Developing Christ-like Character
Have you given much thought to developing your character into what God wants? He has given us a lifetime to do it. I cannot think of anything I’d rather do than to develop at least some, if not all of Jesus’ characteristics. Today I am sitting in my car overlooking a large valley with magnificent mountains in the background. The area is called Valley Center. I was contemplating an article and all of a sudden I saw what I, at first, didn’t see: the majesty of the Lord, that which He has given us to enjoy, that which we so easily overlook, the hills covered with beautiful, natural landscaping, the rivers, the streams, the animals, the trees, nature and perhaps the most important thing of all, and that is time. Yes time, time to grow, time to think, time to love and time to enjoy all of God’s gifts to us; time to accept what He has done for us on the cross and time to develop His characteristics.
Are we growing Christ-like in character each day? Are we trying? Are we even thinking about it? I find myself thinking more and more about Jesus and it really is a joy. Maybe it’s because time is growing short, maybe it’s because I have finally begun to realize that this is what God wants for me in my life. Whatever it is I’m enjoying it and with the help of the Holy Spirit will continue to enrich my life with His Gift. I don’t think we can ever get too much of the Good News. To know that He is everywhere and that He is at my side every second of every day as He is with all of His children, is truly a glorious thought. Meditate on that thought for a while, let it sink in and enjoy it. He is with you, now and always. Jesus said, ‘Lo I will be with you always.’ Not sometimes, but always. Imagine, if you will, we are always in His presence; awesome. This is a time of trying to do what He wants us to do and we have help. His character manifests itself in us in accordance to the time we allocate to the Holy Spirit to help us develop. He’s willing, are we? In 2nd Corinthians 3:18, Paul says, “But we all with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” Putting this in another way, as we let the Holy Spirit work within us we become more and more like Him and reflect Him more and more. This is a lifetime process and is the reason we are here. When a sinner is saved the Holy Spirit indwells that person; He becomes a permanent resident; what we need to do is to elect Him President. Ephesians 4:12-13 tells us helpers are provided to help us grow in Christ until the day when we will be like Him with Him. If that isn’t a glorious future, I don’t what is. It is a wonderful thing to know why we were born, what life is all about, and to know why we are here and where we are going and the help we have until we get there.
If you have yet to make a decision for Jesus, I pray that you seriously consider His plea to believe in Him, to believe in the reason for the crucifixion and to believe that He rose from the dead and reigns with His Father in Heaven until He comes back again for us in all His glory.
In the meantime, “Let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the sons of disobedience. Be not partakers with them.” Ephesians 5:6-7.
A note of interest for you: Some 800 years before the crucifixion, the Psalmist, David predicted the death of Jesus, the Messiah by means of crucifixion. What is more startling then that is the fact that this was a means of Roman, not Jewish form of execution. The Lord has made it so easy for anyone to know Him, simply by reading His Word. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two edged sword and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” In other words it has the power to reach deep within each one of our personalities and to judge our innermost thoughts. As God was, is and always will be, so is His Word.
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