Becoming Like Jesus: Part 4 — A ‘Time With God’ Audio Devotion

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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. I sure enjoy meeting with you each weekday morning at this time to help you start your day right. I have become so convinced in my own experience in life that nothing is more important to my life than my daily time with God, because it’s in that daily time with God that my relationship with God is deepened.

And that God has the opportunity to set my mind for the day on spiritual things and set my values in the right direction and my choices follow my values and my values follow my mind and so God is at work in my heart and mind each day as I take time with Him. I hope you are finding that to be a reality in your own spiritual life too, as you put God first, not only in priority, but actually first in your day as well, spending time with him each morning.

We’re looking this week at this theme of becoming more like Jesus Christ.

And today I want to take you to John chapter 15, starting in verse 18. Jesus is speaking to the disciples, and he says to them,

If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world. Therefore, the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you. A slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word they’ll keep yours also, but all these things they will do to you for my name’s sake because they do not know the one who sent me.

Well, in one sense, becoming like Jesus Christ is the most wonderful thing in the world. You have the approval of God the Father in your life, and you have this deep inner sense of rightness about your life that you are living as you ought to live.

But in another very real sense also becoming more and more like Jesus Christ is not comfortable.

What is comfortable is becoming more like the world, taking on the world’s values. It’s all around us. Every time you turn on the TV or listen to things or read magazines or interact with the people around you.

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You get the world’s values and the world’s perspective on life, and the world wants you to be like it, and it’ll put pressure on you to be like it. And when you do make the choice to compromise your commitment to the Lord Jesus and take on worldly values.

That’s comfortable. That’s easy.

And a lot of emphasis in the world today is put on this idea of self-improvement and imitating the way others are doing things.

Well, using willpower to improve yourself always fails, doesn’t it? You run out of energy. No human being can change their own sinful nature.

If you are going to become like Jesus Christ, only the Holy Spirit can make the changes that need to be made in you, and that only happens as you deepen your relationship with Him, as you listen to His leading throughout the day, and always respond with, Yes, Lord, when God begins to lead you, or convict you or challenge you.

And when you begin to say yes, Lord, more and more in your life, you can expect that as you become more like Jesus Christ, you will be more and more out of step with today’s society.

Can you handle that?

God will walk with you through that process.

Choose his way today.

I’m John North.

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

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