More thoughts on Just Like Jesus

Just a few more thoughts on Max Lucado’s book “Just Like Jesus”. He talks about how important it is to listen to God first hand. We shouldn’t depend on our pastor’s interpretation or Christian radio or Christian books.

In order to do this we should have a regular time and place set aside for prayer. And we should have an open Bible because God speaks to us through His word. Also we need to come with a listening heart prepared to put into practice what we hear God say.

I love this quote from his book, “We know we are listening to God when what we read in the Bible is what others see in our lives.”

Another good point he makes in this book is that God is always with us. He says, “We are always in the presence of God. We never leave church. There is never a nonsacred moment! His presence never diminishes. Our awareness of His presence may falter, but the reality of His presence never changes.”

He suggests practicing the presence of God: really working at feeling God with you at all times and communing with Him all day. The more time we spend with someone, the more we begin to think and act like them.

Just Like Jesus

I just read a book by Max Lucado called Just Like Jesus. I always get so much out of his books. In this one his theme is “God loves you just the way you are, but He refuses to leave you that way. He wants you to be just like Jesus.”

Max says we aren’t stuck with today’s personality. If we are a worrier or a pessimist we don’t have to stay that way. He says we can have the same peaceful, pure heart that Jesus does. But, then he says something surprising. He says if we are in Christ, we already have the heart of Christ. Once we become believers Jesus takes up residence in our hearts.

One of the reasons Jesus had the heart he did was His constant contact with God. He also worshipped, prayed and memorized scripture. So the book examines Jesus’ heart and what He was like. It talks about the way Jesus forgave people, how He had compassion on them, how He not only listened to, but obeyed God.

Thoughts from In the Grip of Grace

I just finished reading Max Lucado’s book In the Grip of Grace. His chapter on Sufficient Grace really spoke to me. He starts by telling us that God’s gift of grace is sufficient, but often we don’t want to accept it or we want it different or we want more.

But, then he hits home. When we pray for something we don’t get. He says we are just doing what the Bible tells us to: “ask God for everything you need” (Phil.4:6)
And we ask and ask and wait and wait.

Max then asks the reader a question. “What if God says no?”

Basically – will we still love God? Will we still praise God? Is God any less in our eyes if He says no?

If God’s only gift to us is our salvation – is it enough? Max says from heaven’s perspective; grace is enough. He goes on to remind us how Paul prayed three times to have a thorn removed from his side. Various things have been suggested over time as to what that thorn might have been, but we don’t know. Whatever it was it bothered Paul intensely.

Max wrote that if God had made Paul’s life easy, Paul might not have focused on God so much. He may not have been strong enough to stand up to all the legalists. He may have felt he was self-sufficient and didn’t need God. He may have become conceited.

Then the focus shifts to the reader as he asks, “You wonder why God doesn’t remove the enemies in your life? Perhaps because he wants you to love like he loves. Anyone can love a friend, but only a few can love an enemy.” “You wonder why God doesn’t heal you? He has! If you are in Christ, you have a perfect soul and your body will be perfect in heaven.”

I love where he says, “God would prefer we have an occasional limp than a perpetual strut.”

From Max Lucado’s “It’s Not About Me.”

When our deepest desire is not the things of God, or a favor from God, but God Himself, we cross a threshold.