When we were back in India, a strong woman of the Lord taught us all about life resolutions, things that we wanted to do every day of our lives, things that would make us look more like Jesus. So I decided to come up with some of my own.
- Do everything to reflect Jesus: words, actions, and thoughts
- Love people like Jesus did: sacrificially, unconditionally, always pushing them towards the Father, love through actions not just words
- Praise Jesus for all he has done in my life and share testimonies:(“For this, O Lord, I will praise you you among the nations, I will sing praises to your name.”-Psalm 18:49 “O Lord, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens.” – Psalm 8:1 “I have told all your people about your justice. I have not been afraid to speak out, as you O Lord, we’ll know”- Psalm 40:9) Glory to God over my own comfort, not afraid to speak out
- I will go to God with my struggles and troubles remembering that he suffered the cross, and that hard times bring growth when we submit to him
- Live FEARLESSLY: (“The Lord is my light and my salvation-so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” -Psalm 27:1) live in Gods perfect love, because perfect love casts out all fear
- Be a good steward: I will not waste away blessings the Lord has given me, but instead be thankful and wise of how I use them.
- Live with joy! (“You show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” -Psalm 16:11 “I take joy in doing your will, my God for your instructions are written on my heart”- Psalm 40:8)
- Don’t worry: (“do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”-Philippians 4:6-7) submit everything to the Lord and always have the knowledge that he will work everything together for our own good and his glory
- Study the word: it is a lamp and a light, it is the only way I will get through life and be dependent on the Father
- Live and move by the Spirit: be in constant communication with the Father and the Holy Spirit asking him what he wants me to do and where he wants me to go and what he wants me to say. And then actually doing it!
- Always delight in his laws: follow the Bible and personal convictions so that I look more like Jesus, try to look as different from this world as possible
- I would be lead and taught by Jesus and him alone (“Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you.” -Psalm 25:5)
- Be a woman of integrity: (“The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.”- Proverbs 11:3) doing what i say I’ll do, being faithful, living above reproach
- Take rest when tired: finding rest in the Lord and physical rest so I don’t get burnt out
- Never allow my body to become more important than the creator of it: (“For physical training is of some value, but godliness holds value for all things, holding truth for the present life and the life to come.” 1 Timothy 4:8)
- Be strong and courageous: ( Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”- Deuteronomy 31:6) do what the Lord tells me to do in great confidence
- Abide in him and him in me: (John 15: 1-17, take a look yourself!) to always find time in my secret place with the Lord, to constantly be in his word, prayer, and his presence
- Live solely from a place of overflow: go through life being so filled up by Jesus that all my actions are just an overflow of my relationship with Papa
- Live without comparison: choose to believe that we have all been made different, no one better now one worse, but all in the image of the Lord (Jesus says I’m enough, is that enough for me?)
- Take advise and wisdom from others: get advise and council from people who have been following the Lord longer than me
- Be the church: (Acts 2: 42-47) kionania, fellowship, encouragement, community, others over yourself
- Only speak life over people: use my words only to encourage others in the name of Jesus, not to bring death and hurt
- Highest joy is to do his will and finish his work: Always have my eyes set on Papa and what he is doing in every situation
- Pray that the Lord would reveal himself to me and in me: everyday this is my prayer
- Live as the Lord is my rock, strength, and shelter! (“I love you, Lord; The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise and he saved me from my enemies.”-Psalm 18:1-3)
- Never people please or be influenced by others (“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my go, I would not be Christ’s servant”-Galatians 1:10) I want to live in a way so I will only change myself to look more like Jesus, not to look more like the people in this world.
- Commit everything to the Lord: give every situation, conversation and thought to Papa
- Live above reproach: live in a way that people would never question my relationship with the Lord because of my actions or speech
- Be where my feet are: (“This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it”-Psalm 118:24) don’t wish away where I am because the Lord has something for me here, instead be joyful and thankful for where the Lord has placed me.
- Be joyful in suffering: (“dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way consider it an opportunity for great joy” -James 1:2) this doesn’t mean be happy all the time, but instead seeing the purpose in our suffering, and that the Lord will use everything to glorify himself and that is where my hope is
- Have a gentle boldness: walk through the world knowing the spiritual authority that I hold, but always choosing the fruit of gentleness
- Live unashamed, but I don’t always have to be loud: (“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes- first the Jew then the Gentile.”- Romans 1:16) speak about Jesus and never deny him, but always remember that actions speak louder than words
- Serve the Lord with reverent fear (“Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling”- Psalm 2:11) be in a constant state of mad respect for The King of Kings, remembering that he doesn’t need me, but chooses to me
- Eat with people in fellowship: (Acts 2)hospitality and inviting people into my home, sharing Jesus and being the Church like in Acts 2
- Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for him to act (“Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for him to act”-Psalm 37:7a “I waited patiently for the Lord to help me and he turned to me and heard my cry.”-Psalm 40:1)
- Choose into God’s will: surrender each day to Abba and listen to the Spirit of what the Father’s will is
- Daily surrender myself: (“If Amy of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross and follow me.” -Matthew 16: 24) pick up my cross daily, surrender my wants and my needs to God, following him no matter the cost
- Long for Jesus as a deer longs for water: (“As the deer Kong’s for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the loving God.”-Psalm 42:1-2)be so dependent on God that I need him and his word as a deer needs water (many times a day every single day)
- Worship the Lord undignified (“Come, everyone! Clap your hands! Shout to God with joyful praise! For the Lord Most High is awesome. He is the great King of all the earth.” -Psalm 47:1-2) dance, be in silence, sing, scream, cry, jump, or sit. It doesn’t matter what I do, but I never want to people please or limit my worship because of others around me.
- Live purely (Psalm 51) keep promises that I have made to myself and to the Lord, keep my mind pure in what I watch and listen to
- Renew my mind daily: (“don’t conform to the patterns of this world, instead be transformed by the renewing of your mind “- Romans 12:2 constantly be in the Word and setting my mind to have a kingdom mindset
- Live missionally with urgency: be a missionary EVERYWHERE I go and always sharing the gospel with urgency, remembering that this time we have here on earth is very short compared to eternity in heaven.
This list will grow as I do, but for now this is how I want to live my life, loving God and loving people. Being a sinful human, I will continue to fail living up to all these statements, but as I become closer and closer with God some of these will become easier, but most of all I will have to fight for them everyday!
