To Be Like Jesus

To be like Jesus...

Our topic today on the fruit of the spirit is goodness and the generosity it brings out in the world.

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided -

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

This great Hymn of the church was written by Thomas Chisholm.

He did not write this hymn because of something great, or even miraculous that had happened in his life, no, rather he wrote it because as he looked back over his life, he learned to see the great faithfulness of God. At age 75, he wrote those words;

Illus.

People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people will accuse you of alter your motive‘s. Be kind anyways.

If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.

If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today maybe forgotten tomorrow. Do you good anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

Mother Theresa wrote those words.

The goodness of God, along with His faithfulness in distributing His generosity is amazing! Not based upon our actions or deeds, instead only based upon the commitment and love God gives us on a nonstop basis.

The goodness and generosity of God is everywhere and anywhere, all the time...there is nowhere His goodness, generosity and faithfulness doesn’t reach, or that His presence does not touch...

Occasionally there are some who try to flee from God’s presence like the story of Jonah in the Bible… But it is an impossible task.

Psalms 139:7-10 NKJ

7.Where can I go from Your Spirit?

Or where can I flee from Your presence?

8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there;

If I make my bed in [c]hell, behold, You are there.

9 If I take the wings of the morning,

And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

10 Even there Your hand shall lead me,

And Your right hand shall hold me.

In the day we live in, sometimes we think how much further can humanity get from the presence of God…but no matter how far society seems from God, His goodness and generosity administered by His Love and presence is still there… His presence is even closer than the mention of his name!

It is only possible by His presence being available in our lives…to be afforded

the luxury of mentioning his name in the first place and expecting Him

to act on our behalf in the time of need!

Psalms 23:6 NKJ

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord

Forever.

Msg says it this way; Your beauty and love chase after me

    every day of my life.

Illus. To be like Jesus

To be like Jesus

All I ask - to be like Him

All through life's journey

From earth to glory

All I ask - to be like Him.

Jesus entire life was a life of generosity, filled with love and compassion for the lost, teaching them about the Goodness and faithfulness of His Father!

We are made in His image and wanting to be like Him should be a natural progression and desire. But saying and acting like are two different things. Saying is the easy part, however acting like Jesus as the ole saying goes; “is some big shoes to be walking in” because the flesh, always...wants to get in the way!

John 15:11-15 MSG

11-15 “I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love. Put your life on the line for your friends. You are my friends when you do the things I command you. I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.

We have been shown by example and we have been given the greatest gift known to mankind...it's not some theory of relativity and or quantum physics… and don’t get me wrong, those are amazing discoveries! But even more amazing, is the discovery of and the gift of Jesus!

And for those of us TBS who know to do good and choose not to do good, it’s a sin! Those who have tasted the goodness and generosity of God, along with God’s faithfulness are expected to give it away with the same easiness it was received.