MirroringGod'sImage

Mirroring God's Light

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Have you ever noticed, how couples who have been together in an intimate, loving relationship begin to look alike? This is the concept of intimacy and how God wants us to begin to "look like" Him, to mirror Him. God desires to have an intimate relationship with us. Intimacy causes us to be like Him. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Intimacy also produces "children." Just as a couple may produce children in our human life, an intimate relationship with God will produce children of the kingdom. It is important at this point to note that in this intimate relationship, unity is more important than the gifts. As a side point, important thing to note in these days is that when the Christians pray, the violence stops.

2 Corinthians 3:18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I would like to encourage you to begin nourishing the heavenly vision for your "neighborhood." Envision and pray for angels to open the glory of heaven for your neighborhood. Pray for the King of Glory to come forth in that neighborhood- where you live, and/or where you work. Confirm that God has placed you there to pray. It is no mistake that you are where you are right now, around the people you live and work around. See your environment, with the mind of Paul when he arrived in Athens:

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean." (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. Acts 17:16-26

Begin to approach your neighbors and co-workers neighbors as he did. God has placed you in the exact place where you live and work (time and space). You have a destiny; a purpose God put you there to seek His face for your neighbors - to see their needs and to pray for them -to mirror His face to them ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The next thing I want to share with you is the concept of evangelism praying. We will begin with personal preparation. God wants us to abide in Him - to walk in the light with God and with each other. Because: 1) If we don't, He will not hear our prayers 2) He wants us to bear witness for Him. If I am out of synch with someone, I am walking in darkness. God will always raise a standard of righteousness for us.

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. 1 John 1:5-10

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
2 Cor 3:18

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Cor 4: 6-7

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Did you get that? Let me repeat an important concept: In order for God to hear and answer my prayers, I must walk in the light - in fellowship with God and with others.

Psalm 66:18 If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened;

If I am out of His will, HE will not hear me. This does not require morbid introspection. This does require daily repentance for my sins. If I don't forgive everyone of everything, He will not hear my prayers.

"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins."
Mark 11:22-26

I cannot hold anything against anyone anytime anywhere.

"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.
Matt 5:23-24

This passage talks about offering sacrifices. I cannot worship (offer sacrifices) if anyone has anything against me, or if I have offended anyone. Everything in the kingdom is based on relationships. Because God first loved us, we have to get things straight - and to give up the right to be right. If we are right with God, He will do the rest - in His time. This may take hours, days, or years. The timing is His, not ours! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ God wants to use us to deliver others from darkness:

"Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you. Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart. He will deliver even one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands."

Job 22:21,22,30

Once I am right with God, He can use me to "teach transgressors the way."

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Psalm 51:10-14

If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:7-8

"the fruit" = the lost being saved = "having children"

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

John 15:16

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ He chose me and prepared works for me (Eph 6) To be a witness, a light house We are to shine like stars:

so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life--in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.

Phil 2:15-16

God can use my pitiful amount, just as He did with His disciples:

Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat." Matt 14:16

To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Col 1:27

It does not matter how much I think I have to give to His work. No matter how little I seem to be able to offer, He can do great works through me if I am willing and obedient. It is narrow-minded, self-centered thinking to believe I am not important in His work because I have so little to offer! I encourage you to remember, God can use my pitiful small amount to feed thousands! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CHOOSE THIS DAY to establish a Lighthouse in your home! Please visit PRAYER CARE SHARE
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