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God's Exquisite Garden
IMITATE CHRIST
Your attitude should be the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. (Phil. 2:5)
The best explicit attitude is one like Christ's. Often people excuse self-importance, egotism, or evil by claiming their "rights." They think, I can cheat on this test; after all, I merit passing this class, or I can spend all this money on myself, I earned it. But as believers, we should have an inconsistent attitude; one that allows us to lay aside our rights in order to serve others. If we say we pursue Christ, we must live as he lived. We should establish his attitude of humility as we serve, even when we are not likely to be recognized for our efforts. Are you selfishly holding on to your rights, or are you eager to serve?
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Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men: and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Philippians 2:5-8 (NKJV)
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Bad attitudes hurt our relationship with God (Genesis 4:6-7)
Bad attitudes lead to poor decisions (Numbers 14:1-4)
Always trust God for your life (Proverbs 29:25)
Never be anxious (Philippians 4:6-7)
God gives Christians a new attitude (Philippians 1:20-25)
Choose a positive attitude (Habakkuk 3:17-19)
God will reward the meek (Matthew 5:5)
We should imitate the attitude of Jesus(Philippians 2:5)
Christians should always rejoice (Philippians 4:4)
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We exist in a world that perilously needs empathy, a world of extreme suffering. So many experience suffering and linger suffering without ever having their needs met. The capability and reserves to meet their needs are available, but so many within the world have become impenetrable to the sufferings of others. They bank, hoard, and build up their treasures instead of forfeiting and reaching out to meet the needs of the world. But this is not to be true of the convert. Believers are to have compassion upon the afflictions of others. Followers are to feel humanity to the point that they are moved to act, sacrificing and reaching out to meet the needs of those enduring misfortunes.
A great bond is created between the believer and those to whom he attends, whether it be for physical or spiritual needs.
Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 1 Peter 3:8 [KJV]
We are to have the mind of Christ. Paul tells us to model him as he imitates Christ. Christ had no guile, evil thoughts or a selfish inclination. So often, people try to live life on their own conditions. What they do not comprehend is that we are unable to make life decisions on our own. Many times we have trials that we on our own do not have the ability to handle. Jesus tells us, "Come unto me, all ye that are heavy laden and I will give you rest." In Psalms we are told that God is our strength.
Jesus was the Son of God, He was one with the Father. But He was submissive to be God's "righteous servant," and His own words voiced the submission of His will to the Father's. If the divine Redeemer conveyed and feels appropriately, how obedient to God ought we to be! Illness may cause us to be supine, death may bereave us, poverty may try us, the tears of the widowed or of the fatherless may flow from our eyes; but let us desire to have the same mind in us that was in Christ, and the Father will carry us through and give us victory.
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Thy heart is not right in the sight of God. (Acts 8:21)
We exist in a world that perilously needs empathy a world of extreme suffering. So many experience suffering and linger suffering without ever having their needs met. The capability and reserves to meet their needs are available, but so many within the world have become impenetrable to the sufferings of others. They bank, hoard, and build up their treasures instead of forfeiting and reaching out to meet the needs of the world. But this is not to be true of the convert. Believers are to have compassion upon the afflictions of others. Followers are to feel humanity to the point that they are moved to act, sacrificing and reaching out to meet the needs of those enduring misfortunes.
A great bond is created between the believer and those to whom he attends, whether it be for physical or spiritual needs.
For years, I worked in a school system and had to keep paperwork. On one of my notebooks, I placed the first two illustrations where I could see them. They were read by me daily and seemed appropriate.
Always imitate the behavior of the winners when you lose.
George Meredith
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Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life.
John Homer Miller
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Bible Illustrations
I, for my part, have learned, by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, (Heb 5:8), to be content in every state.
Unflappable to the serenity of the Christian, whose adequacy isn't in itself, but in God (2Co 3:5 )
Thy heart is not right in the sight of God. (Acts 8:21)
Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it flow the issues of life. Proverbs 4:23
To be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. (Rom. 8:6)
In this last verse, we are told that the worldly person is alive in the physical sense, but he is spiritually dead. The inner person is dead to God in all that he does and says. Even though someone might be moral, even religious, he lacks the spiritual life. We find in Romans 8:2 he needs the life we have in Christ Jesus.
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