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Perfecting the Image

Words of Faith Final

Perfecting the Image

Words of Faith 3-10-2021

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2021

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

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Ephesians 4

[15b] we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. [16] From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

 

       I remember when we first got one of the "new" LCD projectors at church.  It was a wonderful new technology but I always had to laugh a little when the projector was warming up because it would display the words "Perfecting the Image" for a few moments as it went through a focusing routine.  The image was never quite perfect, but I understood the meaning.  The projector was going through a process of focusing and setting brightness, contrast, and clarity.  It made sense, but I couldn’t help but think about the fact that this is what the Spirit is always doing in us!  Perfecting the image.

       Paul wrote that the goal of the Spirit’s work in us is to grow us up so that we will no longer be infants or those tossed by every faddish wind of teaching.  Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 

      Through the work of the Spirit in us, we will be more and more connected to Jesus and more and more reflective of His character. We will be set into a right relationship with one another and adjusted to one another.  We will be growing up into Him joined and held together by the supporting ligament of His peace. 

        This is how the image of Christ is perfected in us.  We grow and build one another up in love as each part of the Body does its work.  The design of the Body of Christ... is Apostolic -- without attachment to any cultural trapping...  Prophetic -- speaking to the ills of the culture out of God’s Word...  Evangelical -- with a constant burden for the lost...  Pastoral -- with a heart for the flock and an ear for where God is leading... and Educational -- with careful insight into God’s Word.

       Through the leaders, God has provided, we grow in love and in truth into Christ the head.  We make a decision at some time after the point of salvation.  We start asking-- Do I want to grow up in my faith and no longer be an infant in my walk with God? Do I want to be tossed and whirled about by teaching, deception, or fads?  Am I ready to speak the Truth of Christ in love to a world that desperately needs Him?  Am I ready to grow up into Him who is the Head?  Am I ready for the perfecting of the image of Christ in me and through me?

        Is the image of Christ being perfected in you?

 

       Lord God, do Your work in me of growing me up in You.  Use leadership in my life so that I might reflect more and more of Your image.  Perfect Your image in me.  In Jesus’ Name.

 

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2010, 2021

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)       

2820 Business Center Blvd.

Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.