Every day I focus again on my determination to “live a life worthy” – worthy of being called a Christian (Ephesians 4: 1), one who is following Christ “in word and deed” (Colossians 3:17), a righteous man. I have been called by God to be an ambassador for Jesus Christ (Ephesians 6:20; 2 Corinthians 5:20). All believers have been called to this.
My life goal is “to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior—a life that expresses gratitude to God” for saving me and giving me the right to call myself one of His children. I can call myself that – because He calls me that!
It’s not pretentious of me ( – Google: “attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.”) because I admit: I most certainly have not attained “worthiness” before God, or man. Quite not. But, I’m working at it. It’s a process: taken 66 years already! I must be a slow learner. [I’m a’ workin’ more on that!]
That’s why most days, most often I begin prayer with “gratitude”, something like:
“Oh my God Jesus, I’m so aware of my inability to live this live for You on my own. I come to You this day, again, acknowledging my sinfulness and utter dependence on You – to make me a more righteous man. Cleanse me of all that is not pleasing to you and fill me anew with Your Holy Spirit.
Make me powerful in humility, gentleness, patience, and love for those I encounter today – to the point of showing them loving tolerance (Ephesians 4:2), even when I feel myself wronged by them in some way. I know this is not in me. I cannot do this if it’s up to me. So I look to You. Make me powerful in love so that Your name is praised, not mine.”
I know it’s not from me – when I am “kind and helpful… tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving… [readily and freely].” (Ephesians 4: v32) I know myself. Some of these are still rearing their ugly heads inside the cavern of my heart:
“bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor [perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding] and slander… along with every kind of malice [all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence]” – Ephesians 4:31-32
Inside myself I know that only God can break my selfish heart and fill me with love and a forgiving spirit. It’s only Him. And it will not happen unless I seek it.
The wild and crazy stallion heart
looks so free his head raised high
he kicks his heels and races freely down the field (YouTube)
but who can ride him, use him, love him
with no restraints the rebel races on
Only God
can break
my wild and crazy
stallion heart
I want to be
gentle, kind and useful
not some wicked
wild and crazy
stallion heart.
That is what He’s called me to. I’m a workin’ more on it. “Please be patient with me. God is not finished with me yet.” That’s the way I want to be with all those around me, too. Patient.
Sources:
Ephesians 4:1-3 Amplified Bible (AMP)
…live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called [that is, to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior—a life that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation],
2 with all humility [forsaking self-righteousness], and gentleness [maintaining self-control], with patience, bearing with one another [a]in [unselfish] love. 3 Make every effort to keep the oneness of the Spirit in the bond of peace [each individual working together to make the whole successful].
Colossians 3:17 Amplified Bible (AMP)
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 Amplified Bible (AMP)
17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ [that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Savior], he is a new creature [reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit]; the old things [the previous moral and spiritual condition] have passed away. Behold, new things have come [because spiritual awakening brings a new life]. 18 But all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ [making us acceptable to Him] and gave us the ministry of reconciliation [so that by our example we might bring others to Him], 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting people’s sins against them [but canceling them]. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation [that is, restoration to favor with God].
20 So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us; we [as Christ’s representatives] plead with you on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God. 21 He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].
Ephesians 4:31-32 Amplified Bible (AMP)
31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor [perpetual animosity, resentment, strife, fault-finding] and slander be put away from you, along with every kind of malice [all spitefulness, verbal abuse, malevolence].
32 Be kind and helpful to one another, tender-hearted [compassionate, understanding], forgiving one another [readily and freely], just as God in Christ also forgave you.
FOR MORE:
More Than Conquerors – In Christ
Excerpt: No matter your sin. No matter the gravity of it. No matter how many years. No matter if you are born again or actively atheist…. God loves you, is calling you to Himself, and He wants you to repent and accept Him as your Lord and Savior. He wants you to follow Him.
Balancing out my faith with my practice
About past sins and being forgiven now
I am not the sum of all my sins
God forgives all wrongdoings of all repentant sinners, no exceptions
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