In His Image - 31 August 2018
Neville Turley
“Take my yoke and put it on you, and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in spirit; and you will find rest. For the yoke I will give you is easy, and the load I will put on you is light.” Matthew 11:29-30 (GNB)
God uses his children to grow his kingdom. Jonah was the most reluctant evangelist and probably the only one who was angry with God that his message of impending doom led to people repenting and being forgiven.
Jonah, as effective preacher as he was had issues, just like all of us have issues.
In every generation, evangelists play a crucial role in pointing people to God, but they cannot make decisions on behalf of their listeners. Just like the Ninevites had to turn to God and seek his forgiveness for themselves, so does every individual. God deals with each one of us on a one-to-one basis.
Once we accept Jesus as our Saviour and Redeemer, we have our passport to heaven. Nothing can take that away from us. Glory, Hallelujah.
However, our nature does not immediately change, that process takes longer. The issues we had before, the temptations that plague us, will still bother us. However, although we may look the same we are different. We are now new people indwelt by the Holy Spirit who is at work helping us to overcome our issues and moulding us in the image of our Lord Jesus Christ.
That moulding process will continue until the glorious day when the gates of heaven swing open and the Lord welcomes us home.
Prayer: “To him who is able to keep you from falling and to bring you faultless and joyful before his glorious presence - to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, might, and authority, from all ages past, and now, and forever and ever! Amen.”
(Jude 1:24-25)