Reflecting Your Father

Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself…" —Matthew 16:24

There are two sides to this coin - I am referring to our lives on this planet.  The natural and the supernatural.  I am sure you have heard the saying “The apple does not fall too far from the tree.”  Or how about “He is just like his dad.” I remember that one. Before I type what, I am going to type, let me preface it by saying my mom was a godly woman who led many to Jesus.  Before her rebirth ... well she was just like every other person who needs Jesus.  My parents were divorced when I was 2 years old.  I was one of four, the youngest, from my parents' marriage.  We lived with my mom.  Years later, my mom admitted she got married for the wrong reason .. one of 15 children she wanted out of the house.  Many people make choices like that.  The consequences of those “flesh” choices reverberate through their lives and the lives of their children and maybe even their children.  

OK, so one day I did something she didn’t like and she said to me “Stop doing that you remind me of your father!” I can remember thinking, “Don’t be like your father or you will lose the love of your mother.”  It proved to be a deterrent from my wanting to be like him in any way.  Well, that is the natural. It’s not an issue of who you are reflecting but “what” you are reflecting in who you are reflecting.  There is a significant interest in finding your genetic roots.  Ancestry.com is advertised a lot on television.  People want to know.  Ancestry.com is connected to – sponsored by the Mormons.  Knowing where they came from genetically is an important part of their belief system.  To simplify the search, the Bible tells us ... we came from Adam.  We are all a reflection of Adam.  And so...

“All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” - Romans 3:23

In other words .. we are not like our heavenly father.  People think they can find meaning and perhaps comfort in knowing their ancestry.  What they need to know - who they need to know is Jesus. Jesus told Nicodemus … “You must be born again … by the Spirit” - John 3:3-8

So on to the supernatural. Being a reflection of our Father in heaven is always a good thing. But to do that you must be born again and walking after the Spirit and not the flesh. Jesus said (John 14:9) “If you have seen Me you have seen the Father.” 

Jesus was and is a reflection of the Father.  They are indistinguishable.  Jesus prayed (John 17:21) “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me” 

Paul wrote (Romans 8:29-30) “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.” 

 Jesus said (John 5:30) “I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”  

When we reflect Jesus, we reflect the Father. There is no room for our old nature or its individuality.  Our identity is in Christ.  (2 Corinthians 5:17) “..old things are passed away .. everything is becoming new”  

But be on your guard because your flesh will surely rise up and demand its place in your life.  All I can say is you must take it to the altar (Romans 12:1-2)

Final note:  I shared the Gospel with my dad on his death bed. He told me that he prayed to accept Jesus as his Savior. I won’t know for sure if my dad was being honest or just trying to appease me with his death bed profession of faith until I get to heaven, but I pray that we both are reflecting our heavenly Father.  Me here on earth and him in glory.

Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory. 

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone