Yesterday, we talked about THE PERFECT MAN!!! (Refresh your memory HERE) "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil." (Job 1:1)
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As we learned yesterday, the Bible says that Job was PERFECT!!! And if you don't believe me, I CHALLENGE YOU, to argue with God on that...or maybe that's not a good idea!!! Anywayz...
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Have you ever wanted to be perfect? I mean, lets be real, I think we all have. Of course we say we don't because it seems like an impossible thing to achieve. Buuuuuuuuuuuuuut what if I let you in on a little secret, WHAT IF told you, that you could be perfect?
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Your probably thinking, really Mary? That's an impossibility, I mean, you may be Mary and all, buuuuuuuuuuut you don't actually have any super-power secret to make us be perfect? Weeeeelllll maybe I do!!! You say, besides, no one is perfect but God. And I would say to you, Hmmmm… where'd you get that from? Does the Bible ACTUALLY SAY THAT no one is perfect. Well you say, I don't know exactly where but that's what my mom always said!!! (Well my mom sure did;) I would say to you, well THINK, try and pull a scripture out of your head that alludes to non-perfection in us.
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And you will say, well the Bible says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, OR perhaps, None is good but God, etc... BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUT NONE of those scriptures actually use the word PERFECT...HMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!! Weeeeeelllll Mary, you already told us yesterday that the Bible says Job was perfect, soooooooo I guess that means Job and Jesus were the only perfect men, there's no way the rest of us can ever be them!!! Hmmmmm… You say it's impossible to be perfect???? Hmmmm…
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If perfection is not a possibility for us, then WHY does God tell us to be perfect???? " Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." (Matthew 5:48)
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Why would God tell us to be something that is impossible for us to achieve??? Maybe because being perfect is ACTUALLY NOT IMPOSSIBLE!!! Perhaps God's definition of perfect is different than our human perception of it. As humans we think of PERFECT as having absolutely no weaknesses or mars on our bodies. The perfect person has no struggles, no negative tendencies. Webster defines perfect as being entirely without fault or defect: flawless
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However, according to the King James Bible Dictionary, Perfect means to complete, to do or make through, to carry to the end. In Job 1:1, where it says that Job was perfect, it also goes on to describe more of him. that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil." (Job 1:1) After the Bible says Job was perfect, it goes on to say what I believe is in God's eyes perfection. He was upright, he feared God and he eschewed evil.
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The Biblical definition of upright is: Honesty; integrity in principle or practice;
The Biblical definition of Eschew means: to flee, shun and avoid evil. And to fear God means a specific sense of respect, awe, and submission to Him.The perfect man was upright, he feared God and eschewed evil.
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How to be perfect 101
1. Be Upright (Be honest live with integrity, in business, socially and in family dealings)
2. Fear God (Respect, honor and submit to Him)
3. Avoid Evil ( Don't take your Holy Ghost into compromising situations, when you see evil look away and if it comes to you walk away from it, don't embrace it.)
YOU CAN BE PERFECT!!!
Does any of those three things really seem that hard to you??? Well, maybe if your THE DEVIL, but if you really, truly love God, those three things should just come naturally to you. Do I have a super power to help one be perfect? ACTUALLY, yes, I DO!!! It's called THE HOLY GHOST!!!
Think about it, Job was a perfect man, and he didn't even have THE HOLY GHOST living inside of him. How much more can we be perfect when we have the precious gift of the Holy Ghost. "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you..." (Acts 1:8)
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And Job being perfect doesn't even mean that God never had to discipline him. In Job 38 God completely tells him up!!! "Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and answer thou me."
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And because Job was perfect, he changed his tune with God. Pefectible means having the capability of becoming or being made perfect. Are you perfectible? Are you willing to let God work on you? Are you willing to obey the Holy Ghost when conviction grips your heart? Are you willing to make the changes God requires of you to become perfect?
"But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (James 1:4)
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We all have faults and weaknesses, we all have our struggles. A perfecter is one that makes perfect. God is our perfecter. God is the one that smooths out our folds and wrinkles, He is the one that puts on the finishing touch to his masterpieces. Not ourselves, not others but God alone is the one that finishes and completes us to make each and everyone of us perfect.
"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ" (Philippians 1:6)
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No one's perfect, they say you can't be perfect...ACTUALLY YOU CAN!!! Not humanly perfect, BUT Godly perfect. Perfected means finished and completed. We strive to live perfect down here, upright, fearing God, avoiding evil. Then only when we leave this world behind and go to our perfecter, will we truly be PEREFECTED!!!
FInISHED.
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COMPLETED.
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PERFECTED.
"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7)
♥Mary Frances :)
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