May 20, 2009

“Paul … to all the believers in Rome, God’s friends … to believers cleaned up by Jesus and set apart for a God-filled life … to you faithful believers … to all followers of Jesus … to the stalwart followers of Christ …” Romans 1:1, 1 Cor. 1:2, Eph. 1:1 … Phil. 1:1, Col. 1:2 The Message

Yes … You are different …

Becoming a follower of Jesus makes you different. You become known as a believer … Your life has been “cleaned up” by Jesus himself … You’ve been set apart for a life that is “physically — visibly — and audibly” a God-filled life. Yes … you are different than others not known as believers .. faithful followers … stalwart followers of Christ. It is not a religious title. It is a changed life … changed by Jesus … filled with living hope … indwelling peace … and empowered inside and out by the Holy Spirit. It is not a religious life. It is a JesusLife. You are different. There are day to day struggles … even battles with influences that want to steal .. divide .. deceive .. isolate .. condemn .. and even destroy everything that Jesus has done and is doing in you. So … we pray for each other … walk alongside … share lives .. and love as if our lives depended on it. Your life is different … because of Jesus. It is not “Jesus and _____” … It is just Jesus. And you give away because you are different … You are a Christ Follower and that makes everything you do today evidence of His life in you. It is not about being perfect … It is about belonging to Jesus. That makes you different today … It only takes a moment

“Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope!” Romans 15:13 The Message

Ken Chester: Grace-Gripped is sent M-F Believers belonging to Jesus and friends of Priority One (ken@priorityone.org)