Gimmie 3 Steps

A Christmas "Re-Post": Things I Need to Remember - Especially while Shopping

I Need to Be:
1. Grateful
2. Cross Focused
3. Scripture Stained

I. Grateful

Circumstances affect our lives and attitudes. We should not deny that this is true. But our lives do not have to be shaped by circumstances; our hearts do not have to be controlled by these things. Beginning each day with gratitude is difficult but necessary. It involves adjusting our perspective so that God’s goodness is in view – as opposed to our circumstances. (1 Tim. 6:6-8)

Some days our hearts may be heavy and only able to admit that God has given us life, but this is a place to begin. If we do not even acknowledge God’s life-sustaining power, then this lack of gratitude can lead to a totally self-focused day or (if left unchecked) way of living. If we begin with the basic truth that God has given another moment of breath and life, this act of gratitude can lead to the perspective shift that will enable us to continue throughout the day with a grateful heart, which should lead us to gratitude in other areas: family, friends, even employment and financial provision. (Is. 42:5; Ps. 150)

II. Cross-Focused

Connected to the need for a grateful perspective is the need to contemplate the cross. Dwelling on the significance of the cross – even if just for a moment – should lead us to a genuine sense of gratitude and humility. If our day is shaped by the thought that Christ the Lord, though the rightful king and God over all of humanity, humbled himself and served us best by his self-sacrifice, then we will be marked by this thought the whole day through. (Phil 2:1-11)

Looking at Jesus is like looking at a map before you leave on a trip. You really only know where you’re going once you’ve taken a good, hard look at the lay of the land. And you really only know what kind of person you are supposed to be by taking a good, hard look at the only person who was ever perfect at doing God’s business – the only person in whom God, the Father, was “well pleased.” (Mark 1:11)

III. Scripture-Stained

We see the cross of Jesus best through the scriptures. In the Old Testament, we see it anticipated. In the Gospels we see it carried out and glimpse the heart of Jesus. In the Epistles, we see its implications for life and application to the church. We should spend time reading the scriptures and bear the marks of our contact with these wonderful writings of God.

If we read and walk away without thinking any further about what we’ve read, then we have missed the point. We need to be stained by our contact with the bible like our fingers get stained from coming in contact with blueberries or engine grease. There should be evidence of what has touched us. We should be scripture-stained.

This means that we must ask for the Holy Spirit to remind us of what we’ve read throughout the day and help us to bring the truth of scripture to bear upon our lives, which will continue what we have begun in adjusting our perspective and by contemplating the cross. This will help us to be grateful and challenge us to live in “the way.” (Acts 24:14-16)

-wp