We all have our favorite verses. Some of them we love because they’re
comforting. Others we may have memorized for that extra boost of
confidence or encouragement they provide when we really need it.
But here are five verses that would absolutely change our lives – for the better – if we really believed them…
me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of
me.”
When it comes to the sayings of Jesus, this is one I wish wasn’t in
the Bible. And I’m not alone in that. I’ve heard many young moms ask me
how they can love Jesus more than their own child. And furthermore, how
could God actually expect them to? Yet Jesus wasn’t suggesting that we
be negligent in our concern for others. Nor was He merely suggesting
that we like Him a lot. He was commanding total allegiance. The Son of
God who became our Savior demands and deserves to be first place in our
hearts.
I believe He was fleshing out the “first and greatest
commandment” when He said this, and showing us what it looks like in our
lives to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your
soul and with all your mind and with all your strength”(Mark 12:30). If
we really believed Jesus when He said we must love Him more than our own
parents and children – more than what is closest and dearest to our
hearts – our lives would look radically different in how we honor Him,
sacrifice for Him, and show a daily love and devotion toward Him.
2. Romans 8:28-29 –
Here’s
one we love to quote, especially the first part of the verse. But when
we look at the entire verse, along with verse 29 – “For those whom he
foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…”
(ESV) – we get the bigger picture of what God is doing in the lives of
believers when we encounter struggles. In the NASB translation, we
discover that “God causes all things to work together for good” in order
to make us more like Christ. When we truly believe that God not only
works in, but causes events in our lives to conform us to Christ’s
character, we will no longer doubt, worry, stress, or become anxious
when hard times hit us. We will instead rest assured that God is at work
in every situation in our lives to make us more like His Son and
nothing – absolutely nothing – takes Him by surprise.
3. Galatians 2:20 –
lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son
of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”
If you and I
really considered ourselves crucified with Christ and our motto was “I
no longer live, but Christ lives in me” we’d be much less concerned
about our personal image or reputation and we’d be all about Him and His
concerns. When we truly die to self, we no longer worry about whether
or not we’re getting respect for who we are and what we do. We wouldn’t
be bothered by misunderstandings that cast us in a bad light, situations
that are to our disadvantage, circumstances that humiliate us, jobs
that are beneath us, or rumors that are untrue. Being crucified with
Christ means His name is my name. I can live knowing He’s got my back
because it’s His back. That must be what Christ meant when He said,
“whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25, NIV).
4. Philippians 4:13 –
verse because it appears to be a victory chant for our ability to do
anything. We perceive it as God wants me to prosper, therefore I can do
all things. But in context, the Apostle Paul was saying he has learned
to live in whatever circumstance God put him in. “For I have learned to
be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with
humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and
every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going
hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things
through Him who strengthens me” (verses 11-13, NASB).
Are you
wondering if you can live on your meager salary? Is God calling you to a
ministry and you don’t know how to fund it? Are you wondering how you
will persevere in your physical condition or continued diagnosis? This
verse is an assurance to us that as we surrender to Christ, He will
enable us to live in whatever circumstances He has called us. Next time
you start to think I just can’t live like this remember you can also do
all things (even endure your situation) through Him who gives you
strength.
5. James 1:2-4 –
you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let
perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not
lacking anything.” One of the most difficult struggles for believers is
understanding why we have to struggle at all. Yet this verse packs a
promise. Our testing and trials produce in us perseverance, which in
turn results in our maturity and completion. In the NASB, we are told
that the endurance learned through suffering will make us “perfect and
complete, lacking in nothing.” Isn’t that what we strive for? To be
perfect as Christ is? Yet we can’t without His help. God’s Word tells
us, straight-out, that we can be perfected in Christ Jesus when we not
only endure our difficult situations, but when we actually consider them
joy. If you and I really believed this, we’d be much happier at the
things that continually bring us down. We’d be joyful, knowing we were
on our way to maturity and completion in Christ.
You really should start believing these verses and living differently.
[written by Cindi McMenamin]
