Fresh Mannaby Pastor Tim BurtYou have probably heard these words spoken somewhere along the road of life. “… to whom much is given, much will be required…” You may or may not have known that these were the words of Jesus from Luke chapter 12:48.If you're a Christian, it’s because you made a choice and decision to pray to God, repent of your sins, and ask for His forgiveness. You also asked Jesus to become your personal Lord and Savior. That is the most important decision any human being can ever make on this earth! It will forever change your eternity. The moment you made that decision, God, through the Holy Spirit, gave you the opportunity and internal empowerment to take a radical change in direction. Whether that change has fully manifested or not depends—and still depends—on your choices.When you decided to accept Jesus Christ into your heart, a miracle happened. You were born again—not physically, but spiritually, by God. Through Jesus, God immediately forgave you, reconciled you to Himself, and washed your sins away. His Holy Spirit came to literally live inside of you, and your eyes were opened to begin seeing Bible scripture more clearly—to see life through God's perspective. That moment launched the ultimate opportunity for transformation within you. You became empowered by God to begin living an entirely new life.The degree to which you pursue God determines the degree to which you experience transformation. At no time does God override your free will or force you to act. He waits for you to call upon Him, to learn His ways, and to allow His influence to shape your heart and life. His will is for you to grow and mature so that you can help others. This is a higher standard He is calling you to. Will you answer that call?The moment you became a Christian, you received something greater than any gift ever given to humanity—the gift and privilege of intimately fellowshipping with God. As if that weren’t enough, you’ve been given the promise of eternal life. Beyond that, you’ve also received God’s precious promises of protection, provision, wisdom, and help. Additionally, you’ve been given His love and power to transform your thinking, character, and how you live your life. Most importantly, you’ve been entrusted with the ministry of touching others with God’s love. You have been made ministers of reconciliation.2 Corinthians 5:17-18 (TLB) describes it this way: “When someone becomes a Christian, he becomes a brand-new person inside. He is not the same anymore. A new life has begun! All these new things are from God, who brought us back to Himself through what Christ Jesus did. And God has given us the privilege of urging everyone to come into His favor and be reconciled to Him.”Luke 12:48 (TLB) says, “…Much is required from those to whom much is given, for their responsibility is greater.” These words remind me of the privilege of being a Christian and the responsibility of stepping up to its calling. They reveal that God calls Christians to live by a higher standard for the sake of those around them. This means I must pursue God and lean on Him to make the changes needed to meet that higher standard, not for my sake, but for the sake of others.As Christians, God gives us boundaries for living—not the Old Testament law, but a higher law. It’s called the royal law of love. It transcends legalistic thinking because it’s not about “What can I get away with?” Instead, it’s about living from a place of love and care, asking, “How can I best live Christ-like in my thoughts, actions, and example, and be a blessing to others?” This selfless lifestyle is motivated by love rather than personal selfishness or indulgence. James 2:8 (NIV) reminds us, “If you really keep the royal law…you are doing right.”Over the years, I’ve found that many choices I make are influenced by the example they set for others. Should I really be concerned about that? When examining this question, I think of 1 Corinthians 10:24 (NLT): “Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others.” While most people don’t naturally think this way, God calls us to do so. He calls us to live by a higher standard so that others will see Jesus in us and desire to learn what makes us different. Everyone searches for God and the meaning of life in some way. You can be the person through whom they see God. It’s the greatest life you can live and higher standard of living for a higher calling—to be the light of Jesus to the world around you!In your own effort, you could never achieve this, and Satan will constantly whisper “failure” and “unqualified” every time you fall short. But God knows better. He knows that through the power of the Holy Spirit living in you, this life is more than possible. It is God who has washed away your sins, and the Holy Spirit from within that is God's loving voice to lead you, pick you up when you fall short, and help you again and again. He is what keeps you qualified and this is His will for your life!Philippians 3:14 (KJV) " I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."In His love,Pastor Tim BurtIf Fresh Manna is a blessing to you, I'd love to know. Click here: FreshMannaFeedback
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