Becoming Like Christ
2 Timothy 2:15 NIV says, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth."
As Christians, we are invited every day to become more like Christ. We want to have the same mind and attitude that He had, to become more like Him every day. In a world that’s constantly living in opposition to God’s design, we want to do our best to present ourselves to God as approved— workers who have no need to be ashamed.
Maybe you haven’t always lived life with Christ. Maybe there are things in your past you’re ashamed of. That’s okay. You're not alone.
In this letter, Paul tells Timothy not to be ashamed of his past, but instead to let his past be a testament to how Jesus has changed his life. When we receive Jesus, we are made new and given a fresh start. Your past is part of your story, a way that you can show others how Jesus changed your life.
The best way that we can continue to be transformed by Jesus is to continually seek His truth in Scripture. As we engage with Scripture and the Holy Spirit, our minds and hearts are changed to be more like Christ.
How can you be more like Christ today? Think of a few small steps you can take to begin to shift your thinking and actions towards the mission of God or the character of Christ. Ask God for His help as you seek to follow Him daily.
He Won't Leave You
Do you ever feel like life has knocked the breath out of you? If so, you’re not alone. In fact, it’s no secret that this world is full of both goodness and trouble.
King David, whose life was recorded in various parts of the Old Testament, was highly accustomed to trouble—constantly threatened by legitimate enemies and faced with the reality of impending death.
Yet, inspired by the Holy Spirit, he wrote:
“The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.”
Psalm 34:19 NLT
If there’s one thing you can depend on, it’s that God is alive, active, and ever-present in your life—yes, even the hardest parts of your life.
But who is the “righteous person” David speaks of in this particular Psalm, when other parts of the Bible say things like, “no one is righteous—not even one”? (Romans 3:10, Psalm 14:3). There’s a trick to understanding this at-first-glance contradiction:
Righteousness can’t be achieved, but it ...