{"id":5693,"date":"2018-01-06T19:07:54","date_gmt":"2018-01-07T01:07:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/?p=5693"},"modified":"2018-01-06T19:07:54","modified_gmt":"2018-01-07T01:07:54","slug":"imitating-christ","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tampaseo.expert\/focus\/2018\/01\/06\/imitating-christ\/","title":{"rendered":"Imitating Christ"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Phillip Johnson<\/strong>
\nCan you imagine life without a challenge?\u00a0 Life would be boring and dull minus challenges.\u00a0 Without a challenge, life would lose its excitement and passion.\u00a0 I like to be challenged.\u00a0 I enjoy hiking and mountain bike riding and snow skiing.\u00a0When I\u2019m really up for a physical challenge, I try to make it through a P90X workout.\u00a0 Talk about a physical challenge!\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0I imagine you enjoy physical challenges as well.\u00a0 What about spiritual challenges?\u00a0 How do you view the spiritual challenges that you face?\u00a0 What are your ambitions spiritually?\u00a0 What are your spiritual goals?\u00a0 What are you striving to achieve for God\u2019s kingdom?\u00a0 2 Corinthians 5:9 describes the goal of Paul.\u00a0 Paul wanted to be pleasing to God.\u00a0 It\u2019s tragically sad when Christians have no goals; no dreams; no ambitions.\u00a0 Laziness prevents many from pursuing goals.\u00a0 A fear of failure stands in the way for others.\u00a0 Life is a challenge.\u00a0 The Christian life in particular is challenging.\u00a0 Christ is the challenge of all challenges.\u00a0 His perfect life is the yardstick by which we measure our lives.\u00a0 Take a look at 1 Peter 2:21-22.\u00a0 We are called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.\u00a0 This is our mission.\u00a0 This is our challenge.\u00a0 You may be thinking this is\u00a0\u201cmission impossible.\u201d\u00a0 How can I be like Christ?\u00a0 After all, He was perfect.\u00a0 Before you give up,\u00a0remember the power you have been given by God.\u00a0 You have the power to come to Christ (Matthew 11:28-30).\u00a0 You have the power to become\u00a0disciples\u00a0of Christ\u00a0(Luke 9:23).\u00a0 You have the power to overcome through Christ (Romans 8:37).\u00a0 Think about the power you have!\u00a0 God has given us power and He challenges us to use that power for His glory.\u00a0 Are you ready to conquer the challenge of all challenges?\u00a0 Are you ready for the challenge of Christ?\u00a0<\/span>
\nWe are challenged to live as Christ lived.<\/b>\u00a0 If we are going to walk in the footsteps of Jesus we need to know where He walked.\u00a0 We need to know how He walked.\u00a0 We need to examine His life.\u00a0\u00a0In my daily Bible reading, I am always reading through one of the gospels.\u00a0 I want to know more about Jesus.\u00a0 I want to know what motivated Him.\u00a0 I want to know how He spent His time.\u00a0 When you examine the life of Jesus, you quickly learn that His life had meaning.\u00a0 He was a minister.\u00a0 This was His chief mission in life.\u00a0 What\u2019s yours?\u00a0 Christ was invested in the lives of other people.\u00a0 What are you investing in?\u00a0 Jesus served others.\u00a0 Jesus prayed for others.\u00a0 Jesus died for others.\u00a0 Jesus lived above the common level.\u00a0 This isn\u2019t always easy, but it is always excellent.\u00a0 This isn\u2019t always popular, but it is certainly proper.\u00a0 We must dare to stand above the mediocre and the\u00a0average.\u00a0 Jesus lived to do God\u2019s will.\u00a0 To live as Christ lived is not some unattainable dream.\u00a0 Jesus shows us how to live.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>
\nWe are challenged to grow as Christ<\/b>\u00a0grew<\/b>.<\/b>\u00a0 We don\u2019t know much about the adolescent years of Jesus\u2019 life.\u00a0 Luke gives us\u00a0some\u00a0insight in Luke 2:52.\u00a0 Jesus grew.\u00a0 He grew intellectually.\u00a0 He grew physically.\u00a0 He grew socially.\u00a0 He grew spiritually.\u00a0 In 2 Peter 3:17-18, Peter challenges Christians\u00a0\u201c<\/i>to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord\u00a0<\/i>and Savior\u00a0<\/i>Jesus Christ<\/i>.\u201d\u00a0 How do we grow in knowledge?\u00a0 Get in God\u2019s Word.\u00a0 Spiritual growth doesn\u2019t happen automatically.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t happen accidentally.\u00a0 If you read God\u2019s Word, you will grow in your knowledge.\u00a0 What\u00a0about growing in grace?\u00a0 How can I grow in grace?\u00a0 God\u2019s great gift to humanity is His grace.\u00a0 Grace is a rich word which encompasses God\u2019s love, God\u2019s kindness and God\u2019s mercy.\u00a0 We are saved by the grace of God.\u00a0 You can grow in grace by being thankful for this undeserved gift.\u00a0\u00a0You can grow in grace by sinning less.\u00a0\u00a0Don\u2019t take God for granted.\u00a0 Don\u2019t take your salvation for granted.\u00a0 Don\u2019t take Jesus\u2019 sacrifice for granted.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>
\nWe are challenged to think as Christ thought.<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0<\/b>How is this possible?\u00a0 God has given us His Word to guide our thinking.\u00a0 Paul describes the challenge in Philippians 2:5-8.\u00a0 If we develop the mind of Christ, our outlook on life will change.\u00a0 If we develop the mind of Christ, we will be spiritually focused.\u00a0 If we develop the mind of Christ, our eyes will see the needs of others.\u00a0 If we develop the mind of Christ, we will have the right priorities.\u00a0 You will never live as Christ lived until you learn to think as He thought.\u00a0 Jesus lived right because He thought right.\u00a0 You want a challenge?\u00a0 Live out the words of Philippians 4:8 and 2 Corinthians 10:5.\u00a0<\/span>
\nWe are challenged to give as Christ gave.<\/b>\u00a0 Jesus gave His life for God\u2019s plan.\u00a0 He gave His life for the church (Ephesians 5:25).\u00a0 He gave\u00a0His life a ransom for many\u00a0(Matthew 20:28).\u00a0 He gave His life for you.\u00a0 Jesus\u2019 attitude toward giving is summed up in Acts 20:35.\u00a0\u00a0Jesus gave His life.\u00a0 What are you willing to give?\u00a0 Are you willing to give your time?\u00a0 Are you willing to give your energy?\u00a0 Are you willing to give your life?\u00a0 It truly is\u00a0\u201cmore blessed to give than to receive.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0<\/span>
\nWe are challenged to endure as Christ endured.<\/b>\u00a0 Hebrews 12:1-3\u00a0shows us\u00a0the endurance of Jesus.\u00a0 We are to be like Christ.\u00a0 To be like Him we must develop endurance.\u00a0 We\u00a0must\u00a0endure persecution and affliction.\u00a0 We\u00a0must\u00a0endure hardship.\u00a0 We\u00a0must\u00a0endure suffering.\u00a0 We\u00a0must\u00a0endure trials and temptations.\u00a0 Keep reaching out to your friends.\u00a0 Keep praying.\u00a0 Keep studying.\u00a0 Keep growing.\u00a0 Keep enduring.\u00a0 Jesus shows us how.\u00a0 He overcame Satan.\u00a0 He overcame the temptation to sin.\u00a0 He overcame death.\u00a0 He overcame the world.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>
\nFinally, we a<\/b>re challenged to finish our mission<\/b>.<\/b>\u00a0 Jesus finished!\u00a0 In John 19:30 Jesus said,\u00a0\u201cIt is finished.\u201d<\/i>\u00a0\u00a0We give up too easily.\u00a0 Don\u2019t give up!\u00a0 Nothing was going to stop Jesus from finishing His mission.\u00a0 He was determined to go to the cross.\u00a0 He was determined to fulfill God\u2019s plan for His life.\u00a0\u00a0At some point our life will be finished.\u00a0 What\u00a0will be written and said about your life?\u00a0 Listen to the words\u00a0Paul wrote to Timothy as he neared\u00a0the finishing point of his life.\u00a0\u00a0\u201cFor I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.\u00a0 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved H<\/i>is appearing<\/i>\u201d<\/i>\u00a0 (2 Timothy 4:6-8).\u00a0 This was Paul\u2019s story.\u00a0 What will your story be?\u00a0 Finish what you\u2019ve started!\u00a0 Fight the good fight.\u00a0 Finish the race.\u00a0 Keep the faith.\u00a0<\/span>
\nJesus is the challenge of all challenges.\u00a0 He is also the reward of all rewards.\u00a0 You can have all the Nobel prizes and Pulitzer prizes ever awarded.\u00a0 You\u00a0can\u00a0have a collection of Oscars and Emmys.\u00a0 You can have the\u00a0Heisman trophy.\u00a0 I want heaven.\u00a0 I want Jesus.\u00a0 Are you fulfilling the challenges Jesus has left you?\u00a0 Now is the time to start.\u00a0<\/span>
\n\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Phillip Johnson Can you imagine life without a challenge?\u00a0 Life would be boring and dull minus challenges.\u00a0 Without a challenge, life would lose its excitement and passion.\u00a0 I like to be challenged.\u00a0 I enjoy hiking and mountain bike riding and snow skiing.\u00a0When I\u2019m really up for a physical challenge, I try to make it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[32,66],"tags":[1001,446,1286,1306,520,710,1288],"class_list":["post-5693","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-church","category-think-excerpts","tag-challenge","tag-christ","tag-faith-matters","tag-february-2012","tag-growth","tag-living","tag-phillip-johnson","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\nImitating Christ - 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