BE PERFECT: “I am NOT perfect!”

by Tammy Phillips
April 8, 2024

The LORD will perfect [that which] concerns me; Your mercy, O LORD, [endures] forever;
Do not forsake the works of Your hands. (Psa 138:8 NKJV)

Morning thoughts….“I AM NOT PERFECT. I know that is news for some of you. (laughing hard!). Lord, You made me. Don’t give up on me. I am your work in process.” – Tammy

Let me say it again. “I AM NOT PERFECT.” My confession is “ I AM BEING PERFECTED.”

I make mistakes, sin, and miss the mark, EVERY DAY. We all do, Christian and non-Christians.

For we all stumble and sin in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says [never saying the wrong thing], he is a perfect man [fully developed in character, without serious flaws], able to bridle his whole body and rein in his entire nature [taming his human faults and weaknesses]. (Jas 3:2 AMP)

I am not a perfect daughter of God.
I am not a perfect wife to Kris.
I have not been a perfect mother to my boys.
I am not a perfect mother-in-law.
I am not a perfect daughter to my Mom, Dad, nor stepmom.
I am not a perfect sister-in-law, aunt, nor neighbor.
I am not a perfect friend.
I am not and have not been perfect! Do you know ANYONE that is besides Jesus?

I do not. Thank God for His grace, mercy, and lovingkindness. He sent Jesus here to pay for ALL our mistakes. He paid a debt He did not owe, and we could not pay.

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle [you]. (1Pe 5:10 KJV)

If you are a follower of Christ, or you are following your own way, know this, as a follower of Christ, Christians are being changed (that is an action verb) into the image of Christ. It is Christ who makes us perfect. When children grow up, they grow up to be like their Mom and/or Dad. Christians grow into being like Christ. When we invite Jesus into our life after we recognize we are in need a Savior, He saves, heals, delivers, restores, repairs, completes, and perfects us. It is a lifelong process and project. There is no pill one can take to become perfect. The way of perfection is by following one man, Jesus. It is acting like He acted, talking like He talked, walking like He walked, loving like He loved, and doing what He did.

We are a life-long project of being perfected.

Let me tell you my truth, it is HARD TO LOVE like Jesus when you would rather cut someone with words. Jesus says, “love your enemies.” His word says to walk in love. His word says to crucify the flesh. (Gal 5:24)

Recently, I had to be in the presence of someone who is a liar, who has accused me of being a liar and has tried to harm my family with words. I felt sick at the thought of being in the same room with this individual, but duty called. The word of God of course showed up to help me decisively crucify my flesh and nail it: “Some people making cutting remarks, but the words of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs12:18) I am a spirit man, but I still live in a human body. When someone has hurt me or a loved one, my first thoughts are not toward bringing healing nor LOVING them, but My Lord calls me to love my enemies and to crucify my flesh.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk, (follow, keep in step, and get in line) with the Spirit. (Gal 5:25 Tammy’s Expounded Version )

It is not easy being perfected into the image of our heavenly Father. Transformation from a complete mess to perfectly complete is painful!

Not that I have already obtained it [this goal of being Christlike] or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on so that I may take hold of that [perfection] for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own. (Phl 3:12 AMP)

I encourage you, next time you so quickly want to judge me or another for not doing, saying or being perfect, pause and remember, I AM NOT PERFECT, and neither are you. BUT GOD…as a Christian, I AM working on it.

Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Mat 5:48 KJV)

Viva Magenta: Live. Breath. Be perfectly perfected.