Words to ponder

[Kathi]

21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps, 22 WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; 23 and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. (1 Peter 2:21-24 NASB capitals in original)

How many of us Christians follow in his footsteps?

Do we Christians really bear the sins of those who abuse us without sinning, without uttering threats, or retaliating, so that through the wounds of our abusers they may be healed?

Oh, look......half the congregation just walked out.

We could not follow in His footsteps.He is God.

 

[Kathi]

 

[Jethro Bodine]

We could not follow in His footsteps.He is God.

Then why does Peter say he left us an example for us to follow in his foot steps?

21 ...Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps..." (1 Peter 2:21 NASB)

We like to get all self righteous and stuff when we get abused, and all 'oh, pity me', but God has a will for us to follow when we get abused. And it's the same will that Christ walked in. God's will is that we sometimes suffer that others might be healed through our patient and godly endurance and faith in God.

Hey, I'm tempted to walk out of the congregation when confronted with hard teachings like this, too. But I'm learning it's actually more satisfying to do the hard stuff than avoid it.

 

[Kathi]

Then why does Peter say he left us an example for us to follow in his foot steps?

21 ...Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps..." (1 Peter 2:21 NASB)

We like to get all self righteous and stuff when we get abused, and all 'oh, pity me', but God has a will for us to follow when we get abused. And it's the same will that Christ walked in. God's will is that we sometimes suffer that others might be healed through our patient and godly endurance and faith in God.

Hey, I'm tempted to walk out of the congregation when confronted with hard teachings like this, too. But I'm learning it's actually more satisfying to do the hard stuff than avoid it.

But that was Peter.Not God.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11 NIV)

Suffering according to the will of God and walking in the foot steps of Christ has purpose and meaning if you do it and get trained by it.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

But that was Peter.Not God.

But that was Peter what?

 

[Kathi]

11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (Hebrews 12:11 NIV)

Suffering according to the will of God and walking in the foot steps of Christ has purpose and meaning if you do it and get trained by it.

Walking in obedience to Christ is important.We are all sinners.We are not perfect and will not be until we get to heaven.God is not through with us yet.

 

[Kathi]

But that was Peter what?

Walking in Peters footsteps?God was not a sinner so we could never be like Him.We could possible walk in Peters footsteps.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Walking in Peters footsteps?God was not a sinner so we could never be like Him.We could possible walk in Peters footsteps.

The passage says we are to walk in CHRIST'S foot steps. Christ's suffering is the example we are to follow. His example is suffering without sinning, without reviling, and without threatening, always trusting God instead. And doing that for the sake of others--just as Christ did that for us so we could be healed. Instead what we often see in our behavior when we are abused is a snobbish, self righteous kind of condemnation of our abuser, right in the middle of our little pity party complete with balloons and streamers, oblivious to any thought of healing that our patient, trusting, and silent suffering might bring about for our abusers.

 

[Kathi]

The passage says we are to walk in CHRIST'S foot steps. Christ's suffering is the example we are to follow. His example is suffering without sinning, without reviling, and without threatening, always trusting God instead. And doing that for the sake of others--just as Christ did that for us so we could be healed. Instead what we often see in our behavior when we are abused is a snobbish, self righteous kind of condemnation of our abuser, right in the middle of our little pity party complete with balloons and streamers, oblivious to any thought of healing that our patient, trusting, and silent suffering might bring about for our abusers.

You mean pick up our Cross and follow Him?Yes,all of us will suffer on this earth just like Jesus.

 

[Jethro Bodine]

You mean pick up our Cross and follow Him?

Bingo! Exactly the verse I was thinking of in my first post.

 

[Kathi]

Awww...yes.People complain because they suffer but that is what we are suppose to do until He takes up home.

 

[Kathi]

 

[Kathi]

Question: "What did Jesus mean when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23)?"

Answer:Let’s begin with what Jesus didn’t mean. Many people interpret “cross” as some burden they must carry in their lives: a strained relationship, a thankless job, a physical illness. With self-pitying pride, they say, “That’s my cross I have to carry.” Such an interpretation is not what Jesus meant when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.”

When Jesus carried His cross up Golgotha to be crucified, no one was thinking of the cross as symbolic of a burden to carry. To a person in the first-century, the cross meant one thing and one thing only: death by the most painful and humiliating means human beings could develop.

Two thousand years later, Christians view the cross as a cherished symbol of atonement, forgiveness, grace, and love. But in Jesus’ day, the cross represented nothing but torturous death. Because the Romans forced convicted criminals to carry their own crosses to the place of crucifixion, bearing a cross meant carrying their own execution device while facing ridicule along the way to death.

Therefore, “Take up your cross and follow Me” means being willing to die in order to follow Jesus. This is called “dying to self.” It’s a call to absolute surrender. After each time Jesus commanded cross bearing, He said, “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?” (Luke 9:24-25). Although the call is tough, the reward is matchless.

Wherever Jesus went, He drew crowds. Although these multitudes often followed Him as Messiah, their view of who the Messiah really was—and what He would do—was distorted. They thought the Christ would usher in the restored kingdom. They believed He would free them from the oppressive rule of their Roman occupiers. Even Christ’s own inner circle of disciples thought the kingdom was coming soon (Luke 19:11). When Jesus began teaching that He was going to die at the hands of the Jewish leaders and their Gentile overlords (Luke 9:22), His popularity sank. Many of the shocked followers rejected Him. Truly, they were not able to put to death their own ideas, plans, and desires, and exchange them for His.

Following Jesus is easy when life runs smoothly; our true commitment to Him is revealed during trials. Jesus assured us that trials will come to His followers (John 16:33). Discipleship demands sacrifice, and Jesus never hid that cost.

InLuke 9:57-62, three people seemed willing to follow Jesus. When Jesus questioned them further, their commitment was half-hearted at best. They failed to count the cost of following Him. None was willing to take up his cross and crucify upon it his own interests.

Therefore, Jesus appeared to dissuade them. How different from the typical Gospel presentation! How many people would respond to an altar call that went, “Come follow Jesus, and you may face the loss of friends, family, reputation, career, and possibly even your life”? The number of false converts would likely decrease! Such a call is what Jesus meant when He said, “Take up your cross and follow Me.”

If you wonder if you are ready to take up your cross, consider these questions:
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing some of your closest friends?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means alienation from your family?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means the loss of your reputation?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your job?
• Are you willing to follow Jesus if it means losing your life?

In some places of the world, these consequences are reality. But notice the questions are phrased, “Are you willing?” Following Jesus doesn’t necessarily mean all these things will happen to you, but are you willing to take up your cross? If there comes a point in your life where you are faced with a choice—Jesus or the comforts of this life—which will you choose?

Commitment to Christ means taking up your cross daily, giving up your hopes, dreams, possessions, even your very life if need be for the cause of Christ. Only if you willingly take up your cross may you be called His disciple (Luke 14:27). The reward is worth the price. Jesus followed His call of death to self (“Take up your cross and follow Me”) with the gift of life in Christ: “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25-26).

Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/take-up-your-cross.html#ixzz3OTsmgAXa

 

[Jethro Bodine]

Taking up your cross means crucifying your flesh. When you feel like flying into a rage, crucify it! When you feel like gossiping, crucify it! When you feel like lusting after someone else's spouse, crucify it! PUT IT TO DEATH. Do not entertain it. Do not negotiate terms of peace with it. KILL IT MERCILESSLY.

 

[Kathi]

 

[Kathi]

 

[Edward]

The only person you should try to be better than, is the person you were yesterday.

When you stop being better, you stop being Good.

 

[Kathi]

The only person you should try to be better than, is the person you were yesterday.

When you stop being better, you stop being Good.

Change is a Godly process.You should feel like you are a different person than you were a last year.

 

[Kathi]