Menu

alt

How Do You Think Like Jesus?

Ever wish you could tell someone, like Jesus did to the Pharisees, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you...”
Wish you could see through the murkiness of all the details to answer like Jesus when the Pharisees brought the woman “caught in adultery”? 
Where was the man?
I suspect one of the Pharisees. 
Jesus didn't answer them. But wrote in the sand. 
The Bible doesn't say what He wrote, but I suspect he wrote names of other Pharisees who practiced adultery who were standing right there.
The Bible does say that the Pharisees went away, "beginning with the older ones." John 8:1-11.
Wonder what to say to someone grieving? 
Jesus told Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life.” 
Martha thought he was teaching her a doctrinal lesson, Jesus was giving her hope now.

Of course Jesus was God and knew what was in all hearts.
And we can't read other's minds.
But the Spirit was sent to live in our hearts at our salvation.
He is there to direct, convict, and make known His will.
That includes telling people what they need to hear.
Stephen in Acts 6 was selected to serve and solve problems with the widows.
He was described as "full of grace and power, doing great wonders and signs among the people."
His response when those from the synagogue questioned him shows how he knew the Word and depended upon God to choose what words to say.
Those who gazed at him, "saw his face was like the face of an angel." (Acts 6:15).
How well do you hear the Spirit?
Are you even listening to Him?

He’s not there as a passive resident. He’s there to rule.
As we submit to His initiative, we hear Him better.
But it’s more than just listening.
It’s slowing down our schedules, our lives, our wills so we can listen.

Jesus spent much time in prayer.
That means—he wasn't healing and helping people all the time.
He talked with His Father. A LOT.

Which means He knew what His Father had already told Him in the Scriptures.
He knew the Torah, not just the stories of their history, but the law.
He had spent time (as a boy going to the scribes) meditating on the Word.
(Wouldn't you like to have been His teacher for that?
—I wrote a Easter program from His scribe's perspective. HERE)
He brought the Scriptures to life, because He was the Scriptures. 

We want God to bless our 5 minute rush devotions before we run to do our things for our day.
And then we add a quick “bless me” prayer.
Jesus’s day was prayer—being constantly in touch with His Father.
And Jesus was saturated with the Word.

Do we want to talk like Jesus?
Then we must do like Jesus.
That begins with His Word.
Spend time in His Word, not reading what people say about His Word, but just His Word.
Meditate. Chew it up. Eat it. Make it become part of you.
When we do, we see what He desires.
It becomes what we desire.

Ever know twins who finish each other's sentences?
Or a couple who think so much alike they anticipates what the other needs before they ask?
Or siblings who say the exact same response?
Why? Because they spend a lot of time with each other. And talk. 
How do we get like that with God?
(We will never know the mind of God, but we can think His responses from His Word.)
TIME.

Know what that means.
Other things have to go.
Those influences that steer us from thinking on Him—social media, tv—we eliminate.
So we can focus on just Him.
With no distractions.
Is it hard?
No, because that is what we desire too.
Yet, it is hard because we are easily distracted. 
We say, "yes" to a good thing, but that wasn't what God wanted us to do.
That service takes us away from Him.

God brings opportunities to tell others about what He has taught us.
As we share, God brings the words to say.
They meet the needs of the hearer.
We are blessed to share.
They are helped to hear.
And God is praised.

How do we think like Jesus?
We must saturate our lives with His Word. 
And eliminate all else.
Listen and obey His Spirit.

​Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship,
And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. 
Romans 12:1.2.


Displaying 1 comment

I spend a lot of time talking and emailing with my cousin who is suffering so much after losing her husband in January. I try to share what she needs to hear without saying too much and it's a blessing when she lets me know I said just the right thing she needed to hear. It's not always easy, some days she is hurting so badly and I feel so helpless, yet I'm there for her and she knows it.

Your article sends my mind to thinking more about thinking like Jesus and it's only through His word that we can learn what that is. And you are right, rushing through our devotion time doesn't do it, so I'm consciously spending more time with Him each day. One of the blessings of being "retired."

I write about what matters...to you---
women, wives and moms---
about your family, faith and future.
I write about what's hard, what helps and what heals.
I show you how it's done. And not done.
I hold your hand as you find what matters to the Savior.
And let go of those things that mattered to you, but not to Him.
I write about what matters...to Him.
               Sonya Contreras

Faith
Find more articles about faith here:
What Were You Thinking?
Who Are You Watching?
Boundaries for a Better Life
God's Boundaries
Memories of a Hero Mom
The Ripple Effect
How Do We Think Like Jesus
Litany of a Waiting Woman
Ever Cook a Frog?
New Year's Reminders
They Galled Her Gammy
When God Speaks
A Russian Christmas Story
Be Thankful
Be Grateful
Are You Tired of the Same, Old Thing?
  (reprint)
Laughter—Why Laugh?
Mom
Are You Disturbed?
Unity of the Brothers
Encouragements To Declutter
Do You Have Too Much Stuff?
Too Much Stress
Getting Past the Noise—The Value of Silence
Are You Scatterbrained?
How Good Are You?
Looking for Something Good To Read?
A Cup of Cold Water
I Will Trust When I Cannot See
Encouragement—What Is It?
Being in God's Presence
"Einstein and the Professor"
When God Is Silent
Do You Crave Beauty?
Using Stories to Discipline
The Danger of the Wrong Story
Using Stories to Teach Lessons
God is in charge of the future
November Dare Joy Challenge
Ungratefulness
Developing an Attitude of Gratitude
Looking for Jesus
What Do Your Prayers Reflect?
Life's Little Pleasures
Daniel—Greatly Loved by God
Take Every Thought
Jars of Clay
What Do Your Words Reveal about Your Heart?
How Do You Get Strong Faith?
Too Busy for God's Word?
How Do You Think Like Jesus?
Reflections from a Mom
Pain—What's It Good For?
Why Marry?
Consider the Robin
One Life Who Made a Difference
What Day Are You Living In?
Interrupted by God
Is Jesus Really the Answer to Everything?
Are You Beat Up?
What's Your Hurry?
Are You a Manipulator?
Are You Salty?
Are You Condemned?
Trying to Understand?
Do You Expect Answers to Your Prayers?
Do You Eat Your Stress?
Need Focus?
Going through Trouble?
Immanuel—God with Us
Looking for a Relationship?
When God Says, "No!"
What Do You Do with Left-Overs?
How Great Is Your God?
Are You Needy?
How Do You See Sin?
What Do Your Words Mean?
Is Evil Overwhelming You?
Those Aha Moments
Is Your Soul Happy?
Are You Ignored?
Looking for the God Moment
Do You Know Truth from Almost Truth?
I Believe in Jesus—What Now?
Do You Have Your "Son"-Glasses On?
Less Is More
Singing His Praise
Are You Trying To Do It All?
What Do You Do with All These Prayer Requests?
Have a Problem?
Do You Know How to Pray?
Looking for God in Every Moment
Are You Receptive to God's Blessings?
Tell the Senate: Mothers Aren't Birthing People
Is Your Life Complicated?
How Do We Fight Evil?
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
Giving Up or Taking Away
the Bible is simple
Are You a Dripping Faucet?
What's Your Testimony?
The Final Move
Be Careful What You Wish For!
Are Your Prayers Answered?
I Choose Joy
What Have You Learned from Your Hardship?
Who Are You Trying to Change?
What's Your Five-Year Plan?
The Danger of "Aloneness"
My Colors
Are You a Whiner?
Are Your Works Approved?
Do You Think You're Stressed?
Is Your Soul Feeling Ragged?
God Speaks to the Heart of the King
What about the Details?
Have You Felt the Long-Suffering of God?
How Does God Lead You?
Do You Have Enough?
Don't Carry More than You Need
Cast the Seed
God Is Faithful
Are You Deceived?
Are You Essential?
Are You Safe?
Are You Tired of the Same Old Thing?
Does the World Make Sense?
Have You Seen God's Majesty?
Do You Feel Judged?
If You Only Had One More Day To Live
Are You Understood?
Do You Long for the Word of God?
Slow Down and Smell the Dead Leaves
Are You Hospitable?
Our Heritage Is Bought by Blood
Are You Disturbed?
Are You Depressed?
I Did It My Way
Finding the Simple Life with Meaning
The Simple Life
Do You Have the Right Words?
Did Your Dream Die?
On the Other Side of the Fence
Marijuana, Mental Illness, and Violence
Confessions of a Desperate Mom
Saving for Tomorrow
A Wedding Remembered
Who Will Stand in the Gap?
Are You a Protector or a Ruler?
Who Are You?
Are You an Image Bearer or a Wad of Cells?
Are You a Watchman?
Where Do You Find Meaning?
The Lamb of God as Told by a Scribe
What Love Is This?
Remember: The Symbols of Passover Explained
Tea and Rest
Do You Have Peace?
What Makes a Marriage Work?
When Life Is Awful
Are You Strong Enough?
Rules
Seasons
Be Faithful through Suffering
Do You Know the Word?
Wake Up! Strengthen What Remains
Are You Spit in God's Mouth?
Is Jezebel in Your Midst?
Do You Stand Against Satan Himself?
Are You Tired of Being a Mom?
What in the World Is Happening?
It's Not My Story
How Would Your Faith Compare?
Are You Sinking?
Are You a Rule Follower?
Useful for Him
An Intimate Moment with Mary
The Worldview that Makes the
   Underclass

Thoughts to Ponder
What Does It Take To Know the
    Heart of God?

See the Story in the Stars
Do the Scriptures Burn You?
Being in His Presence
Contentment: It's Not for the Timid
How Secure Are You?
How Do You Respond To Stupid People?
The Earthworm Is My Hero
Heart Issues or Issues of the Heart
Things Aren't Always What They Seem
More faith articles are found here:
alt
under the Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Or here:
alt
under the Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Articles on Suffering can be found  here, 
alt
under Table of Contents. Also available in book form.
Special Days
Remember: The Symbols of 
   Passover Explained
    

Aug 12, 2017 The Heavens Declare the Glory of God
July 4th, Freedom
What Is an American Soldier?
Valentine's Day: A Day of Love?
Memorial Day-A Day To Remember
Veterans' Day-To Honor Our Men
Fall Colors
First Thanksgiving Day
    Proclamation

Christmas: Stories behind the Songs
Christmas: Stories behind the Songs, part 2

Author of Biblical fiction, married to my best friend, and challenged by eight sons’ growing pains as I write about what matters.

Receive weekly articles by giving your email address below: