How to think like Jesus!

The only method to change your personality is to allow God to crucify your old self and to take on His personality.

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“That they may be one even as we are one.” John 17:22

Jesus was always one with God and in His perfect will. Jesus reflected the personality of His Father. Jesus put the will of God above all things in His life. He lived by the words, “not My will but Yours be done”.

You were born with a personality to live for self. Your priority in life is to fulfill all your needs and desires above all else. The only method to change your personality is to allow God to crucify your old self and to take on His personality.

This requires a sincere commitment and devotion to God and a willingness to put His will first in your life. You can only do this when you have met the living God and experienced His overwhelming love for you and His desire to give you a good life.

You will know in the deepest part of your heart that God will give you a much better life than you can ever give yourself. You will have the mind of Christ at work in your life to guide and protect you. And, you will be able to draw upon the strength of God and His vast resources to experience a peaceful and rewarding life.

You will have a mindset deeply ingrained in you to turn to God for all your help. This frees you from living for self because you don’t have to worry about your needs. They are in the hands of almighty God and He will take care of you.

You don’t have to be frightened of letting go because God will do for you what you can never do for yourself. The name of Jesus is exalted above all things and He has power and dominion over everything in the heavens and earth.

He desires to overwhelm you with His goodness!

What turns God off?

If you have a recalcitrant spirit, you are shutting God out of part or all of your life.

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“But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone away. They do not say to themselves, Let us fear the Lord our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvests. Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good.” Jeremiah 5:23-25

God has been speaking to me about people with a “recalcitrant spirit”. This character trait exists in believers as well as the unsaved. In fact, this Bible verse in Jeremiah is addressing the Israelites, God’s chosen people.

The Israelites were very stubborn and refused to follow any kind of instruction. They wanted to live their way and were not open to correction. They were in rebellion against the laws of God. They believed they knew what was best for them and were not open to change. They did not fear God.

If you have a recalcitrant spirit, you are shutting God out of part or all of your life. You are holding on to personal emotions, thoughts, desires and habits and refuse to give these over to God.

God wants all of you-heart, soul, and spirit. Your old self died with Jesus on the cross. He wants to build a completely new person. If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature and old things have passed away and all things are new.

God desires for you to give up the right to yourself and become willing to let Him change you into a new person. This will begin the process of transforming you into the personality of Jesus.

If you follow the pattern of the Israelites in the example above, you will face destruction and misery. This is the reality of God and no one is immune from His judgment. God destroyed the nation of Israel, the people suffered greatly, and most were dispersed to other countries. This is the same God that has power and dominion over the world today and God never changes.

The calling from God is to recognize who He is and to have a deep respect and fear of Him. You must submit yourself completely to God and be open to His correction.

Ask God to identify any recalcitrant spirit within you and to purify you with His nature. This will create a powerful oneness with God and you will see His glory at work in your life.

The path to achieving your desires!

God is jealous and does not want to share you with anyone. He wants your total devotion to Him!

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“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” Romans 8:5-8

This is really about the internal struggle that we all face-living for self or living for God. If you live for self you are rejecting God and on a path leading to serious trouble. The man or woman living for self can never please God. They have taken over the role of God.

For a moment, let your mind consider that what you desire is the same thing that God desires for you? The exception is He desires to give you more than you ask or think.

The foolishness in living for self is you are dismissing the desire of God to give you an abundant life and to overwhelm you with His goodness. You are choosing to strive through life relying on your own resources to get what God has predestined for you. And, in the process you are destroying yourself.

The path to obtaining the desires of your heart is to follow the Spirit of God living inside you. Don’t listen or give power to your natural urges or the temptations of the world.

Keep this mindset at all times, the Spirit of God brings life and peace and leads you to the goodness of God! Nothing else can replace the Spirit of God. The Spirit will lead you to the righteousness of God and He will never allow you to be in bondage to sin.

God is jealous and does not want to share you with anyone. He wants your total devotion to Him. Avoid placing anything above God! When you live for self or give power to the things of the world, you grieve His Spirit and this diminishes the fullness of His life inside you.

Make the Holy Spirit your best friend! You will never regret this decision!

What is God asking you to do?

It doesn’t make any difference how illogical or difficult the request may seem from God. Follow God and trust that He knows what He is doing.

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“You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.” James 2:22

This Bible verse refers to Abraham. God spoke to Abraham and told him to sacrifice his son to God. Can you imagine the feelings this caused in Abraham? Who in their right mind would even consider taking this action?

Abraham recognized the sovereignty and power of God. He did not lean on his own understanding but knew He must trust God. He was walking by faith and being obedient to the command of God. He was trusting in the invisible nature of God.

Abraham was in oneness with God in all circumstances. When God spoke, Abraham complied. This is a perfect example of faith and actions working together. When you develop the discipline of listening to God and following His commands, this entitles you to the righteousness of God.

It doesn’t make any difference how illogical or difficult the request may seem from God. Follow God and trust that He knows what He is doing.

God will test you to determine the strength of your faith. He will create an adverse situation or a difficult challenge. He does this because He wants to know how far you will go trusting Him without any evidence of a solution.

God wants you to have patience and stamina to get through any challenge in life. You develop these godly attributes by trusting and waiting upon God.

Walking with God causes you to become oblivious to the circumstances in your life. You live out the words of King David, “My help comes from the Lord who created the heavens and the earth.”

You have to ask yourself each day if you are being complicit to the commands of God and if you are trusting Him for the strength and faith to follow His path.

Will it be you or God today?

When God calls you to action, He is not looking for your strength and inner capabilities. He wants you to draw upon His strength to do the work. This will bring the glory to Him and not to you.

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“And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, “The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valor!” Judges 6:12

Gideon was chosen by God to defeat the Midianites, an enemy nation, that was persecuting the Israelites and destroying their crops. The Israelites were forced to hide in caves to avoid the onslaught of the enemy. This took place for seven years because of the disobedience of the Israelites.

The Angel told Gideon the Lord is with you and you are a mighty man of valor. Gideon responded that his family was weak and he was the least in his father’s house.

God tends to choose the timid, the weak, and the despised to do great things for Him. Gideon knew his status in life and his personal limitations. He knew this task was impossible to accomplish without almighty God.

The Angel reassured Gideon that the Lord would be with him and he would give Gideon great courage and boldness to do this work.

When God calls you to action, He is not looking for your strength and inner capabilities. He wants you to draw upon His strength to do the work. This will bring the glory to Him and not to you.

His strength is made perfect in your weakness. The man who admits self defeat is a powerful force for God. This man relies upon God for all his needs. People see the glory of God in Him.

Today God is calling you to action! Will it be you or God working through you?

God never changes!

To enter into the world of God you have to change because God has spoken and He will never change!

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“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

The precepts of God never change! The Word of God is perfect and will last forever. God created the world and all living things by His Word. You were born into God’s creation and He functions with all humanity through His Word. There is no other way to touch God.

The foundation has been laid and it is permanent. Jesus said “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

To enter into the world of God you have to change because God has spoken and He will never change!

The most essential requirement is to accept Jesus by faith in every aspect of your life. You have to believe in something you can’t see. God calls things that don’t exist as if they did. This is His method of creation and the only way He will work in your life.

He wants you to trust Him regardless of your circumstances. The trials of life will come and they are designed to strengthen your faith and prove to you that God delivers His people. Faith triumphs over any trouble you face in this world. If you ask, God will give you a supernatural peace and pour out His love upon you during times of adversity.

He has promised to give you an abundant life and bless the desires of your heart. To receive these promises, you have to trust God and walk by faith. You also have to make a genuine commitment to lead a life pleasing to God.

How can you change to be in harmony with the Word of God?

God has issued a dire warning!

Like the pot-maker, God has created a nation of people that did not turn out right.

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The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying, “Go down to the pot-maker’s house, and there I will let you hear My words.” So I went down to the pot-maker’s house, and saw him making one on the wheel. But the pot he was making of clay did not come out like he wanted it. So the pot-maker used the clay to make another pot that pleased him. Then the Word of the Lord came to me saying, “O people of Israel, can I not do with you as this pot-maker has done?” says the Lord.” Jeremiah 18:1-6

The Spirit of God spoke to me this morning about the clay pot in this story in Jeremiah. Like the pot-maker, God has created a nation of people that did not turn out right.

Imagine God holding you like clay in His hand. He can build or destroy. He has made up His mind to destroy because His people have turned away from Him. They prefer to worship other gods and idols.

God has created a nation of His people and has promised to bring His goodness upon them. However, the eyes of God have looked down and judged our actions. We have refused to obey the voice of God. We are a stiff necked nation who do not fear God. We are unacceptable to God!

God has changed His mind and has decided to remove His favor. He plans to create trouble for this nation and widespread suffering.

This is a warning from God to repent and return to Him before it is too late. You can’t control the will of God but you can get right with God. Return to God and make Him the priority in your life. Seek God through prayer, His Word, and be obedient to His voice.

Do you really want the pot-maker to discard your pot? You are in His hand just like the clay. Are you willing to let God mold you into a special treasure to Him?

You will never make it on your own!

The spiritual man draws upon God for all His needs. He never looks to self! He knows self will lead to temptations and evil.

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“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Matthew 5:17

The laws of God are beautiful, perfect, and filled with the righteousness of God. Many godly prophets spoke about the laws of God for thousands of years before Christ.

Jesus came to fulfill these laws because no one has the ability to keep them. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. You might have a sincere desire to please God but sooner or later sin will lead you astray. You are too weak on your own to comply with the laws of God.

Jesus instructed His disciples to pray and be watchful but they fell asleep. This is why He said the (human) spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

Before Jesus came to the earth, God created a series of laws and sacrificial rituals for His people to follow. This system was designed to forgive sins and provide instructions for living a holy life. Unfortunately, this system was flawed because it did not deal with the inner core of human nature.

When Jesus died on the cross, God created a new method for you to keep His laws. As a believer, your old self dies with Jesus and He creates a new person. God accomplishes this by implanting Himself in you in the form of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the life of Jesus and cannot sin. It becomes your lifeline to God.

The Spirit is your teacher and guides you to live a life pleasing to God. You will be able to perform and keep the laws of God because it is not you but the Holy Spirit doing the work.

The spiritual man draws upon God for all His needs. He never looks to self! He knows self will lead to temptations and evil.

This is why it is so important to be linked to God through His Spirit. Walk by faith trusting God to meet all your needs. Be open to the voice of God and obedient to His leading!

Jesus is the perfect fulfillment of all things pertaining to God!

Are you ready for the unexpected?

You can only see a glimpse of your personality but God sees all of you. He knows you much better than you know yourself.

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“I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3

Jesus spoke about two tragedies that took place in the Book of Luke. There were several Jews worshipping God and King Herod killed them while they were making sacrifices. Also, there was a tower in Siloam that collapsed and killed 18 people. The disciples asked Jesus if these people who died were worse sinners than others and deserved this fate. Jesus responded with a decisive “no” and then urged them all to repent or face destruction.

The point of this story is disasters happen everyday around the world. No is immune from the possibility of a unexpected crisis or death. Are you ready for the unexpected?

Jesus is also explaining that you cannot judge people who suffer a tragedy or imply that they deserved this because of evil in their life. All people have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. This includes you and me.

Jesus exhorted all people to repent or they likewise will face death. This death can happen at any time but it is an eventuality for all. God wants you to be prepared for any adversity. This can be accomplished by turning away from sin in your life and reaching out to God.

Repentance is the act of asking God to forgive you for your sins and to have a genuine desire to lead a life pleasing to God. You can only see a glimpse of your personality but God sees all of you. He knows you much better than you know yourself.

Repentance is about house cleaning and it is a lifelong process. Ask God to show you any thoughts, motives, or actions that need to go away. He wants you to walk with a clean heart.

You want to be prepared for whatever comes your way. This can only be accomplished by making God the centerpiece of your life and seeking Him through prayer, the Word, and His Spirit.

The gift of eternal life is about living each day with God and drawing upon His vast resources of strength, wisdom, peace, and protection. It is a recognition of how inadequate you are and the need for almighty God to forgive and purity you with His virtue!

There is a better way to God!

You don’t have to look at a list of “no no’s” printed in the Bible and try to comply with them. You look inside yourself. This is where the Spirit of God lives and He will guide you down a path of righteousness.

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“The works of His hands are verity and justice;
All His precepts are sure.
They stand fast forever and ever,
And are done in truth and uprightness.
He has sent redemption to His people;
He has commanded His covenant forever:
Holy and awesome is His name.” Psalm 111:7-9

The works of God are built on truth and justice. His Word is eternal and will last forever. God is perfect and He never changes. You can trust God. He will never lead you astray.

God is the only one who can determine justice. He has the ability to look at any situation and determine right from wrong. This is because He looks at the hearts of all people and can make a judgment that upholds His laws.

God told the Israelites they would be a special treasure to Him above all people if they would obey His voice and keep His covenants. This is a powerful promise and it covers you as a descendant of Abraham.

God has made a covenant with you. It is your responsibility to listen to the voice of God and be obedient to His leading. God is a Spirit and we must worship Him in Spirit and Truth. Learn to be still and listen for the voice of God.

You can’t keep His covenants on your own. No human being has ever been able to do this. But this doesn’t mean you are not obliged by God to keep His laws.

God loves righteousness and has provided a better method for you to keep His covenants. He sent Jesus, His Son, to the earth to die for you. This act of mercy on the part of God gives you the gift of eternal life and places His Spirit to live inside you. This allows you to have His laws written on your heart. So you don’t have to look at a list of “no no’s” printed in the Bible and try to comply with them. You look inside yourself. This is where the Spirit of God lives and He will guide you down a path of righteousness.

The righteousness of God is not given to you based on complying with any laws. Abraham believed God and it was credited to Him as righteousness. Think about it this way; there is no action you can take to receive the righteousness of God. It is a gift that comes to you by faith. Your unwavering faith and dependence on God for all your needs will bring His virtue and purity into your life.

The secret is to be yoked with God through His Spirit. This will give you oneness with God and lead you to doing the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.

God wants to give you a good life and fulfill the desires of your heart. He’s not looking for followers of religion. He’s looking for genuine people who are serious about making Him the priority of their life. If you seek Him out, He will reward you abundantly.

Your responsibility is to commit each day to God, pray, spend some time reading the Word, and walk by faith trusting God to meet all your needs.