Biblical Christianity for the Nigerian Church

Happening this week Friday & Saturday❗
~ 4 days to go ~

Y O U A R E I N V I T E D❗

Check comment section for synopsis.

The longer one persists in backsliding, the less right one has to claim to be a true Christian, for repentance is of the essence of true Christianity.
~ Joel R. Beeke

"For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the Holy Commandment delivered to them. What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire”" 1 Peter 2:20-22.

"Yet You have forsaken Me and served other gods; therefore I will save you no more. Go and cry out to the gods whom you have chosen; let them save you in the time of your distress.” And the people of Israel said to the Lord, “We have sinned; do to us whatever seems good to You. Only please deliver us this day.” So they put away the foreign gods from among them and served the Lord, and He became impatient over the misery of Israel" Judges 10:13‭-‬16.
..After repeatedly rejecting God and falling into sin, Israel is once again under oppression (Judges 10:6–9). They call out to God in repentance and beg for mercy (Judges 10:10). God begins listing the nations from whom He has already rescued Israel (Judges 10:11–12). One would expect He will now say, "and I will do so again," or something equivalent. Instead, God says He won't save Israel again.

The idea that God extends incredible patience, (Psalm 86:15), not infinite patience (1 Peter 3:20), should be sobering. Scripture indicates that the Lord can choose to limit His gracious mercy when people are especially resistant (Proverbs 29:1; Genesis 6:3; Romans 9:18). Still, it's jarring to hear God so bluntly and directly tell Israel, "No, I'm not saving you again."

The pronouncement is shocking for how it complicates the pattern of the book of Judges. It also challenges those who think they know how God should react to every cry for help. Every time before this, the Lord has quickly raised up a judge to free Israel from captivity as soon as they begged for help. This time, He does not. Critically, however, the following verses show that God intends a specific lesson through His response. His answer is rhetorical—meant for effect—and leads directly to His sarcastic remark about the idols they have chosen to follow (Judges 10:14).

Before making this statement, God listed all the nations from which He has rescued Israel over her long history. One by one, He has given the Israelites the victory over their brutal enemies. The implication is clear: what has that motivated Israel to do? Have they responded to His grace by committing to serving the Lord their God only? No. They have repeated their sinful pattern, taking it even deeper in this current generation. Instead of gratitude and faithfulness, they have forsaken Him and served countless other idols.

Since God has important plans for the nation of Israel (Genesis 12:3), He will eventually save them (Judges 10:16). However, He will not do so as quickly or immediately as they expect. He will not be manipulated by His people, even if they are a different generation than the ones who have come before. He will not accept their spoken confession, no matter how genuine, until it is proven through action (Luke 3:7–8; Hosea 10:4). More stridently than ever before, God will force Israel to grapple with the consequences of their faithlessness (Judges 10:14–16).
~
BibleRef

Photo credit: Chorus in the Chaos

"Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting You are God.

You return man to dust and say, “Return, O children of man!” For a thousand years in Your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night. You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers."
~ Psalm 90:1-6

Why, then, is it, that we are always counting upon what we are going to do?

How is it that, instead of living in the eternal future, where we might deal with certainties, we continue to live in the more immediate future, where there can be nothing but uncertainties?

Why do we choose to build upon clouds, and pile our palaces on vapour, to see them melt away, as aforetime they have often melted, instead of by faith getting where there is no failure, where God is all in all, and his sure promises make the foundations of eternal mansions?

Oh! I would say with my strongest emphasis:
Do not reckon upon the future.

Young people, I would whisper this in your ears; Do not discount the days to come.

Old men, whispering is not enough for you, I would say, with a voice of thunder: Count not on distant years; in the course of nature, your days must be few.

Live in the present; live unto God; trust Him now, and serve Him now; for very soon your life on earth will be over.
~
Charles Spurgeon

"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom....Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as You have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil.

Let Your work be shown to Your servants, and Your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!"
~ Psalm 90:1‭2, 14-17

Photo credit: Google

But that young man yonder talks in a different tone. He has been planning what he will do when he succeeds; for, of course, he is going to succeed. Well, I hope that he may, he is going to buy, and sell, and get gain; and he says, "I will do so and so when I am rich." He intends then to live his fling, and to enjoy himself; he laughs as he thinks what he will do when his toilsome beginnings are over, and he can have his own way. I would ask him to pause and consider his life in a more serious vein: "All such rejoicing is evil."

There is, of course, a future concerning which you may be certain. There is a future in which you may rejoice. God has prepared for them that serve Him a crown of life, and by humble hope you may wear the crown even now.

You may, by the thoughts of such amazing bliss, begin to partake of the joy of heaven; and this will do you no harm. On the contrary, it will set your heart at rest concerning your brief stay on earth, for what will it matter to you whether your life is cloudy or bright, short or long, when eternity is secure? But concerning the uncertainties of this fleeting life, if you begin to rejoice, "All such rejoicing is evil."
~
Charles Spurgeon

James 4:13-17

"Go to now, ye that say, to day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this or that. But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin."- James 4:13-17

MEN to-day are just the same as when these words were first written. We still find people saying what they are going to do to-day, to-morrow, or in six months time, at the end of another year, and perhaps still further. I have no doubt there are persons here who have their own career mapped out before them pretty distinctly, and they feel well-nigh certain that they will realize it all. We are like the men of the past; and this Book, though it has been written so long, might have been written yesterday, so exactly does it describe human nature as it is at the end of this nineteenth century.

The text applies with very peculiar force when our friends and fellow-workers are passing away from us. Sickness and death have been busy in our midst. Perhaps in our abundant service we have been reckoning what this brother would do this week, and what that sister would be doing next week, and so on. Even for God's work we have had our plans, dependent in great measure on the presence of some beloved helpers. They have appeared amongst us in such buoyant health, that we have scarcely thought it possible that they would be struck down in a moment. Yet so it has often been. The uncertainty of life comes home to us when such things occur, and we begin to wonder that we have reckoned anything at all safe, or even probable, in such a shifting, changing world as this. With this in full view, I am going to talk about how we ought to behave with regard to the future, and attempt to draw some lessons for our own correction and instruction from the verses before us.

Following the line of the text, and keeping as close to it as we can, we will notice, first, that counting on the future is folly. Then we will observe what is clear enough to us all, that ignorance of the future is a matter of fact. In the third place, I shall set before you the main truth of this passage, that recognition of God in the future is wisdom, our fourth point shall be that boasting of the future is sin; and our final thought will be, that the using of the present is a duty.
..But is it not foolish for a man to feel that he can do as he likes, and that everything will fall out as he desires; that he can both propose and dispose, and has not to ask God's consent at all? He makes up his mind, and he determines to do just what his mind suggests.

Is it so, O man, that thy life is self governed? Is there not, after all, One greater than thyself? Is there not a higher power that can speed thee or stop thee? If thou dost not know this, thou hast not yet learned the first letter of the alphabet of wisdom. May God teach thee that everything is not at your disposal; but that the Lord reigneth, the Lord sitteth King for ever and ever!
~
Charles Spurgeon

In Romans 1:5, the Apostle Paul talks about “the obedience of faith,” as the ESV puts it. Or more clearly, “the obedience that comes from faith,” as the NIV puts it. We obey God only by faith in God. Faith-less obedience is a fiction.

Stefan: ...“The whole week was one great struggle against my flesh. I heard this verse taught like never before. It completely changed the way I went about pursuing Christ. I was going about pursuing holiness the wrong way. The Lord spoke clearly to me that I had to stop making my number-one goal holiness. My life goal is to delight myself in Him, and from the joy I receive in Him comes the grace, which I received by faith, to do good works.” ...

In the Book of Romans, obedience is very important. Chapter 6 is going to talk about obedience. You are a slave to the one you obey, whether to righteousness or to sin. Romans 9:32 says that by faith, and not as though it were by works, we obey the Law. Romans 14:23 says, “Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin,” which means any attempt at obedience, or any other act that isn’t springing from a heart of faith, winds up just being sin because it displeases the Lord. “Without faith it is impossible to please [God]” (Hebrews 11:6).

Because of those kinds of verses, and because of this word obedience (Romans 1:5), I’m inclined to go with the NIV here and say that the meaning is this: the goal or the effect of Paul’s Apostleship and grace is to bring about faith that yields obedience, or to bring about the obedience that springs from faith. You can say it either way you want; both are true. Faith is his goal, and the obedience that comes from it is his goal. Paul puts a very great premium on the fact that obedience comes from faith; all true obedience comes by faith.

Why is it that faith yields obedience? Back up with me to the first part of Romans 1:5. There it says, “I received grace for Apostleship,” and that means that the ministry of Apostleship and the obedience of Apostleship is the gift of grace. And I argue that you don’t receive this grace by works, but you receive it by faith. And therefore, grace flows, giving gifts and enablement for gifts and the obedience involved in fulfilling those gifts through grace. And how is it received? It’s received by faith, and therefore, you have the obedience of faith already.

If our gifts and our ministry and the obedience of that ministry are given by grace, and if grace is received by faith and not by works, then that obedience is channeled through faith and is called “the obedience of faith.” Faith correlates with grace, and therefore, the obedience that comes from grace also is the obedience that comes from faith.

So, if you want to be an obedient person and live the Christian life the way Paul conceives it, then work on your faith. Don’t try to work on your works, because you’ll wind up being a legalist. Work on your faith; focus on the Lord. “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). And so, focus on Christ, know Christ, delight in Christ, meditate on Christ; get the whole Christ before you. Faith will rise because grace would be coming through it, and then obedience flows out from it.
~
John Piper

It is in His office of Lord that Christ maintains God’s honour, subserves His government, enforces His Law; and if the reader will turn to those passages—Luke 1:46, 47; Acts 5:31 (Prince and Saviour); 2 Peter 1:11; 2:20; 3:18—where the two titles occur, he will find that it is always "Lord and Saviour," and not "Saviour and Lord."

Therefore, those who have not bowed to Christ’s sceptre and enthroned Him in their hearts and lives, and yet imagine that they are trusting in Him as their Saviour, are deceived, and unless God disillusions them they will go down to the everlasting burnings with a lie in their right hand (Isaiah 44:20).

Christ is "the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him" (Hebrews 5:9), but the attitude of those who submit not to His Lordship is "we will not have this Man to reign over us" (Luke 19:14).

Pause then, my reader, and honestly face the question: are you subject to His will, are you sincerely endeavoring to keep His commandments (by faith in Him; emphasis mine)?
~
A.W. Pink

Matthew 6:19-21:

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

Christian! If you have anything (earthly) that you prize very highly, hold it very loosely—for you may easily lose it. Hold everything earthly with a loose hand, but grasp eternal things with a deathlike grip.

Of everything on earth, it is wise for us to say, "This is not mine to keep!" It is essential to realize that this it is true, for everything here is temporary.

Mind what you are doing—you prosperous people, you who have nice homes, you who are hoarding up money. There is nothing permanent for you here on earth. Your home is in Heaven—your home is not here. If you find your treasure here—your heart will be here also.

You must keep all earthly treasures out of your heart. Let Christ be your treasure, and let Him have your heart! 1 John 2:17:

"This world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God, will live forever!"
~
Charles Spurgeon

...in Bunyan's allegory is how Christian and Hopeful finally find the way of escape. Christian says:

"What a fool I have been, to lie like this in a stinking dungeon, when I could have just as well walked free. In my chest pocket I have a key called Promise that will, I am thoroughly persuaded, open any lock in Doubting- Castle." "Then," said Hopeful, "that is good news. My good brother, do immediately take it out of your chest pocket and try it." Then Christian took the key from his chest and began to try the lock of the dungeon door; and as he turned the key, the bolt unlocked and the door flew open with ease, so that Christian and hopeful immediately came out.

What was the key? It was called "Promise." God has given us "His precious and very great promises" (2 Peter 1:4).

How do we know these promises will come true? Because "all the promises of God find their Yes in [Christ Jesus]" (2 Corinthians 1:20).

How do we take hold of these promises? By faith, in hope. God tells us, "call upon Me in the day of trouble," with the result that "I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me" (Psalm 50:15). As we believe His promises by faith, He gets all of the credit and the glory (Romans 4:20).

And did you notice where Bunyan says that the key was all along? In Christian's "chest pocket." I think Bunyan here is pointing us to Psalm 119:11: "I have stored up Your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against You." We all know that "the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart" (Hebrews 4:12), But this "sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God" (Ephesians 6:17), cannot do its piercing, sanctifying, healing work if it remains simply on display in our homes rather than dwelling at home in our hearts. If we take God's Word with us, if we meditate on it day and night, we will always have our weapon in battle no matter where we are.

So, dear Christian, take God's Word—especially His promises—into your heart today, by faith and in hope. And the next time you find yourself in Doubting-Castle, and hear the terrifying rumblings of Giant Despair at the double-bolted door, remember that you have had the key of escape all along. If the Son has set you free, you are free indeed.
~
Justin Taylor

Doubt is not a virtue; it is a serious problem. Doubt is dishonorable. God wants us to trust Him, to have faith in everything He has revealed. “Faith, by its very nature, is opposed to all doubt.” In a fallen world we should expect unbelief. But it doesn’t glorify God.

Doubt is also uncomfortable. Doubt makes us unstable “like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind” (James 1:6). If left untreated doubt can keep us from trusting in Jesus who is the Only Lifeline for lost sinners.

And doubt is paralyzing. It can prevent disciples from doing great things for God (Matthew 21:21). Doubt can be like a blindfold on our soul. If we can’t see God’s integrity, we won’t dare follow the hard path Jesus blazed.

Doubt is a problem. But it need not be disastrous if we understand it and face it according to the rule of Scripture.

We Need to Understand Doubt

“Doubt is a form of wavering; it’s to be of ‘two minds’ about something” (1 Kings 18:21).

Doubt is ambivalence about who God is or what He has said. It is like the first sin, and a sign that we are not yet completely remade in the knowledge of God.

Doubt is so troublesome that God could use it as a threat to warn covenant breakers: “Your life shall hang in doubt before you. Night and day you shall be in dread and have no assurance of your life” (Deuteronomy 28:66). In the restored cosmos doubt will be no more.
..doubt can also be a result of excessive self-reliance. We might seek confidence in the quality of our faith and panic when we realize that it is small. If we make our understanding the standard for our security we will worry about how little we know. If we equate our value with our obedience to the works of the Law we will doubt the gift of justifying grace. Doubt, even for Christians, is the result of believing that God is too small to be 100% what we need.
~
William Boekestein

To doubt God is arrogance. Why should God who has never been unfaithful be doubted? Why should a wretched man not see himself as totally incapable of believing in the sufficiency of Christ alone for life and Godliness since his very wretchedness affirms that he needs God?

Oh! Sin is blind-folding. It will not allow us to rest in Christ's faithfulness. Doubt will creep in when we lose sight of Christ's work for us on the Cross. We must preach the Gospel to ourselves every moment. We must believe this Gospel for

"By feeding on truth we will find the only consolation for our doubts. Listen to John Owen’s searching question and unparalleled advice:

“Do any of us find... deadness, coldness, lukewarmness, and a kind of spiritual stupidity and senselessness coming upon us? ... [T]here is no way for our healing and deliverance [other than] obtaining a fresh view of the glory of Christ by faith ... contemplation of Christ and His glory … is the only relief.”

Certainty “is grounded in the promises of God, not in changing experiences or imperfect good works.” We never overcome doubt by looking at ourselves, but only by looking away from ourselves to Christ, who is the sole pledge of God’s love to us.
~
William Boekestein

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the Founder and Perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God" Hebrews 12:1‭-‬2.

"We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ."
~ 2 Corinthians 10:5

"For You save a humble people,
but the haughty eyes You bring down."
~ Psalm 18:27

O FOUNTAIN OF ALL GOOD,

Destroy in me every lofty thought,
Break pride to pieces and scatter it
to the winds,
Annihilate each clinging shred of
self-righteousness,

Implant in me true lowliness of spirit,
Abase me to self-loathing and self-abhorrence,
Open in me a fount of penitential tears,
Break me, then bind me up;

Thus will my heart be a prepared dwelling
for my God;
Then can the Father take up His abode in me,
Then can the blessed Jesus come with healing
in His touch,
Then can the Holy Spirit descend in
sanctifying grace;

O Holy Trinity, three Persons and one God,
inhabit me, a temple consecrated to Thy glory.
When Thou art present, evil cannot abide;
In Thy fellowship is fullness of joy,
Beneath Thy smile is peace of conscience,
By Thy side no fears disturb,
no apprehensions banish rest of mind,

With Thee my heart shall bloom with fragrance;
Make me meet, through repentance,
for Thine indwelling.
Nothing exceeds Thy power,
Nothing is too great for Thee to do,
Nothing too good for Thee to give.
Infinite is Thy might, boundless Thy love,
limitless Thy grace, glorious Thy saving name.

Let angels sing for
sinners repenting,
prodigals restored,
backsliders reclaimed,
Satan’s captives released,
blind eyes opened,
broken hearts bound up,
the despondent cheered,
the self-righteous stripped,
the formalist driven from a refuge of lies,
the ignorant enlightened,
and saints built up in their holy faith.
I ask great things of a great God.
~
Valley of Vision (The Great God)

~ Tomorrow it is ~
😊

~ A reminder ~
1 day to go❗😊

The Apostle Paul wrote, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9). We rejoice that, because of Christ, we are not crushed, despairing, forsaken, or destroyed. But the other words are true, as well. For the sake of Christ, we may find ourselves afflicted in every way, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. Peter drives home this reality as well when he says, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12). The ordeal is fiery, and it does come upon you. It packs a knockout punch. The enemy’s goal is to devour (1 Peter 5:8). The Lord’s goal is to grow us in faith, trust, and endurance.

Paul writes, 2 Corinthians 12:9‭-‬10:

"But He (The Lord) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

When we are hit hard and knocked to the ground, it feels as if our strength is gone. The bruises of hurt, heartache, and pain keep us pinned. As in Creed, the enemy celebrates, thinking it’s over. But the Lord is faithful. He has given us powerful truths to hold onto when we are down — truths that help us get up, again. “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). Nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ” (Romans 8:39). God Himself will perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish us after we’ve suffered for a little while (1 Peter 5:10). Even this — being hit so hard that we are knocked to the ground — will work together for good (Romans 8:28). We remember that Jesus was once down, crucified, and buried and, for a time, the enemy surely rejoiced. But Jesus rose on the third day, and the same power that raised Him from the dead is at work in us who believe. We get up because we’ve been graciously given eternal life, and what we endure in this life cannot compare to the glory to come (2 Corinthians 4:17).

We never stand alone, toe-to-toe with the enemy, in our battles. Our God, mighty in power, fights for us. Shod in His armor, we stand firm. And even if we’re knocked down, the truth is that He is upholding us with His hand (Psalm 37:24).
~
Kim Cash Tate

Photo credit: Chorus in the Chaos

"Hello and good evening.
Hope you're having a nice weekend.

I just wanted to find out if you've registered for the women's conference next Saturday and if you've invited at least one person.

If you haven't done so yet, would you please register asap and also consider inviting a friend or more?

Trusting God that it'll be a blessing to all who attend 🙏🏽

Here's the registration link:
https://forms.gle/XemTwwMRuTpkFS137

God bless you!"

You are invited to Church!
~ Tomorrow @9:00AM ~

"Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us" Philippians 3:17.

Not too long ago I was convicted by the words of the Apostle Paul where he urges Christians to “imitate me” or, in the ESV, to “be imitators of me.” It strikes me as the very height of arrogance for a man to exhort others to be like him and to imitate him. And yet Paul wrote those words under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Here is what he says in 1 Corinthians 4:16: “I urge you, then, be imitators of me.” Seven chapters later, in 1 Corinthians 11:1 (a verse that clearly belongs to the preceding chapter and not to chapter 11) he writes again “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” Paul is so convinced that what he is doing is right and Godly, that he urges others to imitate him. The reference in verse 11 makes it clear that he seeks to imitate Christ and urges others to imitate Christ by imitating him.

Matthew Henry explains these words in this way: “Follow me as far as I follow Christ. Come up as close as you can to my example in those instances wherein I endeavour to copy after His pattern. Be my disciples, as far as I manifest myself to be a faithful minister and disciple of Christ, and no further. I would not have you be my disciples, but His.”

It seems to me that any person who wishes to be in a position of teaching or leadership should be able to echo the words of Paul and say to others, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” A man who does not feel his pursuit of God is worthy of emulation or a man who knows that he is not imitating Christ is a man who does not meet the Biblical requirements of leadership. I have never heard a person exhort others to imitate him. Yet I have met men who are worth imitating. My family recently began attending a new church and one thing that drew us to this new church was the pastor, a man who I soon realized was, in many ways, a man we felt we could imitate. We met the other church leaders and were drawn to their example of humility and Godliness. This was a church with many people we felt we could imitate.

As I considered the interview question that had been posed to me, I soon realized that, as a father, I wish to model a life that my children can imitate. I wish to be able to say to them, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” I want them to see in me a life of Godliness that they want to imitate. I want them to see and to know that I love God best and first and that I love Him more than anything or anyone else. I want them to know that nothing will come between myself and Him. I want them to see and to know that I love my wife second only to God–that she is and will always be my closest companion, my best friend, and that nothing and no one will come between myself and her. If forced to choose between my wife and any other person, I will always choose her. And I want them to know that I love them deeply and dearly, that I love Christ’s people the church, and that I love my neighbor as myself. I want them to imitate me.

And yet in many ways I do not want them to imitate me. As my children they see my sin more clearly than anyone. They see those areas in which I refuse to submit to God and they see the sins that constantly plague me. They may see me at my best, but they also see me at my worst. I know that if I am to be able to say to them “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ,” I will have to make many changes to my life. Were they to imitate me now, they would imitate far too many flaws, far too many sins.

And yet I do want them to be able to imitate me in the ways that I imitate Christ. I see no way of accomplishing this–of accomplishing my goal of being one they can imitate–but by being a student of the Word, by having my heart and my life shaped continually by the very Word of God. And maybe, if God is gracious to me, I will someday be able to say to them, when they wonder how they are to serve Christ in this world, “Be imitators of me.” And God will be glorified.
~ Tim Challies

"What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you" Philippians 4:9.

Photo credit: Chorus in the Chaos