HEAVENSREEF

Families resemble one another.  Some of us have our mother’s eyes or our father’s build.  It’s just the way DNA works.  Now that my son is an adult, people will tell me that he is a spitting image of his father, my hubby, and I tend to see it now more than ever.

If we believe in JESUS, then we have been adopted into HIS spiritual family too……

ROMANS 8:15 “INSTEAD, YOU RECEIVED GOD’S SPIRIT WHEN HE ADOPTED YOU AS HIS OWN CHILDREN.”

And oh, what a special family it is……..

EPHESIANS 1:5 “HE PREDESTINED US TO BE ADOPTED THROUGH JESUS CHRIST FOR HIMSELF, ACCORDING TO HIS FAVOR AND WILL.”

We belong to a large body of believers who truly are a family of Christian brothers and sisters.

Here are a couple of questions that we should ask ourselves in the here and now of 2019.  Do we resemble one another?  As a body of CHRIST are we unified in our thoughts, words and actions?

Because if we do……..we will resemble our SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.  Our actions, thoughts, words and deeds will resemble the LORD’S heart, soul and mind.

You see……..we were made for more!  We were born into a special family………a royal priesthood.

1 PETER 2:9 “BUT YOU ARE A CHOSEN PEOPLE, A ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, GOD’S SPECIAL POSSESSION, THAT YOU MAY DECLARE THE PRAISES OF HIM WHO CALLED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS INTO HIS WONDERFUL LIGHT.”

We are HIS chosen ones, but we are also HIS family here on earth.  Do the people around you say or notice that you are different?  Because when the Holy Spirit takes up residence in your heart, you will live your life through HIS eyes; a GOD lens that sees our broken world through compassion and grace.

OUR HEARTS WILL RESEMBLE THE HEARTBEAT OF CHRIST.

Yes, HIS heartbeat is ours too and what breaks JESUS’ heart, breaks ours.  Our minds and hearts line up with HIS, so we live differently, desiring to also be together privately and corporately.  

Our minds will learn to think with wisdom and discernment because we have been in HIS Holy WORD daily.  We become confident in standing on HIS thoughts and promises for us.  Knowing truth helps us grow and relate to one another, loving one another above all else, just as CHRIST loves us.  We abide in the truth and love with one another always.

This knowing and standing on truth allows us to grow in CHRIST-LIKENESS.

JESUS is the heartbeat of our Christian family and if we are unified, as we should be, then we are also a family of peace extending a humble hand where it is needed, putting self aside for the good of others.  We become men and women for others!

PSALM 33: 1 “BEHOLD, HOW GOOD AND PLEASANT IT IS WHEN BROTHERS DWELL IN UNITY.”

Our unity and peace as a family should shine for the rest of the world…….but first, our characters and integrity should resemble our FATHER’S.

We are GOD’S people, HIS chosen family, who once were lost and now we are found, so therefore, we should resemble HIS forgiveness and mercy for others.  Just as we are forgiven, so should we forgive and extend mercy upon mercy.  Let us extend mercy to others here and now in 2019…….our world needs it so much!

1 PETER 2:10 “ONCE YOU WERE NOT A PEOPLE, BUT NOW YOU ARE GOD’S PEOPLE; YOU HAD NOT RECEIVED MERCY, BUT NOW YOU HAVE RECEIVED MERCY.”

HIS adoption of us is permanent because, no one, not even the enemy can snatch us away.  This family is just for us and all who receive CHRIST.  It is a powerful gift!  So let us love one another, as much as we can, because then the world will know we are Christians by our love for each other and for them.  Our family resemblance should shine like a city on a hill with CHRIST as our cornerstone.  I am so very grateful to be in this family every single day of my life…….how about you?

1 PETER 2: 4-5 “COMING TO HIM AS TO A LIVING STONE, REJECTED INDEED BY MEN, BUT CHOSEN BY GOD AND PRECIOUS, YOU ALSO, AS LIVING STONES, ARE BEING BUILT UP A SPIRITUAL HOUSE, A HOLY PRIESTHOOD, TO OFFER UP SPIRITUAL SACRIFICES ACCEPTABLE TO GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST.”