Imitate Christ – The Father’s Chosen Son – Conclusion

Jesus’ entire ministry on earth up to His crucifixion was completed in submission to His Father’s will – He always did what pleased the Father (John 8:29). His baptism was Jesus’ public declaration that He was accepting His ministry and death on the cross, to which the Father gave a joyous response – “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” (Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 1: 10-11; Luke 3: 21-22).

As children of God we too please our Father when we submit to HIS will and obey His WORD. God delights in those who glorify His name before unbelievers and rewards us with abundant life – He becomes our all sufficiency and we want for nothing. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

In God’s dearly beloved Son, we have the perfect model for godly living – so we study Jesus’ commands to learn of Him and do as He says. Our daily lives must imitate Christ’s if we are to remain in the Father’s will and receive the reward of His pleasure.

Put God first –

• Our possessions or talents should not become idols. We must be mindful that everything we are and have are gifts from the Father and so our boast must be in Him only. “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches… those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. Jeremiah 9:23-24
• Jesus Himself acknowledged that He “…can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything he is doing.” John 5:19-20

Love God’s People –

• Jesus Christ was GOD in human flesh, but He set aside His Divine Privileges and Sovereignty to come to earth and save the lost. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke 19:10)
• The Father in His love sent the Son who in turn is sending His followers, the children of God. He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Mark 16:15.
• Let us then with meekness, humility and gentleness and not and attitude of arrogance, self-righteousness and pride seek out the lost and share the gospel of hope as the Savior commanded us to do. We too have received His grace. “…but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

Maintain a Peaceful Attitude –

• With a peaceful and gentle spirit Jesus drew sinners of His day to Himself. Many became devoted disciples and followers. Jesus quietly endured torture and suffering – the man of sorrows and acquainted with grief was reviled and persecuted but remained meek before His persecutors, trusting His Father with the outcome. Don't you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? Matthew 26:53
• By nature Jesus had authority to change His circumstances but He did and said nothing to jeopardize or change the outcome of His assignment here on earth. “…while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously…1 Peter 2:23
• Children of God should also have a quiet and gentle personality at all times. These characteristics are especially attractive to the soul in turmoil who are hungry for a restful place. Like Jesus we must be an oasis of comfort and encouragement for people in pain, even at the expense of our own hurt. “….as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3: 12

Cultivate Godly Friendships –

• Jesus carefully selected those who were His closest friends, not because they were perfect but because He knew they would love and support Him and His ministry unto death, His and theirs, even before they did. Except for Judas whose betrayal of Jesus was allowed to fulfill the scriptures – Jesus kept His disciples close. He mentored them, taught them what He knew and prayed for their safety and protection here on earth. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. John 13:1
• Children of God are a family and as Christian brothers and sisters we ought to be best friends to each other. As with our earthly families, we give support, comfort and encouragement to each other so we can all be our best in and through Christ and together prosper in the spirit and mature in holiness.
• Just as Jesus loved His friends with all their imperfections and flaws we must love each other. This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another….let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another... 1 John 3: 11-24

Daily we must resolve and commit to walk as Christ walked to ensure we continue in all things for and to the glory of God. Success is guaranteed if we depend fully on God’s grace and the power of His Holy Spirit, rather than our own wisdom.

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Holy Father, you are the Eternal and Living King. Thank you for sending your Son Jesus to be Savior of a lost and dying World. Thank you for your WORD which is your wisdom from above that is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, and without hypocrisy. Thank you Father for being our great reward and our exceeding great joy, no other can compare. In YOU we have all that we need. To you Father belong all dominion, all power and all glory, for ever and ever. We pray and ask all things in the precious Name of Jesus Christ our LORD, the NAME above all names. Amen!

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile

Imitate Christ – The Father’s Chosen Son – Pt. 5-2

Continuing our examination of ways to I.M.I.T.A.T.E Christ’s life and habits in our social life. We have acknowledged that our Father gave us free will; that all things lawful are available to us, but not everything is good for us.

Expediency - Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Matthew 5:11

In Choosing To Love God Rather than Our Pleasures

“There will be perilous times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God — having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them!” 2 Timothy 3:1-5

These words define a characteristic that is all too prevalent among some who claim the title “child of God” – the love of money and its pleasures.  Activities commonly described as innocent pleasures and amusements of life are lawful, but a child of God who habitually indulges in such will ultimately come to prefer them over loving God. In JESUS’ own words, “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.” Matthew 6:24

Those who seek fulfillment from the created rather than the Creator are named as having a form of godliness but denying its power – salvation through God’s Son and sanctification through His Holy Spirit.

The unregenerate world may view such persons’ character as good enough to get into Heaven, but God disagrees with that opinion. God’s WORD actually commands that those who are seeking to love Him, honor His law and serve Him diligently above all else must sever relationship with those for whom the pursuit of worldly pleasures are priority over the pursuit of the Father – “Have nothing to do with them!”

For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. 1 John 2:16

Lusts of the flesh are among the most offensive and grievous sins against the Father, and expressly forbidden in the WORD of God. These include:   

• Gluttony, self-indulgence, over-indulgence of any kind including over-eating, spending excessively and beyond our means to acquire material goods we don’t really need - Sodom’s sins were pride, gluttony, and laziness, while the poor and needy suffered outside her door. Ezekiel 16:49
• Sensuality, casual flirtatiousness with the opposite sex – all sexual sin
• Carousing and drunkenness
• Lewd talk, back-biting, and jesting

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5: 19

These and all similar pleasures that are clearly forbidden in the word of God, are in all occasions and in all circumstances, sinful; and those who pursue them are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.

Other pleasures and pursuits may not be sinful in themselves nor expressly forbidden in God’s WORD, but may become sinful when pursued in a manner that is disproportionate to the pursuit of the things of God, so as to replace our divine duties. When God’s divine law and duties are always last on our list of priorities or non-existent in our daily pursuits, we are in danger of being outside of God’s providence.   

This could happen with the most innocent and ordinary of daily lifestyle activities. For instance the time we spend – with friends, watching TV, reading novels and other non-religious books and material, working out and doing other athletic activities, movie-watching, on social media sites, over working, on any tasks to which we assign inordinate amounts of time that interfere with our duties to God and His people.

We must prayerfully examine our lifestyle to identify activities that habitually prevent us from responding appropriately to God’s expressed commands to...

• Make the best use of our time, Ephesians 5:16
• Pray without ceasing, 1 Thessalonians 5:17
• Glorify God in all that we do, 1 Corinthians 10:31
• Deny ourselves, 1 Corinthians 6:12
• Put our personal needs aside to help others, Philippians 2:3
• Take up the cross and follow Christ, Matthew 16:24

A child of God can unintentionally fall into seasons of busyness that lead to neglect of spiritual duty. However, once we are made aware of this failure we must quickly reassess our lifestyle choices and make adjustments to ensure we are not –

• Wasting our time.
• Losing opportunities to glorifying the Father.
• Allowing trivia to encroach on time that ought to be allotted to prayer.
• Ignoring duties of service to others.
• Generally fostering a spirit of self-indulgence.

To continue to neglect God’s divine laws and duties as assigned to us is to deliberately deny Him as our Father and our God. This conduct is a sin and undeniably proves that we are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.

If however we consistently choose our Bible better than any other book; God's house over any other place; prayer, worship and praise over any other task; fellowship with God's people over socializing — we are displaying indisputable evidence that we love God more than our pleasures.

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me…” John 10:27-28

To be concluded.…

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Holy Father, you are the One, true Living and Eternal God and King. All honor and glory belong to YOU, WHO alone is good, perfect, and wise! Thank you for teaching us that we must not become a slave to anything, except your commands, which are easy. Thank you for increasing our passion to live for you, for teaching us that we belong wholly to you, that our bodies are made for YOU and that YOU care about what we do with our bodies. Thank you for turning our hearts to honor Christ our Lord as holy and to live the life He models for us by Your Spirit. To you belong all dominion and power for ever and ever. We pray and ask all things in the Name of Jesus Christ our LORD. Amen.

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile

Imitate Christ – The Father’s Chosen Son – Pt. 5-1

A child of God ought to be friendly, compassionate, and kind to all people, but indiscriminate, intimate fellowship and familiarity with all is not expedient. To maintain a holy and devout lifestyle, we must I.M.I.T.A.T.E Christ’s life and habits in every aspect of life, including what we do socially and with whom. Our Father has given us free will – we can do anything that is within the law, but not everything is good for us.

Expediency - Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Matthew 5:11

In Choosing Friendships

Healthy friendships are important to our mental and spiritual well-being; a godly and virtuous friend can be a lifeline in a crisis. In times of physical, emotional, or spiritual suffering, we need our friends to support us. 

There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship. Thomas Aquinas.

JESUS gave His life for us, His friends, “I have loved you even as the Father has loved me…Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13. We do not expect our friends to die physically for us but we should seek to have friends that have Christ-like values and qualities. Our closest friends ought to be devout children of God with values similar to our own:

• Committed to love and support us in good times and bad. A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity. Proverbs 17:17
• Able to offer godly counsel and be an accountability partner when a behavior or character flaw is a threat to our holiness. The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray. Proverbs 12:26
• Able to speak the hard truth with love and compassion to correct a wrong-doing or error in judgement, even at the risk of offending. Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy. Proverbs 27:6
• Able to keep our confidences sacred, be a source of strength and stand in the gap as a prayer warrior when we simply can’t. One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24
• Love GOD’s WORD and can have discussions with us that edify, encourage and comfort. As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend. Proverbs 27:1
• Try always to choose what pleases God, avoid evil and inspire us to do the same. Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20

We do not choose our closest intimates from among unbelievers who do not share our values. Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. 2 Corinthians 6:14-17.

More About Godly Friends  – Romans12:15-16:

• Put God first, as well as the needs of others before his/her own.
• Are happy when we are happy, and weep with us when we weep.
• Do everything possible to maintain harmony in the relationship.
• Accept us with our flaws, just as Christ did.
• Continue to support, love and care even when it is hard to do so and causes great discomfort to them.

Regardless of a person’s status in life – rich or poor, famous, infamous, or an “ordinary Joe,” a child of God engaging in intimate relationship with any unbelieving person risks being led into making unholy lifestyle choices and alienation from the Father.

"....I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you". John 15:15

To be continued…

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Holy Father, you are the One Eternal and Wise King, WHOM we adore! Thank you for Christ Jesus, who is our perfect example of true friendship. Give us the passion to follow and imitate His lifestyle, abide by His commands and learn from Him so we can choose godly friends and be a godly friend. Teach us to imitate good and not evil as Your WORD tells us that those who desire good belong to YOU and are led of the Holy Spirit to love YOU who alone are good, and to WHOM belong all dominion and power for ever and ever. We pray and ask all things in the Name of Jesus Christ YOUR Chosen SON and our LORD. Amen.

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile

Imitate Christ – The Father’s Chosen Son – Pt. 4

To truly I.M.I.T.A.T.E Christ’s life and habits, we must know who and what He represents – the WORD tells us that JESUS Himself is the Father’s WORD personified in the flesh, that He is the image and representation of the Father, as well as His glory, grace and truth. 

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and TRUTH. John 1:14

Truth – Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8 

The WORD is God’s truth. A child of God who desires to please the Father will spend time studying and meditating on His WORD, seeking the Father’s truth to know His will. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we gain a true knowledge of the WORD and a revelations of the depravity within us. This awareness of our true nature causes us to repent and desire a more virtuous lifestyle. 

• For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12.

Many people however, seek after knowledge and learning around the WORD without having the truth of the WORD actually penetrate to soul and spirit,  judge the attitude of our hearts and so move us to holy living. Instead of allowing God and His Spirit to speak to us we seek out man's opinions about the WORD, listen to their podcasts, watch their video expositions, and follow enraptured as they debate their various opinions. 

Thus, we have gained a great familiarity with the WORD but have no knowledge of the TRUTH because we have accepted man’s wisdom over the Creator’s.

• “…they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!” Mark 4:12

If we strive only to acquire an abundance of worldly knowledge about GOD and His WORD, it profits us nothing since we lack TRUTH and all its holy attributes that impel us to imitate Christ. 

Truth also forms the foundation for our purpose as children of God, which is to love God and serve His people. If we are unenlightened to God’s truth we are unable to live it out, or use it to help others.

During His ministry on earth, Jesus used His Father’s truth to teach, rebuke, and comfort all whom He encountered. 

• “For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken.  I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” John 12:49-50.

The Son believed and trusted completely in the Father;s commands, speaking only as the Father spoke and the power of His words transformed many lives. As Christ imitators and followers, we are also expected to make the Father’s WORD the cornerstone of our lives.

The Father’s TRUTH is still powerful today and able to bring new life or death to any situation, our own and that of our loved ones, acquaintances and perfect strangers, as needed.

It pleases our Father to see His children help and edify one another for the building of His Son's Kingdom – and it is His TRUTH that sets us all free.

“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8: 31-32

To be continued…

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Holy Father, you are the One Eternal and Wise King and we adore YOU! Thank you for JESUS CHRIST Your Son and the Holy Spirit whom you have sent to help us to understand TRUTH and how to apply it to our daily lives. Thank you for teaching us that you are the only Wise God and Creator who alone can change lives and cause us to live in perfect fellowship with You as we learn to live in fellowship with Your Son. To you belong all dominion and power for ever and ever. We pray and ask all things in the Name of Jesus Christ our LORD. Amen.

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile

Imitate Christ – The Father’s Chosen Son – Pt. 3

Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. In this way, God qualified him as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey him. Hebrews 5:8-9

Children of God, we must understand that a call to I.M.I.T.A.T.E Christ’s life and habits is not a call to a life of ease. If we are going to reign with Him, we must be prepared to endure hardships 

(2 Timothy 2: 10-12).

Adversity – Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:10

As earthly parents discipline their children so does our Heavenly Father discipline us, and for the same reasons – we belong to Him, He loves us, He cares about our overall well being, including our souls. It is all for our good:

• My child, don’t reject the Lord’s discipline, and don’t be upset when he corrects you. For the Lord corrects those he loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights. Proverbs 3:11-12
• As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as his own children… If God doesn’t discipline you as he does all of his children, it means that you are illegitimate and are not really his children at all. Hebrews 12:7-8

Without a doubt, adversity stings and may seem unfair at the time; but in the midst of our hardships we must remember that God is still our Father, we are still His chosen beloved and His intent is not to break us but to mold us into vessels of righteousness fit for His use.

• God’s discipline is always good for us, so that we might share in his holiness. No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way. Hebrews 12:10-11

 The Father’s discipline is not severe as it may appear while we are in the midst of a challenging time; it is gentle and wise. God in His love is training us for advancement in holiness and bringing us into a more intimate, understanding fellowship with Himself. 

When a man is not troubled it is not hard for him to be fervent and devout, but if he bears up patiently in time of adversity, there is hope for great progress. Thomas à Kempis (1380 – 1471)

We are better served when we take our eyes off of our circumstances and focus instead on the one whose life we want to imitate, Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.

• Because of the joy awaiting (JESUS), he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Hebrews 12:2

If we bear adversity with prayer and patience, we would look back one day on each painful and grievous experience and see God’s Masterful Hand in all of them, the same as we see Him in our “blessings” and pleasurable experiences. We will also see that, like Jesus, we learned much more from the things we suffered, that we came out of our adversity better and stronger spiritually, and with a better understanding of our Father's goodness and faithfulness – our love and passion are deeper and more intense than what we could ever know in times of ease.

I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen. 2 Timothy 2:10

To be continued…

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Holy Father, you are the Holy One, the Eternal and Living King and we adore YOU! Thank you for the adversity you allow into our lives because by it we gain a closer relationship with you and learn that a steady diet of worldly pleasure hinders our growth and robs us of a deeper experience and knowledge of your glory here on earth. Help us to understand and accept that suffering is good for us, because it teaches us to pay attention to your word and your commands. Thank you that you do not let us go through hard times alone, for you are with us through every valley even to the shadow of death. To you belong all dominion and power for ever and ever. We pray and ask all things in the Name of Jesus Christ our LORD. Amen.

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile

Imitate Christ – The Father’s Chosen Son – Pt. 2

…those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did. 1 John 2:5-6. These words caution the children of God to I.M.I.T.A.T.E Christ’s life and habits if they truly belong to, and genuinely love the Father.

Impulsiveness – Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Matthew 5:9. There is no place in the gospels where the Lord Jesus Christ is impulsive – He considers every question and insult before He giving a response, prays about every move and heals at the request of the ailing or their relations, and not by His own initiative.

• One area where impulsiveness can be detrimental to holy living is in our inclination to believe in gossip and act on tale bearing with haste and little thought.
• Human beings are prone to evil and ill-speaking is one way evil expresses itself. The majority of gossip we hear is idle talk with no basis for truth.
• If we are the subject of tale bearing, we must act with wisdom and discretion – take the information we receive with the proverbial “grain of salt” and pray for guidance before taking the matter further. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:6. We must also seek advice from trusted friends, church leaders etc. before following our own inclinations. Where there is no guidance, a people falls; but in an abundance of counselors there is safety Proverbs 11:14.
• A child of God who desires to pattern his/her life after Jesus’ does not readily believe gossip and is never a talebearer. Jesus warns that, “…on the Day of Judgment men will render account for every careless word they utter; for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Matthew 12:36-37. Additionally, the Apostle Paul tell us to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone. Titus 3:2

Temptation – Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8. As long as we are alive we will be plagued by temptation – Jesus Himself was tempted in every way, just as we are; yet he did not sin Hebrews 4:15

• We aggressively guard against succumbing to temptation. First and foremost, we pray about our weaknesses. The devil will use them against us and cause us to yield to sin. The Bible gives us sound warning about this “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against him, and be strong in your faith. 1 Peter 5:8-9.
• There are positive aspects to temptation – although these are troublesome they are also useful in keeping us humble and bringing us closer to the Father. We are purified and our faith is strengthened by our resistance to temptation. Our Father knows we will be tempted and He prepared a way of escape for us so that we can endure every instance and overcome – The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. 1 Corinthians 10:13
• Temptation begins with an idea, the germ of a thought, followed by a strong imagination of the pleasures to come, and if we let it our minds will continue to work through a scenario to the point where we are too enticed by our own lusts to resist, and so we consent.Someone has said about temptation: “Resist the beginnings; remedies come too late, when by long delay the evil has gained strength.”  By not taking the initial thought captive, we give Satan full entry and permission to doom us to sin. We must capture (our) rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. 2 Corinthians 10:5.

As we have life we will have temptations but by persistence, fervent prayer and yielding to the WORD of God we gain strength with every trial and are better able to overcome each new new attack.

  

Jesus did not try to escape from or evade Satan’s temptation in the desert. He faced each assault head-on and engaged His tempter using the WORD of God as His weapon.. 

We too have what we need to experience abundant living and for holiness; the battle is not ours, it’s the LORD’s – He won it for us at Calvary. 

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6: 13-17

To be continued…

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Holy Father, you are the One Eternal and Living King and we adore YOU!. Thank you for preparing a way of escape before we give in to temptation and giving us your strength to endure those challenges we face in our journey here on earth. Thank you for being always at our side to ensure that we do not fail. Thank you for teaching us how to humble ourselves before YOU, how to resist the devil so he will flee from us and how to seek closeness with you our Father who always responds by drawing even closer to us. To you belong all dominion and power for ever and ever. We pray and ask all things in the Name of Jesus Christ our LORD. Amen.

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile

Imitate Christ – The Father's Chosen Son – Pt. 1

“I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12

A child of God is a believer in His Son Jesus Christ by whose death on the cross and resurrection we received atonement for our sin and are saved to live with our Father for all eternity. (John 3: 16; Romans 10:9; Acts 16:31) God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. (Romans 8:3-4)

Believers in Christ follow Christ’s teachings, Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings”. John 8:31-32. By following Christ, we obey our Father’s command to listen to “my Son, whom I have chosen” (Luke 9:35).  

However, many of us hear the Gospel and read the Word but our lives are unchanged – we are not living like Christ so we do not have the spirit of Christ in us to effect change. A lifestyle patterned on Christ’s teaching makes God’s Word real so sustaining a holy lifestyle can become second nature to us.

We must live what we are taught – we must pattern our entire lives on Christ’s. We must I.M.I.T.A.T.E Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1)

Idolatry – “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” Matthew 5:5. Anything we worship more than we do our Father is an idol. Be it material possessions or prestige, worshiping the created over the Creator is a huge roadblock to living a Christ-like life. It is foolish to have an excessive desire for and boast about our:

• Wealth and power – When it is God who gives you power to be successful. (Deuteronomy 8:18)
• Personal stature or of physical beauty – Since we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works (Ephesians 2:10)
• Talent or ability – God has given us gifts and talents for doing certain things well. (Romans 12: 6-8)
• Powerful friends and acquaintances – Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? (James 2)

What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift? 1 Corinthians 4:7. To boast about our possessions rather than the God Who is the source of all is to lack gratitude and humility and deny our Father the reverence due only to Him.

Unrestrained desire for worldly possession and the approval of man blinds us totally to our true purpose in life – serving God and others. Jesus tells us these truths about putting wealth and status before God:

• “No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” Matthew 6:24
• “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Luke 18:24-25

Meekness – Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5. To be meek means to show humility in our relationship with others, to not think oneself to be better. It is very easy for us to prideful in our interactions with other people. To imitate Christ’s humility, we must see more good in others, esteem ourselves less and others more.

• Our good deeds can cause us to feel superior to others –

God’s Word demands that we, Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, Philippians 2:3. It is very harmful to think of ourselves as better than anyone – Haughtiness goes before destruction; humility precedes honor. Proverbs 18:12. God judges differently than men and what we are pleased about may not be as pleasing to Him.

• Pride in our achievements can also create feelings of superiority –

We use our intelligence and professional achievements to act arrogantly toward others and give little consideration to the far superior benefits our submission to Jesus Christ could contribute to others as well as to our own lives. God wants us to be completely subject to Him and His wisdom and not on our human wisdom. “(We) must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross.” Philippians 2:5-8

• Judging the deeds of others –

This behavior is also a by-product of a lack of humility and esteeming others as less than. We frequently judge and find fault when others act in a manner other than what we wish them to be, when it would be more beneficial to us, if we were to examine our own lives and try to first correct our short-comings. Jesus teaches that we, “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged….Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye…” Matthew 7:1-5.

To be continued…

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Holy Father, you are the One Eternal and Living King. Thank you for the Living WORD, Jesus Christ our Savior, Teacher, and LORD. No one is good, except YOU alone but when we have the righteousness of Christ by faith, we can be good and holy in Your sight. Teach us to do your will and listen to your Chosen Son, to obey Him so the world may know through us that You, Father are holy, and that to you belong all dominion and power for ever and ever. We pray and ask all things in the Name of Jesus Christ our LORD. Amen.

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile

The LORD Himself Will Go Ahead of You

Family of God –apologies for my absence the last few days, I am traveling. For the next five weeks posts will be a bit irregular, but I will post. God our Father is and must remain priority, even when we take time for pleasure and relaxation – He deserves to be, and we need Him to be.

Unexpected danger is a real threat, even for a child of God, but we do not walk in fear. Our Father still reigns supreme over all. Because He is omniscient, He is not at all surprised by current events; He prepared a way for us. 

God's WORD is filled with promises of peace, guidance and protection and is available to us whenever and where ever we need them.

GOD IS WITH US

• The Lord himself will go before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forget you. Don’t be afraid and don’t worry. Deuteronomy 31:8  
• I will not leave you or forsake you. Joshua 1:5
• Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Psalm 23:4
• ….if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. Psalm 139:9-10
• Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10

GOD PROTECTS US

• He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.  Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Psalm 91:4-5
• For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. Psalm 91:11
• He guards the paths of the just and protects those who are faithful to him. Proverbs 2:8 
• The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. Psalm 121:5
• For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory. Psalm

GOD IS OUR PEACE

• “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.” John 14:1
• You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock. Isaiah 26:3-4 
• Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
•  The Lord gives his people strength. The Lord blesses them with peace. Psalm 29:11
•  “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” John 14:27

No matter where we are, we can meditate on and pray the WORD of God. It is all that we need for all that we need.

"...walk with God and you cannot mistake your road. You have infallible wisdom to direct you, immutable love to comfort you, and eternal power to defend you." ~ Charles H. Spurgeon

Prayer and Thanksgiving: Holy Father, Omniscient God. Thank you for being our ever present help, our safety and our peace. Your WORD assures us, “Don’t worry about your life. Don’t fear them which kill the body. Be afraid only of not doing what the Spirit of God indicates to you.” Thank you for going before us, encamping your angels around us. Day after day you keep us safe from dangers seen and unseen. You never neglect your own, you never let us down, and you are always for us, never against us. We trust you, LORD! We thank you for your faithfulness. To you Abba belong all dominion and power for ever and ever. We pray and ask all things in the Name of Jesus. Amen.

Always by God’s Word and prayer,

Cecile