TargetPoint Volume 12 of 32
Todays Verse/Thought: Intimidated? Or Intimidate?
1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Life Implication:
We all know about one or the other: to be INTIMIDATED or to be an INTIMIDATOR. Both are motivated by fear. Whichever way a person goes most likely has to do with their particular personality. I'm not going to go into detail about how either of these looks in today's world, rather I want to remove the ID, interestingly enough, our English word for EGO, from intimIDate . . . and what we have left is the word INTIMATE. Let's take an INTIMATE look at our Savior.
Here was a Man who had every reason to be intimidated, for he landed right in the middle of a bunch of self-righteous men who prided themselves in keeping the law of Moses. Here was a Man who had every reason to be fearful, for He knew He was headed for the excruciating pain of the cross. But Jesus was intimidated by no one. He knew the heart of man . . .
Here was a man who had every reason to be an INTIMIDATOR. For after all, He was the Son of God, the Wisdom of the ages. But, He never sought to intimidate anyone. When the Pharisees brought Him the woman caught in adultery, it was a two-edged sword they were trying to wield. They were trying to intimidate the Master but He would not be . . . And, they wanted Him to intimidate the woman . . . but He would not.
Jesus' life breath was the Father. He didn't let the world intimidate or govern Him. He set the role and is our model. Here is our example, an intimate look, at true freedom. Jesus shows us the antithesis of walking in fear and therefore, being free from bondage. Seeing who Jesus really is, is what is liberating!
Life Application:
Today, let's continue in our quest to become intimate with Jesus . . . ask Him to remove the ID, EGO from INTIMIDATE and replace it with INTIMACY with Him. Take a look at how you function. Perhaps you are given to being an intimidator. . . or perhaps you are intimidated easily. Ask God to show you the root of fear behind your behavior. Seek to spend time with Him, reading the Word, praying and praising Him. This is the pathway to intimacy with the Father.
Tomorrow In TargetPoint:
Your Pound of Flesh!