One day,
a kidnapper came,
he took our beings,
and I know his name;
his name is Satan,
he loves, kidnapping,
kidnapping our souls,
he sneaks in,
without us seeing.
God loves,
the souls of HIS Children;
HE knows our names,
HE sent a RANSOM,
JESUS, HIS SON came.
HE shed HIS blood,
on that old rugged cross,
that RANSOM paid the price,
and in the BOOK of LIFE
HE recorded our names!
~ Winston Staples
TOPIC: FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST
*in benevolence—-Acts 20:35 In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” [ it is more blessed to give than receive ] 2 Cor.8:7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you[a]—see that you excel in this act of grace also.8 I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
*in forgiving injuries—-Col. 3:13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.
*in overcoming the world—-John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. [ we are not to let the woes of the world get us down ]. 1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
*in being not of this world—-John 17:16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. [ we who follow Christ are not of this world].
*in suffering wrongfully—-1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22 who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23 who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously:
*in suffering for righteousness—-Hebrews 12:3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
*as saints we are predestinated to follow the example of Christ—-Romans 8:29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
This concludes the brief study on following the example of Christ.
Pain, pain everywhere,
I went to the kitchen,
and sat on a chair,
and to my surprize,
the pain was still there.
Pain, pain everywhere,
I drove to the doctor,
in the waiting room,
I sat on a chair,
yes, the pain was still there.
Pain, pain everywhere,
O, please, tell me a place,
where the pain won’t be there.
Pain, pain everywhere,
then, I thought,
I know a place,
that place is prayer.
The topic we are looking at in God’s word is PAUL’S SUFFERING.
Get your Bible and as we read mark the words that speak to you.
Acts 14:19 And there came thither certain Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who persuaded the people, and having stoned Paul, drew him out of the city, supposing he had been dead. [Paul suffered greatly as each stone struck his body and when they thought he was dead they threw him in the garbage dump.]
Acts 16:22 And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. [ beaten because of his belief and message.]
2 Cor.11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft.
24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.
25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;
26 In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;
27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
29 Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? [ terrible perils Paul suffered for preaching the GOSPEL.]
2 Cor.12:7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.
Galatians 4:13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.
14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.
Wint68 