We Want To Shine & Give You the Glory~

by C D SWANSON

 

Have you ever asked this question–“What would the world look like if we let Jesus live through you and me?”

To know Christ is to be set free and to no longer live in torment or waves of doubt. The sea in your mind becomes traquil and placid…whereas before Christ the sea was anything but calm.  No, more than likely it was tumultuous and angry.

How then do we become the Christ? We must get to know HIm and His doctrine. We must of course get to know His Father, “our Father” God.  We must understand the Bible both new and old…and realize what is expected of us as followers of Him.

If we don’t know Christ how can we become and act more like Him?  We need to absorb His way of thinking and acting, through His word…and accepting Him as our Lord and Savior.

We’re told repeatedly throughout the Bible to “behave according to His will and ways” — We’re given conditions to follow in order to be under the sanctuary of His wings and protection.  If we don’t know Him or disregard Him, how can we be blessed?  If we don’t know Him…how can we become and behave as we ought in God’s eyes?

In Ephesians 5:1- 2… it states, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children. And, walk in love as CHrist also hath loved us, and hath fiven himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour.”

A pastor speaking awhile back said, “Imitate my brother.” To which the congregation looked at each other and said, “Huh?”  — He continued, “If you don’t know my brother Andrew how can you begin to imitate him? — So too it is with Christ.”    A very good and powerful point bringing home a crucial and key component of our relationship with God and His Son.  We must KNOW HIM and His word in order to be a candidate of obedience to His will.

Walking in the Spirit is truly different than the flesh. The flesh doesn’t think or feel as the Spirit does. As it states in Galatians 5:17, For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

The fruits of the Spirit are temperance, kindness and love, Galatians 5:22–But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith…

Do you recognize the fruits? Do you see the signs?  As Jesus states so eloquently in Matthew 7:16 , “You will know them by their fruits…”

How can we be an example if we don’t know Jesus?  How can we shine His light if we don’t know and love Him on an intimate basis?  How can we be the light that shines on the top of that hill if we don’t know His word?

Get to know Him…Open the book, and start by accepting Him into your heart and soul. Surrender it all to Him, and then…get to know Him.  I promise it will be the best relationship you’ll ever have, and one that will never disappoint or let you down. 

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Matthew 5:14-16  (KJV)

¹⁴ Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

¹⁵ Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.