God Wants to Help!

Sometimes the hardest thing to say to God is simply, "I need help."  Despite clear evidence to the contrary in the Word, a prevailing attitude has been that we are unfit to approach Him with what scripture refers to as 'the issues of life'.  Quite the contrary, the issues of life matters greatly to God.  Are you facing a challenge today?  Take it to Him and allow His peace and sovereignty to work everything out for your good. 

"Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help." (Hebrews 4:14-16 NET)

"We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose." (Romans 8:28 AMP)

"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7 ESV)

Through the Looking-Glass - The Word Reflects Your Nature

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing." (James 1:22-25 ESV)


As the children of the Almighty, believers carry the image, the imprint, of the Living God.  Of the various Hebrew and Greek words rendered as image, they share a common definition as a representation, similiarity, replication, exactness of an original object.  Christ Jesus is the original, the Pattern Son, from which all believers are fashioned.  As Romans 8:29 teaches us, "For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers."  Externally, humanity is born with His image for that is specifically how we were created. (Genesis 1:26)  It is never lost or diminished.  It remains constant throughout our lives, a token of affection from the Lord to His most prized creation.  Internally, the image and likeness of the godhead is worked in us as we encounter and interact with The Word.  The Word of God functions as a mirror of our true image.  As one spends time in the Word, its truth permits us to see ourselves as He sees us, our true nature as redeemed, perfected, holy, and blameless, fully equipped for every good work.  This is the pattern by which conversion takes place and salvation is initiated.  The Word is the point of contact through which my internal man (soul: mind, will and emotions) is made aware of what has, externally, already been granted to me; His image and likeness.  But this transformation, if left unapplied, dissipates over time and losses its effectiveness.  The admonition in today's passage from the Epistle of James is that the Word we encounter must also be put into practice in order to be retained and made real.  Just hearing the Word will only benefit you in the moment in which its heard.  For that period of time, the image of Christ wherein you are called to do "greater things than these" will shine forth with a radiance that can overcome any obstacle or challenge.  Nothing will seem impossible to you as the God of the impossible, He who overcame the world, reveals your true nature and purpose.  But our conduct ("be ye doers of the Word") must be in agreement with the image by putting the Word into practice.  Without application, we forget whose image we carry.  And without an awareness of that image, we lose ourselves.  

Full Of It and Proud Of It!

"For in him [Jesus] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, AND YOU HAVE BEEN FILLED IN HIM, who is the head of all rule and authority." (Colossians 2:9-10 ESV)

The miracle of the new birth is that all that Christ is was exchanged for all that we were.  The fallen, powerlessness of the first Adam has been consumed by the better sacrifice of the last Adam, Jesus.  Its easy for the believer to accept that the fullness of the godhead dwelled in Jesus.  After all, our Sunday School lessons from childhood were filled with these core teachings.  But embracing your call to manifest His presence on the earth is another thing entirely.  Scripture is replete with examples of God's intention in the Great Exchange.  Jesus is referred to as "the firstborn among many brethren". (Romans 8:29).  Likewise He told the disciples, "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father." (John 14:12) 

The reality of Kingdom living is that we carry the same Holy Spirit as Jesus and are therefore capable and equipped to continue and expand His rule on the earth.  Like the investors referenced in the Parable of the Talents, we are to "occupy till I come". (Luke 19:13)

YOU WERE FILLED FOR A REASON!  BE FULL OF IT AND PROUD OF IT!