesus, Maturity, Messiah, Obedience

Mature

We start out as slaves. Our path to maturity starts with servitude and obedience. I saw this in my relationship with my father. I had to learn obedience first. When I matured, we became the closest of friends. He treated me that way and I responded. That was so cool.

The same is true with our heavenly Father. We are his friends. He tells us His most innermost feelings and secrets. God wants us to have a heart after Him and wants us to live in intimacy with Him. He wants this far and away above obedience.

God wants us to mature. He wants us to move beyond servitude. He wants us to be His friend. He wants us to co-reign with the Messiah Jesus.

Am I just finger painting in my walk with the Messiah Jesus?

Tags

Growth, Hebrews 6, Learn, Maturity

When I was young, I loved to finger paint. I was pretty good at it, I think. 🙂

I am not an artist in the sense that I have never taken time to learn how to really paint. I am fairly sure I wouldn’t be great at it but I could be better than I am.

Do I want to finger paint or do I want to paint? Learning to paint requires growing and growing up.

Jesus challenges me to grow up. Will I?

So come on, let’s leave the preschool finger painting exercises on the Messiah and get on with the grand work of art. Grow up in Christ.

Source: Hebrews 6:1

“Live out your God-created identity.” ~Jesus

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Generosity, Grace, Jesus, Jesus Sayings, Matthew 5, Maturity

Jesus has a great way to simplify what He is saying. Jesus is very direct and doesn’t beat around the bush.

So, Jesus challenges me to grow up.

I know I am a child of God and live in His World (Kingdom). I know Jesus is in charge of my life when I let Him be.

Am I willing to suffer and mature? Will I rejoice and be happy?

Tags

Death, Hebrews 5, High Priest, Jesus, Maturity, Pain, Resurrection, Son of God, Suffering

Jesus, the Son of GOD, came to earth and suffered for us. Imagine that. Take a minute to think about it.

Jesus felt everything we, as humans feel. Anticipating His death for us, he cried in the pain of anticipation. He offered up prayers as He got ready for this awful sacrifice.

They were the prayers of a priest.   Jesus is now the most High Priest. Because He is GOD’s Son, God answered His prayers and honored His sacrifice for us. In GOD’s world, we are all now a nation of priests. We intercede, with Jesus, on behalf of all who are in need of Him.

Now get this, he was God’s very own Son. He didn’t have to do any of this for us. He came to earth and learned trusting-obedience by what he suffered. He didn’t have to suffer.

We sometimes wonder, why do we have to suffer? Well, we join in the ministry of Jesus by sharing in suffering,  just as Jesus did. By suffering, Jesus arrived at the full stature of his maturity. Imagine the Son of God having to mature. He did as a man on earth. In that maturity and perfection, Jesus became our priest. In his death and resurrection,  he became the source of eternal salvation to all us who obey him.

While he lived on earth, anticipating death, Jesus cried out in pain and wept in sorrow as he offered up priestly prayers to God. (Hebrews 5:7 The Message)

Can I respond to God with blazing fast speed?

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Culture, Jesus, Life, Maturity, Offering, Speed

My Father is helping me. He is bringing out the best in me. He is helping me to have a God-formed maturity.

This is unlike our culture that is always dragging me down to its level of amazing immaturity. It is interesting how our culture assaults us everyday. So very subtle that it is hard to even recognize it.

What I need to recognize is what God wants from me and to respond to it with blazing fast speed.

So … I take my everyday and completely ordinary life — my sleeping, eating, going-to-to work and just walking around life — and I place it at our Father’s alter as an offering.

I embrace our Father’s desire for me. I see my place in Him. I see His love for me. I fix my attention on God. He changes me from the inside out.

“Perfect love casts out fear.” ~Apostle John

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1 John 4, Faith, Fear, Jesus, Love, Maturity

Be fearless

In our Father’s house there are many, many rooms. But the one thing there is no room for is fear. Every room is filled with His love.

In fact, the more His love forms in me and matures, this love just pushes out all fear. It is banished!!

Fear can cripple me and my faith. So I pursue my Father’s love. I seek to have it mature in me. Be well formed. That pushes out the fear. God is not in the punishing business.

God is in a good mood. He loves us 24×7. My focus needs to be on Him. God will see me through everything I am facing.

There is no fear in love ; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. 1 John 4:18

"In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it." ~~Jesus

Tags

Jesus, Jesus Sayings, Kingdom, Matthew 5, Maturity

Kingdom of God

Wow. Jesus is direct. Grow up!!

OK, that makes sense. We can be very childish.

We live in God’s World (Kingdom). God is in charge. We know it. We need to act like it. We need to live like we know that God is God.

God’s goal for me is to do what God wants. I am subject to what God decides. I am under God’s control.

May I live like I know I am living in God’s World, where He is fully in charge.

“In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it.” ~~Jesus (Matthew 5:48 The Message)