PRAYER
[part 1]
My son-in-law asked me if I would tell him how to become a more Christlike person. I had already decided to write an article on the subject, 'How can I become a more Christlike person.' I responded with, 'I CAN; GIVE ME A COUPLE OF DAYS TO REVIEW THE INFO ON THE INTERNET. The first thing that popped into my mind was 'prayer.' That is one significant answer, but I quickly discovered that many more aspects are involved with becoming more Christlike. I will share them with you in this article titled 'prayer.'
How can I become more Christlike (Christ-like)? You become like the people you spend the longest time with. If you want to become more like Christ, start by spending time with Him. Talk to Him in prayer. Read His Word. Spend time with others who live like Him. When you do this, you will know Him better and become more like Him, making you more Christlike.
As Christians, we all want to be more like Jesus. We all know that this life is about seeking after that one goal every day so that others might see Jesus in us and want to come to Him. Here are some practical ways to achieve the goal in your daily life of making Christ greater and greater and yourself less and less. Paul said, 'I have been crucified with Christ. No longer is it I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.' (Galatians 2:20, ESV)
This is the core of Christianity: God loved the World enough to come as Jesus, and to die for us, so anyone who trusts in Him will be saved from sin. This is undoubtedly the most well-known verse in the Bible. It is probably the best-known and most-memorized part of any holy text in human history. The verse is a one-sentence summary of the gospel and the subject line of the entire Bible. John 3:16 also reflects another critical aspect of the gospel: the essential idea is obvious, but there are layers of meaning and knowledge inside it.
Jesus is an expression of God's indescribable love for "the world," meaning all of humankind (1 John 4:9–10). The opening phrase is traditionally translated as "God so loved the world that…" and is typically understood to mean, "God loved the world so much that…." There is nothing incorrect about that idea, but the actual phrase means "God loved the world in this way," emphasizing what God did more than why.
The phrase translated as 'One and Only Son,' or 'only begotten Son" uses the Greek word monogenes. This is an exact word that John uses in other places in this gospel (John 1:14; John 1:18; John 3:18). While the English term 'begotten' often makes people think of biology, monogenes do not imply it. The word means something of the same "stuff." In other words, the Son is of precisely the exact nature as God the Father. This makes John 3:16 an essential part of proving the biblical concept of the Trinity.
There is no question that, according to the Bible, people can be saved only through faith in Jesus. The life offered to those who believe in Christ is "eternal," from a Greek word meaning "never-ending." The alternative to life in Christ is destruction: to "perish." Verses 16 and 17 explain that the purpose of sending Jesus was our salvation, but verse 18 reminds us that those who do not believe are condemned.
Summary
John 3:16–21 begins with the most easily recognized portion of any holy book on Earth: John 3:16. This is a one-sentence summary of the entire gospel. Still, the following verses are critical for understanding the Christian message. Christ was not sent to judge the World but to bring salvation. This is an expression of God's incredible love. However, those who do not believe in Jesus Christ are condemned in the eyes of God. Human preference for sin causes many to choose darkness over Light.
Answer #1 to the question, 'How can I become a more Christlike person.'
First, You become like the people you spend the longest time with. If you want to become more like Christ, start by spending time with Him. 'Talk to Him in prayer.' Read His Word. Spend time with others who live like Him. When you do this, you will know Him better and become more like Him, making you more Christlike.
Answer #2 is 'Read the Bible.'
To be like Him, you have to know Him. How do you know Him? Study Him, and that means studying His teachings and His Word. It means knowing how He treated people and how He handled life. The only way to do that is to get out that Bible, and read it, every day!
Converse with God often throughout the day. He is your strength and your guide through life. You need to talk to Him. Pray.
Answer #3 - Take Action
Now that you know, it is time to obey the convictions that the Holy Spirit puts on your heart through that knowledge and understanding—no more putting it off or pretending not to have felt the conviction. Just go where He is leading you and trust that He will show you what to do when you get there—no more excuses. Just go.
Answer #4 – Humility
Humble yourself. Put away selfish ambition and focus on the needs around you. Put other people at a higher priority than your desires. As the Bible says in Philippians, 'we must count others as higher than ourselves.'
12 Ways to Humble Yourself
#1 - Routinely confess your sin to God (Luke 18:9-14). All of us sin and fall short of the glory of God. However, too few of us have a routine practice of rigorous self-honesty examination. Weekly, even daily, review of our hearts and behaviors, coupled with confession to God, is an essential practice of humility.
#2 - Acknowledge your sin to others (James 3:2, James 5:16). Humility before God is not complete unless there is also humility before man. A test of our willingness to humble ourselves is a willingness to share with others the weaknesses we confess to God. Wisdom, however, dictates that we do so with others we trust.
#3 - Tolerate wrong (1 Peter 3:8-17). When something is unjust, we want to react and rectify it. However, patiently responding to the unjust accusations and actions of others demonstrates our strength of godly character and provides an opportunity to put on humility.
#4 - Actively submit to authority, the good and the bad (1 Peter 2:18). Our culture does not value submission but promotes individualism. How purposely and actively do you work on submission to those whom God has placed as authorities in your life? Doing so is an excellent way to humble yourself.
#5 - Receive correction and feedback from others graciously (Proverbs 10:17, 12:1). In the Phoenix area, a local East valley pastor was noted for graciously receiving any negative feedback or correction offered. He said, "thank you for caring enough to share that with me. I will pray about it and get back to you." Look for the kernel of truth in what people offer you, even if it comes from a dubious source. Always pray, 'Lord, what are you trying to show me through this?'
#6 - Accept a lowly place (Proverbs 25:6,7). Accept and look for the lowly place; it is the place of humility. Suppose you find yourself wanting to sit at the head table, wanting others to recognize your contribution, or becoming offended when others are honored or chosen. In that case, pride is present—the purpose of supporting others being recognized, rather than you.
#7 - Purposely associate with people of lower state than you (Luke 7:36-39). The Pharisees derided Jesus for socializing with the poor and those of the lowly state. Our culture is very status conscious, and people naturally want to socialize upward. Resist the temptation of being partial to those with status or wealth.
#8 - Choose to serve others (Philippians 1:1, 2 Corinthians 4:5, Matthew 23:11). When we serve others, we are serving God's purposes in their lives. Doing so reduces our focus on ourselves and builds the Kingdom of God. When serving another costs us nothing, we should question whether it is servanthood
#9 - Be quick to forgive (Matthew 18: 21-35). Forgiveness is possibly one of the most extraordinary acts of humility we can do. To forgive is to acknowledge a wrong done to us and further release our right of repayment for the wrong. Forgiveness is a denial of self. Forgiveness is not insisting on our way and our justice.
#10 - Cultivate a grateful heart (1 Thessalonians 5:18). The more we develop an attitude of gratitude for the gift of salvation and life He has given us, the more genuine our perspective of self is. A grateful heart is a humble heart.
#11 - Purpose to speak well of others (Ephesians 4:31-32). Saying negative things about others puts them "one down" and us "one up." Speaking well of others edifies them and builds them up. Make sure, however, that what you say is not intended as flattery.
#12 - Treat pride as a condition that always necessitates embracing the cross (Luke 9:23). It is our nature to be proud, and God's nature in us brings humility. Committing to a lifestyle of daily dying to ourselves and living through Him is the foundation for true humility.
Answer #5 - Do Right (Galatians 6:9) 'Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.'
A) Verse Concepts
Genesis 18:25 – 'Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?'
B) Verse Concepts
Psalm 103:6 - 'The Lord performs righteous deeds And judgments for all who are oppressed.'
C) Verse Concepts
Deuteronomy 32:4 - The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just.
D) Verse Concepts
Luke 9:23 - He is a God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous, and upright.
E) Verse Concepts
Daniel 4:37 – 'Then he said to them all: 'Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.'
[part 2]
#6 - Be Kind
5 Benefits of Being Kind
1. Being Kind to Others is Being Kind to You. The ordinary meaning of kindness to many people is the welfare of the person(s) benefiting from it. Other than that, you become kind to yourself when you show kindness.
This is since the act of kindness automatically generates virtuous feelings within you. These feelings instill the good habit and ultimately distract you from the evil deeds you may otherwise commit.
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2. Fosters Closer Relationship.s The creation and maintenance of relationships are vital in the present era. With the digital revolution, we are getting so hectic in our lives that we hardly spare time for strengthening our relationships with others.
Showing kindness to others builds a healthy bond relationship. It eventually pays you back unknowingly in the future. Assisting a friend or any individual in need can reinforce your relationship.
Whether it is your friend or life partner, parents or colleague, or any stranger, the kindness you show never goes futile. Being kind provides a chance to show somebody what they mean to you.
Irrespective of how deep or shallow your relationship is, the relationship deepens when you start becoming kind. There are higher odds of getting assistance from the person whom you helped.
"Kindness is the most important tool to spread love among humanity."
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3. Makes You Happier. You obtain a deep satisfaction and pleasure when you aid somebody with whatever you can. You cannot assume the level of contentment presently unless you show kindness.
The same makes you happier , and you can work more effectively in your life. That pleasure lasts long and also provokes you to continually show a kind attitude to others whenever you grab the chance.
One of the quotes nicely justifies kindness that it is:
"Kindness is the language the deaf can hear, and the blind can see."
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4. Reduction of Stress. Despite the fulfillment of all the necessities, people today suffer from stress. The way we communicate with others is directly proportional to our emotional health.
Participating in acts of kindness generates Oxytocin, i.e., the love hormone. It alleviates blood pressure and also enhances your heart health.
5. Provides a Sense of Control. We impulsively feel indignant toward people who make us feel anguish. On the other hand, when we begin becoming kind to others, we attain self-respect.
Kindness owns the power to eradicate suspicion and aggression. Gradually when you begin to bear a kind attitude towards everyone, you can better control your emotions. This way, you will realize how you gradually become more positive in life.
Being kind works like a medical antidepressant that generates the chemicals that calm you down. You will know that nobody else can control your mood. It is only you who can control and lead in life.
Final Words
The real essence of humanity lies in becoming kind to others. The act of kindness will gradually abolish the negativity within you and let you live a happier life.
There are ample benefits of being kind, which you will explore as you begin showing kindness to the living beings around you.
Walk in love. Show kindness to the people around you, even if they are not showing it to you.
Stop and learn to recognize people's pain and be the one that offers help to those who need it.
Giving Thanks During Trials
Praise God in every circumstance and give Him control of the trials that you are going through. Jesus did this when He asked God to take His cup from Him, but at the same time, he told His Father that He would do what God asked of Him, regardless of what that was. He trusted the will of His Father and recognized the greater good that would come from His suffering. As a result, He glorified God and saved every one of us with His sacrifice.
Our Prince of Peace told us to expect troubles and to "take heart" from him and how he dealt with them (Matthew 9:22; Mark 6:50; John 16:33). The Apostles, in their many persecutions and sufferings, encouraged us to follow the Lord's example:
Paul taught, "Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18).
James, the brother of our Lord, agreed, "Consider it pure joy… whenever you face trials of many kinds" (James 1:2).
Peter also urged us to praise God in difficult and painful situations (1 Peter 1:3-9). Are we praising God when things go wrong? Are we thankful when we have problems? Having "pure joy" in pain and injustice?
The Kingdom of the Heavens is for Us!
In The Apprentice Prayer, after accepting our tribulations, we exclaim with gratitude to God, "Yes, today I will rejoice because I am in your eternal kingdom, you love me, and you are teaching me!" Even in dire circumstances, the Kingdom of the Heavens is present for us, flowing with rivers of righteousness, peace, and joy (Romans 14:17). Let us drink it in!
We are shifting our focus from the storm thundering to the Lord resting. Instead of stressing out over changing our unhappy situation, we are praying to change our unhappy selves, focusing on the one thing in life that we are responsible for, which also is our most incredible opportunity: asking Jesus to teach us how to become more like him.
Join in the Work of His Kingdom
Paul helps us adjust our perspective. He says that our troubles our "light and momentary," and the image of Christ that God is forming in us is "an eternal glory that outweighs them all." When we "fix our eyes on" this, we are "renewed day by day" (2 Corinthians 4:16-18). Accordingly, I like to pray along these lines: Lord Jesus, you are lovely to me and doing something good that I am not yet seeing. So I am watching to see what you are doing in this situation and what you want to teach me. I am ready to join you in your kingdom's work and follow you however you lead me in this trial.
We may suffer significant losses, injustices, or pain; from the World's perspective, things may not go well for us. However, if we realize that we can thrive in The Kingdom — and therefore do not need to be overwhelmed by or defined by our problem situation — then we have reason to be wonderfully happy!
Unwavering
Be firm and strong in your resolve to follow Christ fully. Do not waver or get distracted, but keep your focus on God. This takes courage, discipline, and sacrifice but is essential to being more like Christ.
Wisdom
The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise:
"listen to his words of wisdom."
Synonyms:
sagacity · sageness · intelligence · understanding · insight · perception
· perceptiveness · percipience · penetration · perspicuity · acuity ·
discernment ·
• The soundness of an action or decision concerning the application of experience, knowledge, and sound judgment:
Synonyms:
sagacity · sageness · intelligence · understanding · insight · perception
· perceptiveness · percipience · penetration · perspicuity · acuity ·
• the body of knowledge and principles that develops within a specified society or period: 'the traditional farming wisdom of India.'
synonyms:
Knowledge · learning · erudition · scholarship · philosophy · lore
Choose wisely whom you go to for advice. Make sure they are grounded in the Word of God and test everything they give you against God's Word. Even the most devout Christian will get it wrong sometimes. It is up to you to know the Word of the Lord so that when you hear something contrary to it, you can make wise decisions instead of following a false path.
Repent
Repent of your sins once you are made aware of them. Repent means to be sorry and to turn your back on that sin and no longer follow in that direction. To completely change course, back on the path your Father in Heaven has set out for you. We should all be doing this daily.
VERB
1. feel or express sincere regret or remorse about one's wrongdoing or sin: 'the priest urged his listeners to repent' ·
synonyms:
feel remorse for · regret · be sorry for · rue · reproach oneself for · be ashamed of · feel contrite about · wish that one had not done something · be penitent ·
• view or think of (an action or omission) with deep regret or remorse: 'Marian came to repent her hasty judgment.'
• archaic feel regret or penitence about: 'I repent of all I did.'
How to Pray without Ceasing
1. Prayer does not have to be stiff and formal. Begin with gratitude. In other words, start by telling God what you are thankful for.
2. Get real. If prayer had to be a stiff, formal language—"our most holy and mighty God, we beseech ye…"—first of all,
3. Incorporate prayer into everyday chores. Let your everyday tasks become acts of worship by turning to faith in God.
1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
The means of promoting religious joy is prayer. This prayer is to be "without ceasing," implying constancy (Colossians 4:2) and perseverance ( Romans 12:12; Ephesians 6:18; Luke 18:1 ). This is not a mere precept "capable of fulfillment in idea, rather than in fact. It is an exhortation to live in a devotional frame of mind.
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