When thinking like Christ believers must avoid hatred and anger and have right relationships with God and others. Jesus did not associate or follow all the traditions of wicked notorious people such as the Pharisees who rejected Him, even though He was committed to God and respected the law. Jesus had compassion on multitudes of people and healed many of their afflictions and diseases.
Remember what the word of God says “But we have the mind of Christ” meaning believers share Jesus’s purpose, plan, and perspective.
The mind of Christ?
Having the mind of Christ means understanding God’s plan for the world.
Sharing His compassion, humility, and obedience.
Identifying with His purpose to save and seek what was lost.
Having discernment in spiritual matters.
Mark 2:6,16; Matthew 5:20-22; 14:14; Matthew 23:1-36; Luke 6:2; Luke 7:36-47; 1 Corinthians 2:16
Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a city broken down, without walls. Proverbs 25:28
Self-control may limit us; However, self-control is essential in Kingdom leaders and people. An out-of-control life is open to all types of attacks from the enemy. Think of self-control as a barrier for protection and defense.
Self control is achieved by:
Submitting one’s feelings and thoughts to the Holy Spirit
Seeking God for strength and perspective to manage your emotions
“God alone knows the way to Wisdom, he knows the exact place to find it. He knows where everything is on earth, he sees everything under heaven.
After he commanded the winds to blow and measured out the waters, Arranged for the rain and set off explosions of thunder and lightning.
He focused on Wisdom, made sure it was all set and tested and ready. Then he addressed the human race: ‘Here it is! Fear-of-the-Lord—that’s Wisdom, and Insight means shunning evil.”
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; He lifts his voice, the earth melts.The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Throughout biblical history, the word of God teaches that God is pleased with various aromas from burnt offerings, grain offerings of baked pieces of bread, and wine. He no longer is pleased with aromas from sin offerings or other offerings described in the Old Testament because Jesus was our sin offering (Hebrews13:10-12, CSB).
Pleasing Aromas?
God wants to smell aromas that are pleasing to Him, aromas that are spread through His gathered people who serve Him and whom themselves have been a pleasing aroma to Him. These aromas arise from faith, the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and Him, and the movement of the sweet message of the gospel.
May we give off the aromas that are pleasing to God and give life.
Hebrews 3:13-14; Hebrews 6:13-20, Hebrews 10:22-25 MSG Now that we have began the year 2025, the word of God instructs us to: … watch your step, friends. Make sure there’s no evil unbelief lying around that will trip you up and throw you off course, diverting you from the living God. For as long as God’s still calling it Today, keep each other on your toes so sin doesn’t slow down your reflexes. If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we’re in this with Christ for the long haul.
Remember that God gave his word When God made His promise to Abraham, He backed it all the way, putting his own reputation on the line. He said, “I promise that I’ll bless you with everything I have—bless and bless and bless!” Abraham stuck it out and got everything that had been promised to him. When people make promises, they guarantee them by appeal to some authority above them so that if there is any question that they’ll make good on the promise, the authority will back them up.
When God wanted to guarantee His promises, He gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee—God can’t break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable.
We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us, in the order of Melchizedek.
So let’s do it—(step into 2025) full of belief, confident that we’re presentable inside and out. Let’s keep a firm grip on the promises that keep us going. God always keeps his word. Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping others, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching. For Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Hebrews 9:28).
Prayer.
Father, we thank you for your presence, love, blessings, provisions, and protection upon us. May we your children fulfil your purpose and plans through the power of the Holy Spirit in what we have been called for in your Kingdom as we step in to 2025.
Father, I pray for your people who have fallen away and have hardened their hearts that they will repent and come back to their first love, Jesus Christ, that they will be full of faith and keep a firm grip on your promises for you are a keeper of your word. In Jesus name. Amen
Some people may think it strange that I wanted to be alone on Christmas Day and the the day after. I am away from my family. I spent most of the day in communion with God watching videos on the books of John, Luke, Mark, and watching a story and researching about Rachel in the Bible and reading about Gideon in Judges 6:24,27, 36-40.
During that time alone I gave and sent money to people who did not have a meal for Christmas, gave a family groceries for a Christmas meal and gave money for a sick child to receive medical care. All this while sitting at home alone spending time with God.
Later that evening, I watched Christmas holiday movies and later than night, I had a FaceTime call from my daughters and son. That was my Christmas day a day of peace, giving, and communion with my Father and an experience of learning about myself so do not think it is strange that I want to be alone, because my Father wants me to be alone with Him. It was a Christmas well spent.
Yesterday while traveling to the church, where I was to teach, we came across the unexpected. The road that we usually travel, which I later found out was under construction for a new road. What was there was large rocks. I was hesitant to walk across the rocks to get to the church because it appeared to be unsafe for me and I was wearing saddles, my friend tried to convince me and help me to get across by pointing out possible pathways where others were walking. As we were making our way a pastor from the church appeared to help. I jokingly expressed to him that I know that Jesus had to walk across different terrain, such as large rocks, but I did not think Rachel had too!
Then I remembered what I posted on social media “Sitting at the feet of Jesus must be succeeded by following in the footsteps of Jesus.” this is one of the many times I had to walk the talk, and I did it with the help of God’s people.
Sometimes we may need the help of others to ensure that we walk the talk.
I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the words which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. John 15:1-4
Fruits of the Spirit Galatians 5:22–23 ESV
But the Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. There is no law that says these things are wrong.
The Holy Spirit that indwells in us produces the fruits of the Spirit. These are the character traits found in the nature of Christ. They are the by-products of Christ’s control—we can’t obtain them by trying to get them without His help. The work of the Holy Spirit will create the spiritual fruits in our lives forming us into the likeness of Christ (Romans 8:29).
If we want the fruit of the Spirit to grow in us, we must continue a daily personal relationship with Jesus characterized by prayer, trust, obedience and joy. We are to safeguard or maintain our relationship with him so that He will continue to abide fully in us (see John 15:4- 5).
The fruit of the spirit shows that we as believers are in Christ which determines us as different from unbelievers. When we do good deeds, those characteristics will flow out of us like rivers of living water.
We find ourselves naturally reacting with, understanding, forgiveness, love and compassion even for those who have wronged or hurt us and more patient towards others. To strengthen our faith and character fruitful branches are cut back or pruned by God to promote growth and more spiritual fruit.
So, what happens when we don’t take the time and effort to abide in Jesus?
We have negative attitudes and destructive behavior that will prevent us from entering the Kingdom of God. According to the Bible this behavior will be demonstrated inidolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions (disagreements), heresies (differences in opinion in doctrine), Galatians 5:20
Those negative attitudes and bad behaviors coming out the lives of believers or unbelievers is because they are not abiding in Jesus, being led by the Spirit, and lacking the Fruits of The Spirit.
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD! Why?
A person has two paths to choose in their spiritual journey of life. The paths will lead to death or life. Choosing God’s way to life one will face troubles and blessings, obstacles and successes, sorrow and joy. However, God is with us comforting, caring, guiding, and encouraging.
An individual who is faithful and wise whose life is getting close to the end, there will be clarity that God’s path was the right one.
Understanding this will cause one to praise Him for leading them in the right direction and assuring them of a place in the perfect world He has in store for those who have followed Him faithfully.
Wind Gust 