What Does It Look Like?

What does it look like, to live a life, for Jesus…?

Is it attending church regularly?

Is it praying without ceasing?

Is it helping the widow and orphans?

Is it traveling to foreign lands?

Is it giving money and time sacrificially?

Is it helping the people who are lost and needy?

Is it telling bible stories?

Is it preaching the good news?

Is it worshipping?

Is it singing songs?

Is it teaching, and exhorting…?

Is it witnessing for Jesus?

What does it look like, in the life of a believer, to live for God?

I thought about this and those questions came to mind. Then I thought some more and asked the Holy Spirit to show me what it looks like.

First it takes humility.

It means letting go of fear and anxiety.

Putting down pride and going to the Lord. How do you go to the Lord if you don’t know him? Glad you asked.

You seek out someone who does know him. Or, you just ask him.

“Lord, show me!”

Start with surrender. Realize you’re a sinner, meaning you’ve missed the mark with God. Then ask him. You can say something like this, “Jesus come into my heart, forgive me of my sins and be the Lord of my life. Show me how to live for you.” Then pick up a Holy Bible, the Word of God and start reading the four Gospels. There are different translations find one that you can read easily. Maybe the New International Version (NIV) or New King James (NKJV).

There is The Old Testament (OT) or (Covenant), located in the first part of the book. The second part of the book is called, The New Testament (NT) or (Covenant.) The first four books of the NT are Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They will tell you the story of Jesus’s life.

Before long you’ll begin to know and understand what is expected of you. Become a student of God’s word don’t just read it, study it. You’ll find that Jesus says, do not put off gathering together with other believers on a regular basis. The believers are those who are of the family of the Lord Jesus Christ, which by the way, welcome to the family. You may ask why you do this? Well, because meeting together and reading God’s word, will help you with instructions on how to overcome the struggles in your life. You will encourage one another in the faith, and as you go from day to day, you’ll begin to mature and understand what being a child of God, is all about. You’ll begin the process of being transformed into His likeness.

You will want to be, more like Jesus. You’ll take on His likeness. You’ll become kind and gentle and patient and faithful. You’ll love people even when they don’t love you back. The world’s attractions won’t entice you like they once did. And you’ll want others to know Jesus too.

Your character will change. You’ll go from being angry all of the time to being calmer. You won’t be perfect, remember it’s a process. But your attitudes will change. Circumstances may not change at least not right away, but things will be different inside of you. And, also remember it is by faith through grace that we live. We couldn’t earn salvation or deserve it. It is the free gift of God through Jesus Christ.

You’ll discover that He has given you gifts to use in His service. Maybe become a teacher or preacher or an evangelist. Maybe a missionary. Or maybe just a better you at what you do.

What does it look like?

For everyone it is different but I promise, you will not be the same, because the Holy Spirit now lives inside of you. Full access to our loving Holy God, who loves you without limits. You are unique. You are an individual. God doesn’t make robots you still have a free will to make up your mind you have a choice. But as you grow closer to the Lord, you may say how do I do that? By having a quiet time to talk to the Lord and let him talk to you. He talks to us through his word. Through others. Through a song. You’ll begin to recognize when it’s him and when it’s your mind or the enemy. Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you about that. But as you read God’s word, you’ll discover many things. But we won’t go into that right now.

Just keep it simple. Pray, which means to communicate with Jesus the Holy Spirit will guide you. Read the Bible. God’s word. Stay in the four gospels at first, because it is less confusing that way. And attend Church, to worship and fellowship with other believers. Do those things and before long you’ll discover what it looks like to live for God! It’s not a bunch of rules this journey with Jesus is a way of life. Fall in love with Jesus and you’ll know exactly what to do and what it should and should not look like.

God bless you on your journey!

~Marla Shaw O’Neill September 29, 2021

Romans 10:8-11 New King James Version ⁸ But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

1 John 1:9 New International Version ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Hebrews 10:25 Living Bible ²⁵ Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.