Becoming Like Jesus: Part 2 — A ‘Time With God’ Audio Devotion

Subscribe to the ‘Time With God’ Podcast

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Romans 8:28-29

Transcript

Good morning. I’m John North, and as we get this day started right, we want to take some time with God together.

We’re talking this week about becoming more like Jesus Christ, and isn’t that something that we all have a deep sense inside of us – I need to grow.

I need to grow spiritually. I need to grow in my character. I need to be more like Jesus Christ, and that desire is in us because God has put it in us, a sense of what is right and what needs to be.

And as we have that sense, we need to press forward with the knowledge that God also is partnering with us in that desire. He wants to help us become more like Jesus Christ. John MacArthur said one time, Rejoice in knowing that you belong to God and that He is conforming you to the image of His Son.

See every event of this day as part of that process. Yield to the Spirit’s prompting and take heart that God will accomplish His will. Yeah, that’s the key.

God is partnering with you. God is giving you opportunities throughout your day to grow spiritually. He is putting His conviction in your heart and mind, warning you of danger things in your life, things you need to cut out. When you turn on your TV, if there’s something that comes on and something inside of you prompts you and says, this probably isn’t the kind of thing you ought to be watching. Listen to that prompting. Change the channel. Turn it off.

Hope 103.2 is proudly supported by

Take some time to read God’s word. Spend some time in prayer with God. Respond to what God is doing in your life throughout your day, and you’ll find yourself growing spiritually to be more and more like Jesus Christ.

Let me read these verses again that we read yesterday.

We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28).

So what is the good that God is using everything in your life to work together for?

Well, whom he foreknew he also predestined to become conformed to the image of his son. See, sometimes we look at the things happening in our day and we think, oh, that’s not good, that’s painful.

But actually the good God is after is not pleasure. The good God is after in your life is Christlikeness, and He is using everything in your day to produce that good. And when you find yourself growing in Christlikeness, then you should be grateful to God for whatever He has used to bring that about.

You notice the verse says that Christ will be the first born among many brethren when we become like Him. That is, we’ll take on the family likeness. He’ll be our older brother. We’ll be adopted sons and daughters of God.

When you study the historical situation of the Romans, you find that in Roman times an adopted child had the full legal rights of a child, and although even a natural child could be disowned, an adopted child could never have their adoption revoked.

Adoption gives us amazing privileges. We’ve been chosen by God to become like Jesus Christ, and He’s working in our lives to make that happen.

How is God working in your life right now?

What do you think God is trying to produce in you of Christlikeness?

Are you responding to him?

Are you allowing him to change you?

I’m John North.

To go deeper in your faith, visit AFCI.com.au.

Feature image: Canva