#christlikeness

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

"Everything that God brings into our life is directed to one purpose: that we might be conformed to the image of Christ." - Erwin W. Lutzer

[versegpt]

[15-Day Devotional] Emulate Christ: Becoming True Disciples Through Christlike Living

Heavenly Father,

We come before You with hearts longing to be more like Your Son, Jesus. Thank You for the incredible love and grace You've shown us, that You have called us to be conformed to His image. We ask for Your Spirit to continually transform us, renewing our minds and stripping away our old ways so that we may walk in righteousness and holiness.

Teach us to humble ourselves as Christ did, putting the needs of others before our own, and embracing the heart of a servant. Help us clothe ourselves in kindness, compassion, and patience, always ready to forgive as we have been forgiven. Let love be the bond that holds us together, uniting us in perfect harmony, reflecting Your love to the world.

Lord, may we deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow wherever You lead, trusting in Your purpose even when the road is hard. Help us to remember that following Christ means a life of sacrifice, but also a life of deep joy and fulfillment. May we be faithful in sharing Your message, becoming fishers of men, so that others may come to know Your saving grace.

As we wash the feet of those around us, may we serve with the same humility and love that Christ demonstrated. Let our love for one another be the evidence that we are truly His disciples, drawing others to You by the way we care for and sacrifice for each other. Give us the strength to lay down our lives for the sake of our brothers and sisters, just as Jesus laid down His life for us.

In moments of suffering, may we follow in Christ's footsteps, trusting in Your will and enduring hardships with the hope and confidence that we are becoming more like Him. Let our lives be a reflection of His love and holiness in this world, so that when the day of judgment comes, we may stand boldly in Your presence.

We ask all these in the most precious name of Jesus, our Lord, Savior, and Ultimate Example.

Amen.

Day 1: Romans 8:29

In Romans 8:29, Paul reveals God's ultimate purpose for believers: to be transformed into the likeness of Jesus. It tells us that God's plan for us began long before we knew Him—He foreknew and predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son. This transformation isn't just about improving our character but about becoming Christlike in every aspect of life, reflecting His nature, love, and holiness.

Being conformed to Christ’s image is not just a goal but a continual process, facilitated by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Through this, we grow in His likeness, demonstrating the fruits of the Spirit and living as His representatives.

To emulate Christ based on this verse means we must actively seek to align our hearts, minds, and actions with His. It’s about embracing a life of humility, obedience, and love, understanding that our ultimate destiny is to mirror Him, not just in eternity but in our daily walk here and now.

Day 2: Ephesians 4:20-24

In Ephesians 4:20-24, Paul encourages believers to put off their old sinful nature and be renewed in the spirit of their minds, putting on the new self that reflects God's righteousness and holiness. The transformation we undergo as followers of Christ requires a deliberate shift from our past behaviors to a life that mirrors His.

This new life is not just about outward changes but is rooted in a deep renewal of the mind and heart. Emulating Christ means allowing the truth found in Him to reshape how we think and live. By doing so, we embody the new nature created in His likeness, characterized by righteousness and holiness.

To follow Christ's example, we must continually cast aside the "old man"—the patterns of sin and selfishness—and embrace the "new man," which aligns with God's will. This renewal is a daily process of surrendering to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to mold us into Christ’s image.

Day 3: 2 Corinthians 3:18

In 2 Corinthians 3:18, Paul explains that as we behold the glory of the Lord, we are being transformed into His image, moving from one degree of glory to another through the power of the Holy Spirit. This verse emphasizes that our transformation into Christlikeness is not instant but a continual process that deepens as we grow in our relationship with Him.

By fixing our gaze on Jesus—studying His life, His love, and His example—we are progressively shaped into His likeness. The Holy Spirit works in us to make this transformation possible, enabling us to reflect the glory of Christ more fully in our daily lives.

Emulating Christ through this verse means we actively pursue time with Him, allowing His presence and truth to transform us. It’s a journey of spiritual growth, where the more we behold Him, the more we become like Him, reflecting His love, grace, and truth to the world.

Day 4: Philippians 2:3-5

In Philippians 2:3-5, Paul calls believers to live in humility, considering others more important than themselves. He points to the mindset of Christ, who, though divine, humbled Himself by becoming a servant. This passage teaches us that emulating Christ starts with a humble heart, rejecting selfish ambition and putting others' needs before our own.

To follow Christ’s example, we must adopt a posture of lowliness, just as He did. He didn’t seek His own interests but served others, even to the point of death on the cross. Our lives, then, should reflect this selflessness in our relationships and daily interactions.

Emulating Christ based on this verse means we choose humility, seeking to serve rather than be served. It’s about cultivating a heart that reflects Christ’s love, valuing others with the same grace, compassion, and selflessness that He showed us.

Day 5: Colossians 3:12-14

In Colossians 3:12-14, Paul instructs believers to "put on" Christlike virtues such as compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, and, above all, love. These qualities are the evidence of our new life in Christ, reflecting His character in our daily conduct. Paul reminds us that just as Christ forgave us, we are called to forgive others, and love should bind all these virtues together in perfect harmony.

Emulating Christ means choosing to embody these attributes in our interactions with others, demonstrating the same grace and love that Jesus showed us. Love, in particular, is the virtue that holds all others together, representing the fullness of Christ’s nature in us.

To emulate Christ through this passage, we must consciously "put on" these virtues every day. It requires intentionality in how we treat others, seeking to reflect Christ’s love, mercy, and forgiveness in all circumstances.

Day 6: 1 Peter 1:15-16

In 1 Peter 1:15-16, Peter calls believers to be holy in all their conduct, just as God, who called them, is holy. He reminds us of the biblical command, "Be holy, for I am holy." Holiness means being set apart for God's purposes, reflecting His purity and righteousness in every aspect of our lives.

Emulating Christ through this verse means striving for holiness, not only in outward behavior but also in our thoughts, motives, and hearts. It’s a call to live in a way that honors God, rejecting the ways of the world and aligning ourselves with His will.

To emulate Christ, we must pursue a life of holiness, recognizing that we are called to reflect God’s character in everything we do. This pursuit of holiness is not a burden but an opportunity to draw closer to Him and live as His representatives.

Day 7: 1 John 2:6

In 1 John 2:6, John tells us that if we claim to live in Christ, we must walk as He walked. This verse directly challenges us to align our lives with the example set by Jesus. To "walk" as He did means to live in a way that reflects His character—marked by love, humility, obedience, and faithfulness to God.

Emulating Christ through this verse requires us to actively follow His example in every area of life. It’s not enough to simply profess faith; our actions, attitudes, and decisions must reflect the life of Jesus. Walking as Christ did means living in a manner that pleases God and serves others selflessly.

To follow Christ’s footsteps, we must seek to reflect His love and truth in all that we do, striving to live with integrity and compassion, just as He did.

Day 8: Matthew 16:24

In Matthew 16:24, Jesus tells His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." This verse calls for a radical commitment to Christ, requiring self-denial and a willingness to endure suffering for the sake of following Him. Jesus sets the standard for true discipleship, where personal desires and comforts are surrendered in favor of obedience to His will.

Emulating Christ through this verse means embracing a life of sacrifice, placing God’s purposes above our own. It’s a call to let go of self-centered living and fully commit to the path of following Jesus, even when it is difficult or costly. Taking up our cross means identifying with Christ’s suffering and being willing to face challenges for His sake.

To follow Christ’s example, we must daily choose to deny ourselves, align our lives with His teachings, and walk in obedience, knowing that true life is found in surrendering to Him.

Day 9: Matthew 4:19

In Matthew 4:19, Jesus calls His first disciples by saying, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." This invitation is more than just a request to physically follow Him; it’s a call to a transformed life, one where we not only learn from Jesus but also share His message with others. Jesus promises that as we follow Him, He will equip us to draw others to God, just as fishermen gather fish.

Emulating Christ through this verse means committing to follow Him wholeheartedly and allowing Him to shape us into people who share the Gospel. It’s a reminder that following Jesus includes a mission—to reach others with the love and truth of Christ. We are called to be active participants in God’s work, leading others to experience the life-changing power of Jesus.

To follow Christ’s example, we must be willing to leave behind our old ways, trust His guidance, and embrace the calling to be "fishers of men," reaching out to those who need to know Him.

Day 10: John 13:14-15

In John 13:14-15, Jesus says, "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you." Here, Jesus demonstrates the heart of servanthood by performing the lowliest task of washing His disciples’ feet. His actions teach that true greatness in His Kingdom comes through humility and service to others.

Emulating Christ in this verse means adopting a posture of humility and serving others, no matter how menial the task may seem. Jesus set the ultimate example of selfless love and service, and we are called to follow in His footsteps by putting the needs of others before our own.

To follow Christ’s example, we must be willing to serve one another in love, showing kindness and humility in all we do. This reflects Christ’s character and reveals the depth of His love for us.

Day 11: Luke 6:40

In Luke 6:40, Jesus says, "A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher." This verse highlights the goal of discipleship: to become like Christ, our Teacher. As we follow Jesus and learn from Him, we are being shaped and molded to reflect His character. The more we allow ourselves to be trained by His teachings, the more we grow in His likeness.

Emulating Christ through this verse means committing ourselves to learn from Him daily, understanding that we are being transformed to reflect His nature. Discipleship is a lifelong process where we continually grow and mature in our faith, becoming more like Jesus in our actions, attitudes, and relationships.

To follow Christ’s example, we must humbly submit to His teaching, allowing His Word to guide and transform us so that our lives mirror His in every way.

Day 12: John 13:34-35

In John 13:34-35, Jesus commands, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." Jesus sets a high standard for love—calling us to love others just as He has loved us, with selflessness and sacrifice. This kind of love is the defining mark of true discipleship.

Emulating Christ in this verse means reflecting His unconditional and sacrificial love in all our relationships. Jesus’ love was patient, forgiving, and willing to lay down everything for the sake of others. By loving one another in this way, we bear witness to the world that we are His followers.

To follow Christ’s example, we must make love the foundation of our lives, showing genuine care, compassion, and forgiveness to others, just as Christ has done for us.

Day 13: 1 John 3:16

In 1 John 3:16, John writes, "By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." This verse defines love through the ultimate example of Christ’s sacrifice. Jesus gave His life for us, and this act of selfless love sets the standard for how we are called to love others—sacrificially and unconditionally.

Emulating Christ in this verse means we must be willing to put the needs of others before our own, even when it costs us something. Just as Jesus laid down His life, we are called to live in a way that reflects His sacrificial love, serving and caring for others without hesitation.

To follow Christ’s example, we must live selflessly, loving others in a way that reflects the depth of Christ’s love for us—always ready to give of ourselves for the sake of others.

Day 14: 1 John 4:17

In 1 John 4:17, John writes, "Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world." This verse highlights that God’s love, when fully embraced, leads to confidence before Him. It also reminds us that as followers of Christ, we are called to reflect His love and character in this world. As we embody Christ's love, we live out His mission and represent Him to those around us.

Emulating Christ in this verse means we must live with the same love and purpose that Christ demonstrated. When we love as Christ loved, we reflect Him in our actions, bringing His presence into the world. This not only gives us assurance in our relationship with God but also reveals His love to others through us.

To follow Christ’s example, we must strive to embody His love in every aspect of our lives, boldly living as His representatives, knowing that as He is, so are we in this world.

Day 15: 1 Peter 2:21

In 1 Peter 2:21, Peter writes, "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps." This verse highlights the profound truth that Christ's suffering and obedience serve as a model for us. Jesus faced trials, rejection, and ultimately death, not for His own sake but for ours, demonstrating the ultimate act of love and purpose.

Emulating Christ in this verse means recognizing that our call includes enduring hardships and challenges, just as He did. Following in His footsteps requires us to embrace a life of sacrifice, perseverance, and commitment to God's will, even when it leads us through difficult paths.

To follow Christ’s example, we must be willing to endure suffering with grace and faith, understanding that our trials are part of our calling. By doing so, we reflect His character and demonstrate our commitment to living out the Gospel in our daily lives.

[skyora]

Greetings and salutations saints and creations of God. I am writing this to get this out of my system and share where I stand. It is the end of October 2024 November and the Presidential election is around the corner in a few days. I am not writing this post to tell you who to vote for. In fact, when you vote it's actually very simple. If you want Project 2025, vote for former President Donald Trump and his administration. If you don't, you vote for Vice President Kamala Harris and her administration. That's it. All these unnecessarily complicated things are ridiculous. Which brings me to the point of this post. This post is a slight rant about abortion and how Christians are behaving when discussing the topic.

But let me backtrack for a moment. Usually, the people who read my original blog on my website were there for life and mental health issues or were believers in leadership. I’ll still be making posts for both audiences but I felt it best to start here given the circumstances in our country (By the way I’m American, if you didn’t know). I believe it's important during times like these to speak up on what we believe politely and lovingly, make sure people have access to resources and information, and focus on what’s important.

For example, when it comes to the presidential race it's not just former President Trump, it's the entire administration that wants Project 2025 in action. I will state that I am against Project 2025. Does that mean I’m for all the policies proposed by Vice President Harris and her administration? No not all, but I prefer it over the option. But that’s the thing, people need to look at what each administration brings forth. Believers on both sides of the spectrum have gotten too caught up in the Republican and Democratic rhetoric and obsessing over former President Trump and current Vice President Harris instead of looking at the actual administrative issues and how things will be handled after the presidential election. Am I saying not to factor in character? Kind of. It’s glaringly apparent that Former President Trump needs a radical encounter with the Lord Jesus and a proper Christian community to help him grow, hold him accountable, and care about the condition of his soul. People can ignore and twist scripture as much as they want, but that won’t change the constant and consistent misuse or opposition of scripture he presents. As for Vice President Harris, I can’t say she’s better or worse than the average Christian politician. But even though I don’t have a harsh opinion about her I won’t be putting her on a pedestal which is a part of the point I’m trying to make. Neither candidate should be elevated like that. We shouldn’t be elevating candidates period for any reason, we should be elevating Christ.

This is a presidential election and despite what people say, we are not a Christian nation. Many of our leaders are not Christians or Christians with an agenda. However, we are in the position we are in right now because we haven’t been voting according to our beliefs for years. Additionally, “Well both candidates are evil, so I won’t be voting.” ← Is a garbage take that doesn't help the situation. If you think both candidates and their policies are evil vote for what you consider to be the lesser of the two evils. “But I shouldn’t have to do that!” Well, we’re here and that’s what you have to do. So please do it. Again, we are in the position we are now because we haven’t been voting on every level of the government according to our beliefs for years.

All the damage won’t be undone because people have suddenly decided to speak out. And no, that is not a dig nor am I suggesting you fight with people. The fighting is why I’m so disgusted. The blatant bullying, disrespect, and disregard for each other and the Word of God is outstanding. How we live our lives should draw people in so they want to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior or draw closer to Him in their relationship with Him. What’s happening now is not only hypocritical and un-Christlike, it’s repelling people. Some are even proclaiming a “Jesus” that is very clearly not our Jesus when you compare spoken beliefs to the Word of God. You can see it in the comment sections, the way that both the lost and the wayward want nothing to do with Christ or the community. Frankly, I don’t blame them. Look at the story of our lives as a collective is telling. We, those who claim Jesus Christ as our Savior, are not being good witnesses for Him.

So pray, speak up when prompted, proclaim the truth of God’s Word amidst discussions, talk to people, and encourage them to vote without pressuring people. Beating people over the head never works. Present the information and let them decide. Don’t hide your stance though if they ask. Unless that might put you in danger because that’s where we are. We’re American Christians who can’t talk to other American Christians because they���ve fallen into idolatry and will threaten or hurt you if you don’t do the same. Am I saying deny Christ? Never. I’m saying use discernment. For example, I’m an African American woman living in what’s considered the Cradle of the Confederacy. If I go to a new store that sells preserves and jams, walk in, and see a Confederate flag and I’m the only Black person there, I’m going to turn around and leave. Obviously, jam is nowhere near as important as standing firm on the Word of God, but many of the danger flags have become just as apparent.

But let’s start rounding back to the main topic I intended to talk about. For myself, I'm not going to vote for Project 2025 which means I'm voting for Vice President Harris. I am not a Democrat. I'm not a Republican either. I dislike our party system which honestly needs a major overhaul. I choose people based on who I believe will do the best job in office or who will cause the least amount of foreseeable damage. I say foreseeable because it’s not uncommon for politicians to not do what they claimed when running for office after they’ve gotten the position. But I see many people who are single-issue voters and shut out everything else without thinking about it critically. I know some do, but many of the most vocal are not. Hence, now going back to the topic of abortion.

Now, this is not a deep think piece. I am not going to pull up statistics and things like that, but I will state my opinion on it in general. Firstly, we need to stop pretending that the issue is only about whether abortion is wrong or right. That's not the issue as a Believer. Most of us understand that abortion is wrong but we also understand that we cannot control people's bodies. However, I believe many people have glossed over the fact that banning abortions, isn’t going to stop abortions.

The reason we have places like Planned Parenthood in the first place is to not go back to the days of back alley doctors, people throwing them down the stairs, or drinking poison substances all to self-abort a baby. Because then you end up with a mother and a child dead instead of just the child. No, I’m not being dramatic. Yes, I have first and second-hand experience with people who still try these “methods.” I think many people who aren’t fighting simply for the unborn since it’s easier because they aren’t here yet, have lost sight of the people right in front of them. Removing a Planned Parenthood that does not do abortions and putting nothing in its place to provide women’s healthcare services isn’t right. Pro-Life should be about every life. Truthfully, I agree that the only real way to reduce abortions is to reduce the reasons that people have abortions in the first place. So now, I will talk about a few of those reasons and give some suggestions that you may or may not be able to participate in to help with the situation.

We can start with men. No, I’m not about to say all men are bad nor will I be bashing them. I brought them up first because a lot of people like to throw in how “rape is unfortunate” before skirting the whole topic. However, it is an issue that can be curved with accountability, discipleship, and raising better sons.

Seriously, when are we going to stop blaming victims for ruining men’s lives and start arresting assailants? The amount of men who get off scot-free because of their position or career makes no sense. The fact that we accept it so readily as a society makes even less sense. Even the Me Too Movement, which started in 2006, gets treated like a trend. Raising awareness and standing against sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and rape culture and advocating for proper punishment for assailants should be ongoing, not a trend. I mean Black people in the South did not stop getting lynched all the time, because racist White people suddenly stopped wanting to lynch us. The numbers dropped because of organized ongoing efforts to stop them. I’m not suggesting we all take to the streets and riot, I’m saying we should actively not participate in a culture that glosses over or glorifies this kind of behavior.

I also suggest we start taking discipleship and the discipleship of men in the church more seriously. Similarly, as a middle millennial often wonder, when are we going to start raising better sons? If we were disciplining our men and raising better sons in Christ properly, at the very least we could get this nonsense out of the church. Plus, people change when we let our light shine properly before mankind. Yes, we live in a fallen world, but that doesn’t mean we should go with it. We are the victors. We should not let the world continue to infiltrate and conquer.

On a different note, while vasectomies can be expensive, they cost less and are less likely to cause medical problems than a woman having her tubes tied (aka tubal ligation). The recovery time is also much better. If you're concerned about your sex drive, don't be. The procedure won’t affect your testosterone level, erections, climaxes, sex drive, or any other part of your sex life. If you don’t want or plan to not have any more children, it is a reliable form of birth control that should be considered more. I say this because birth control for women often causes a plethora of health issues. That being said, women’s health care, especially involving pregnancy, needs drastic improvement.

But before that, if anyone gasped or thought it was scandalous to mention sex, don’t. Not talking about sex properly is partially why a lot of Gen Z is in the mess it’s in now. Not talking to your teens about sex does not prevent them from having sex. Having proper discussions about sex, how God views sex, what love really is, peer pressure, their identity in Christ, and biblical purity (for boys and girls) that’s not only about sex is what prevents them from having sex. Skipping these talks just makes them go and find out on their own. What they’ll probably find is what the world says or skewed views of what God says about the matter. I understand fully that they are your children and I can not tell you how to raise them but I implore you to talk to them.

Now to healthcare. There are more women than you think who don't want to be pregnant because the healthcare system is terrible, especially if you are not wealthy. Our healthcare in America overall is terrible. We have to admit it's bad. We have to admit it’s bad because the system is based on making money versus helping people. I know we don't want to talk about it. A lot of times we want to talk about how we love America, especially because we have religious freedom to even say these kinds of things or even make this kind of post. But you can't say you love something and just let it do wrong. Our healthcare system overall is not working for us.

Honestly, I'm not sure what we need to do to fix it. I do know too many women who have experienced health problems during pregnancy and did not get any help or had their valid and fixable concerns dismissed. I do know too many women who have had miscarriages most likely due to malpractice or malpractice that happened after the miscarriage. I do know that most women I’ve met know either first or second-hand of a woman who gave birth to their child only to wait for it to die in their arms because there was nothing the doctors could do nor did they try. I’m aware that this isn’t everyone’s story despite me directly knowing a woman for each of the experiences I listed. And when I say I know, I mean I could have stopped writing this post, picked up my phone, and called them. There is always risk when it comes to pregnancy but these and many more glaring problems are part of the reason some women choose to abort instead of having the child and putting them up for adoption.

Finances, mental health, job-related issues, and the state of the foster care system are other reasons women don’t want to endure pregnancy and then give the child away. Medical bills associated with pregnancy can get very expensive, especially if you have complications. It’s often difficult to get maternity leave, let alone paid leave and some places won’t hold your job for you. It’s a lot to take on then hope the child goes to a great home. The foster care system is either really great or really terrible depending on where you live. I live in a place with dual problems: family services are notoriously bad at their jobs and we have too many Christians who adopt out of obligation instead of love. (Don’t ever adopt or foster a child out of obligation, always do so in love.) Additionally, many of those Christians don’t adopt American children or even consider it. There’s nothing wrong with adopting children from other countries at all but to a person deciding if they want to go through pregnancy and then give up the child, it makes a big difference.

Some of these same issues apply to people deciding whether to raise the child themselves or put them up for adoption. The fact that they can’t even take care of themselves, daycare, and job-related issues often arise in discussions among those still deciding what to do. For example, in my city, daycare costs around $550 to $1000 per month. That’s rent or not far from it. This topic particularly seems to bring out the worst in people online.

Too often, when people bring up costs. I see people telling women they should have kept their legs closed. Nothing is loving about that statement and you should not make assumptions about people who you don’t know. Additionally, as Believers, we know that sex is reserved for marriage but that does not apply to the world. I will not segue into the arguments that statement brings up about Christians because I know many are messing up or purposely being rebellious but that’s an entirely different post. I brought it up because I see many Christians attacking non-Christians in this manner. It is not okay to forcibly hold non-Christians to Christian standards. Even if they are Christian and they made a mistake or something, how does telling them they should have kept their legs closed help this situation? Remember everything we say and do whether directly or indirectly should lead people to want to have a relationship with Jesus Christ or help them grow closer to Him if they already have one. Don’t condemn people, support them.

Having programs to provide mental, financial, and physical support for women who choose not to abort is a good start and they should continue after birth. Mind you right now I’m talking about suggestions for the church, though some can and should be organized by non-profits. If you think the following is unrealistic, think about why. Everyone can’t and shouldn’t try to do everything but to see where you fit in and help accordingly. The Acts of the Apostles and the Epistles in the New Testament give us all kinds of ways to love one another and be a community. And Jesus Himself said in John 13:34-35, “34  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

So here are some things I’ve usually part-time:

Being a pregnancy buddy for emotional support if they are single or their husband's job doesn’t give him the leeway to always be present. Or just additional emotional support.

Similarly, families adopting families, for single parents, including those who are single by widowhood or divorce, who don’t have or are far away from family.

Errand runners, food sharers, and house cleaners. Babysitting isn’t everyone’s thing, but there’s more for parents to do than just watching their children.

That being said, babysitting, taking the kids out to give the parent(s) a break or driving duty are also helpful.

Tutoring, music lessons, and arts & crafts

I’ve done these alone, with my family, or with my previous church. They can be organized and done by groups or organizations as well. And yes, these are things for every stage of parenthood not just pregnancy. There’s a lot of work before the child gets here, but it’s after birth where I see us drop the ball the most. Persuading people to not abort and then abandon them after they give birth is terribly cruel.

I hope that if you’ve been unloving to people during season that this post at least makes you stop and think about your behavior. None of us are perfect but we can at least not choose to do what is not pleasing in God’s sight. Slandering and attacking people falls in that category. It can not be justified simply because a loud majority say it’s okay. At the end of the day, the truth is the truth whether you agree or not. I hope my fellow Believers take that to heart. I hope any non-Believer who’ve made it this far sees that not all or us have forsaken actual Jesus. Please know that there are many others who agree with the sentiments in this post.

Regardless of who you are and why you came, thank you for reading my rant. I hope you have a great morning, afternoon, evening, or night. Stay safe and God bless you.

[holystormfire]

What makes temptation so... alluring?

Genesis 3:6

The tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious. . . . So she took some of the fruit and ate it.

Satan’s favorite strategy is to make that which is sinful appear to be desirable and good. In contrast, he also tries to make good look evil. If he can make evil look good and good look evil, then giving in to temptation appears right instead of wrong.

You must constantly be aware of the confusion satan desires to create in you!

1 Kings 11:1-3

Solomon loved many foreign women. . . . And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the LORD.

Often temptation begins in seemingly harmless pleasure, soon gets out of control, and then progresses to full-blown idolatry. But the reality is that the kind of pleasure that leads to sin is never harmless. Before you give in to something that seems innocent, take a look at God’s Word to see what it says. If Solomon had done this, he would have been reminded that his “pleasure” was really sin.

Matthew 4:3-9

During that time the devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.”. . . Next the devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. “I will give it all to you,” he said, “if you will kneel down and worship me.”

Then Jesus said, "No, for it is written!"

Temptation often offers short-term attractive benefits but comes with destructive—even deadly—long-term consequences. Temptation is often convincingly seasoned with partial truths twisted into lies. Jesus gave his all to endure total manipulation and mental harm from the prince of lies for us! That in itself says more than words.

[musingsfromanidlemind]

Strange bedfellows

“O Corinthians! We have spoken openly to you, our heart is wide open. You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted by your own affections. Now in return for the same (I speak as to children), you also be open. Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ…

[barkingtigers]

[beddyxoxq]

<“My Mom”AKA The Toxic avoid>

I call her out for whatever spiritual attacks she attempts.. sometimes she’ll act sad, then use a shallow apology(ex: “I’m sorry that you thought—I’m sorry you felt like I could”—) .

This was my reply to her sad emoji and one word reply “sorry”. ….

“”””””””

It’s a 24/7 thing though. It doesn’t even matter what actually happened THIS time. Even when you got proof right in front of you, you’ll ignore it to go against me

Then go against me to try to go against me some more..

Sometimes you even try to get me to help you go against me .. Or help you in other situations to go against me or to fuck me over or make me look bad or make me feel bad, or do whatever!!

It’s night and day how you treat me from anyone but especially now cause it’s not just”” different treatment “” like it use to be.. now you literally try your hardest to TAKE/DESTROY everything that you possibly can whether there be money, joy or peace from me!

You’re never sad about hurting me in any way BC you never even acknowledge the fact that it happens. You make it worse by trying to bury it, by acting like it’s all in their head.. after being victimized, then try to corrupt reality by playing the victim role as if they’re the predator.

You will literally act like everybody needs to be worried about their safety after YOU have victimized and provoked the entire situation in the first place,

To avoid having to accept what you’ve done at all cost you’ll even go as far as to act if they’re losing their cool out of nowhere to be able to recruit ppl saying things like”” watch out..ohh my god I’m so sorry.”” To people that are not even able to be affected by the made-up situation, therefore creating false trauma for you to bond about.

It’s always been like that since the beginning! Since I can ever remember!! It’s just gotten worse over the years.

And I never mind at all, because anybody that can’t see through that instantly deserves to be duped by it. It’s probably their karma, so who am I to step in the way of that by trying to defend what doesn’t need defending no ma’am that’s why I let you run free and wild. Have fun. Do whatever makes you feel better about yourself or whatever you need to do to try to get whatever you think you need.

Because I will always be on my Christ like program, and will never react to any cruelty, no matter what direction it comes from!

And getting upset because it’s sad that a human being could act like that..

VS.

Making sure that you taste your own medicine.

Making sure that I do the same.. make sure that you feel unsafe. Make sure that your stuff is always in constant harm., getting everybody to go against you.. provoking you into anger, and then acting like Im victimized by the reaction. “Someone Help, she’s out of control, she’s crazy idk why she’s acting like that“”

Like a satanic Chaos agent creating destructive situations for the innocent party.

NOT TODAY SATAN

NOT TOMORROW

NOT AT ALL - DEFF.

NOT THIS CHILD OF GOD

NO EVIL

FROM ANYONE ANYWHERE

WILL EVER

PUT THIS FIRE FOR CHRIST OUT IN ME!!!

Instead unconditional love and understanding for what they don’t even understand themselves!

God allows me to see through his eyes, and I would never squander off my soul, or the gifts gods given me — by picking up vengeance? 😂 why would I even bother taking vengeance on some petty pathetic situations where people were so insecure and I was such a threat to them they had to become a chaos agent in order to feel some security??

I would never take pity on that because I find my identity and get my security from Christ. I never put my harder faith in Man because they will always let you down.

And when we don’t find our identity in Christ, that’s our actions will tell loud and clear!!!

And what’s worse the prosecuted or the comfortable?!

You can hold onto them thorns! Because they are no longer in my saviors crown!!

And he is alive and freed the oppressed, so no longer can this material world or anything in it that is materialized do any harm for no weapons will prosper against us!!

And the harder that they try the louder, the truth will be!! And the louder the truth will be delivered for God’s people!!!

I don’t fake my beliefs or how I feel or my emotions to make other people feel better about themselves or better about their situations!!

I stand my ground. I stand my boundaries and God is all I fear.!

And the Holy Spirit resides in my temple, so I’m never alone!

And I’m always the safest I could possibly be because I walk with the Lord or I don’t walk at all!!

Christ is a whole lifestyle- how you move how you speak how you treat others specially when done wrong how you speak on others what you do towards others your intentions- it’s a lifestyle and how you live on a daily basis !! Faith without works is dead, and works is a lifestyle lived daily!! It’s a soul energy into the heart with the mentality and mindset hosted by the Holy Spirit inside your temple!

Reading a couple Bible verses, every now and then, and twisting it to fit life situations for some false security, can be easily mistaken!

But when you go for quality over quantity, everything else falls short and always will!

So don’t be “”sad”” ever for anything that happens between us!

God put me here for a complete enlightenment! so that my soul could fully catch fire to the absolute depths that no one’s ever seen yet!!

God is creating magic, and I’m blessed to be a part of it!!

I never let this world fool me, I never forget God’s promise!!

I know how monumental and how glorious my place will be in the kingdom after all the sudden done!

That’s more than enough for me !!

“”””””””

And even though I did text it and replied, it wasn’t for her that was for me and for God!

God don’t take L’s — so you already know I’m #Winning ☺️😉😇

[corneliusbella]

As we aspire to describe ourselves to others with the attributes that made the disciples Christlike Christians in Antioch, we do so with a heart that seeks to glorify God. By immersing ourselves in the Word of God, we allow His truth to transform us, making us shining lights in a world that desperately needs to see Christ’s love, compassion, and grace in action. Let us remember that this transformation is a journey, and with each step, we take towards Christlikeness, we draw closer to the ultimate goal of becoming more like Him.

[theeofficialhabibi]

Having fun all my Christians tap in 🙏🏾🗣️🤍✝️

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Track 3.🌟Pray at 3am

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[kdmiller55]

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[yeslordmyking]

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