Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.
Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT
I just love everyone.
The Spirit spoke that to me yesterday as I was contemplating God’s will for an outreach I was going to join for the first time later that afternoon.
I didn’t know what to expect or have a grid for how God was going to use me. I just knew God told me in advance to go this particular weekend, so I purposed in my heart to obey the Lord’s agenda for me that day.
That’s how it works. God gives us manna from heaven each day. Just as He fed the Israelites in the wilderness, He provides us with spiritual food to nourish us and keep us alive in Him.
When we hear God’s Word and obey, it is like Jesus said, we have bread that others don’t know about.
I am the Bread of Life. My food is to do the will of My Father in Heaven. Man cannot live on bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
If we want to imitate God in everything we do, we should be on the same page as God. Every morning, He gives me a Scripture verse or two, or one or more chapters of the Bible to read and meditate upon.
God knows our next step before we do.
The Holy Spirit knows what each person needs better than we do.
When we rely on God, we get the best possible information from the most reliable source, the Creator of all things.
I’ve learned not to trust in my own opinion or the opinions of others. I trust in the Lord.
When friends of mine come to me for counsel, my advice is this: let’s pray about it and ask the Lord what He says. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to speak to both of us so that we can confirm it’s from the Lord.
This is where praying in the Spirit is extremely helpful.
When my spirit prays, it’s communicating directly with God. My mind sometimes picks up the interpretation directly from the Holy Spirit. I’ll get words or phrases. Sometimes I’ll get a mental picture or scene.
When I share what the Lord gives me, it brings great comfort, peace and joy to the hearer because God knows exactly what they need and He’s not stingy in sharing His wisdom with those who humbly ask while interceding with love for others.
All the gifts that God graces us with are meant to be used to build up the Body of Christ in love. God loves everyone. Jesus died to save everyone. Some people don’t know that yet. That’s why He encourages us to follow Him and do what He does and say what He says.
When we abandon our old life and our old ways, then, we are freed up to live the new life according to His ways. It’s a mystery but it’s no secret.
Being a Christian means growing up in God’s Presence into full maturity in Christ – Christlikeness. Let’s keep our eyes on the goal and run our own race as the Lord leads.
Father in Heaven, I pray that You will reveal Yourself as Lord to the hearts of all believers and all unbelievers today. Let the Holy Spirit convict us of our sins so that we can turn from them and receive forgiveness through Christ Jesus, the Lord and Savior of all, especially the believers. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Don’t act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do.
Ephesians 5:17 NLT
For further study: Read Ephesians 5.
Igniter Ministries 