Tag: read

Imitating God

On By vickleaIn Admonition, Scripture, testimony1 Comment

I used to watch the people that I admired closely so that I could be more like them. One particular person comes to mind immediately. My high school Spanish teacher was Sra. Mary Smith. She was my teacher for four years and I learned some important lessons by watching her. I learned to look for the good things students were doing and praising them for that before I offered any criticism or instruction. I learned to smile no matter how challenging a day was, with a smile that I hoped others would see sparkling from my eyes. And I learned that the louder students got, the softer I should speak. Those were important lessons for me to learn, especially since Sra. Smith is the teacher who encouraged me to study languages and I became a Spanish teacher for over thirty years myself.

These days my focus is more about wanting to be more Christ-like, so I am learning to imitate God. How do I do that?

I try to do good for others, as much as I can. I want other people to see proof that God lives inside me. I may be the only representative of God they see that day. Children imitate what they see and hear. Go to a grocery store, for example, and listen to the words children say. If a bunch of expletives come out of a small child’s mouth, it is imitation of what they have heard. The child needs to be corrected (not by a stranger, of course), but the behavior doesn’t change unless the source that they are imitating changes. Whether they are imitating words from the TV or from the parents, they are saying what they have heard repeatedly.

As Christians we are being trained daily to speak and act as the Father does. The only way to do that is to spend time with Him, praying, worshipping and reading and studying His Word. We don’t become more like Christ by watching TV or (alas!) by reading books that are not the Bible. My priority time each day is spent with God. Am I succeeding? Well, some days more than others, to be honest. But I am trying every day and God rewards my efforts with a peace that I can’t explain and by answering prayers that may seem small to others, but they are big to me because they show how faithful to details God is if we are watching for His hand at work in our lives.

My prayer for each of my readers is that you will strive to imitate Christ because even if we are not aware of it, others are watching us and may want to be more like us. Let’s be the good example for them to follow and let’s lead them to be more like Christ, not more like our worldly selves.

Anchored in Truth

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

Yesterday and today have been hard days for me. We had planned a long weekend trip to MD to see our son and his family, but last night, our son texted me that our DIL has strep, so we need to postpone our trip. At first I was in the doldrums about it. We had already missed having Christmas with them because the toddler was sick. We waited until my medical appointments for after Christmas were done and were all ready to head to MD…but, change of plans. If I were not anchored in the truth of God’s love for me, this whole scenario would have sent me spinning into depression. Those days are gone though. Now, when bad news comes, I take it to the Lord and ask Him to help me to handle it properly and to have a good attitude even in the midst of my disappointment. I want to be so close to God that when the storm rages around me, I don’t even feel the raindrops falling. My prayer is that you are anchored in the Only One who can hold you up when all around you is topsy turvy. God bless you!

Anchored

If you’ve spent any time on a boat in the ocean, you know what it feels like to look up from the water, and suddenly realize you’ve drifted off course.

Without an anchor, there’s nothing to hold you in place.

Likewise, the ever-shifting waves of the world’s opinions can feel just as fluid and unsteady as the sea. When a storm rages, it can feel impossible to discern what’s up from what’s down—much less recognize God’s will.

In his letter to believers in Rome, where cultural trends were just as wobbly as ours are today, the apostle Paul wrote this:

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So how can you renew your mind with the right stuff? How can you test and approve God’s will? Here are a few ideas:

Keep listening. You can know the story of God and understand the heart of God by reading or listening to His Word. You’re more susceptible to lies when you do not know the truth. But when you’re anchored to Truth, lies lose their power.

Keep talking. As honest and raw as possible, keep talking to God throughout your day. Ask Him your hard questions, come to Him with your burdens, and worship Him for His goodness, as well as the goodness you see around you. Communication with your Creator keeps you anchored to your Creator.

Keep learning. You can stay curious while also filtering what kind of information you put into your mind. You can pay attention to what you’re watching, what you’re listening to, and who you’re allowing to speak into your life.

You can resist drifting by anchoring yourself to the Truth—the words that come from God Himself.

Thankful to Be Blessed

On By vickleaIn Scripture4 Comments

We have a part to play in receiving blessings from God. We have to choose to walk in the counsel of the godly, not the ungodly. We have to choose to walk away from sin and sinners instead of standing there with them. Even standing silently is seen as agreement by some. Our total joy should come from reading and meditating on God’s Word. It is this Word and the attitude of delighting in the Lord that helps us to grow strong in Him, just as a tree planted by the water doesn’t have to do a lot to grow…it just has to stay planted. Don’t you just love the part that says “whatever he doeth shall prosper.” I would add a caution to that. This is not a claim it and it’s yours promise. It’s a “get to doing what God says to do” and His blessings will follow statement. God loves us enough to continually bless us, but He also expects obedience. I am thankful for all of God’s promises, especially one that encourages me to be an active participant in receiving His blessings.

Have a blessed day filled with delighting in the Lord and in His Word.