Lviing more like Jesus

LIVING LIKE JESUS:

How would your life be different, if your goal was to live more like Jesus?

Would your day to day life be different?

Would your prayer life, quiet time with the Father be different?

Would you make time with God a higher priority?

Would you seek to know God face to face, more intimately than anyone else?

Would your desire be to only say what your Father says, and do what He says to do, more than your desire to do what you want to do?

Would you be willing to wait upon the Lord for answers?

Would you humble yourself, not always having to be right, or have the last word?

Would you be a better leader, teacher, student, parent, employee?

Would you walk more in your identity as a child of God, knowing who your Father is, and walk less in fear, worry, and uncertainty about your future?

Would you know & pursue the purpose god has for you?

Would you know the Word of God, and apply it to your life?

Would you be able to depend on God for your daily needs?

Would you be able to say, “Not my will but Yours be done” everyday?

Would you be quicker to forgive and not take offense?

Would you be able to bless those who hurt you?

Would you feel the need to take a bribe, or to demand one for yourself?

Would you care more about what others think, or about what your Father thinks?

Would you pray more confidently for the sick?

Would your life consist of signs, wonders, and miracles?

Would your obedience to God’s commands be different, quicker?

Would you look at your suffering differently?

Would you be able to rest in peace, in the midst of storms?

Would you be less self-promoting and more other-promoting?

Would you be known for honesty and integrity?

Would your life be one of purity when no one is looking?

Would you be more of a servant to those in need?

Would you be more compassionate to others?

1 John 2:5b-6 By this we know that we are in Him (Jesus): the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.

Jesus was the only perfect, sinless person to walk the earth. And apart from Him we don’t stand a chance of being anything like Him. But with Him, and in Him we are called to be like Him, and can be like Him.

And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah: Because out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.” Matt 2:6

It doesn’t matter where I was born, or into what family; it doesn’t matter my education or lack there of; God can use anyone who has a surrendered heart.

Most of us say we want to live more like Jesus, but do we really? Are we willing to change our lives to do so?

WOULD OUR DAY TO DAY LIFE BE DIFFERENT?

WOULD WE MAKE TIME WITH GOD A HIGHER PRIORITY?

It doesn’t end with becoming a Christian
Getting to know God takes time
Intimacy with God comes before identity and destiny
Other things get in the way
Holy Spirit, do I need to make spending time with God a higher priority?

WOULD OUR PRAYER LIFE, QUIET TIME WITH THE FATHER BE DIFFERENT?

Waiting on the Lord
Listening to Him
Believing, trusting
Holy Spirit, are there any changes in my prayer life and my quiet time with you that need to change

WOULD WE SEEK TO KNOW GOD FACE TO FACE, MORE INTIMATELY THAN ANYONE ELSE?

How does this happen
Either hot or cold, not warm
Keep asking for more, and there is always more
Holy Spirit, How do You want me to seek You more?

WOULD OUR DESIRE BE TO ONLY SAY WHAT OUR FATHER SAYS, AND DO WHAT HE SAYS TO DO, MORE THAN OUR DESIRE TO DO WHAT WE WANT TO DO?

Learning to hear God’s voice
People pleasing vs God pleasing
Trusting in His timing
Holy Spirit, will you teach me to hear more clearly what Father God is want me to say?
Holy spirit will you show me where You are working, and how I can join you?
Holy Spirit, is there anything I can do to position myself to be able to receive in this area?

WOULD WE BE WILLING TO WAIT UPON THE LORD FOR ANSWERS?

God’s timing is perfect
Living a lifestyle of continuous prayer and listening
Holy Spirit,

WOULD WE HUMBLE OURSELF, NOT ALWAYS HAVING TO BE RIGHT, OR HAVE THE LAST WORD?

God hates pride – Prov 16:5 The Lord detests the proud; they will surely be punished
Ability to see others rise above yourself
No entitlement issues
Holy Spirit, show me areas where I am still walking in pride?
Forgive me
Holy Spirit, I give You permission to examine me daily in this area, and do whatever it takes to break me of all pride.

WOULD WE BEHAVE DIFFERENTLY AS A LEADER, TEACHER, STUDENT, PARENT, EMPLOYEE?

Faithful, honest employee
Spirit led leader, teacher, parent
Holy Spirit, show me behaviors that I could change to be more like You

WOULD WE WALK MORE IN OUR IDENTITY AS A CHILD OF GOD, KNOWING WHO OUR FATHER IS, AND WALK LESS IN FEAR, WORRY, AND UNCERTAINTY ABOUT OUR FUTURE?

Sonship vs Slaveship
Holy Spirit, am I walking more as a son/daughter, or a slave?
Holy Spirit, who is God wanting to be for me?

WOULD WE KNOW & PURSUE THE PURPOSE GOD HAS FOR US?

Do we know our purpose
Staying focused on our purpose
Keeping our eyes on the prize
Not giving up when things get tough
Trusting Him
Doing what He’s tells us to do
Holy Spirit, does God have a purpose for me?
What do I need to be doing now, to prepare for my purpose?

WOULD WE KNOW THE WORD OF GOD MORE, AND APPLY IT TO YOUR LIFE?

Reading for head and heart knowledge
Fun, and beneficial ways to read the Bible
Declarations
Fighting the enemy with the Word
Holy Spirit, how do You want me to read the Bible

WOULD WE BE ABLE TO DEPEND ON GOD FOR OUR DAILY NEEDS?

Trusting God more than man
Willing to do what He tells us to do
Holy Spirit, is there an area where I'm not trusting You the way You desire?

WOULD WE BE ABLE TO SAY, “NOT MY WILL BUT YOURS BE DONE” EVERYDAY?

Surrendering our agenda for His
Holy Spirit, is there an area in my life I need to surrender to You?

WOULD WE BE QUICKER TO FORGIVE AND NOT TAKE OFFENSE?

Forgiving helps us, not necessary the person we forgive
Forgiving doesn’t mean condoning
Holy Spirit, is there someone I need to forgive?

WOULD WE BE ABLE TO BLESS THOSE WHO HURT US?

Be an example to our children and family, employer, employees
Bless them to be all God created them to be
Holy Spirit, who do I need to start blessing on a regular basis?

WOULD WE FEEL THE NEED TO TAKE A BRIBE, OR TO DEMAND ONE FOR OURSELF?

Feeling of power over another
Trusting God to provide
Holy Spirit, do I have a problem in this area, if so where?

WOULD WE CARE MORE ABOUT WHAT OTHERS THINK, OR ABOUT WHAT OUR FATHER THINKS?

People pleasing vs God pleasing
The need to be liked
Trusting God
Holy Spirit, I give You permission to get my attention when I care more about pleasing people than pleasing You.

WOULD WE PRAY MORE CONFIDENTLY FOR THE SICK?

Jesus actually never prayed for the sick, He just healed them
Listening to the Father for how to pray
Skyline, Wednesday night prayer

WOULD OUR LIFE CONSIST OF SIGNS, WONDERS, AND MIRACLES?

Holy Spirit,

WOULD OUR OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S COMMANDS BE DIFFERENT, QUICKER?

Purity of eyes and ears
Integrity and honesty
White lies
What goes on behind closed doors
Holy Spirit, where am I lacking in obedience to God?

WOULD WE LOOK AT OUR SUFFERING AND TESTINGS ANY DIFFERENTLY?

Jesus looked at His suffering as joy set before Him
Growing opportunities
Joy in the midst
Asking God to purify our heart, and show you any sin
Assess our heart and motives
Holy Spirit, are you testing me? Am I passing the test?
Holy Spirit, show me where You are in my suffering?

WOULD WE BE ABLE TO REST IN PEACE, IN THE MIDST OF STORMS?

To live is Christ, to die is gain
Trusting in God above your circumstances
Holy Spirit, what area in my life are You wanting me to rest in Your peace?

WOULD WE BE LESS SELF-PROMOTING AND MORE OTHER-PROMOTING?

Love others as ourselves, or our loved one
Holy Spirit, am I being too self promoting?
Who do You want me to be encouraging and promoting?

WOULD WE BE KNOWN FOR HONESTY AND INTEGRITY?

When no one is looking
Pure motives
Holy Spirit, reveal areas of dishonest or lack of integrity?

WOULD OUR LIFE BE ONE OF PURITY WHEN NO ONE IS LOOKING?

What are we looking at
What are we listening to
Holy Spirit, where am I lacking in purity?

WOULD we BE MORE OF A SERVANT TO THOSE IN NEED?

Not a doormat
Without ulterior motives
Holy Spirit, how do You want me to be more of a servant?

WOULD WE BE MORE COMPASSIONATE TO OTHERS

When day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and came to Him and tried to keep Him from going away from them. But He said to them, “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I WAS SENT FOR THIS PURPOSE.” Luke 4:42-43

I need to know my purpose, just like Jesus. Obedience and staying on the course God has for me, has to outrank the opinions and desires of others. People pleasing can never mean more to me than God pleasing. Sometimes my purpose gets fuzzy, only intimacy with Jesus can keep me focused on the assignments and purpose God has called me to

So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. John 7:16 Many times Jesus stated that His teachings came from His Father

Whether I’m speaking to one person or to hundreds, the desire of my heart is to be listening to Holy Spirit, and speak only what I here. This can be a bit scary at first, but when Holy Spirit starts downloading it’s the most amazing thing. When Holy Spirit is silent for the first few seconds or minutes it can seem like hours, but that’s where trusting comes in. Holy Spirit’s words and timing are always perfect.

How can we humble ourselves:

It’s not about me, it’s all about Jesus – Pasadena

Forget about entitlement: getting your own way, correcting others, status, qualification, title, etc.

When we know who we are as a child of God, we don’t have to prove ourselves to anyone or ourselves, we are free to serve and to be humble.

POPULAR – When he was performing miracles

UNPOPULAR – When He wouldn’t perform on command, or when He went against what was religiously correct

HEALING, SIGNS AND MIRICLES: Jesus didn’t heal everyone, He only did and said what His Father wanted Him to.

Matthew 6:9 “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. “ HONORING THE FATHER

10 ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.

CALLING THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN TO EARTH – HONORING THE FATHER’S WILL

11 ‘Give us this day our daily bread. OUR NEEDS FOR TODAY

12 ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

FORGIVING AND FORGIVEN

13 ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

[For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]