Struggling to do what JESUS would do?

Do you remember the phrase “What would Jesus Do?”   Of course you do!  It’s a phrase that most people are familiar with.  I remember it being something very common during my high school years.  Whether you have asked the question, been asked by someone, or recall the various WWJD bracelets, t-shirts, stickers, or hats this phrase is something that many have seen and/or used.  But WHY?  If you recall, all this paraphernalia was everywhere.  My thoughts as I sit here reminiscing is (1) Does this question have significance for the way we should live?  (2) Or was it used as a way to make a profit from the Christian community?  I won’t go into detail about how I really believe that this was used as a money making business, but I think it’s interesting, but that’s a whole different blog. However, I do want to take a look at how we sometimes struggle to do what Jesus would do. 

So I’m not sure where the whole phenomenon began, but as I think back one thing that is clear is that it was suppose to be a reminder of how Jesus would deal with specific things and situations that occurred in our daily lives.  You’ve heard the phrase. You may have even seen it on a billboard: WWJD – “What Would Jesus Do”.  So if we see a person in need or we have a conflict situation with a friend, family member, or co-worker we should seek to question ourselves on the way in which our heavenly Father would handle that specific situation. We should ask ourselves what would Jesus do in this situation?  I think it’s a great way to think yet, I know exactly how I would handle this situation.  I’ve often told my colleagues on various occasions that “Ms. Lee is about to leave take heed because Tracy Niccole is about to come out”.   In all seriousness, Tracy Niccole does not filter…She’s blunt, brutally honest, and not very nice. Now there are different stages of her depending on the situation, but I have to kill her daily.  It may sound crazy, but daily I’m faced (many of us) with struggles and difficulties and temptations that require me to kill the flesh.  So, this reminder of WWJD is great advice.  Jesus is our role model…and it is HE that we should emulate.  We have to get away from who we used to be.  I’ve heard other people say, “Girl, if I wasn’t saved” or “She lucky I’m saved”.  It’s funny, but we have to remember that we’re not that person anymore.  That person is dead. 

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away, and look, new things have come.

Do you struggle to do what Jesus would do??

How many of us acknowledge what Jesus would do…but then don’t do it? It’s a BIG reason why non-Christians look at Christians and label us hypocrites.  Whatever we say we must do.  We can’t simply say one thing (which is you just talking) and then not do it.  To be a true disciple of Jesus Christ, we must take action. Until we do this consistently, outsiders will continue to look at us as all talk, and no action.

What does it mean to "struggle" with something?

I have had the opportunity to speak with several men who say they have struggle with lust.   In my opinion, when they say they struggle with lust I believe that they mean that the try to fight against it, but the temptation gives in and they end up giving in to their lusts.  These same men will say that they are trying not to sin.  Well, how are you trying?  Are you watching the company that you keep?  Are you avoiding television shows that promote lust and a desire for sex?  Are you foregoing music with sexual lyrics?  How are you showing God that you are trying to fight against it?  If we keep doing what we’ve always done we’ll always get the same results.  SO what are you doing differently?  How has your mind set been changed?  Can they actually say that they are trying to overcome lust? Will God believe them when they say that they tried?

I’m not saying that a Christian will not have struggles with temptation. I’m simply saying that when a Christian is tempted, he/she must love God more than the temptation.

Luke 13:24-27

“Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because I tell you, many will try to enter and won’t be able once the homeowner gets up and shuts the door. Then you will stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up for us!’ He will answer you, ‘I don’t know you or where you’re from.’ Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets!’ But He will say, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you’re from. Get away from Me, all you workers of unrighteousness!’”

We are promised that no temptation will be too difficult for us because God will make a way for us to stand up under every temptation.

1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it.

A Christian is someone who struggles against sin and then gains the victory through Christ who gives him strength. Christians do struggle with sin...and then get the victory through faith.  Rather than asking the question "What Would Jesus Do?," a better question for most people to ask themselves would be: "What Would Jesus Have ME Do?".

 Be blessed,

~ Tracy                                                 

Here's Pinky Promise STL!! Wonderful group of women that I feel priviledged to have met that simply love Jesus and have a desire to know more of Him. Check out Heather Lindsey's blog for more info about the group.   

Time Well Spent…With Christ!

I had a recent conversation with a friend of mine just the other day.  She talks a lot more than me, but we hadn’t talked in such a long time that we were playing catch up because so much time had passed.  We talked about work and school and family, and some of this and that, but the conversation went well into the night.  I was happy to be able to catch up with her and wished that our lives weren’t so complex that we didn’t have to wait weeks and months before connecting with one another.  As usual (because that’s the type of relationship we have), we talked about Christ. I absolutely love it when I’m able to have a conversation and Jesus pops His way in there.  Thank you JesusJ!  We ended our night after a few hours of catch up, and I managed to spend a few moments praying before I passed out because it was late.  The next day, my heart was heavy.  I was mad at myself for only giving God a few moments of my time. 

Hence where this topic comes from.  We have to make God a priority and not something that comes in when time allows or presents itself.  I want to be known as a person who diligently seeks to know Him. 

What causes us to want to spend time with Christ?   ♥ What exactly does spending time with the Lord mean? ♥ As someone new (or old) to the Christian faith, how do we encourage others to set time aside for Him? ♥ How do we encourage ourselves that in the midst of everything that spending time with Christ is a priority? ♥ How much time should you give daily? ♥ What are we supposed to do during that time?

As Christians we have to spend time with our Father.  You can’t expect to know Him if you don’t spend time getting to know Him. We live in a world that is full of relationships.  We have relationships with our parents, friends, brothers, sisters, colleagues, aunts, uncles, cousins, husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, church members, school peers, professors, acquaintances, teachers, grandparents, etc.  Our world is full of relationships!  With that being said, how do we develop those relationships as well as the one with Christ without putting Christ on the back burner?  In fact, where does our relationship with Christ fit in with the ever growing list of things to do, work, and family?

Without having quality time with Jesus our relationship is nothing more than an acquaintance. Do you really want to simply be an acquaintance of Jesus?  I just wanna dig into this a little deeper because I think it’s important for our understanding. Acquaintance is defined as 1) One's slight knowledge of or friendship with someone 2) Knowledge of a person acquired by a relationship less intimate than friendship. 3) Someone you know a little, who is not a close friend.  Does this sound like your relationship and knowledge of Jesus?  People, we have to do better.  WAKE UP!

Philippians 3:8-11

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.  I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead! (New Living Translation)

Know that if your relationship with Christ is lacking and you haven’t been as good a friend as you should have to the Lord; take heart.  God has provided a way.  Isn’t it amazing to know that God has provided a way for you to turn your life and your relationship around?  You can simply say, “Lord, I don’t want to be just your acquaintance.  I’m sorry for not treating you like the almighty God that you are. I want to know you as more than a mere acquaintance.  From this day forward Lord God, I will know you and you will know me like never before. Amen”

2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (King James)

In developing a relationship with Christ, there has to be a sense of need.  We have to recognize that we are absolutely nothing in ourselves.  Our motivation to spend time with the Lord is “an ever deepening realization” of our need of Him.  Knowing our sense of need in Christ allows us to seek Him and spend time with Him.  If we don’t know or think that we need Christ we’re not going to make time for Him.  Why would we?  We need Christ in all facets of our lives; therefore we have to make an effort to spend time with Him daily.  I need him to guide me, keep me, clothe me, teach me, feed me, and comfort me.  I need Him for EVERYTHING.  There is nothing that Tracy is capable of doing on her own.  Because of this need and desire for Christ I want to spend time with Him. This sense of need becomes the reason why we seek Christ.  

By daily spending time with the Lord, we are putting ourselves in a position for transformation to take place.  If we truly want God to transform our lives we will be strongly motivated to sit in His presence and endure the process of transformation.  The process of transformation.  I like the way that sounds.  As Christians we want to be transformed and God is committed to transforming our lives through this relationship with Him.  How is that done?  By earnestly seeking Him and spending time with Him.  This requires that we set aside time regularly.  Not when time presents itself and not when you have a free moment after you’ve taken care of everything else.  When making time for Christ remember who He is and all that He has done for you.  You’re not just making time for some random person; you are making time for The Father.  Because of who He is, we should always have time set aside for Him.  He has to fit into our schedules.  That’s a requirement! I like to create habit in my life.  When spending time with Jesus, I do it every day at the same time.  Some people like the morning, others mid-day, and many (like me) prefer night.  Whatever time you choose, be consistent.  Make sure the time you choose you are dedicated to spending time with Him and studying His Word.  Some say it takes 21 days to form a new habit.  Well make spending time with Jesus your new habit.  Take the 21 day challenge.  Set time aside everyday at the same time and spend it anyway you choose with Christ.  See where you are in 21 days. 

So I challenge you.  Can you spend quality uninterrupted time with God through prayer, worship, studying, and/or hearing His voice for 21 days? 

2 Corinthians 3:18

“And we all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting as a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit.”\

Without spending time with the Lord, there is no possibility for us to experience a solid transformation.  This scripture shows us the process that is to be taken place by those that desire to be transformed.  As we behold the glory of the Lord in His Word we are then changed into His image.  We are infused with the elements of what He is.   What we behold we become.  Think about that for a moment.  What we behold we become.  What types of things do you behold??

I used to be a fan of reality TV.  I still am.  I only use the word in past tense because my schedule doesn’t allow me to watch it and keep up with the latest episodes as I would like, but believe me if I had the time I would certainly be in front of the TV daily watching the ever unfolding drama of The Housewives of Atlanta, Basketball Wives, Keeping up with the Kardashians, Jerseylicious, The Bachelor, and so on.    What’s funny is that I enjoy these shows, but the reality is are these things the things I am beholding.  I think of it in this way.  A person that spends hours watching reality TV or just television in general will eventually begin to reflect, mirror, or imitate those things they have been beholding.  We become influenced by these things.  In contrast when we spend time with Christ beholding Him we reflect Him.  That should be the ultimate desire.  The result of beholding Him is to be changed into the likeness of Christ.  “When the people of God look into the Word of God and see the glory of God, the spirit of God transforms them to be like the son of God”. 

There is true value in spending time with Christ that I want us all to experience.  So I encourage you all to get out your bibles, journals, note cards, and start spending time with The Father. 

Time well spent is Time spent with Christ.

Love you all,

-Tracy

(Me, in Memphis this past weekend)