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Three Ways to Walk on Water
Resisting temptation means revisiting your past and thinking about your future while living in the present. You have to do all of this through the lens of the Bible. A lens is for you to see better. In other words, it is about your eye. Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:22 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light.” Light changes what you can see.
The Bible tells us a story about Peter walking on the water (Matthew 14:22-33). The very minute he lost sight of Jesus (the Light) he sank but Jesus was there to grab His hand. I am sure you have all read or heard the story about Peter being bold enough to step out on the water. We also cringe when we hear this story because we know what happens. He steps out, loses faith and sinks. Is this why you won’t step out on the water? You can learn ways to walk on water from this story.
Way One: Get Permission
Matthew tells us in verse 28, Peter asked Jesus to command him to come out on the water. How weird is that to comprehend. He didn’t walk out or say, “Can I come too?” He told Jesus to command Him. If you think about that for just one minute you will feel a sense of peace as you do your daily walk with Jesus. When you know your every minute is guided by the hand of Jesus, asking permission to walk on water will take the fear away from walking on the water. When you get permission, His word will be the lamp to your feet even when you are walking on water.
Way Two: Focus on Jesus
In verse 29 Peter is given permission to come to Jesus except he didn’t quite make it. The wind and the waves scared him, and he sank. He lost focus on the Man who gave Him permission to come. Do you lose focus too? Walking on the water is not easy. It takes courage but sometimes you will lose your courage and doubt. Keep coming to Jesus even when you have doubt because you know that is where you are supposed to be. When you focus on Jesus, His word will be the lamp to your feet even when you are walking on water.
Way Three: Rely on Jesus
“Immediately Jesus stretched out His and caught him” verse 31 tells us. How often have you denied the commands of God because you doubt Jesus will catch you? He tells you many times He will be with you. You need to stop doubting and believe He is with you for every step He commands you to take. His plan for you is the best plan for your life. Living an abundant life can only be done as you rely more on Jesus. When you rely on Jesus, His word will be the lamp to your feet even when you are walking on water.
Walking on water is difficult sometimes, but sometimes the water is frozen to make it easy for a time. Either way there is a chance you may fall in. Don’t let that knowledge stop you from getting out of the boat. Psalm 119:105 says God’s Word is a light for your feet and a light to your path. Light travels through water and reflects off of the water. Water does not stop the Light it changes how we see it.
As long as you get permission to get out of the boat, focus on Jesus with every step and rely on Jesus to show you the way, you will walk on water every day of your life. It will be exhilarating and life giving every day. You will see the Light in front of you and you will be able to give that Light to everyone else in the boat with you.
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Two Ways to Resist Temptation
Temptation is what the devil uses to draw Christians away for Jesus. He uses it to draw us away from God’s plan for our lives. Each one is drawn away by the desires they have for their own plan. James 1:14 says “…each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.” You have been habitually planning your life around your own desires then the Father chooses you. You want to hope these desires will be part of your plan or maybe you don’t even know what the plan is, so you continue living as you were. You have been revealed a Scripture to show you the desires of God for your life, but your desires are screaming louder than His, so you feed them.
It is a habit to feed your own desires. Your brain is wired to feed them. Your whole life is managed around feeding them. They are hungry, and you are the sole source of their food. Jesus is getting impatient. He is a jealous God and He wants you to feed His people. You have tried to starve them, but they scream louder for sustenance. You don’t want to starve them to death because you actually like them. Jesus can wait until tomorrow although He has already been waiting for years. How long do you think He will wait for you to resist those temptations to feed your desires?
He will let you live your own life, but you will not live a life worthy of your calling. You will not live, you will die. “When desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” (James 1:15) Resisting temptation is imperative to live. Everyone knows what unrepentant sins can do but it is not sinking in because resistance is not sinking in. Your brain needs to be rewired for these two ways to sink in. To rewire your brain you need to continually redirect your mind and continually redirect your body.
Way One: A Redirected Mind
The devil puts thoughts in your mind, but he isn’t the only one; you are good at it too. Your chooser muscles is weak because you have never worked it out before. Start building its muscle by making right choices using your mind first. When you begin making right choices you begin rewiring your brain toward these choices and the temptation flees. Redirecting your mind is possible but make sure your direction is a Biblical direction.
Believe God when He says it is possible. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.” 2 (Corinthians 10:4-6)
Way Two: A Redirected Body
The disobedience Paul is talking about is our body’s disobedience. Paul says, “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection” (I Corinthians 9:27a). Paul doesn’t like to waste any time or energy submitting to God so he “fights not as one who is beating the air” (V26) and this is how we have to bring our body into subjection. Redirecting your body is possible but be sure your direction is a Biblical direction.
Believe God when He says your body is not your own. “Do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)
Giving in to temptation is the easy way out but it makes for a harder life for longer and a bigger mess to clean up. The worst thing about giving in to temptation all the time is the loss of your soul. Jesus Himself said, “What good is it to gain the whole world but lose your soul?” (Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36; Luke 9:25)
Practice redirecting your mind and redirecting your body into righteous acts by using a buzz word. Mine, back when I first started practicing this was, “STOP!” I would repeat it multiple times if I had to. Then, I would redirect my mind to something else (Philippians 4:8). I still have to do this today but not so much and my mind reacts quickly to one STOP. When resisting temptation becomes a habit your mind and your body will thank you.
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The Way to Kill your Emotions
Emotional overload results in saying dumb things for me. Some people may act out, and other may retreat inside. Emotional overload causes damage to those who don’t recognize it. I have always recognized emotional overload but had no idea I could control my behaviour in the midst of it. As a Christian, what do you do when you discover you are on emotional overload? What emotion typically causes an overload? Do you look at the overload and figure out what is at the bottom of it? Knowledge is power.
Awareness
In my book The White Picket Fence, week one deals with awareness. I have discussed awareness before and will continue to discuss it. You cannot deal with any emotion unless you know why it is rearing its ugly head. When I am aware I am in emotional overload, I instantly wonder why. What has happened that has caused me to lose control? It might be minor, but it has touched on something more significant. You might not even know what your trigger points are because what they are triggering is hidden. It might be something you hate doing but find you are doing it more and more these days. Anything can trigger an emotional overload, but you need to get to the truth before the overload spills onto others.
The Sword of Truth
When emotional overload happens, you must get to the truth as quickly as possible. The overload is making you unstable and unpredictable. You are fast becoming someone without a sound mind. Your decisions are hampered by this emotion. The other day I was angry about something I didn’t know about. I was lying in bed thinking and discovered what I actually was angry about. I am forced to do this thing I despised for up to one year. I despise having to do it and that made me angry. Life happens to all of us. The time period is short so therefore I can do this and do it in a godly manner.
Live
I choose to live my life without emotional overload. I become aware instantly when I am in overload but sometimes not quick enough to escape embarrassing myself. I want to live without avoiding the things that hurt me or frazzle me. If I choose to avoid them I will live in a cocoon. Inside the cocoon I will avoid the tough stuff, but I am also hidden from the good stuff too. The joy in my life overshadows everything I can put myself through. I choose to live in that joy and kill my negative emotions before they kill me.
You Shall Live
The goal of my whole ministry of teaching is to help you live your life to the fullest. I write about my death, so you can live. My death to negative behaviour, sheltering my emotions and serving self leads to a life so wonderful I never want to go back. I want you to live your life after death the same way. Jesus died to give you life. I die to give you life. Every one of the people who have taught you about Jesus have died to give you life. Fight your negative emotions with the Sword of Truth and you will be successful at killing them to live.
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3 Ways to Discern Your Destination
You have read in my blog I am a proponent of knowing what God has for you in the future. That is what your future destination will be with Him. I challenge you to find one character in the Bible that didn’t know what God wanted them to do in the future. When God calls you, He equips you with this knowledge, whether you understand what He has told your or believe it, makes no difference to the plan. God will have his way. You can come kicking and screaming or you can come willingly filled with joy. Your attitude is your choice, not the plan. There are three ways you can discern (or remember) God’s plan for you.
Way One: Life is Difficult
You might have had difficulties in your life along with everyone else but that doesn’t stop the plan, nor does it excuse you from the plan. The difficulties, in our life, are how we remember our plan. They are directly related to your growth toward the “said” plan. What do you have the most difficulty doing but feel you’ve had the most success? For me it was getting my whole life in order. I already knew I would teach God’s Word all across Canada but through this process I learned what I would teach. I had to create my own tools for improvements, using the Bible, now I teach them. For what project have you created your own tools to accomplish and had great success? You will use them in your plan.
Way Two: Trouble that Makes us Cry
Of all the difficulties in the world which one makes you bang your hand on the table and yell, “Somebody has to do something about that!” Well, guess what, it’s you. You will do something about that trouble. I am not teaching life skills for the sake of teaching life skills. I am teaching them because I despise women being trafficked for sex. The side benefit is that all women have access to my workshops and books to improve their lives as well. At first, we will think God’s plan is for us, but it isn’t, it is for whomever you are called to serve. It is to be of service in the trouble that makes us cry. You will use this passion to rid the world of this trouble in your plan.
Way Three: Mirror Character
The Bible has an inordinate amount of characters listed. Have you ever pondered why? It is so you can see yourself in them. Which characters are you identifying with right now? When you read the Bible, you will find your mirror character in the phase of learning you are in right now. Right now, I am learning what to focus on for my ministry. Joseph is in the forefront of my mind. He had trouble that he didn’t make for himself, yet he knew God was still with him. Joseph still obeyed God in his sorrow, and eventually his teenage dreams came into fruition. Sorrow is no reason to stop working your plan. Joseph is my mirror character right now, who is yours? You will use the information you garner from your mirror character to obey God in all seasons of your life on your way to your future destination.
Your Challenge
I know how difficult it is to first believe but it gets easier as you grow. Your challenge is to continue to grow in the direction of your future destination. Many people before you have done just that; Mother Theresa, Joan of Arc, Elizabeth Fry, Florence Nightingale, Corrie ten Boom, and many more. Today, you can watch Kay Author, Beth Moore, Pricilla Shirer and many more also grow into the direction of their destination. This is the challenge for all of us but you will never grow in the direction of your destination unless you know what that is.
God told Gideon he was a might warrior then proceeded to teach him how. Paul was told he would suffer for Jesus then Jesus show him how. Peter was told he would fish for men then God showed Him how. Can you see what knowing your destination looks like? God will tell you your destination then he will show you how. That is the way God does destination and this is how we are supposed to do life.
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The 3 Ways to Live
My Goal to Live
As you know by now my whole goal for you is for you to live. I want you to stop sitting on the sidelines while others live. I want you to stop agonizing over a spent life. I want you to live. I want you to be somebody who is proud of the way you have lived. I want you to say on your deathbed, “I have lived a good life.”
This is why Jesus has made me who I am. To bring you the news that no matter what is going on in your life, you can live. I know struggle. I know hatred. I know medical problems. I know loss of time. I know every excuse that is known to man, but I still make it my goal every day to do what Jesus has called me to do: live.
If you are able to grapple with and overcome three major problems to living, you will live. Before Jesus gave up His life for us, He told us three things about living that we ought to pay attention too. He told us we must die to live. He told us we must see to live, and He told us we must feed off of Him to live.
Way One: Die to Live
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. John 11:25
You will never live until you kill yourself. To live the life Jesus has for you killing yourself is mandatory. Up until you were saved, you were living your own life. BUT now you must live for Jesus or you will surely die. This is a conundrum all of us grapple with, but I can tell you that once you have successfully overcome this, you will begin to live a life more abundant.
Your mind changes from striving for goods to striving for God. You look at people differently. You love differently. You plan differently. You begin to live as if death has no hold on you.
Way Two: See to Live
A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. John 14:19
You will never live until you see Jesus all around you. To live a life for Jesus you must be able to see Him at work. Jesus is alive and at work in this world. He is alive and at work in the people around you. It is because He is alive in this world that we can possibly live a life more abundant than before.
When you see Jesus at work, He is easier to follow. When you see Him, you see His plan for you. You see Him at work in others’ lives. It is because He manifests Himself to you, that you are able to see Him, follow Him and live through Him. Your previous blindness falls away leaving you are able to see.
Way Three: Feed to Live
As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me. John 6:57
You will never live until you feed on the Word. Everything that happens in our life can be understood by Word. Your life will always remain a mystery if you never feed on the Word. While you are trying to solve life’s issues you are not living. You are moving from one problem to the other instead of one event to another. Jesus has provided the food for us, so we can use it to live a life more abundant.
Have you ever heard that if you eat too many carrots your skin turns orange? Well, if you eat much of the Word, you will look like the Word. We already have the image of the Word, now we need the character of the Word. The world will see the image of the Word working like the Word. You will live because of the Word, and your life will become much more abundant.
Your Goal to Live
None of us want to reach our deathbed full of regret and sorrow. Jesus came that we might live (John 10:10) so why aren’t we? Why aren’t we dying to self? Why aren’t we seeing Jesus? Why aren’t we working like the Word? We are grappling with life and we must overcome it.
Living for Jesus is the most wonderful thing in the world to do. He supplies us with everything we need to do what He has asked us to do. He makes the way for us to do His will. He has provided us with a room in the Fathers mansion. He intercedes for us when we fail. What more could we ask for? What more do you want?
If all of the provisions are available living for Jesus should be easy but it takes time and effort in the beginning. You just need to get past this stage no matter how hard it is so that you may live. I want your goal to be to live. I will be with you every step of the way bringing you my stories and solutions to life’s problems. We can and will overcome this life, so we may live His life more abundant.
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The Way to Unlocking the Holy Life
The Bible tells us to be holy for our Father in Heaven is Holy (Leviticus 11:45; 1 Peter 1:16). If God tell us to be holy is it more than possible that we can be holy. More than I want anything in this world I want to be holy. Who has the key to unlocking holy in my life and in yours? Can we have this key? We have the key hanging around our neck but forget about it.
The Christian Journey
Being who we are created to be is the journey all Christians want to go on, but we become frustrated and lonely. It is a long journey filled with unexpected pot holes and huge ditches. We know in our heart that everyone has to endure this, but we don’t see them. We forget.
There is nothing like having kids around to remind us how similar we are to them. I wonder how I can teach them because I am so much like them. I am supposed to be different from them, so I can teach them to be mature and faithful. Having kids around actually teaches me how much I need to learn.
The Reminder
My four-year-old grandson is much more like me than I want to admit. He is an independent thinker who knows exactly what he wants and will do what is required to have it. We had a clash of the titans over the computer. I told him what I expected, then asked him to repeat what I expected, but he did not retain what I said.
Ponder Your way to Retention
I do the same thing to God. He tells me, in His Word or writes it on my heart, but I do not retain it. Why? Why can I not retain the wonderful Words He speaks over me? I spent more time pondering the negative aspects of my life than the positive. There was positive, but I forgot it. I had to change my pondering perspective.
Unlocking the Holy Life
I began pondering the words Jesus spoke over me, one word at a time. All this time I had the key hanging around my neck and did not know it. The key to holy is the cross. My reminder became my necklace. It is not often I wear any other necklace besides a cross. I need to be reminded daily I belong to Jesus and He is the key to holiness.
I began remembering the Word and retaining it. I am human just like you. This is possible to do. You too can begin to unlock the holy life Jesus desires for you by starting with one word at a time. Start with the word holy. I know it is one of those words we tend to stay away from because it is so over reaching.
Define and Unlock Holy Daily
You need to define what holy looks like to you, one day at a time. When you have defined holy today, you will begin to unlock holy in your life, today. Holy may mean silence today but tomorrow may mean lawful driver. Each of us are individuals who have an individual plan for our life. The plan God has for you always includes holiness. Be holy for your Father in Heaven is Holy.
Holy are You
Day after day of defining what holy looks like will add up into living a holy life. You will retain what holy looks like for you because you are looking for it. You will wake up every morning to begin a holy focused day and go to sleep every night with a holy smile. It is possible through Jesus Christ to be holy, as long as you retain the truth of this possibility. There is a way to unlock holy in your life and only Jesus has the Key. He will give it to you and too will be able to say, “Holy am I.”
If you require assistance with learning pondering skills please contact me at kathleen@thelifeskillsstrategist.com You can watch my podcasts to learn more about living the Abundant Life Jesus promises.
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The 4 Ways I love Differently
In The Different Way we talked about being different than the world in three ways: walking in the Spirit, walking in kindness and walking in love. All of the things God takes us through result in love, not only for the brethren, but for Him. We love Him because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). You can fake it ’til you have it with your brethren, but you cannot fake it with Jesus. Loving Jesus is a tight rope most people will not walk because they choose not to. We will walk the tight rope and follow the narrow path of Jesus because we love Him.
Love is a tight rope because so many people enjoy their hatred. It is a comfort blanket for them, but they will throw that blanket on you if you cross their path with the wrong colour shirt. The tight rope in our world is not others behaviour but ours. Are we strong enough to handle someone with pent up anger going off on us? Is our love of Jesus strong enough to continue loving Him, in spite of what He has allowed to happen in our life? Well, the amount of love you have for Jesus will determine how much you will be able to handle what comes your way.
There are many ways in which we should love Jesus. We don’t just love Him with an emotion we love Him with our actions. Jesus told us, if we love Him we will do His commandments (John 14:15) therefore love for Jesus is proven to Him by what we do, not what we say, hence the tightrope. Let me count the ways, for you, that I love Jesus.
Way 1: I love Him with my marriage and family.
My husband Bill and I have had many problems, during our 25 years of marriage, common to man. Jesus has had to step in many times to help us avoid murdering each other. He has stepped in the middle, with me, regarding my children and their spouses. I am not proud of the things I have said and done with my kids in the past but today I am very proud of who I am with them. BUT I can only be to my family what they see want me to be. If they don’t have a relationship with me they won’t see how much I love Jesus. The family members I know, and those who choose to have a relationship with me, are privy to my love of Jesus even if they don’t love Him. Those who choose not to have a relationship with me still receive kindness, but they won’t know my love for Jesus nor my commitment to them through loving Jesus. My husband and my children know I love Jesus because they have a relationship with me.
Way 2: I love Him with my friends
I don’t have many friends but those I do have at this moment I want to influence by the way I love Jesus. I love talking about Jesus so the friends that I choose are following the Way as well. Someone who isn’t, would not be able to handle how much I talk about Jesus, either they will get saved or they will run. I tell my friends, when I die the thing I want people to say about me most is that I loved Jesus well. My friends know I love Jesus because I talk the talk and walk the walk.
Way 3: I love Him with my Biblical studies
I could not and will not love Jesus unless I keep up my study of the Bible. I would not have the strength I have today, without it. I have been through some very disturbing things lately but Jesus has been comforting me with His Word and His commands to me. If I didn’t study the Word, I would not have known to do what I have done to quell the disturbing spirit within me. His Word has sometimes been my only solace. It has been the dictionary I have used to write all of my Strategic Life Skills Sessions. His Words put my soul on fire to put women’s lives in order. Jesus knows I love Him because I love His Word.
Way 4: I love Him with my ministry
Long ago when I was first saved Jesus called me to teach life skills from His Word. I have been waiting and growing along the way, writing life skills workshops, blogs and books. The time is fulfilled for me to walk in my ministry. I know this because I know my Jesus. I love Him enough to know He is calling me out onto the tightrope of ministry. I know I will have to fight fear, anger and hatred from people along the way too. The previous years of training and learning have prepared me to call on Jesus instantly when someone attacks me or my family. I am ready and willing to start the ministry Jesus has entrusted to me. Women will know I love them because I audaciously love Jesus.
It is my love of Jesus that makes me different from you and it will make you different from me. Being different is exactly what God is calling us to do. I am so in love with Jesus that I would stand in front of gunman to save your life as He commands. I wish that I could give up my salvation to give to you. He wants us to show our love differently to people, so they see Him. He wants us to do our ministry differently, so they see Him. If He wanted all of us to be the same, He would have created us the same. He didn’t, and I am so grateful for our differences because it makes life sweet. I love to look at women and see how God has formed them in such a delicate way. It thrills me, to no end, knowing Jesus is for me and He has made me for Him.
Loving Jesus means loving everything about your life, every aspect, every intricacy, every crook and cranny, every disturbing thing and every lovely thing. He created all of us to love with love in mind. We are always on the tightrope path to were Jesus wants us to go. I think we should just hang on and enjoy the ride. Take the blindfold off to see what He has in store for you and for me. The best places in the world are the places Jesus takes us. Fall in love with Him today and you too will see those places.
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The Different Way
Jesus calls us to walk a different way. How can anyone tell we have worked hard to be different than we were yesterday? Our last blog we talked about having a different character in this blog we are going to discuss the different way we act. We know our different character will manifest itself in the way we act. That is the different way. The way people see us, good or bad. Jesus said in Matthew 7:15-20 that false prophets and true prophets will be known by their fruit. The different way with God, always manifests itself as good fruit. We can go the different way producing good fruit when we walk in the Spirit, when we are kind and when we love our brethren.
The Spirit’s Way
Different is walking in the Spirit. Even your brethren will see you do things differently because you follow the Spirit rather than the world. The Spirit manifests Himself in you making you think different than others therefore you see you have become different. You look for Jesus in everything because the fruit the Spirit has produced in you something you want. You are addicted to the good fruit. Honey comes from it rather than mustard. Everyone’s good fruit is the work of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and our bad fruit is the work of our flesh. We walk a different way because we are killing our flesh. We have seen the result the fruit of the Spirit has had in our lives so we want to keep walking that way. How much fruit we produce is based on the percentage in the way we walk. If we are walking in the Spirit, we will produce good fruit, but if we are walking in the flesh, bad fruit. The fruit you produce as a result of the way of the Spirit will make you so different you will ooze kindness with those around you.
The Way of Brotherly Kindness
I know that some people will equate love with kindness but I see them as different. Kindness is a precursor to brotherly love. When I don’t know you, I am kind toward you, but once I know you it will be deeper. Kindness is more of a superficial way of treating unknown people. We are kind to people when we don’t know exactly what they need, so we guess, and we deliver. We can guess that a homeless man, who has no coat, needs a coat, so we give him one. When we continue to walk the way of the Spirit kindness toward people will make us different than others. We are kind to everyone no matter who they are, even when everyone else hates them. The need to be kind will be something you will not be able to squelch because the Spirit will give you the power and the prodding. When you go the way of the Spirit to kindness you begin to walk in love as well.
The Way of Brotherly Love
While kindness is superficial, love is deeper. We will be known to be a disciple of Jesus by our deep love (John 13:35). God is giving us information, by revelation, that can be used to know them better. We are drawn back to the people who need our kindness, by the Spirit, over and over again. We are beginning to feel more than a need to provide for them, we are feeling a deep need to see their lives improved. The way of brotherly love goes deeper than kindness and goes deeper into the trenches as well. Kindness provides a fish while love teaches them how to fish. Love is an endless action meant to improve lives. This different way of love manifests itself by the leading of the Holy Spirit and the mission of the Father. It is specific to the plan of God for us and for those we are called to manifest this different way of love too. It manifests itself as speaking the truth (all of it), reprimanding for sin, teaching ways to escape temptation, teaching every commandment in the Word of God, revealing every promise and all done with kindness.
Different in God’s way does not mean the same as the worlds way. It manifests itself in a way that set us apart from others. They witness this different way and they want it too. People are changed when we choose to walk the different way. When we choose to walk by the Spirit it is the way of life for both us and those we are called to serve. When we choose to walk in the way of kindness we see how people react to our actions. When we choose to walk in the way of love we are responsible for people seeing Jesus in this world. Every word we say, every action we take show the way to Jesus. Being Jesus in this world is the goal of being different otherwise there is no different way. Walk in the different way to manifest Jesus to people.
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This is the Way
I am no more confused than you are with figuring out the direction in which I should go. One thing I do know is I spend too much time trying to figure it out and not enough time just listening. I travel down this road, because it makes sense, only to fail. I travel down that road, for the same reason, only to fail again. I ask God, what the heckers is going on, but I ask in vain, because I am telling Him He is wrong and I am right. Due to my vainness I keep going. Thank the Lord for His great mercy to teach me, because today I am not as likely to keep going as I was yesterday. When I hear Him say, “This is the way, walk in it!” I stop, back up if I need too, and go His way. Pursuing the biblical direction is the Way. It is the only way. I go that way and I really want you to go that way too. It is the way to better character and it is the way to your calling.
This Way to Better Character
I assume you believe Jesus Christ. I assume you have faith. So, then I am going to assume that you want to act like Jesus in this world. 2 Peter 1:5-7 sums up the way all of us should go to a better character. Kindness and love is talked about as if it is the way to better character but according to Peter they are the last things to add to our faith. Kindness and love are external character traits that prove out that we have worked out the rest of the list (virtue, knowledge, self-control and perseverance). The way to have the character of Jesus is to work out what is going on inside you first. You need to care about the way you do life then know what you should do. You need to learn how to focus on the way you are being told to go and keep going in that direction despite what you think or what others say. You cannot help but become godly when you are following God all over the place. Treat people kind and show them the love Jesus has for them. When you go to the right or to the left, even if they the wrong way, people will be blessed by you. No matter where you are in your life, better character is always the best way to go to your calling.
This Way to Your Calling
There is only two things to do for Jesus, act like Him and follow Him. He has already been Him (2000 years ago) so you do not need to do what He did, so that has to mean, you have your own plan to follow. As you work out your character traits Jesus will reveal Himself to you along the way to do what He wants you to do. Unless you look like Jesus He will not send you into your calling. Imagine if you have an issue with people calling you by a shortened version of your name and Jesus wants you to become a public speaker of some kind. How will He send you if you lose your cool every time someone doesn’t use your full name. Boy, that will need to be worked out first, or you won’t have anyone coming to listen you speak. Your message will be – call me by my given name or hear me roar. That is not Jesus. The way to your calling is always through the way to better character. Jesus will not allow you to get to your calling any other way so don’t try to cheat, just follow Him. Do not be the thief of John 10:10 by trying to get God’s blessings by any other way but through Jesus. Your calling can be found no other way then by following Jesus. He is the only way to your calling.
Walk this Way!
Stop heading to the right and to the left to find you. Jesus is the way to the character that defines you and He is the way to your calling. Jesus cared about people because He focused on what He was doing for them and why He was doing it. He was focused on going in the way of the Father. He listened for His voice and saw what the Father was doing. His ears heard a Word behind Him saying, “This is the way to go, walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21) He went to His calling through the Father’s character. Jesus was our example and we can do exactly what He did. We can hear the voice behind us and walk in it. The Father told us we can so we can. Follow “the Way” the Father is directing you and find yourself in the way too.
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The Way to Change
I want to explain why I have been using the word way so much recently. I, sometimes, will put quotes around the word Christian, because in today’s society being a “Christian” is like wearing a union badge. If you belong to the CAW/UAW, you are respected because they are feared. You don’t have to change, your employer has to change. Being a Christian is different, or at least it is supposed to be, but we come up with thousands of reasons why we don’t have to change, One of those excuses happens to be the love of God. I say, “How dare anyone, use the love of God, as an excuse to slander and misrepresent Him?” The line has been drawn for me. It has been a long time since I have called myself a Christian because I do not want to be lumped in with those who talk the talk, and don’t walk the walk. I know that sounds brash, but you might just need to hear this right now to be convicted to change the way you represent Jesus.
The Way
How did the disciples of Jesus Christ get this designation, The Way? John 14:6 tells us Jesus called Himself the way, the truth and the life but to what? He continues to say, “No one gets to the Father except through Him.” He is the Way to the Father, the Truth of the Father, and the Life of the Father. The Bible uses way to describe a travelled way, road or path, or as a metaphor for a course of conduct, a way of thinking, feeling, or deciding (hodos is the Greek word used: G3598). In other words following Jesus. Following Jesus to wherever He leads you will result in a change of way but if I am not seeing change in you then I can guess you are not following His way. He shows you “the way” then waits for you to follow. If you don’t follow there will be no other way for you to go. It is His way or the world’s way. You can change while you are in the world but all of your change will result in promoting self which will end up being thrown into the Lake of Fire. Trust me, I know my worldly works will be thrown into the fire, too. When I choose the way of the world, I am choosing the Lake of Fire. When I choose His Way to the Father, I am choosing the New Jerusalem. You can read about the Lake of Fire and the New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 & 22.
Change for the Way
As I’ve said, you cannot follow Jesus without making change or you are a “Christian” in name only. If you are following Jesus the Christ, you are of “The Way” and changing every minute of the day, every day you follow Him. 2 Corinthians 5:17 calls us a new creation. The God of all creation makes us a new creation. He renews us day in and day out. This is the change to expect and we should be the first of the witnesses to it. It is painful and will disrupt your current life but the new life you gain is like none other. If you are not seeing change in yourself, you must ask yourself if you actually are following the Way to the Father. Answer truthfully, otherwise you will never be changed by the Way. If you are afraid of the pain involved, walk through it with another follower who knows your anguish, but you will do the majority of it with Jesus. There is no one else who will understand 100% of your anguish or plan except Him. We think because they are “Christians” they understand but we are in for a rude awakening. They do not for two reasons, they either are not a true follower or they are not supposed to understand. You are following Jesus on your path not theirs. He is creating a new Way for you to get to the Father that no one has traveled before. You are a NEW creation not a carbon copy of another creation.
The Way is New
Remember the reactions to the words Jesus spoke to the Jews? They were so new to them, they reacted violently in word and deed. Jesus was killed for this new stuff He was teaching. Not too many people like new because new means change. New means learning. New means different. We want the same and to be rewarded for our sameness but do not be fooled, you are not staying the same. You are not the same today as you were yesterday. Life happens and it hauls us along the path. Our choice is to go with the world to its new place or go with Jesus to ours. Our new place has been prepared for us before time itself. No one will have it except us. It is irrevocable, no matter how long it takes us to submit to our plan. The change we are required to make will get us to that new place. It will be the way we are to go alone with Him so we can serve His people to glorify Him.
Change your Way
I know how scary it is to drop the world. I tried to hang on as well. It seems comfortable. It seems peaceful. It seems well, but it is not. When you change your way to His way you will see how uncomfortable the world actually is. You will see how chaotic it is. You will see how ill the world is today. It is perishing and I do not want you to perish with it. All things are going to be made new including the world. Do you want to be a part of that? Let yourself become clay in the hands of the Potter. Let Him mold you His way, to the new you that you secretly long to be. The way to change is already paved for you, all you have to do is follow. Start by praying for God’s vision for your life then follow it, love it, and live it.
