Conduct Yourself
Philippians 1
Building a Community centered on Love
This blog is where I do a Bible Reading. I read a passage from the Bible and then I write down my own thoughts on what I read. I would love to know your thoughts as well!
Showing posts with label Christ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christ. Show all posts
Sunday, 17 April 2016
Bible Reading #171 - Conduct Yourself
Monday, 8 February 2016
Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #139
Living Among Negativity
Isaiah 3
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| I pray blessings on you as you read. |
(v. 8) "Jerusalem has stumbled, and Judah has fallen, because what they say and what they do is against the LORD. They are defiant in his honored presence." (v. 10-11) "Tell the righteous that blessings will come to them. They will taste the fruit of their labor. How horrible it will be for the wicked! Disaster will strike them. What they have done will be done to them."
My Thoughts
Do you ever find it hard just to live around other people? There are bullies, harassers, liars, cheaters, people who say bad or hurtful words often. People seem to always be against each other or fighting a lot. It's hard to go one day without being around something negative.
As followers of Christ, we face opposition. Now, I'm not saying we have it harder than others or even than most. We do face opposition to our faith in Christ. Some more so than others, unfortunately, like those who are being attacked and killed by other extremist groups. Kids who go to church and believe in God are sometimes bullied at school because of it.
Don't let these truths and events scare you or worse, cause you to forsake God. Remember that we have nothing to fear if we have God on our side. If you believe that, then it is absolutely true. Stand firm in your faith. Even though others' words and deeds are against God, we do not have to follow them or be afraid of them.
God may use us to get through to those who don't believe, even if we don't ever speak to them or preach. How we live our lives for others to see can be more than enough for God to use. Live a life of Christ in yourself, and people will notice it.
As verse 10 says, if we stay true to God, our efforts in doing so and in what we do for God will not be in vain. We will reap the rewards of holding on to Christ. That reward is eternal life with Him. Do not let anyone discourage you from following Christ because, as verse 11 says, those who are against God will receive in return what they have done and they will be destroyed. This life is nothing compared to the next.
As followers of Christ, we face opposition. Now, I'm not saying we have it harder than others or even than most. We do face opposition to our faith in Christ. Some more so than others, unfortunately, like those who are being attacked and killed by other extremist groups. Kids who go to church and believe in God are sometimes bullied at school because of it.
Don't let these truths and events scare you or worse, cause you to forsake God. Remember that we have nothing to fear if we have God on our side. If you believe that, then it is absolutely true. Stand firm in your faith. Even though others' words and deeds are against God, we do not have to follow them or be afraid of them.
God may use us to get through to those who don't believe, even if we don't ever speak to them or preach. How we live our lives for others to see can be more than enough for God to use. Live a life of Christ in yourself, and people will notice it.
As verse 10 says, if we stay true to God, our efforts in doing so and in what we do for God will not be in vain. We will reap the rewards of holding on to Christ. That reward is eternal life with Him. Do not let anyone discourage you from following Christ because, as verse 11 says, those who are against God will receive in return what they have done and they will be destroyed. This life is nothing compared to the next.
Prayer Time
Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do.
Let me know your thoughts on this reading as well.
Thank you for taking the time to read, I pray that what you have read blesses and inspires you! Godbless!
Wednesday, 23 December 2015
Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #94
Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
Romans 6
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| I pray blessings on you as you read. |
(v. 8) "Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him." (v. 10-11) "The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus."
My Thoughts
When Jesus died on the cross, those of us who believe in Him also died with Him. A part of us died with Him. That part is that which is of this world. Not completely physically, but the sinful nature of us died with Him. Our spirits are very much alive in Him, with Him, because He rose from the dead. The bodies we live in are only temporary and will one day die as well, but our spirit will live on for eternity with God.
Once you accept Jesus, you are no longer a slave to sin, but you are bound to righteousness. God has great plans for us, to use us for His glory and bring blessings to us. We have inherited eternal life with God and our temporary lives on Earth will be much more joy filled for it.
Once Jesus died on the cross, Satan was completely disarmed. He no longer has any power over us, he is no longer a threat to us. The only way he can be a threat is if we allow him to. If we rearm him, we are allowing him to be a threat to us again. Think if Satan had a weapon in his hand and he was forever threatening you with it. This was no ordinary gun though. You never know what could happen if he pulled the trigger. Even if he misses you directly, he can still affect things around you, thereby affecting you, indirectly.
Jesus came along and disarmed Satan, and without that weapon in his hand, Satan is completely powerless. He still tries to harm us with words or by showing us things or other ways, but without that weapon, he can't actually cause anything to happen. The only way he has any power or could possibly harm us again is if we pick up that weapon and give it back to him. You wouldn't do that if someone pointing a gun at you in real life was disarmed, would you? So why would you do it here?
The truth is, we all do sometimes. When we call on Jesus, he comes and disarms him again, and He'll continue to. It's up to us to once and for all walk away. You can't destroy the weapon, but you can keep it away Satan. Don't give it back to him. Don't allow him to hurt you or affect you in any way. Walk away from Satan and follow after Jesus.
Once you accept Jesus, you are no longer a slave to sin, but you are bound to righteousness. God has great plans for us, to use us for His glory and bring blessings to us. We have inherited eternal life with God and our temporary lives on Earth will be much more joy filled for it.
Once Jesus died on the cross, Satan was completely disarmed. He no longer has any power over us, he is no longer a threat to us. The only way he can be a threat is if we allow him to. If we rearm him, we are allowing him to be a threat to us again. Think if Satan had a weapon in his hand and he was forever threatening you with it. This was no ordinary gun though. You never know what could happen if he pulled the trigger. Even if he misses you directly, he can still affect things around you, thereby affecting you, indirectly.
Jesus came along and disarmed Satan, and without that weapon in his hand, Satan is completely powerless. He still tries to harm us with words or by showing us things or other ways, but without that weapon, he can't actually cause anything to happen. The only way he has any power or could possibly harm us again is if we pick up that weapon and give it back to him. You wouldn't do that if someone pointing a gun at you in real life was disarmed, would you? So why would you do it here?
The truth is, we all do sometimes. When we call on Jesus, he comes and disarms him again, and He'll continue to. It's up to us to once and for all walk away. You can't destroy the weapon, but you can keep it away Satan. Don't give it back to him. Don't allow him to hurt you or affect you in any way. Walk away from Satan and follow after Jesus.
Prayer Time
Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do.
Let me know your thoughts on this reading as well.
Thank you for taking the time to read, I pray that what you have read blesses and inspires you! Godbless!
Friday, 11 December 2015
Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #82
Empty Life Filled
1 Peter 1
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| I pray blessings on you as you read. |
(v. 18-19) "For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect."
My Thoughts
Life without Christ is an empty life. That's really harsh to say,now isn't it? It certainly is the way I feel. I feel that my life would have no meaning if I didn't have Christ, because what would happen when I die? I can't take anything with me, I go out the way I came in, essentially. Jesus is eternal and through Him, I have eternal life. You do as well, through Jesus.
People try to fill their lives with a great number of things. Emotions, people, things, activities, knowledge. The list could probably go on longer. Do any of these things, or anything you can think of that doesn't include Jesus, actually give you lasting joy? Oh, maybe, as long as the things themselves last. Jesus is the only one who can give me lasting joy.
Our lives can only be filled by Christ. No matter how much you try to fill your life with other things, they will never truly give you purpose, they will never fill you to the top. The reason why is because, if you lose any of it, it's gone. All purpose that it gave you, all meaning it had to you, everything to do with it would be lost. It's not possible to lose Jesus though, unless you choose to. Jesus will never leave and because of that, your life will never be empty with Him.
Jesus gives us purpose in life. A far greater purpose than we could ever know without Him. That purpose is to live like Him, join Him in life and in death, and to introduce Him to others so that they can share in all of this. That is my purpose in life and that is what I hope to gain above all.
People try to fill their lives with a great number of things. Emotions, people, things, activities, knowledge. The list could probably go on longer. Do any of these things, or anything you can think of that doesn't include Jesus, actually give you lasting joy? Oh, maybe, as long as the things themselves last. Jesus is the only one who can give me lasting joy.
Our lives can only be filled by Christ. No matter how much you try to fill your life with other things, they will never truly give you purpose, they will never fill you to the top. The reason why is because, if you lose any of it, it's gone. All purpose that it gave you, all meaning it had to you, everything to do with it would be lost. It's not possible to lose Jesus though, unless you choose to. Jesus will never leave and because of that, your life will never be empty with Him.
Jesus gives us purpose in life. A far greater purpose than we could ever know without Him. That purpose is to live like Him, join Him in life and in death, and to introduce Him to others so that they can share in all of this. That is my purpose in life and that is what I hope to gain above all.
Prayer Time
Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do.
Let me know your thoughts on this reading as well.
Thank you for taking the time to read, I pray that what you have read blesses and inspires you! Godbless!
Thursday, 5 November 2015
Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #46
Mercy and Deliverance
Acts 22
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| I pray blessings on you as you read. |
(v. 4) "I persecuted the followers of this way to their death, arresting both men and women and throwing them into prison," (v. 6-7) " About noon as I came near Damascus, suddenly a bright light from heaven flashed around me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice say to me, 'Saul! Saul! Why do you persecute me?' " (v. 20) "And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding the clothes of those who were killing him.' "
My Thoughts
Paul was once an enemy of Christ. He persecuted people who followed Christ, threw them into prison and even had some killed. He gave approval of the killing as well. How could this man, who once persecuted and killed followers of Christ, come to know Christ Jesus himself? Jesus spoke to him in a personal way, through a bright light from heaven, which blinded him. Paul's companions saw the light as well, but couldn't understand the voice that spoke to Paul.
After this encounter with Christ, Paul turned right around and started to live for Jesus instead of against Him. What was your encounter with Christ? Have you had one? It may not be the same as what happened to Paul, but I can tell you, the encounter you have with Christ will not be something easily forgotten.
Jesus changed Paul's heart and Paul accepted Him into his heart. After that, God led him into Damascus to a brother. Later, God told Paul that he needed to leave because the people were not going to accept his testimony. God protected him and delivered him from the hands of people. Even in this chapter, as Paul is telling of these things, he was on trial. God delivered him from the hands of the commander as well.
God has mercy on all. As you can see in Paul's case, it does not matter what you have done, God will have mercy on you. You need only accept His Son, Jesus. If that is something that you want, all you have to do is tell God that you have sinned, ask for forgiveness and accept it, and ask Jesus to come into your heart. By saying this, you have made a choice to change our life and follow Jesus wholeheartedly. If you prayed from the heart, know that your prayer has been answered. What you do from there is change your ways to follow after Jesus.
God had a plan for Paul, and you can be sure that He has a plan for you as well. If you prayed that prayer just a second ago, you have been delivered from the hands of Satan. You have received mercy and are now made new in Jesus Christ! What is in the past no longer means anything, and I welcome you to the family of Christ!
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After this encounter with Christ, Paul turned right around and started to live for Jesus instead of against Him. What was your encounter with Christ? Have you had one? It may not be the same as what happened to Paul, but I can tell you, the encounter you have with Christ will not be something easily forgotten.
Jesus changed Paul's heart and Paul accepted Him into his heart. After that, God led him into Damascus to a brother. Later, God told Paul that he needed to leave because the people were not going to accept his testimony. God protected him and delivered him from the hands of people. Even in this chapter, as Paul is telling of these things, he was on trial. God delivered him from the hands of the commander as well.
God has mercy on all. As you can see in Paul's case, it does not matter what you have done, God will have mercy on you. You need only accept His Son, Jesus. If that is something that you want, all you have to do is tell God that you have sinned, ask for forgiveness and accept it, and ask Jesus to come into your heart. By saying this, you have made a choice to change our life and follow Jesus wholeheartedly. If you prayed from the heart, know that your prayer has been answered. What you do from there is change your ways to follow after Jesus.
God had a plan for Paul, and you can be sure that He has a plan for you as well. If you prayed that prayer just a second ago, you have been delivered from the hands of Satan. You have received mercy and are now made new in Jesus Christ! What is in the past no longer means anything, and I welcome you to the family of Christ!
Previous PostNext Post
Prayer Time
Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do.
Let me know your thoughts on this reading as well.
Thank you for taking the time to read, I pray that what you have read blesses and inspires you! Godbless!
Saturday, 10 October 2015
Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #20
Confidence in Christ
Philippians 3
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| I pray blessings on you as you read. |
(v. 3) "For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh..."
My Thoughts
Paul wrote Philippians when he was in prison. He says that he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, which is the things of this world. There really is no reason to put confidence in the flesh if you believe in Jesus. Jesus is our everything. Our confidence is in Him and every part of our lives is in Him.
There may things about ourselves that we may think gives us reason to put confidence in the flesh. You're really strong, you can bench press 350 pounds! Surely you have reason to put confidence in your strength. You got 100 percent on everything and all A+ in school, you're a genius! Your intelligence is your confidence right? Or you're a celebrity, you have fame, fortune, and popularity. You have so many friends and they're all really loyal. You have enough money to last for the rest of your life, your children's lives and your grandchildren's lives without any of them ever having to work again. That's reason enough to put confidence in for sure!
If you base your confidence on what you have, your abilities, wealth, fame, possessions or anything, it will not go well with you. One day you will lose what you have. You won't be as strong or as fast. You won't have the fame or the fortune, and you will lose what you own. When you die, none of that goes with you, so why would you want to put your confidence in such things? This goes along with another Bible reading I did recently, about centering your life on Christ, storing up treasure in Heaven because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
It just makes sense, doesn't it, to put confidence in something that will last? How does it make sense to put your confidence or your life or whatever else into something that will not last? I would much rather live my whole life with nothing, knowing that I will get to spend eternity with Christ after I die, than to live with everything, lacking nothing only to lose it all when I die. That is the point, friends. Death is a real thing, and you cannot escape it. When you die, the things of world will be left behind.
Your TV, your computer, your bed, house, phone, even friends. The things you have; your material possessions, are for you to enjoy while you live, but not to give your life to. If your confidence comes from any of the things I've mentioned throughout this post, and that day comes when you've lost it, that will be the day you lose your confidence. If it is your life that you've given to these things, that day will be the day you lose your life. Not that you will literally die, but you will lose what you've given your life to. We can never lose Christ. If you are in Christ and He is in you and you have given your life to Christ, He will never leave you. Nothing can take Him away from you, not even death. When your time comes to die, you will leave this world and you will go and be with the one who made this world for eternity!
Previous PostNext Post
There may things about ourselves that we may think gives us reason to put confidence in the flesh. You're really strong, you can bench press 350 pounds! Surely you have reason to put confidence in your strength. You got 100 percent on everything and all A+ in school, you're a genius! Your intelligence is your confidence right? Or you're a celebrity, you have fame, fortune, and popularity. You have so many friends and they're all really loyal. You have enough money to last for the rest of your life, your children's lives and your grandchildren's lives without any of them ever having to work again. That's reason enough to put confidence in for sure!
If you base your confidence on what you have, your abilities, wealth, fame, possessions or anything, it will not go well with you. One day you will lose what you have. You won't be as strong or as fast. You won't have the fame or the fortune, and you will lose what you own. When you die, none of that goes with you, so why would you want to put your confidence in such things? This goes along with another Bible reading I did recently, about centering your life on Christ, storing up treasure in Heaven because where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
It just makes sense, doesn't it, to put confidence in something that will last? How does it make sense to put your confidence or your life or whatever else into something that will not last? I would much rather live my whole life with nothing, knowing that I will get to spend eternity with Christ after I die, than to live with everything, lacking nothing only to lose it all when I die. That is the point, friends. Death is a real thing, and you cannot escape it. When you die, the things of world will be left behind.
Your TV, your computer, your bed, house, phone, even friends. The things you have; your material possessions, are for you to enjoy while you live, but not to give your life to. If your confidence comes from any of the things I've mentioned throughout this post, and that day comes when you've lost it, that will be the day you lose your confidence. If it is your life that you've given to these things, that day will be the day you lose your life. Not that you will literally die, but you will lose what you've given your life to. We can never lose Christ. If you are in Christ and He is in you and you have given your life to Christ, He will never leave you. Nothing can take Him away from you, not even death. When your time comes to die, you will leave this world and you will go and be with the one who made this world for eternity!
Previous PostNext Post
Prayer Time
Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do. Thank you for taking the time to read, I pray that what you have read blesses and inspires you! Godbless!
Monday, 5 October 2015
Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #15
Ministry
Romans 15
(v. 15-16) "I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit."
My Thoughts
Paul tells us in Romans 15 to please our neighbors and not ourselves, to build him up. So, to build up our neighbor, we can encourage them, comfort them and support them. We are all neighbors to each other. Instead of the word neighbor, think of brothers and sisters and everyone else around us. Community is important. We can't support or love or encourage anyone if we keep to ourselves.
Those of us who follow Christ are brothers and sisters in the Lord. Those who are around us that don't follow Christ are our neighbors. We want to love and encourage each other, not only others who follow Christ, but those who don't as well. Each of us is there for the other for support, guided by the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is in the love that we give to our enemies. Jesus tells us to love our enemies.
Loving, supporting, encouraging others. There are other things we can do as well. These are some of the ways we can minister to those who don't follow Christ. When I talk to people, I don't randomly say that I am a Christ follower, unless it comes up in conversation. People talk about different things and voice their opinions on things like evolution for example. If I'm around, I also voice my opinion. I do so in such a way that I am not saying that I am right, but that this is what I believe, and this is why. Other times, those who know I follow Christ have questions about certain things pertaining to the Bible, and I answer their questions. I don't preach to people. I leave that to the ministers and pastors at church.
It is our duty in Christ to share the gift He has given us. Share His life, His friendship and His love with your friends and family and those who God calls you to share with. This is why community is so important. You don't need to be some kind of leader or anything like that, you can just be a friend to those around you. That's how you start a good community. Be a friend to those around you and through your faith in Christ, God will use you to bring the others in your community closer to Him.
Those of us who follow Christ are brothers and sisters in the Lord. Those who are around us that don't follow Christ are our neighbors. We want to love and encourage each other, not only others who follow Christ, but those who don't as well. Each of us is there for the other for support, guided by the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is in the love that we give to our enemies. Jesus tells us to love our enemies.
Loving, supporting, encouraging others. There are other things we can do as well. These are some of the ways we can minister to those who don't follow Christ. When I talk to people, I don't randomly say that I am a Christ follower, unless it comes up in conversation. People talk about different things and voice their opinions on things like evolution for example. If I'm around, I also voice my opinion. I do so in such a way that I am not saying that I am right, but that this is what I believe, and this is why. Other times, those who know I follow Christ have questions about certain things pertaining to the Bible, and I answer their questions. I don't preach to people. I leave that to the ministers and pastors at church.
It is our duty in Christ to share the gift He has given us. Share His life, His friendship and His love with your friends and family and those who God calls you to share with. This is why community is so important. You don't need to be some kind of leader or anything like that, you can just be a friend to those around you. That's how you start a good community. Be a friend to those around you and through your faith in Christ, God will use you to bring the others in your community closer to Him.
Prayer Time
Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do. Thanks for reading, Godbless!
Saturday, 3 October 2015
Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #13
Center Your Life on Christ
Phillipians 1
(v. 21) "For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain."
My Thoughts
For the time that we have on this Earth to live, it is important that we live for Christ. We live, we love, encourage, share Christ and show the world Christ through us. If you do not live for Christ, why do you live? What is the focus of your life, the reason for your existence? My life is centered on Christ. What is your life centered on? This question is huge, but you need to be able to answer it. If your life is centered on the things of this world, they will eventually let you down.
People are not always reliable. There are a handful of people that each individual can call trustworthy. People aren't perfect, even friends. Friends come and go, some are forever, but what happens when you're no longer close to them, whether location wise or relationship wise? What about money? Money can't buy happiness, it can't buy love or friends, those things are only there as long as you have the money to keep them there. Possessions? Those get lost or damaged or replaced. Your spouse? Eventually they will die. Your kids? They will grow up and move out and start their own family.
Christ is eternal. God is everlasting. You center your life on Christ and He will never let you down. Not even death can keep you from Christ. Those who follow Christ will be with Him for eternity when they die. What about those who don't know Christ? Well, obviously they will not get to spend eternity with Christ.
This is the reason that we need to share Christ with the world. The gift that He gave us through His sacrifice on the cross; the gift of eternal life, is a gift that was meant to be shared. It cannot be kept to ourselves, we need to share it with the world. If we center our lives on Christ, we are living in a way that others will see. They may not realize it right away, but they will see that we are different than most other people. Staying true to who you are in Christ in all situations is the best way you can outwardly show that you follow Christ. When people ask you questions, answer them honestly, or when they tell you that you're different, tell them why.
Live all out for Christ. Center your life and your faith on Him and others will see it.
People are not always reliable. There are a handful of people that each individual can call trustworthy. People aren't perfect, even friends. Friends come and go, some are forever, but what happens when you're no longer close to them, whether location wise or relationship wise? What about money? Money can't buy happiness, it can't buy love or friends, those things are only there as long as you have the money to keep them there. Possessions? Those get lost or damaged or replaced. Your spouse? Eventually they will die. Your kids? They will grow up and move out and start their own family.
Christ is eternal. God is everlasting. You center your life on Christ and He will never let you down. Not even death can keep you from Christ. Those who follow Christ will be with Him for eternity when they die. What about those who don't know Christ? Well, obviously they will not get to spend eternity with Christ.
This is the reason that we need to share Christ with the world. The gift that He gave us through His sacrifice on the cross; the gift of eternal life, is a gift that was meant to be shared. It cannot be kept to ourselves, we need to share it with the world. If we center our lives on Christ, we are living in a way that others will see. They may not realize it right away, but they will see that we are different than most other people. Staying true to who you are in Christ in all situations is the best way you can outwardly show that you follow Christ. When people ask you questions, answer them honestly, or when they tell you that you're different, tell them why.
Live all out for Christ. Center your life and your faith on Him and others will see it.
Prayer Time
Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do. Thanks for reading, Godbless!
Wednesday, 30 September 2015
Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #10
Imitating Christ's Humility
Philippians 2
(v. 4) "Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
My Thoughts
In Paul's letter to the Philippians, he tells us that we should imitate Christ. If you have a sibling, you've probably dealt with them mimicking you, either what you say or what you're doing or both, or you've done it yourself. Annoying right? Even if you were the one doing it, you know (now, hopefully) that it's annoying. Sometimes people will do this to one another to mock them or to annoy them. Sometimes though, especially with a younger sibling, they do this because they want to be exactly like. It's like a show of affection or that they look up to you. So next time your younger sibling does this, don't get annoyed or upset with them, maybe laugh it off, have fun with them!
The way we should imitate Christ is not in an annoying way, and not even to try to play His 'character'. You know people get into character for different things, even wear costumes. That's not how we do this. We imitate Christ by aligning our hearts with His and filling our minds with holy thoughts. You can't always just go around healing people and bringing the dead back to life or walk on water. These things aren't impossible if you have God, but it's not what Christ expects of us. He just expects us to follow Him and His ways, like a master and apprentice kind of thing.
Wouldn't it be just such an amazing thing for someone to mistake you for Jesus? That would be cool! It would be just like someone mistaking you for a celebrity, only better! You could be Jesus to somebody. Jesus is in you, He is in your heart, so if someone mistakes you for Him, they aren't totally off because they would be seeing Jesus in you and through you. This is what can happen when you align your heart and mind and spirit with that of Jesus, and it is a very good thing.
Go out and do something for someone else this week. Be completely self-less. Give help to someone, have a chat and make their day, encourage, comfort, or think of something you could do for someone else that is totally for them and for God. It doesn't have to be something huge, remember that the small things matter too.
The way we should imitate Christ is not in an annoying way, and not even to try to play His 'character'. You know people get into character for different things, even wear costumes. That's not how we do this. We imitate Christ by aligning our hearts with His and filling our minds with holy thoughts. You can't always just go around healing people and bringing the dead back to life or walk on water. These things aren't impossible if you have God, but it's not what Christ expects of us. He just expects us to follow Him and His ways, like a master and apprentice kind of thing.
Wouldn't it be just such an amazing thing for someone to mistake you for Jesus? That would be cool! It would be just like someone mistaking you for a celebrity, only better! You could be Jesus to somebody. Jesus is in you, He is in your heart, so if someone mistakes you for Him, they aren't totally off because they would be seeing Jesus in you and through you. This is what can happen when you align your heart and mind and spirit with that of Jesus, and it is a very good thing.
Go out and do something for someone else this week. Be completely self-less. Give help to someone, have a chat and make their day, encourage, comfort, or think of something you could do for someone else that is totally for them and for God. It doesn't have to be something huge, remember that the small things matter too.
Prayer Time
Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do. Thanks for reading, Godbless!
Tuesday, 29 September 2015
Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #9
God is for Everyone
Acts 10
(v. 15) "...'Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.' " (v. 34, 35) " ...'I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right..."
My Thoughts
Peter had a vision of a blanket that came down and had animals roaming on it. God said to him, "Get up, Peter, kill and eat." Peter said " Surely not Lord! I have never eaten impure or unclean." God told him not to call anything impure that God has made clean. What did Peter's vision mean? Think about it for a minute, then continue reading.
So, what do you think? The meaning of Peter's vision was that God has made us all clean. A gentile is a person who is not a Jew. For the Jews at this time, it was against the law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. The vision that Peter had was God showing him that He has made clean the Gentiles; that God does not favor the Jews over the Gentiles, but that He loves them just the same. God is for each of us, Jew or not, Christian or not. It doesn't matter who you are, what you believe, what you do or have done in the past. No amount of sin or guilt or hurt can keep God away. Only you can do that by not allowing God into your life.
Remember that Christ died on the cross for every one of us. He paid the ransom for each and every person that ever has or ever will live. That's how much He loves us. There are so many people in this world that don't realize that God loves them, or they think He can't. They are the ones putting boundaries up to keep God out of their life. God won't overstep anyone's freewill of choice, so He won't overstep someone's choice not to let Him in.
It's up to the Christ followers to show those who don't follow Christ what it means to follow Him. You don't need to go and preach to people, all you need to do is show the love of God in all you do. When you talk to people, do so with love. Everyone is different; some people are good at encouraging others, some people are just easy to talk to, others are inspiring, honest, and so on. There's a huge list of traits, and some people have more than one. Use those traits that God has given you when you talk to other people. That's one way you can show His love to them. Think of some other ways, and then act on them!
So, what do you think? The meaning of Peter's vision was that God has made us all clean. A gentile is a person who is not a Jew. For the Jews at this time, it was against the law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. The vision that Peter had was God showing him that He has made clean the Gentiles; that God does not favor the Jews over the Gentiles, but that He loves them just the same. God is for each of us, Jew or not, Christian or not. It doesn't matter who you are, what you believe, what you do or have done in the past. No amount of sin or guilt or hurt can keep God away. Only you can do that by not allowing God into your life.
Remember that Christ died on the cross for every one of us. He paid the ransom for each and every person that ever has or ever will live. That's how much He loves us. There are so many people in this world that don't realize that God loves them, or they think He can't. They are the ones putting boundaries up to keep God out of their life. God won't overstep anyone's freewill of choice, so He won't overstep someone's choice not to let Him in.
It's up to the Christ followers to show those who don't follow Christ what it means to follow Him. You don't need to go and preach to people, all you need to do is show the love of God in all you do. When you talk to people, do so with love. Everyone is different; some people are good at encouraging others, some people are just easy to talk to, others are inspiring, honest, and so on. There's a huge list of traits, and some people have more than one. Use those traits that God has given you when you talk to other people. That's one way you can show His love to them. Think of some other ways, and then act on them!
Prayer Time
Now you talk to God about what you read, and you can even read this chapter of the Bible for yourself before you do. Thanks for reading, Godbless!
Saturday, 26 September 2015
Daily Bible Reading with DragoNate #6
Accountable to One Another
Ezekiel 3
I pray blessings on you as you read.
(v. 18) "When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand."
