Psalms 91:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.

Do you where prescription eyewear? I do and for the longest time I wore transition lenses. I loved the ability to focus in on things close to me or at a distance without changing glasses. Some call them lineless bifocals but when you have a good pair, everything between close and far distance can be brought into focus. There is no either or, but rather the ability to put everything into focus.

The same might be said of our spiritual sight. We might find it easier to focus on the immediate or we might have long range vision. Near vision takes in the immediate spiritual needs which usually involves personal spiritual growth and spiritual needs of loved one, wife and children. The distant vision is all about the hope to the future, our promises in Christ, those things to come.

Spiritual transition lenses allow you to focus on those things that are neither immediate nor eternal. That focal plane is filled with others. In this kingdom life the path before us is filled with people who are lost and need a savior or the saved who may need your service or will serve you.

At some point we all have to stop focusing on self and look to the needs of others. If we cannot then we are not fulfilling the servant’s heart part of our calling in Christ.

2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

Hebrews 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Romans 11:14 If by any means I may provoke to emulation them which are my flesh, and might save some of them.

Galatians 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

In Romans Paul indicates that emulation can lead to salvation, a good thing. In Galatians emulations is listed with an unsavory list of character flaws which leads to denial into the kingdom of God. Now I have to ask which emulation leads to salvation and which to destruction?

If I act like a Christian, am I a Christian? Is emulating Christian actions the same as being a Christian? It is a difficult thing to talk about when only God knows for sure what is going on in the heart of a man. It may very well be that the emulating Christian might not even be aware that they are not saved. It could even be that they are saved and do not understand the difference between emulating Christ and being Christ.

Galatians 1:16 says God wants to reveal His Son in me. That does not mean I am Christ, only that He dwells in my heart and wants to be seen. No amount of emulation on my part reveals Christ in me. That is an act and not Christ revealed. Emulation sound like a human effort to make God appear just because we call on His name. Jesus Christ is Lord and we answer His call, not the other way around.

1 Timothy 1:5 The purpose of this order is to arouse the love that comes from a pure heart, a clear conscience, and a genuine faith. GNT

His love aroused is not an act, it is not an emulation.