Look Like Love

He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. 

- John 3:30 (NLT)

When Jesus becomes greater in us, we begin to look like love.

As He becomes greater inside of us, we aim to please Him and not ourselves. We seek His will and not our own. We develop in the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 

- Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

A couple months ago, my mom saw this on facebook and shared it witih me. It gave me a totally different perspective on this Scripture. We are all familiar with the "Love Chapter" in the Bible, frequently read at weddings. But this perspective challenged me:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
- 1 Cor. 13:4-6 (NIV)

We should consider this Scripture daily and keep it in the front of our minds. This is a mirror to show us what we look like spiritually-- we can easily see what areas are our strengths and what areas we need to work on. Think on this Scripture each morning and ask God to help you “look like love”

My purpose of sharing this is to challenge you to become more like Jesus. When you subsittue your own name, you can easily see what areas you need to work on (Oh yeah, I was convicted when I inserted mine!) It is also good to insert the name of the person you're in a relationship with. This can be very eye opening to the character of others, as well as our own character. Don't get overwhelmed by this list. Joyce Meyer simplifies our walk with God and all that it entails by "walking in love".

And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

- Ephesians 5:2 (ESV)

As the definition of love is evident in our lives, our light will shine brightly for Jesus. We will be humble, not arrogant. We will be servants, not demanding to be served. Jesus Christ humbled Himself before God. He came down from Heaven… if the Son of God left His comfort zone, how much more does He desire that we leave ours? He calls us to committed, not comfortable. Jesus left Heaven, where He was constantly praised and acknowledge to be despised, rejected, beaten, humiliated, and hung on a cross. He came not to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28). I love the way Kimberly Jones-Pothier puts it, Jesus got off His throne and went to the cross. Jesus humbled Himself before God in doing this. Then, God exalted Him when He was resurrected. 

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

- Luke 18:9-14 (NIV)

I pray we have the humble attitude of the tax collector, not the Pharisee.


In humility, Jesus calls us to take up our cross, deny ourselves and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). We die to ourselves and our own desires to live for Him. Yes, Psalm 37:4 says He will give us the desires of our hearts if we delight ourselves in Him. However, as we grow closer to Him, His desires become our desires. As we die to ourselves, we make room for more of Him. We have to put off the old self & put on the new self: 

You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires: to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 

- Ephesians 4:22-24

Put off impatience, rudeness, envy, boasting, arrogance, rudeness, selfishness, and unforgiveness to stay afloat on the ship to the place God is taking us. 
As we draw near to Jesus, there will be no room for jealousy, boasting, pride, and self-centered ways.

P. S. - Yes, I got the title for this message from Britt Nicole's song, "Look Like Love". 

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Safe Haven

For you are God, my only safe haven...

- Psalm 43:2 (NLT)

When problems overwhelm you today, just look to Jesus: the author and finisher of our faith.  In light of Him, our light and momentary troubles quickly dissipate. Remember, in these uncertain times, God is our only safe haven. There is no need to fear, because if you are a child of God, the creator of the universe is on your side. If you walk according to His Word, "When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you" (See Proverbs 6:20-22). Though we walk through the valley of the shadow, we will fear no evil for He is with us (Psalm 23:4). Proverbs 18:10 says, "The name of The Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.

Make sure you build your house (life) on the rock (Word of God), because only then will your house stand. Building your life on anyone or anything else is like building your house on sand- it won't last. 

Don't forget to put on the full armor of God so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground (Eph. 6:13). No doubt, we all need to put on the full armor of God more than ever. 

Relentlessly pursue Jesus and not the things of this world.

Scripture Reading: 

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

- Hebrews 12:2 (KJV)

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

- Romans 8:18 (NIV)

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 

- Romans 8:31 (NIV)

When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.

- Proverbs 6:22 (NIV)

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

- Psalms 23:4 (NKJV)

The name of the LORD is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe. 

- Proverbs 18:10 (NKJV)

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” 

- Jesus in Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV)

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 

- Ephesians 6:13 (NIV)

THE TRUTH ABOUT PAUL'S THORN

Many people use “Paul’s Thorn” to use against healing. Let's see what the Bible says about it:

 

2 Corinthians 12:7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.

*The Bible tells us exactly what Paul’s Thorn was. It was a messenger of Satan, not a sickness.

 

In “Christ the Healer” by F. F. Bosworth, he states, “The expression thorn in the flesh is not once used in either the Old or New Testament EXCEPT as an illustration. The figure of the thorn in the flesh is not in one single instance used in the Bible as a figure of sickness. Every time, the expression was used in the entire Bible, it is specifically stated what the thorn in the flesh was.” Bosworth continues by pointing this out in Numbers 33:55 and Joshua 23:13, as well.

Numbers 33:55 (KJV) But if ye will not drive out the inhabitants of the land from before you; then it shall come to pass, that those which yet let remain of them shall be PRICKS IN YOUR EYES, and THORNS IN YOUR sides, and shall vex you in the land wherein ye dwell.

Bosworth points out: “The pricks in the eyes” and “thorns in the sides” of the Israelites were inhabitants of Canaan, not eye trouble or sickness. God was only using an illustration. Again, in Joshua 23:13, the Lord says of the Canaanites, “they shall be… scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes”. Again, the scourges in their eyes and thorns in their sides are the Canaanites.

 

Looking back at 2nd Corinthians 12:7, Paul specifically says that his thorn was a messenger of Satan, sent to buffet him. Bosworth concludes this portion of his sermon on Paul’s Thorn by saying, “Since Paul specifically says that his “thorn”was a messenger of Satan, sent to buffet him and make trouble for him wherever he went, why should we say it was something else?”

For the rest of Bosworth's sermon, read the 14th chapter of Christ the Healer (this book can be found on amazon). Jesus healed me when I read this book. For more on healing, check out the follow videos on my YouTube: MY HEALING TESTIMONY, JESUS HEALS, & JESUS STILL HEALS EVERY SICKNESS & EVERY DISEASE. My YouTube channel is "Rachel Marie Ministries", or click the above tab "My YouTube". Most importantly, if you need healing, read through the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke & John in the Bible). All through the Gospels, Jesus was moved with compassion for the sick & He healed them. Hebrews 13:8 tells us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. God revealed His will through the life of Jesus, so the best way to find out God's will is to read what Jesus did in His life on earth! He made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposes in Christ (Ephesians 1:9).

THE LORD IS MY PORTION

I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” 

- Lamentations 3:24 (NIV)

The LORD is our portion! How wonderful is that? Jesus is more than enough for us. In Him, we have everything. Without Him, we have nothing! No purpose, no hope, no salvation, no healing, no peace. We need to seek Him to be healed, fulfilled, joyful. Any other source of these things are only temporary. The world pursues happiness in money (money is not evil; the LOVE OF MONEY is), alcohol, drugs, parties, fame, premarital sex... They pursue happiness in a variety of sinful things, never looking to JESUS. They are looking for LOVE in all the wrong places, looking EVERYWHERE except to our Creator. Psalm 43:4 teaches us that God is the source of all our joy.

There I will go to the altar of God, 

to God—the source of all my joy. 

I will praise you with my harp, O God, my God! 

- Psalms 43:4 (NLT)

In HIS PRESENCE, there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:11).Worldly happiness is circumstantial & always leaves you empty. The joy of Jesus? -- It comes with no regrets, only benefits. We see this in Psalms 103.

Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits— who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 

- Psalm 103:2-5 (NIV)

So today my question for you is this:

Are you allowing God to be the source of ALL your joy? Or are you still seeking happiness in sin or in idols? Remember that:

 "No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him."

- 1 John 3:6 (NIV)

Idols are not just other (so called) "gods" like Buddha or Muhammad. An idol can be anything. An idol is anything you put before Jesus. It can be sin or addiction, yes, but that isn't always the case. It can be a spouse or a boyfriend/girlfriend.It could even be something as simple as spending too much time on Facebook. I've said it before, and I will say it again: If you have time for social media, you have time to read your Bible. We need to spend time with Jesus daily in prayer, in His Word, & in worship. We need to renew our spirit daily just like we need to renew our bodies with sleep, food, and water. 

My prayer for you:

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that everyone reading this would seek their joy in You alone. Help them allow You to fill any voids in their hearts. Help them

Hide Your Word in their hearts, that they may not sin against You. May they never be lacking in zeal, but keep their spiritual fervor, serving The Lord. Show them

If There are any idols in there lives & if so, help them give them up. Help them put You first always. May they make time with You their top priority every day. May they hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall Be filled. May they relentlessly pursue You. May they realize You are their portion. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

My whole being follows hard after You and clings closely to You;

Your right hand upholds me.

- Psalm 63:8 (AMP)

This is my lock screen. It reminds me daily to chase hard after Jesus! :) 

Fall In Love with Jesus,

Rachel Marie