Image Investment

For those He Foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son.

Romans 8:29

The story today is of a woman who is looking a piece of furniture that she loves, and she imagines how perfectly it would go with all the other things in her home. She looks at the price tag, it's so expensive. She calculates how much overtime she would have to work to pay for it. About this same time a friend from her church spots her. Her friend comes by to tell her about the new ladies bible study they are planning, and wanted to know if she wanted to participate. The woman had forgotten all about the bible study, and the truth was if was going to be working so many hours, she really wouldn't have time for it. In fact she really was having trouble now fitting her quiet time into her life daily. She felt the Holy Spirt nudge her, and told her friend that she would love to participate in the bible study.

I am so like this woman. I want nice things for my home, for my children, and for myself. I want my home to look like the homes in the magazines. I worry about what I look like, and I worry about what other's think. I get so busy with all the things that I have trouble spending time with God, the lover of my soul. That is the main reason I started this blog, so I would be accountable for my quite time with God, and that I would get into a routine of doing it daily. I am sad to say that if I did a graph of my time, it would fail miserably in the the things that truly matter. I'm sure I would be quite shocked to learn exactly where all my time is going, and probably ashamed. Jesus doesn't care about what my house looks like, if my kids are wearing matching clothes, or if I have that designer purse. He cares about what my inside looks like, and what my relationship with Him looks like. "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:21.

Steps of Faith:
Lord, I want to look more like Christ. Show me how I can grow more like Him each day.

Deeper walk: Romans 12 NAS
Personal responsibility

Therefore I urge you, breathren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spirtual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone amound you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are on body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accourdingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be without hyprocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, perservering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Respect what is right in the sight of all men. If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men. Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGENCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. "BUT IF YOUR ENEMY IS HUNGRY, FEED HIM, AND IF HE IS THIRSTY, GIVE HIM A DRINK; FOR IN SO DOING YOU WILL HEAP BURNING COALS ON HIS HEAD." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.