I am challenged by God's Word with the questions: Am I truly a follower of Jesus Christ or am I a follower of a church, mission, books, or the Internet? How can I find out?

Take a look at Psalm 145:10-12 for a description of a follower of Jesus.

All of your works will thank you, LORD, and your followers will praise you. They will speak of the glory of your kingdom; they will give examples of your power. They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign."

This passage greatly influences me to think more and more from His perspective. To reinforce this direction in your life, meditate on Colossians chapter 1 each day for about 6 months. Start with verses 1-4, reading this paragraph daily until you know it for memory (without having tried to memorize it). Verse 1 is like a sandwich to me. The first and last phrases speak of spiritual truths of God and in between is what my response to these truths is to be, namely "to set (my) sights on the realities of heaven."

For your convenience, here is the first paragraph:

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God's right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is you like, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

Enjoy walking with God as Christ's follower with your sights on eternity with Him.

God's Plan

In reading the Book of Zechariah, I was greatly encouraged by the following verses. They shed a positive light on what is yet to come, perhaps soon.

Zech 1:14b,17b, "My love for Jerusalem and Mount Zion is passionate and
strong...the LORD will again comfort Zion and choose Jerusalem as his own."

Scholars in Jesus day did not recognize His first coming. When they were tested by the wise men as to their knowledge about where the King was to be born, they did well ... in Bethlehem. But they totally missed seeing Jesus. My thinking is that they did not know the God of the Bible.
They studied about God, but missed Him.

Are we doing the same? Might we be unprepared for Christ's second coming because we study about God but fail to walk with Him? If we truly follow Jesus, the spotless Lamb who was slain for our sins, we eagerly look forward to His coming back as the mighty King.

I was deeply touched by reading Zechariah chapters 1 through 4. I am trying to understand what God has given us here in relation to our times and the Lord's return. I want to avoid carnal hype about end times. Hype produces fear; love for God dispels fear.

Looking forward to Christ's coming is a living faith that rejoices in that truth even
when we find ourselves in difficult circumstances. Jesus is our example.

"Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its
shame." (Hebrews 12:2b NLT)

Humility and pride do not mix.

While I lay awake last night, I was thinking, "What does it mean to humble myself before God?" Daniel 10:12 reads,

Then he said, "Don't be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven." (NLT)

A definition of humbling myself before God is committing myself to following/submitting myself to His way. What helps me in understanding humility is comparing it to the opposite, namely, pride. Pride - I follow my way. My ideas replace God's ideas; my thinking replaces God's thinking; my philosophy replaces God's Word. The result is death. Humbling myself before God results in life. The following truths from God's Word encourage humility: (NLT)

Isa 57:15, "I restore the crushed spirit of the humble."

Ps 69:32, "The humble will see their God at work and be glad."

Ps 138:6, "Though the LORD is great, he cares for the humble."

Jesus said: Matt 11:29, "Let me teach you, because I am humble and
gentle."

Luke 14:11, "...those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those
who humble themselves will be exalted."

1 Peter 5:5b, "...God opposes the proud but favors the humble."

Humility is necessary in order to walk with God and enjoy fellowship with Him.

Jesus Christ

Christ's coming was not to create guilt, but to demonstrate, and better yet, be a vehicle of God's love to us. The cross is a dramatic expression of His love and a clear invitation for people to come to Him and be saved. This love of God in Christ is the only basis for anyone's relationship and friendship with God. This seems to be the theme of that Curious Book called the Bible.
Let's check it out.
"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him."

John 3:16,17 (New Living Translation)

Here are a few of the many truths of how we can experience a growing relationship with God:
"And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts."
Colossians 3:15a (NLT)
"Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives."
Colossains 5:16a (NLT)

John 3:16 - God

John 3:16

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."



This Scripture verse focuses on the Father - His loving, His giving, His saving. It is He who expressed His love to us in a most profound way. He loved us so much that He didn't send His most superior angel, but rather His only Son - Jesus Christ. We can add nothing to what He has done. We are only to obey Him by believing what He did for us in sending Jesus and receiving His Son. This results in something as great as His love - transferring us from the state of perishing to having eternal life. This transformation is done by the Holy Spirit Whom He sent. The whole Trinity is involved! We are invited to join the sovereign Lord in deep fellowship that overflows with joy no matter what the circumstances might be.

Your comments are welcome: William.ndfw@gmail.com

William

I enjoy "this and that's" from God's Word. Often I jot down inspiring thoughts, questions, or ideas as I read or meditate and I'd like to share these concepts once or twice a week.