From the desk of Steve Shultz:
The world wants to show us a different image than who we truly are... Read my good friend Bobby Conner's word and find out WHO we really should be reflecting.
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Bobby Conner:
Image is Everything!
Choose Your Image.. or His
"Image is everything!" Sound familiar? We hear this message continuously every day through every possible media—billboards, commercials, TV shows, ads, movies, and popular songs. Madison Avenue advertising firms spend millions in branding and marketing campaigns to persuade us of one thing: image is everything. And we're hooked. We spend thousands to perfect our appearance, buy the latest gadget and drive the sportiest SUV.
What is the advertisers' goal? To turn our gaze toward our own image, exalting self above God or anyone else. Madison Avenue seeks to persuade us to value surface over substance and equate success with outward beauty and status. Advertisers seek to brainwash us to make an impression and create an ambiance—rather than to express God's truth, die to ourselves and lay down our lives for others.
The Bible has much to say concerning image. Studying the Scriptures, we quickly discover that image is extremely important to God. Notice the significance of image in the very first chapter of the Bible, in Genesis 1:26-27:
God said, Let Us [Father, Son, and Holy Spirit] make mankind in Our image, after Our likeness, and let them have complete authority over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the [tame] beasts, and over all of the earth, and over everything that creeps upon the earth. So God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him, male and female He created them. (Amplified)
We are made in the image of God—and this is the only image we need look to for identity, purpose and joy!
Christ... the Image We Seek
Specifically, the image we resemble is that of Jesus Christ Himself. Scripture states that Christ Jesus is the exact image of God the Father:
[Now] He is the exact likeness of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible]; He is the Firstborn of all creation. Colossians 1:15, Amplified
Christlikeness is our highest goal. What does it mean to be Christlike? To be more and more like Jesus in our body, soul and spirit, in the intentions of our heart, the attitudes of our minds and the actions and behaviors of our physical body. To be transformed in every area of our being into the very image of God is the chief goal and joy of every person ever born!
Become Christlike...Through Yielding
How is this impossibly high goal obtainable? Only by the grace of God—and only by yielding ourselves to the control of the Holy Spirit!
Just as Paul the apostle declared that his highest goal and most noble quest was Christlikeness (Philippians 3:9-10), so our goal is also to be conformed thoroughly, without delay, to Christ's image (Romans 8:29). But remember, beloved: it is the grace, mercy and kindness of God that lead us to repentance and transform us into Christlikeness—not our own efforts. The transforming work of the Cross of Christ is altogether sufficient. Through the finished work of the Cross, we are translated from the kingdom of darkness and death into the Kingdom of God, of light and liberty and living love:
...that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His Blood, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:10-14, NKJV
Christ Jesus walked in the fullness of the Spirit, manifesting in the most complete manner the character and nature of God, which is the fruit of the Spirit:
But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness, Gentleness (meekness, humility), self-control (self-restraint, continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge].
And those who belong to Christ Jesus (the Messiah) have crucified the flesh (the godless human nature) with its passions and appetites and desires. If we live by the [Holy] Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. [If by the Holy Spirit [we have our life in God, let us go forward [walking in line, our conduct controlled by the Spirit.]
Let us not become vainglorious and self-conceited, competitive and challenging and provoking and irritating to one another, envying and being jealous of one another. Galatians 5:22-26
The pathway to becoming more and more like Christ is by our yielding to the Holy Spirit, Who will then create a true purity of heart within us.
Become Christlike... Through Repentance
Ask the Holy Spirit to search deep within your heart and mind to expose any and all intentions, attitudes or actions that are not exalting Christ the King (Psalm 139:23).
The moment sin is revealed, our first response is to swiftly confess and repent with godly sorrow, forsaking the sinful behavior, thought or motive and seeking to yield more and more of ourselves to the Lordship of Christ (1 John 1:9).
These are wonderful days to declare the transforming grace of God to a hurting confused world. As followers of Christ, we should walk in abiding peace (Isaiah 26:3). Our life should reflect the love of Christ! Why? We truly are a city set high on a hill that cannot and will not be hidden! Let the river of God's loving grace transform you into Christlikeness until His glory flows from your very life, as a fountain of refreshing mercy to those about you.
True Christlikeness is not merely what we say but rather what we do and who we are. Christlikeness is not something we can fake or act out with vain religious gestures. We can't create an "ambiance" of Christ without the real Holy Spirit on the scene. Indeed, the advertisement of Heaven rings out for all to hear: image isn't everything... but the image of Christ is everything!
Bobby Conner
Eagles View Ministries
Email: manager@bobbyconner.org
