Describe Him: Example

A while back, I started a series of posts called “Describe Him A-Z”—a post for each letter of the alphabet focusing on aspects of the character of God, Christ, and the Spirit.  I only got as far as D.  Here are the previous posts on A through D: Advocate, Beginning, Comfort, Doctor.  I’ve decided to work on completing this series, so here goes! 

As the title already shows, the Bible presents Christ as our example. 

 In Philippians 2:5 we find Christ’s mind as the model for where our mind should be: thinking and being like Christ are requirements for every believer.  As the passage in Philippians 2 goes on to show, Christ humbled Himself, became a man, and gave His life for the world.  How does this aspect of Christ’s life give us an example to follow?  

Dr. Courtney, a pastor in Oklahoma and one of my teachers from Cornerstone, made several important points about this passage:

- Christ did not think it robbery to be equal with God (Phil. 2:6.)  In not thinking it robbery, He did not have the need to defend anything about Himself.  His life was not about protecting His reputation as God the Son.  Instead, He humbled Himself because He had nothing to lose. 
This freedom from self-interest and self-preservation produced a freedom to serve and give His life for us. 

- As Christians, we are positioned in Christ.  There is nothing we can do, or nothing others can do to us, to change this position. Christ is the one who has made us “In Him.”  Why then, should we worry about defending and protecting our reputation before others?  Our position in Christ gives us freedom from the need to defend ourselves.  In turn, it grants us the freedom to serve others.

- By having this mindset as Christ did, we are able to be likeminded with other believers, to have the same love, to be of one accord and of one mind.  We can act without strife and pride, and in humility see others as more important than ourselves. 

Christ is our example to follow.  And as Philippians 2:13 reminds us, “…it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.”

I just can't...

In talking about how much God loves us, someone recently made the comment that, "If you were to meet someone exactly like yourself, would you love them like God loves you?" Obviously, the answer would probably be "no." When I look at myself--the person that I am now--and consider how I wish I were instead, I fall so short of it; I see all of the areas that God has puts a finger on in my life that I need to change, and the task seems so impossible, so overwhelming. I feel like I can't do it. Have I mentioned that this semester has been very stretching and challenging?

It is true: it really is impossible to become the person that God wants me to be (through my own strength). Then I am reminded that "...He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ," and that "...it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure" (Philippians 1:6, 2:13).

It is so totally amazing, awesome, incredible, marvelous, staggering, overwhelming, and exceedingly humbling to ponder God's great love for us poor sinful, wicked, selfish, and helpless creatures, and to realize that He is, at this very moment, working in us to make us more like Christ.

On my own, I can't do it.

Through Christ, I can!

Something to think about. . .

Ok, as you all can probably tell, I really like the book of Philippians. So when I found out that the college and career class at church will be going through the book this summer, I was really excited!

So, I would like to throw outfor you a few of the questions and points to think about that Glen Shaw gave us as we looked at Philippians 1:19-25 last Sunday. I will let you decide for yourself the effect they should have on your life...

• "What will others say about me once I am gone? That I was fully devoted to God?"
• "Live life to the fullest, not for myself, but rather to magnify God!"
• "Is Christ what I crave?"
• "What am I really looking for in life? If I don't get it, how will I feel?"
• Another way to put that is: "What do I live for?
• Finally, how do I magnify Christ? Or, my own twist on that would be: "How am I currently magnifying Christ in my life?"

These are all challenging questions. I think we all know what the "correct answers" to these should be, but in all honesty, are these "correct answers" true in our lives?

In Him,

Angie