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| Linda, in Ann Arbor |
Jesus fully demonstrated the kind of love we read of in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. We could plug in ‘Jesus’ for the word ‘love’ and arrive at this:
Jesus is patient,
Jesus is kind.
Jesus does not envy,
Jesus does not boast,
Jesus is not proud.
Jesus does not dishonor others,
Jesus is not self-seeking,
Jesus is not easily angered,
Jesus keeps no record of wrongs.
Jesus does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
Jesus always protects,
Jesus always trusts,
Jesus always hopes,
Jesus always perseveres.
1 John 3:2-3 says: Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.
How do we purify ourselves, as Jesus is pure? Write your name in the blank space. This is your destiny, if you are in Christ.
_____________ is patient,
_____________ is kind.
_____________ does not envy,
_____________ does not boast,
_____________ is not proud.
_____________ does not dishonor others,
_____________ is not self-seeking,
_____________ is not easily angered,
_____________ keeps no record of wrongs.
_____________ does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
_____________ always protects,
_____________ always trusts,
_____________ always hopes,
_____________ always perseveres.
I am carrying this with me today. As I read my name in the blank spaces I sometimes think, "This is ridiculous. I am so far from this..."
Yet as I read and re-read this, understanding that this is my eternal future in Christ, that one day I shall be like Him, I find myself encouraged, even empowered.
Try it as a spiritual discipline for awhile. Bring any revealed impurity to God. Allow God's Spirit to get his hands on you, and form you into greater and greater Christlikeness. (Galatians 4:19)
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My two books are:
My two books are:
I'm working on:
How God Changes the Human Heart
Technology and Spiritual Formation
I'm almost done editing Encounters With the Holy Spirit.
Linda and I then plan to write our book on Relationships.
