What is Jesus like? The pages of the Bible tell us. One thing for sure. Jesus is free. I want to be free like Jesus. I want to be transformed into His wonderful, overcoming, victorious image.
Turn your eyes, Mark, upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace. Mmmm…To be like Jesus.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.
31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?
33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth.
34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:28-39
It’s God’s will for His children to be conformed into the image of His Son, Jesus (verse 29). God works all things together for our good in order that we may learn to trust and rest in Him. And then, as learn that God is trustworthy, we can share this truth and joy with others as they are transformed into more and more of the image of Jesus. What a blessing. Nothing in our lives is wasted. God uses all of it to make us into Christ’s image. What a tremendous thing God is doing in us every minute of the day. To be like Christ and to help others know they can be set free in Christ as well. That’s the goal. Wow.
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:32
Free in Christ. What a gift. What love.
11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Philippians 4:11-13
God bless,
Mark
Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.