Conforming to His Image #128

2 Thessalonians 2:13-14
13 But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.
14 And it was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NAS)

The ministry of the Holy Spirit in your life is to sanctify you, or make you holy. Your spiritual life is dependent upon the Holy Spirit. You cannot make yourself holy. You cannot grow yourself spiritually. You can through your openness to the Holy Spirit's molding and making you like Jesus give HIm a door for His work, for your spiritual growth.

You can place yourself under the control of God's Spirit and he will grow you in Christ-likeness. The Holy Spirit lives in you. The Bible tells us that the purpose of God is to conform you into the image of Jesus. In your life right now He is at work to make you like Jesus. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control. These are characteristics of Jesus. He is developing these qualities in your life as the Holy Spirit sanctifies you or makes you holy.

What areas of your life is God working to conform you to His image? How is He accomplishing that transition and change in you? Are you like a piece of clay allowing the potter to mold you into the image of Christ, or are you like a piece of iron, hard and unyielding?

God wants to use your life for His glory. He accomplishes that resuly by conforming you to the image of Christ. Whether it is in our relationshp with God or with others; our lifestyle, or our attitudes and actions God is completing wht He begun in you. He is making you like Jesus, sanctifying you, making you holy in order that your life would glorify God. Today allow God to mold you like soft clay into His likeness.

___________________________Today's personal note from Dennis

Greetings from Tempe, AZ!

What a wonderful day. Sometimes when I wake up I just have this wonderful feeling that this is going to be a great day. Today is one of those days. Hope you are having one like that.

Sandy and I leave on Thursday (14th) for Quartzite. We will be leading devotionals and sharing our faith with all who will listen. Pray for receptive hearts. We always enjoy being with the Campers on Mission Roadrunner chapter from Arizona. What a fun bunch of folks. We will be working with the Quartzite Southern Baptist Church all week.

God has certainly blessed us this past year. It has almost been a year since I was last hospitalized. I visited someone in the hospital on Tuesday and had many memories flood my mind of th 62 days I spent there in 2009-210. Not many were pleasant. Even the smells brought flash backs of hospital experiences. I hope to never have again.

I pray God will bless your life today and prepare you for the joy He has for you.

Love you all. ~ DGW