Do you really want to live a Godly life?

If you call yourself a Christian and a true follower of Christ; how much do you really want to be like Him? A.W. Tozer said, “There are no shortcuts to a Godly life. There are no shortcuts to sanctity.”

If the truth be known, most of us want an acceptable and more comfortable facsimile of a “Godly life” so we can appease our own consciences and still feel that we are acceptable to God. Perhaps it might be wise to consider what a Godly life really looks like?

II Timothy 3:12 “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

A Godly life will include persecution. Imagine saying, “Won’t you come to Jesus so you can experience a persecuted life?” More often than not, Christianity is falsely advertized as a sinner’s problem solver and his future will be a flower strewn pathway with blessings that abound and happily ever after life experiences.

The truth is….Christ IS a problem solver! He does daily load us with benefits! (Psalm 68:19) In truth, He gives us more than we even deserve! That is His mercy and grace spilled out on undeserving children of the Father.

The truth is, a Godly Christian walk is a cross bearing walk. It is a life of self-denial. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

A Godly Christian life is not about me. It cannot be about me. For every Christian who desires a Godly, holy life, you don’t want it to be about you! It is about death to self and a willingness to take up a cross and follow after Christ. It’s a desire to be like the One who paid the price for our wicked sin! How can I ever forget what He has done for me?

Psalm 66:16 “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.”

This Biblical mindset really changes the whole picture of present day Christianity doesn’t it? The Christianity of our world today is so far from self-denial and being like-Christ, that it is shameful. How many times in a day do we fall into that same way of living?

There is an old chorus that I have always loved and I have often wondered how many times it has been sung ….in hypocrisy…?

To Be Like Jesus

To be like Jesus, to be like Jesus,
All I ask…to be like Him.
All through life’s journey, from earth to glory…
All I ask…to be like Him.

Christianity…. Is this my true heart’s desire? Am I willing to bear a cross for my Lord? Am I willing to die to self in order to be like Jesus? Am I willing to suffer for Him to remain faithful to Him? Am I “into” Christianity for the “perks” that may come my way?

I really don’t have to verbally answer these questions….my life lived---already does.