“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” Mathew 16 v26 AKJV
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Not just a populist movement. To be like Jesus would require an understanding of his life, who he really was, what his character of life revealed. Another very important resolve is to answer the question, Why? Why do I want or need to be like Jesus? My answer to that is eternal life begins with Christ Jesus. Which leads to the idea that if I truly care for humanity, I would want them to share in the good side of eternal life. The one that is found by having faith, believing in the whole story, the life, death, resurrection, and return of Christ. I believe that one way of sharing that truth is by living out our own lives in the principals and characteristics of Christ.
In today’s cultures around the world we have grown acceptance for idolizing characters on the opposite side of the spiritual realm of Christianity. That acceptance, through a subtle but great push for tolerance has taken hold in a way that it now brings great pressure to one who really chooses a lifestyle of Christianity. To talk of God as he exist in the book of Christianity, ‘the Holy Bible’ in many cases brings mockery and an outright cry of a new-founded measure of unbelief. Christians, even in their own circles of life, are continually pressured to be more tolerant, more open and acceptable to alternative lifestyles. The worst part of that is the part of allowing what is directly contrary to what has set the standards of Christianity since the time of Christ Jesus, the scriptures-the Holy Bible- to now dictate or heavily influence the doctrine’s of Christianity. In admittance, it is true that we should not be small minded or closed minded to new thoughts, but even under that everyone has an opinion, and let you know them, they do. With that thought, like everything else we seek to find truth. We start with one standard studying and reviewing the Holy until the truth of the matter becomes solid in our thoughts and we are “renewed in the Spirit of our minds.”
“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And the ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” Ephesians 4 v22-24 AKJV
In the writings of Paul we find ‘press on toward the mark of the high calling.’ Is that the calling only of Christianity or can we say there is more?We automatically relate that charge Paul gave in most cases to a life of Christianity. In Christianity, there is a genealogy (i.e. a blood line of relatives) that can be found in the scriptures all the way from the beginning of time to the birth of Christ. Christ Jesus told some who were challenging him at one point, ‘If you do not recognize me, you have not known my father.’ The father of Christ is God. The genealogy is a trace of humanity. So we do go a little farther here.
The birth of Christ came through a virgin birth, humanly inconceivable. God, the creator of all humanity by the holy spirit brought that conception to be. God if the father of Christ Jesus.
“But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.” Mathew 1 v20, 21 AKJV
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and there’s more…
“Jesus answered, and said unto him,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3 v3 AKJV
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Lord, I thank you for this day and for this year. I pray and know according to your word that “all things work together for those who love you”, and that we put our faith and trust in you. Lord, as you are the only beginning and end that has no start or finish we give you praise. We thank you for this year-all the people that have touched paths with one another and ours as well. Lord, ” let all our ears hear what your Spirit is saying to us as the church”. Amen
December 31
Threecrosses 