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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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

JESUS UNDERSTANDS

He was despised and rejected ---

a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.

We turned our  backs on him and looked the other way.

He was despised, and we did not care.

- Isaiah 53:3 (NLT)

Maybe this sounds like the story of your life or at least the story of your current situation. Think no one understands? Think no one cares?

Jesus Christ: the Son of God can relate. This verse strikes me in resemblance to the "loner" type. The lonesome person no one wants to be seen with. Imagine: the only man who ever walked the earth and never sinned: despised, rejected. In other words, Jesus was hated; the social outcast, you might say. All He ever did was save, forgive, heal, and deliver people, yet He was rejected by mankind.

What if you lived during the time the Son of God walked the earth? Maybe you would have avoided him like the plague. Maybe would have felt bad for Him and befriended Him, but only in secret: never to tell your family and friends. Maybe you would have admired Him from a distance, never bold enough to follow Him. Or maybe ---- just maybe you would have dared to believe, to take up your cross and follow Him. Maybe you would have dared to leave behind everything you knew (or thought you knew!) to take this journey with the Son of the Living God; to soak in the beautiful benefits of His presence (peace, joy unspeakable, comfort, healing, freedom); to sit at His feet and drink from the Living Water (the well that never runs dry!); to wash His feet with your tears & wipe them with your hair in repentance for your sins.

I posed this question at first, in a "what if" scenario, to allow your mind to ponder, in wonder what you would have done if you had the blessed opportunity to meet Jesus in person during His earthly life. However, this is very applicable for you now, today. Do you refuse to serve Jesus and give Him your whole heart in fear of what others might think? Or perhaps because you aren't willing to let Jesus free you from your bondage to sin? Or do you serve Jesus quietly  -- fearing what your family and friends might think? Or do you from time to time ponder the possibility of following Jesus, never bold enough to commit? Or do you live boldly for the Lord Jesus, beaming as a shining, brilliant light for Him? Following your loving Savior, falling more deeply in love with Him each day? Do you courageously live your life according to God's Word (1 John 5:3, Psalm 119:9)?

DO YOU DARE TO BELIEVE IN JESUS, who remains the same: yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8, Malachi 3:6)? He still freely forgives all who repent & turn to Him (Titus 2:11-12, Ezekiel 33:11, Acts 2:38, Isaiah 55:6-7, Isaiah 1:18, 1 Timothy 2:8, Romans 10:9 & 13, 2 Peter 3:9, Isaiah 30:18), heals every sickness and every disease, because He is moved with compassion for the sick (Matt. 4:23), makes the lame walk, the blind see, the deaf talk, the mute hear, delivers all who are oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38).

I challenge you today to let nothing stand in your way of serving Jesus with all of your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 says, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart". I challenge you to move as far away from the torment of fiery hell as possible by moving as close to Jesus as you can possibly get. 1 John 5:3 says, "In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome". I can assure you that if you fall in love with God continually and make it your focus to please Him, His commands absolutely are not burdensome. He helps us keep them (1 Corinthians 10:13). Besides, what is easier? To live this life any way you want and burn in hell forever? Or to live this life according to God's Word and live in eternal bliss with Jesus in Heaven forever?

Would you dare to believe? Would you dare to live your life for Jesus out loud, unashamed (Romans 1:16)? Would you dare to believe in His willingness, eagerness, and desire to perform miracles and healing just as He did then? Would you believe on Him to heal your broken heart, your broken life? Would you be courageous enough to have that child like faith He yearns for you to have (Matthew 18:3)? I challenge you to read/re-read Isaiah 53 & let Him minister to you. Let these words about Jesus resonate within your soul, as you read about what He did to save you and heal you.

Prayer: 

Father, in the name of Jesus, let every person who reads this be changed. Impress upon them strongly to live the Gospel and speak your truth with GREAT BOLDNESS, UNASHAMED. Let them feel the awe, wonder, amazement, majesty of Your Presence, Jesus. Let us shamelessly be "doers of Your Word" & not hearers only, because we know according to James 1:22, we are fooling ourselves if we listen to Your Word & do not do what it says. Let us proudly serve you, because you had no shame in taking on the full weight of all our sins & sicknesses, so that we may be free from sin, sickness & every evil (Psalm 91) in the name of Jesus Christ. Thank You, Father, for your infinite love, mercy, and grace. Thank You for all that You are: Savior, Healer, Provider, Prince of Peace, and so much more. 

In Jesus Name,

Amen

In God's Infinite Compassion,

Rachel Marie