The Seed Blog: Loving Like Jesus

God Wants YOU to know something today... Before you leave here...You can have complete peace & confidence...In Who you are... Where you are... And What is happening in your life!  PERIOD... PERIOD!Most of us here today...Don't truly know who we are in Jesus Christ...Therefore...We can't see and love others as He Desires...Therefore... We stay in a frenzy of stress, depression, bitterness & discontent!What He Truly Died To Give To Us:Genesis 2:25 (ESV) And the man and his wife [...]

God Wants YOU to know something today... Before you leave here...You can have complete peace & confidence...In Who you are... Where you are... And What is happening in your life!  PERIOD... PERIOD!
Most of us here today...Don't truly know who we are in Jesus Christ...Therefore...We can't see and love others as He Desires...Therefore... We stay in a frenzy of stress, depression, bitterness & discontent!
What He Truly Died To Give To Us:
Genesis 2:25 (ESV)
And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
When Adam and Eve were Created to walk in perfect love and fellowship with one another... And especially GOD...
They were completely unaware and unconcerned...About themselves! They lived in perfect acceptance and love...Of Self... Of one another… And of God!
 
But look closely at what happened the moment they sinned...
 
Genesis 3:7-11 (ESV)
7  Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. 8  And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9  But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” 10  And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” 11  He said, “Who told you that you were naked?..”
 
The FIRST effect sin had on their lives...Was to make them more conscious of themselves... In their fallen state... In their guilt and shame...Than they were of…HOW GOD HAD SEEN THEM AND CREATED THEM!...And in that loss of feeling accepted... Of knowing their own worth to Him...They immediately lost that acceptance and worth...
For ONE ANOTHER as well!...Because it was suddenly "All about them!"
 
Genesis 3:11-13 (ESV)
11  He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” 12  The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” 13  Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”
 
Do you know why most of us cannot let go...Of our past lives of abuse, failure and hard times? Because it is the only IDENTITY and self-worth we have! (CAN ARGUE AND GET ANGRY ALL DAY… LOVE ENEMIES!)
 
Do you know why we are so obsessed with...The troubles, illnesses, & injustices of our lives right now?  Because it forms our identity, value and self worth today! Do you know why we are so worried about...What the future hold? Our health, our success, our relationships?
Because we think they define...What our identity and self-worth will be tomorrow!
GET THIS LIFE-CHANGING THOUGHT:
 
Jesus Our Lord... DID NOT DIE... Because you were a sinner! Jesus DIED... Because you are His Beloved... Who SINNED! Whom He Wants more than His Own Comfort and Life...
Whom He saw ruined and stolen away BY SIN!...And He had to DIE... To take away what hurt you...And save the Soul that He Saw as Priceless! HE DIED FOR YOU!  NOT YOUR SIN... YOUR SIN JUST MADE IT NECESSARY!
 
Romans 5:8 (HCSB)
8  But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us!
 
1 Peter 1:18-20 (HCSB)
18  For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19  but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish. 20  He was chosen before the foundation of the world but was revealed at the end of the times for you...
 
Realize this:
 
No CIRCUMSTANCE... Nor ANY PERSON...Shapes who you are... Or what your worth is...
Or how successful your life turns out to be! ONLY… The Passion... The Love... And the WORTH…Placed on you… By the One Who Made you for Himself!
 
THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO COME BACK TO THE HEART…OF EXACTLY… WHAT JESUS HAS DONE FOR US...Jesus Didn't just DIE to get you into Paradise with HIM! Adam and Eve were IN PARADISE A SHORT TIME... WITH HIM... AFTER... They sinned!...And there was no fellowship... No joy!
 
God Actually had to remove them from Paradise...Because THEIR SIN had broken the love and Oneness with HIM! In order to make them see the horror in that sin and selfishness!...And have Hope to restore them to Him once again!
 
Jesus Paid the Ultimate Price for our SOULS...NOT JUST to win us a place in Heaven...
BUT TO GIVE US THE FORGIVENESS, ACCEPTANCE…AND POWER… THROUGH HIM...
TO CHANGE OUR HEARTS!  TO TRANSFORM OUR LIVES AND MINDS! TO CHOOSE HIM OVER OUR SIN!  TO RESTORE ONENESS AND PASSION WITH HIM AGAIN!
 
Romans 8:29 (ESV)
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
 
CONFORMED… Choice!!
 
Summorphos (soom-mor-fos'):
Means: Properly, conformed, by sharing the same inner essence-identity (form); showing similar behavior from having the same essential nature!
 
ONE DAY... NOT WHEN WE GET TO HEAVEN... BUT... EVEN NOW... HE GAVE US THE CHANCE TO LIVE FOR HIM SELFLESSLY AGAIN...  BY CHOICE… NOW! TO LIVE FOR AND LOVE OTHERS AGAIN…THE WAY HE LIVES FOR US... TO BE LIKE HIM... AS WE WERE CREATED TO BE...TO MAKE US INTO THE WONDERFUL CREATION...OF HIS LIKENESS AGAIN! NOW!!
 
Ephesians 5:1-2 (ESV)
1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. [2] And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
 
1 John 2:5-6 (ESV)
5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
 
He Didn't Die just to Bless you... Or even always Heal YOU!...He Died so you could Know Him in this Life...He Died to change your heart and purpose in this life...AT ANY COST...SO YOU COULD HAVE AN UNFATHOMABLE ETERNITY...WITH HIM... STARTING NOW!
 
THIS... Is why He Died! This is what we should desire more than LIFE... Not just a place in Heaven!  WANTING ONLY HEAVEN... Is still just selfishness and narcissism!  HE DIDN'T SAVE US TO SIMPLY BLESS US... BUT TO BRING CHANGE IN OUR VERY SOULS!
So that we could find the true joy of real LOVE again!
 
Love as HE Loves:
 
The most incredible blessing we will ever receive...Apart from His Salvation...The most joy and oneness we will ever experience with Him...This side of walking with Him on the New Earth one day! Is to truly experience that Oneness with Him HERE AND NOW! Which only comes when we see ourselves...And especially those around US...IN HIS REAL AND PERFECT LOVE!
 
If we see... And want to become... The selfless Love that He IS...We need to be so wrapped up in HIS ACCEPTANCE...SO CONTENTED WITH HIS LOVE...AND WHAT HE HAS BOUGHT FOR US...That no person... No event... No failure...No success... No rejection... No disease...Can EVER steal my JOY... Or MY LOVE...For Him and others!
 
BECAUSE HE... IS ALL I NEED TO FILL MY SPONGE! “Yes, but you don’t know what I’ve been through!” No I don’t!  (I’ve been through much too!)
 
But… I do know how much you’re loved NOW!
I do know… The Power available to you NOW!
I do know… What a price has been paid to save you!
I do know… What joy and acceptance you’re ignoring!
 
Realize that broken people do broken things!! A broken world brings broken events!
And if we see that as TRUTH...If we see that EVERY PERSON around us...Is TRULY a wonderful, priceless Creation of God...Each with their own broken story... Each with the unmatchable value over anything else in Creation...Seeing the lowest, seemingly worthless bum... As someone with unfathomable worth... Who has bought into the lie that they are nothing...If we see every life... As something to have care and interest in...Each soul as a precious person to never give up on...Not living for self anymore... BUT FOR THEM...
AS JESUS DID! WE WILL LIVE WITH COMPASSION AND PURPOSE...RATHER THAN RESENTMENT AND FRUSTRATION!
 
When we see our lives... AS A GIFT TO BE GIVEN FOR OTHERS...LIKE CHRIST DOES FOR US...Not judging our success or worth…On our accomplishments alone…But the DIFFERENCE we can make… IN OTHERS!
 
We won't be put off and discouraged…By the attacks, rejection... Or pain caused by others...Because we know…They are acting out of sin and brokenness...Because WE have everything we need in Christ...And we don't need their affirming actions or words!...And we are full of love... WITHOUT THEM! BECAUSE WE DO NOT NEED ANYONE ELSE...FOR OUR AFFIRMATION!
 
How do we ever possibly fill others…With the hope and love of Christ? How do we reach & heal abusers? How do we support bad spouses? When we are so needy... So insecure...That we have to draw from them to survive?! NOT KNOWING WHO WE... ARE? Many times we get the water to fill our sponge...In criticism, and resentment...Of them!
 
We have to remain "SQUISHY" with the Love of Christ...So that it leaks into every glass we touch...In good times or bad!
 
EXAMPLE OF THERMOSTAT VERSES THERMOMETER!
 
A thermometer... Draws from the environment around it...And reflects the temperature affecting it!
A thermostat... On the other hand...Acknowledges the desire of it's owner...And works until it succeeds... Or burns up...In creating a better environment for others... Regardless of the current condition!
 
Some people are so empty and in need of affirmation...That they constantly, simply reflect those around them...Rather than influence or comfort anyone!
 
Some people have a broken thermostat...Set on their OWN temperature...And if anyone doesn't like their room...They can just GET OUT!
 
You need to set your thermostat on "Jesus"... And lock it!
 
Many "long-time", ministering "Christians"...Literally get their sponges filled with water...
By criticizing & nit-picking everyone around them to death!Drawing from another's glass!
With NO true love... Or connection to them whatsoever!
 
Philippians 2:3-5 (ESV)
3 …but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
 
If your love and identity in Christ is understood... And real... If it is because you are surrendered to…Christ Loving you… AND Loving THROUGH YOU... It does not change… Because circumstances change!  Circumstances simply become an opportunity...For the real you to show even more!
 
Don’t pray for patience!! HOW ABOUT THIS… PRAY FOR LOVE… INSTEAD!
In all of your intelligence... Charm... Strengths... Talents! You are truly helpless to heal another person...Without the Spirit of God helping you SEE that soul! Without God's Love genuinely pouring from your heart! Having no need or want... THAT YOU…Must get in return...Just the sincere desire to touch another person's life...Deserved or not...
Receiving pain in return or not!
 
 
THAT... IS LOVING LIKE JESUS CHRIST! THAT... CAN ONLY COME FROM...
ACCEPTING HIS GRACE AND LOVE SO DEEPLY... THAT YOU CANNOT HELP...
BUT SHOW THAT ACCEPTANCE TO OTHERS!
 
When Jesus Walked the earth as a Man...Did He Cry and Complain because His Life was so hard?...Because He was done so wrongly?...By MAN… Or GOD?!
 
Did He say to the Father...

"Well I have given them everything, and they still treat Me like Dirt!... They don't deserve anything else from Me!"

"They don't care about anyone else but themselves...
So why should I Do anything for them?"

"This whole Plan is messing up MY Life...
I could have done so much more...
I could live the longest, most successful life in history...
And they don't even care... I'm Done!"
 
NO, he said:
 
But they are broken and hurting...
They don't know what they are doing...
They are worth anything you want Me to Give...
If I can just give them a chance to see...
Their own Worth and Love in My Heart!"
 
YOU WILL NOT FIND TRUE JOY... TRUE PEACE...Until Christ Fills you with such genuine desire to love others... Even over yourself...That you are driven to touch their lives... LIVE FOR THEM!!...At any expense or burden to yourself!...Because you NOW see them as He Does...See them... As He SEES YOU!...And THAT... Becomes your new reason... Your new identity...Your FULL SPONGE!
 
Philippians 2:17 (NKJV) (Paul, in a ruined life of imprisonment!)
Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all.
 
Moses… Joseph… David… Peter… John…ALL FOUND THEIR PURPOSE…In a surrendered life for others…ALL… Drawing strength and identity in God’s Love!...ARE WE SUPPOSED TO BE DIFFERENT?...ARE THISE EXAMPLES THERE FIR NOTHING?
 
A Christian isn't a Sponge Bob Square Pants...They become a "Sponge-Filled Happy Dance!"
THAT... IS TRULY LIVING WITH PURPOSE... AND STRENGTH...AND IDENTITY IN CHRIST!
“STAY SQUISHY”, MY FRIEND… FILLED WITH HIS LOVE FOR OTHERS!