First Lady Butler Ministries

Speak Life Thought

By First Lady Butler

“The Perfect Life” Is there such a thing? Sounds like a movie, a fairytale, a wish, a desire, or just something that just is not possible. Is it really possible for anyone to live a perfect life? Most of you probably answered, “only in heaven.” Jesus closed his great Sermon on the Mount, with these words: “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven in perfect.” (Matt. 5:48). NKV says “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Does this imply that I have to strain to live a perfect life? Is that what Jesus meant? You mean in this world that I’m living in it’s actually possible to be perfect? With all the baggage that I carry, try to hide, throw away but pick up, don’t know how to rid myself of, or struggle with, even daily, there is a chance I can be perfect? Well let’s examine this for a moment.

Scripture tells us that no one is exempt from sin, for the Word of God declares that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). So Jesus is not referring to your nature in Matthew 5:28 but to your character. The term “perfect” in the Greek is “teleios,” which means to consummate (carry out) integrity and virtue. God’s love, which is shed abroad in the hearts of believers, is perfect. God expects us as His children to grow ourselves up to maturity in this area. In other words, we must become skilled in loving others. It is a struggle because the flesh wants to hate, hold a grudge, be mad, fight, cuss, complain, grumble, and bicker (need I go on)… Jesus instructed: ³⁰And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. ³¹And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. (Matt. 12:30-31) That my dear hearts is what it means to live the perfect life, that is, training and practicing how to love others.

In this mission journey we have been assigned to, one thing I have learned is that God will cause you to do ministry in ways you least expect, and He bestows it upon those who strive to live a perfect life. You see when you exemplify a perfect life--a life that is dedicated to serving others and helping them to reach a level of maturity--you advance God’s kingdom and quash the enemy’s assignments. It’s a choice that we must all make in yielding our will, emotions, agenda, and life totally unto the Lord. It’s a challenge indeed and there are times in which you just don’t feel up to living this “perfect life,” but you will find that as you make a commitment to serve Christ and reach and train others to become disciples of Christ, the favor of God follows you. Philippians 2:13 says, “It is God who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” James even lets us know that as we mature in love it requires that our endurance be developed as well. ⁴But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (James 1:4) Living the “perfect life” is being skilled at unselfishly loving others as Christ has loved us. Are you willing to live a perfect life for the Master?