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Conformed to His Image. Living in the Shadow of the Cross. The Invitation of Christ. 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
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Conformed to His Image Living in the Shadow of the Cross
The Invitation of Christ 28 Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Matthew 11:28-30; NKJV
Come to Me • Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. Luke 9:23; NKJV
Conform to His Image • “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29; NKJV) • Thinking • Speech • Behavior
Conform to His Image • Developing the Mind of Christ • Sow a thought; reap an action • Sow an action; reap a habit • Sow a habit; reap a character • Sow a character; reap a destiny
2 Corinthians 10:5 • “bringing into captivity” – make captive, like a prisoner of war, to bring under control (Strong’s) • “thought” – perception, intellect (Strong’s) • “obedience” – compliance, submission (Strong’s)
What am I thinking about? Why am I thinking about it? “…every thought…”
Why this matters… • Out of your heart spring the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23). • The mouth speaks out of what fills your heart (Luke 6:45). • Out of your thoughts come acts of defilement (Matthew 15:18-20).
What am I thinking about? • Ways to glorify God or ways to satisfy my selfish desires?
What am I thinking about? • The wisdom of men or the wisdom of God?
What am I thinking about? • What the brethren think or what the Lord thinks?
What am I thinking about? • The popular culture or the Word of God?
What am I thinking about? • Other women (men) or my wife (husband)?
What am I thinking about? • Things of the flesh or the things of the Spirit?
What am I thinking about? • How to make $ or laying up treasure in Heaven?
What am I thinking about? • The here and now or the not yet?
What am I thinking about? • This world or the world to come?
Why am I thinking about it? • My selfish desires… • The wisdom of men… • What the brethren think… • Popular culture… • Other women (men)… • Things of the flesh… • Ways to have more stuff… • The here and now… • This world…
What I ought to be thinking about…(Philippians 4:8) • True • Honest • Right • Pure • Lovely • Of good report • Virtue • Praise
Before you act, stop and think… How will this affect my relationship with… • My Heavenly Father? • My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? • My Earnest of Salvation, the Holy Spirit? • My self? • My parents…siblings…physical family? • My wife (husband)? • My children? • My employer (employee)?
What to do… • Gird up the loins of your mind! • Be sober! • Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ! • Be holy!
Philippians 3:12-16 • Every child of GOD is a work in progress and it is His goal to take us and to shape us more and more into the image of Christ. • PRESS (VERB) – dioko – "to pursue," is used as a metaphor from the footrace, in Philippians 3:12, 14, of "speeding on earnestly,” (Vine’s). • Are you “pressing?”
Beloved Press!
“…the firstborn among many brethren…” • GOD wants a family. • He wants His family to look like Jesus. • Jesus is my elder brother. • I will conform to His image!