1 Timothy 6:11-12 "But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses."
If you have the notion that demonstrating our Christlike faith is about going to church on Sunday mornings, singing praises to God and living out your faith by being good then you need to read a little more into God’s Word. Maturing as a Follower of Jesus Christ is not a passive process, it involves conflict. It involves confrontation and accountability. Think about the lives of Jesus, Moses, Jonah, Noah, Peter, Paul or any of the other characters we find in the Bible. Their lives were anything but quiescent.
The biggest battle lies within us. If we allow the Holy Spirit the freedom to transform us into the likeness of Christ, the external forces begin to align themselves against us and we will come head on with conflict. No, conflict is not comfortable but we weren’t called to be comfortable. We were called to be great! Let’s look at the word great or greatness for a moment. We shouldn't think of greatness as the world does. It has nothing to do with being rich or well-known, or having power to influence the matters of the world we live in. Greatness, as the Bible speaks of it, is godliness. Greatness means being made like our Lord, having his character formed within us. Jesus said, "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant" Mark 10:43.
But in addition, greatness includes purpose in life. It is being about the eternal business of God Himself, so that the things you say and do count forever. Greatness includes joy, community, being partners with others who are involved in the same things, seeing God's name praised. Greatness includes wholeness. With that being said, we are called to greatness and in being great (godly), we will find ourselves in conflict with everything that has purposed itself against the Kingdom. Psalm 18:30-35 reminds us that we have no need to fear the conflict! Praise the Lord who has called us into conflict, for He has promised to equip us to fight and also allows us to take refuge in Him! Let’s make this year, 2018, a year for greatness!
Psalm 18:30-35
As for God, His way is perfect; the Word of the Lord is flawless.
He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him.
For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God?
It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.
He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to stand on the heights.
He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
You give me your shield of victory, and Your right hand sustains me; You stoop down to make me great.
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Personalize this prayer.
Dear Lord,
I know that being a Follower of Jesus Christ carries with it an overwhelming sense of responsibility! I’ve signed up for the task and I thank You for promising to equip me for whatever lies ahead. Help me to stand firm on those promises and look to You for wisdom in the circumstances that You lead me to. May I never lean on my own understanding but acknowledge You at every turn. Give me joy as I trust in You to fight my enemies and Your peace as I step out of my comfort zone to live for You.
In Jesus Name,
Amen
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