Be An Imitator of God!

 BE AN IMITATOR OF GOD!

What an incredible challenge the Apostle Paul gave to Jesus’ followers!  But, we know, God never requires something of us that He has not paved the way for us to incorporate into our lives!

Scripture:  Ephesians 5:1

“Be imitators of God, (copy Him and follow His example) as well-beloved children.” AMPC

So how do we begin?  After accepting Christ into our hearts and becoming children of God, our next step is to study the Bible to understand how God operates and his method of communicating his desires, plans and purposes.

Hebrews 11:3. “By faith, we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that that we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.”

This indicates God did not pull one item from one area and put pieces together. God used HIS FAITH to form the universe, stars, sun, moon sky, sea, sea creatures, animals and even mankind. Then, he released or spoke what he had formed in his imaging with his words which caused the object of his FAITH to become reality and be seen!

Hebrews 11:1-2 “Now faith is the assurance (title deed, confirmation) of things hoped for (divinely guaranteed) and the evidence of things not seen [the conviction of their reality—faith comprehends as fact what has not been made real to our senses]!”

“Through their faith, the people in days of old were commended.”

When we put our confidence in the Word of God that tells us how the Kingdom of God works, just like people did in past times that gained a good report, we please God, and it opens the door for Him to bring heaven to earth in our lives by releasing “things” we are believing him for as well!

It’s a bit like a Navigation System.  We decide our destination and key it into the system.  It then calculates the best route to take even giving us the time and distance to get there.  Sometimes, however, there are detours along the journey, but the end result remains the same, just like faith.

It reminds me of our recent trip to North Carolina.  We were traveling on I-95 making very good time and suddenly Siri came on and said, “Take the next exit because there is a long delay ahead.  But, because the turn seemed inconsistent with what we had known, we ignored the message and ended up sat between 18-wheeler trucks in the blazing sun on the interstate that had just become a parking lot!

What is even more interesting about this episode is that my cousin and her husband had experienced a similar scenario on one of their trips, but they acknowledged the advice and detoured!  She said they travelled on beautiful country roads like a scene in a movie with amazing Antebellum homes…. just magnificent!  The diversion was a major blessing to them even though it did take longer!

What does all of that have to do with imitating God and faith?  Just like the Satellite that fed the information to all of us knew the end from the beginning and the best experience to get to where we wanted to go, the Bible says: God sees the end from the beginning!

In our faith walk, there may be some diversions and re-routing, but we can stay in faith God will turn it all for good.  You can well imagine that after hearing my cousin’s story, we wished we had listened and, of course, it goes without saying, we will make every effort to do so in the future!

In a similar way, how often do we pray and believe for healing, prosperity, family blessings, etc., knowing Jesus has already paid for us to be well and have a prosperous, happy life because the Bible clearly tells us that is why Jesus came, and because of delays or obstacles put in our path, we then confuse issues by talking fear or frustration and our faith in God’s faithfulness often blocks us from moving forward! 

In situations like this, it is important to listen to our inner guidance “system” the Spirit of truth, who Jesus said, “would show us things to come and lead us into ALL truth!”   John 16:13

It’s important as well to realize “delay is not always denial” and God wants us to understand He has wisdom for every area of our lives!  Taking time to find out what God says through the Bible and depending on the Holy Spirit to reveal truth about the situation opens the door for us to experience God’s reality and answers for situations.  We understand from John 16:13 that he made the promise that the Holy Spirit would guide us so that we can be confident and release our faith in anticipation of hearing from him!

Also, keep in mind what God’s meaning of faith is: ....” It is the substance of THINGS HOPED for….”

This is true whether it is prayers for family members, jobs, health issues or business situations, etc.  When we pray and petition the Lord, it is so vital that we keep a listening ear for changes on the horizon, which are not always bad, just as the Navigation System so beautifully proved.

Hebrews 11:6 “And it is impossible to please God without faith.  Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.”

How does he reward us when we seek him?

Hebrews 6:11-12 says, “We want each of you to show the same diligence to the very end, so that what you hope for may be fully realized.  We do not want you to become sluggish, but to IMITATE those who through FAITH and PATIENCE inherit what has been promised.”

This Scripture clearly says that God wants our hopes and desires to be FULLY REALIZED!  Isn’t that wonderful?!  That is good and it is God News!

It is important to realize that faith and patience are power twins that bring the results into our lives that we are desiring.

One of the most powerful examples of faith and patience in the Bible is Abraham. He had some pretty significant family and friend issues to work through along his path to greatness and timing for receiving the blessings God had on his mind for him!

 

According to Joshua 24:2, Abraham and his father worshiped idols. They lived in Ur of the Chaldees and religious artifacts from that period indicated they worshipped the moon because they believed it was the power that controlled the heavens and the life cycle on earth. Prayers and offerings were offered to the moon to invoke its blessings. 

Because his previous worship of the moon was from a distance, Abraham must have been surprised when the Lord spoke to him these words:

 Genesis 12:1-3 “The Lord had said to Abram:

 “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.

 I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you.

 I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

 I will bless those who bless you and whoever curses you I will curse.

 And all peoples on earth will be blessed through you!”

 Don’t you just love how God plans wonderful and great things for his creation?  However, God had to change Abram’s environment and people that were influencing his thinking from natural and worldly things to God’s way of thinking and doing things!  Abram lived what he was around until God showed him a better way!

 I even love the fact that God told him he would take care of issues surrounding people that obviously didn’t understand God’s direct care for him so that Abraham didn’t have to get sidetracked by quarreling, jealousy, and backbiting, etc.!  Also, we know God is love and he knows how to draw people into better decisions when we stay focused on walking in love.

 The Bible says faith works by love, so we understand Abram, just like us, had to let go of strife and contention and move forward even though many did not understand his decision to move away and do things a new and better way!

 Something else that is so powerful is seeing how God was so intent on helping Abraham “see the end from the beginning.”

 Genesis 15:5 says:

 “The Lord took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.”  Then He said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”

Why is this so pertinent to our faith walk as well?  God is no respecter of persons, but He is a respecter of faith!

 Galatians 3:6 “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith!”

It is important that we notice that when God was verbalizing all the ways he planned to bless Abraham, all that God required of Abraham was that he believe God would do what he had promised and to follow his leading.  As Abraham continued to believe the promises, God caused doors to open so that it all came to pass; but there were some definite delays and detours along the way such as happens to many of us!

For instance, there was a significant space of time from when God promised him, he would have a child to carry on the promised blessings, but it was through faith and patience that it came to pass and, we today are recipients of Abraham and Sarah’s Faithfulness to hold on to the promises!

The promises made to Abraham covered everything that pertained to a blessed, healed, prosperous and happy life and God’s word tells us he sent Jesus to gift us with (eternal) life and life in a full, abundant way as well.

What is so beautiful to think about too is that God is looking for your faith so He that can strongly support your endeavors!

“For the eyes of the LORD roam throughout the earth, that He may strongly support those whose hearts are completely His….”

2 Chronicles 16:9

PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE:

Daily take time to say in faith: “Lord, here I am as your eyes are looking for someone to strongly support.”  Then, begin praising and thanking Him in Jesus’ Name for the major victories you are desiring to experience in your life as you anticipate their arrival!

Of course, if you can see something with your natural eye, it does not require faith to believe for it!  Bible faith “sees” your desires as though what you are believing for is yours NOW!  Just like God showed Abraham to do, keep looking up to Him and see yourself experiencing what you are believing for based on his promises!

Realize too, it takes perseverance and commitment to take the time to image in our minds what we desire the end result of our faith to be, but, as we read in Hebrews 11: 6  “God loves to REWARD those who sincerely and diligently seek {and imitate} Him.”

Diana

What Happens When We Agree With God

 

What Happens When We Agree With God!

Scripture:  Matthew 6:10

When some of Jesus’ disciples came to him and asked how they should be praying, one thing Jesus taught them was to pray: “Thy Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”

Have you thought about the fact that true Bible faith only begins where the Will of God is known?

Our lead Scripture lets us know God wants our lives to replicate what Heaven is like while we are here on the earth!

Let’s also look at God’s desire for his creation in the Old Testament as well:

“So, commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these words of mine.  Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders.  Teach them to your children.  Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up that your days may be multiplied and the days of your children in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers to give them will be “AS THE DAYS OF HEAVEN UPON THE EARTH!”  DEUTERONOMY 11:18-21

So, we know from the above Scripture that God’s desire is that our lives reflect Heaven, and He wants us to keep this knowledge in the forefront of our thought life and talk about it!  By doing so, we release our faith in agreement with God’s desires for us!

Think about it!  On a daily basis you are agreeing with family, friends, colleagues, the news, etc., and your acceptance of their words may or may not be beneficial.  However, when you AGREE WITH GOD, it is only a matter of time until his WILL is done for you ON EARTH AS IT is IN HEAVEN!  How, can we be confident of this?  He clearly says so in the Old Testament and the New Testament!

Often life’s circumstances and varied experiences we have had through the years can make us feel unworthy or full of doubt that God favors us or that we can expect great turnarounds to happen, but God wants us to see ourselves as he sees us and believe in faith that things can truly change.

I’ve often wondered about the many blessings that came into David’s life and God’s commendation of him even after he did a number of unseemly things and he made quite a few wrong judgements that affected a lot of peoples’ lives.

Let’s look at what God said about David:

“After removing Saul, he made David their king.  GOD TESTIFIED concerning him: “I’ve found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.” Acts 13:22

That’s big!

I’m sure there were many reasons God felt this way about David but perhaps it was because David was quick to repent and acknowledge his failures and shortcomings when he had missed it, and it stood out that David understood and wrote about God’s love and forgiveness towards him which so benefitted him as he made efforts to move forward with his life.

Just as David, wouldn’t we love to have God testify of us: “These are people after my own heart?”

When we take the time to read and study God’s word and receive it as God speaking to us, we open the door for God’s Will to happen as we learn the “things” God has prepared for us that are received “by faith.”

2 Peter 1:3 tells us: “His divine power HAS GIVEN US EVERYTHING we need for life and godliness…”

If you need a change in your life and circumstances, find out what God’s Word says about it and pray his Word.  Stay in faith and keep praising Him knowing the answer is on its way!  The above Scripture says that He has lots of good plans to give you what you need but your part is to believe and receive!

It’s also helpful to realize that one of the definitions of “receive” in the Greek language that the New Testament was written in means: “to take it!”  Take God’s Word on a daily basis and receive the blessings He has in mind for you to have.

Can you believe that God’s Word is a living thing and is activated in your life by prayers and confessions?  Well, let’s look at this powerful Scripture that lets us know this is absolutely true!

Hebrews 4:12 says: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

That is so important to know because when God’s word is received and released with our words, it goes out as a living and active “thing” to make whatever changes are necessary in order to bring situations we are praying about into alignment with Heaven’s wishes for us.

The first area it mentions is soul and spirit.  We know Jesus said to the woman at the well that his words were Spirit and Life.  Because we live in a fallen world that doesn’t fully understand the power of words and their influence on lives, things can often get out of alignment causing chaos, friction, and discouragement.  But, when we understand how important it is for us to agree with God’s Word and realize it has power to change things, our lives can be brought back into alignment so that we can experience the plans God has for us instead of just accepting some things that are going on in our lives as “normal.”

You probably know what it is like to have a wheel out of alignment on your car.  Three wheels can be performing perfectly but one out of alignment can make for a significantly bumpy ride, until it is adjusted!  That’s how our soul which houses our mind, will and emotions can sometimes throw us off course!

When the Word speaks of joints and marrow, it is speaking of physical issues.  The more we understand that Jesus died not only to provide forgiveness for all of mankind’s sins but was beaten and scourged for healing and wholeness to come to our bodies the more faith we can have to claim what belongs to us.  I also recently learned that one of the many descriptions of “healed” in the original Hebrew language, also means “scruples of conscience.”  That means it is important to Jesus that we get healed inside out as well as outside in! It’s part of our redemption to be whole: spirit, soul, and body through our acceptance of Jesus as our Lord and Savior! Are you “taking” what Jesus paid for you to have?  If not, now is the time to begin doing so!

Thirdly, God’s Word is like a mirror.  When our thought life is out of kilter, the mirror of the Word will help us get the intentions of our heart into alignment with God’s truth.  We sure understand how what we see and hear every day in the world around us can thwart and bring confusion into our lives unless we use God’s Word as our measuring stick and mirror! Also, James, Jesus’ brother, said we will be BLESSED in what we do if we look into the Word “like a mirror” and don’t forget the liberty and freedom it provides for us! James 1:23-25

Another very important reason to be intentional in our knowledge of what God has provided for us through Jesus and agree with Him is that Revelation 12:10 says “Satan is the accuser of the brethren.” 

Satan’s strategy is to keep us from receiving God’s grace, blessings, and forgiveness so that we miss out on what Jesus paid for us to have.  We need to be wise to Satan’s tactics and we do this by learning the truth concerning God’s Will for us through His Word!

PUTTING IT INTO PRACTICE:

Make it a practice to agree with what Jesus said to pray:  That our Father’s Will be done in our lives and those we for pray for “AS IT IS IN HEAVEN!”

Take time to visualize or see what that would look like!

Why?  Because Proverbs 29:18 says: “Where there is no vision (no redemptive revelation of God), the people perish, but he who keeps the law {word} is blessed, happy, fortunate and enviable!” AMPC

Understand, according to the above Scripture, God is not the “Big Guy” in the sky just looking for someone to do something wrong so He can blast them, this Scripture says He has things in his Word that when accepted and believed will cause you to be: BLESSED, HAPPY, FORTUNATE AND ENVIABLE!  That is something to get excited about as you study God’s Word with that in mind!

When you speak God’s Word, because it is alive and active, THINGS CHANGE!   Psalms 107:20 confirms this: “He sent out his word and healed them, and delivered them…”

BEGIN TODAY TO AGREE WITH GOD!

Diana