IMITATING CHRIST

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Philippians 2:1-4 (NIV) - Imitating Christ’s Humility

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Pastor Tom shed a little light on this passage recently.  It truly does give a blueprint for how we SHOULD navigate today and each day.  I really like the way the NIV provided a fitting header for the passage. 

“Imitating Christ’s Humility”.

That is a worthy goal for today don’t you think?

Can we imitate Christ?  Live like Christ?

Can we imitate His love?  His compassion?

Can we work to be agreeable?

Less selfish?

Joy-filled?

Humble?

Or will today be another “me first” exercise? 

Or worse yet a another day filled with whiny entitlement?

This passage goes on to explain that even though Jesus was GOD He never used that status to consider Himself greater, rather Jesus never lost sight of His calling.

the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve – Mark 10:25 (NIV)

The question is can we or we will embrace that same humility, that same mindset, that same calling in our walks today?  To do, as Paul suggests and even place the interests of others above our own?

That is a tough assignment.

For it is clear that these days more than ever we have become an “all about me” culture.  Just watch the protests, the vitriol, and the petulance.

Maybe today we all need to be reminded that as Christians we are to be “little Christs”.  And that requires hearts of service for our fellow man and woman.  That requires looking out for our brothers and sisters interests in love more often taking “second place” rather than stepping on their heads and hands scrambling for first.

(Love) Isn’t always “me first,” – 1 Corinthians 13:7 (MSG)

Remember:

“Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion; it is like a daily process whereby you grow to be more and more like Christ.” ― Billy Graham

And that daily process requires that we die to selfish ambitions and prideful arrogance and serve in humility as Christ did. 

Period.

So there is the assignment for today; which if we were to be honest is the assignment for everyday.  Let’s live and act a little more like Christ today than yesterday.

“[Christ] showed us that giving, rather than getting, is the means to receiving...to find yourself, your true self, you must lose yourself in something larger.” ― Beth Moore…

I love you all!

Be blessed!

Opportunities for Hope (Champions Charge)