19 May 2014 “Be My Carotene”
James 1:17
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
This passage is not a checklist for me to critique myself by to see if I’m being godly enough. This passage is describing what godly wisdom looks like. I can see it in Jesus as he is described in the New Testament, I can identify it in others by their actions, so how can I get me some?
Wisdom that is pure, peace loving, gentle, and willing to yield sounds really good. But when I consider these behaviors a checklist, then these wonderful things would be products that I can manufacture by my own will power, strength, and resolve. But from personal experience I have found that trying harder almost feels like failing faster.
Jesus says, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” Jesus is the one with the pure, peace loving, gentle, yielding wisdom, not me or anyone slick guru selling a how to book. Without Jesus IN me I can do nothing.
Babies who love carrots and sweet potatoes look hilarious to me. Their cheeks are actually tainted orange for a little while. It’s the carotene in the plant that gives off that orange hue, and a kid exuding a bit of that orange hue must have consumed a ton of it!
I need to consume a ton of Jesus. Then he can eek out of me like carotene. I need to read all about him often in the books Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. You can’t read those accounts of his interaction with others and not just be totally in love with all that he is. I need to think about Jesus often. I need to just verbally tell him out loud and often that I love him. I need to remind myself all the time and often how much he loves me. This mindset changes everything. It allows Jesus to be my carotene. I’ll be different on the outside because of what I have consumed on the inside. Wisdom that is pure, peace loving, gentle and willing to yield will be successfully available to me. It will come out of me. It will not be a set of chores that I have to try and accomplish because Jesus already accomplished it and promises to graciously pour it out through me.
Philippians 2:13
God is working IN me (We are not working side by side in some kind of partnership.) giving me the desire and the ability to do what pleases him (Without HIM I can do NOTHING!).
Dear Lord Jesus,
You are in my heart. Please seep out of me today. I love you so much. I love how kind and compassionate you are when I read about you. I love how comforting you are to me when I call out to you. I love what you did for me so that I can have a relationship with you forever. I love you so much and I want to be just like you. Thank you for working in my heart that I might ooze your character today. I love you and thank you and pray in your name. Amen.
James 1:17
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
This passage is not a checklist for me to critique myself by to see if I’m being godly enough. This passage is describing what godly wisdom looks like. I can see it in Jesus as he is described in the New Testament, I can identify it in others by their actions, so how can I get me some?
Wisdom that is pure, peace loving, gentle, and willing to yield sounds really good. But when I consider these behaviors a checklist, then these wonderful things would be products that I can manufacture by my own will power, strength, and resolve. But from personal experience I have found that trying harder almost feels like failing faster.
Jesus says, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” Jesus is the one with the pure, peace loving, gentle, yielding wisdom, not me or anyone slick guru selling a how to book. Without Jesus IN me I can do nothing.
Babies who love carrots and sweet potatoes look hilarious to me. Their cheeks are actually tainted orange for a little while. It’s the carotene in the plant that gives off that orange hue, and a kid exuding a bit of that orange hue must have consumed a ton of it!
I need to consume a ton of Jesus. Then he can eek out of me like carotene. I need to read all about him often in the books Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. You can’t read those accounts of his interaction with others and not just be totally in love with all that he is. I need to think about Jesus often. I need to just verbally tell him out loud and often that I love him. I need to remind myself all the time and often how much he loves me. This mindset changes everything. It allows Jesus to be my carotene. I’ll be different on the outside because of what I have consumed on the inside. Wisdom that is pure, peace loving, gentle and willing to yield will be successfully available to me. It will come out of me. It will not be a set of chores that I have to try and accomplish because Jesus already accomplished it and promises to graciously pour it out through me.
Philippians 2:13
God is working IN me (We are not working side by side in some kind of partnership.) giving me the desire and the ability to do what pleases him (Without HIM I can do NOTHING!).
Dear Lord Jesus,
You are in my heart. Please seep out of me today. I love you so much. I love how kind and compassionate you are when I read about you. I love how comforting you are to me when I call out to you. I love what you did for me so that I can have a relationship with you forever. I love you so much and I want to be just like you. Thank you for working in my heart that I might ooze your character today. I love you and thank you and pray in your name. Amen.
RSS Feed