So You Want To Be Like Jesus

My Utmost For His Highest

 

I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church . . . —Colossians 1:24

 

‘This call has nothing to do with personal sanctification, but with being made broken bread and poured-out wine. Yet God can never make us into wine if we object to the fingers He chooses to use to crush us. We say, “If God would only use His own fingers, and make me broken bread and poured-out wine in a special way, then I wouldn’t object!” But when He uses someone we dislike, or some set of circumstances to which we said we would never submit, to crush us, then we object. Yet we must never try to choose the place of our own martyrdom. If we are ever going to be made into wine, we will have to be crushed—you cannot drink grapes. Grapes become wine only when they have been squeezed. […] To be a holy person means that the elements of our natural life experience the very presence of God as they are providentially broken in His service. We have to be placed into God and brought into agreement with Him before we can be broken bread in His hands. Stay right with God and let Him do as He likes, and you will find that He is producing the kind of bread and wine that will benefit His other children.’ CHAMBERS

 

How do you view life’s circumstances? Do you see life through the prism of your old nature or your new nature.  In the physical context or the spiritual.  Think about this .. God, the Father .. used His Son’s pain and sacrifice for the good of others.  So you want to be like Jesus? When God allows difficult time to come your way … some relational .. emotional .. or physical challenge … how do you receive it? Do you ask, “Lord, why is this happening to me?” or do you say “Your will be done … take my life and let it be consecrated Lord for Thee!”  Is it OK for the Lord to make you broken bread and poured out wine for the benefit of other people .. even in the absence of your understanding how or to whom the benefit will come? Jesus said “This is my body, this is my blood” Do not miss the connection between His sacrifice and yours.

 

Is the experience painful?.. yes … will it cost you something? … yes … will it be worth it? … oh yes … it is a spiritual journey that is manifested in the physical/natural part of your life.  How you deal with it depends upon where you look for strength …. you will always need His strength to get through it … Perhaps you are going through something now or have in the past … consider what happens in your life from the proper perspective … from God’s perspective …. rest in His sovereignty and grace … even when life brings more than you think you can bear … ELGIN

 

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)