No Goody Two Shoes

By Andrea Merrell

God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

Acts 10:38 NLT

 

The man was a saint. He lived a life of devotion and consecration to the Lord. He didn’t “cuss, smoke, or chew—or run with gals that do,” as my grandparents used to say. Some called him a religious fanatic. A wimp. A doormat.

But this man was no goody two shoes. He took the word holy seriously … set apart for sacred use. He was a perfect example of someone securely connected to the Vine and producing the Fruit of the Spirit.

Just like Jesus, this man “went around doing good.” The Passion translation says Jesus “did wonderful things for others.” But Jesus was also not a goody two shoes. He spoke when necessary and remained silent at the appropriate time. He confronted when the situation called for it and backed off when it didn’t. He healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons, and drove the money-changers out of the temple. He was meek and mild yet strong and mighty.

All God, Jesus left His glory in heaven to walk this earth. All man, He was tempted in every way but never succumbed to sin.

He was, is, and always will be our perfect example.

 

 Photo by Radek Skrzypczak on Unsplash

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As both God and man, Jesus was, is, and always will be our perfect example. via @AndreaMerrell (Click to tweet.)

 

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Holy Is a Four-Letter Word

By Andrea Merrell

 

Set yourselves apart for a holy life. Live a holy life,

because I am God, your God.

Do what I tell you; live the way I tell you.

I am the God who makes you holy.

Leviticus 20:7 MSG

God said to Moses, “Be holy.” Short, sweet, and to the point. That’s a tall order. Moses must have thought, Be holy like you? Seriously? But you’re Jehovah. Yahweh. The Great I Am.

The truth is God expects all his children to be holy, but too many people view it as a four-letter word—don’t understand it, don’t like it, can’t achieve it—so they ignore it.

But God never requires more of us than we have to give. And He doesn’t make things so complicated we can’t understand or comply. We do that to ourselves. We look at the synonyms—devout, godly, pious, saintly—and decide there’s no way we can meet the mark.

In Jesus Calling, Sarah Young clarifies what the Lord expects from us:

Holiness is letting me live through you. Since I dwell in you, you are fully equipped to be holy. Pause before responding to people or situations, giving my Spirit space to act through you. I want to inhabit all your moments—gracing your thoughts, words, and behavior. ~Jesus

We’re told in 2 Peter 1:3 that His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness. We have the mind of Christ, the Fruit of the Spirit, and the full armor of God. What more could we need?

Yes, holy is a four-letter word, just like hope, love, and give. God loves us so much that He gives us hope and the ability to be holy so we can be blessed and bring glory to His name. It’s a simple matter of letting Him live through us.

Will you let Him live through you?

(Photo courtesy of Blogpiks.com and Stuart Miles.)

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God loves us so much that He gives us hope and the ability to be holy so we can be blessed and bring glory to His name. It’s a simple matter of letting Him live through us. via@AndreaMerrell (Click to tweet.)

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