For the past four weeks
the Ripley Home League have been meeting in the local Co-op cafe as the hall
was out of bounds due to repair work, but we had a wonderful time of fellowship
and spoke about many things including love, and forgiveness something which
many of us find hard to do when we have been badly hurt. But this week we were
back at the hall and I spoke about how others see us, especially our family, friends, and neighbours, can they see Jesus? We were all challenged to look within to see what needs
changing. Sometimes our focus is so much on what we are going through, family
heartaches, health issues etc, and we become so engrossed with these things
that before long we have taken our eyes of Jesus. When we focus on Jesus and
not on ourselves then the troubles and trials are put into perspective and we
know we can trust Jesus to be with us and help us through them. Paul wrote:
Philippians 4:
4 Rejoice in the Lord
always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be
known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing,
but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your
requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of
God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren,
whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever
things are just, whatever things are pure,
whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of
good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything
praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things
which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God
of peace will be with you.
Paul could say with confidence to those he had led to Christ.
All the things they had learned from him, received from him, and
saw in him, was all Christ-like because he had such a close walk with the Lord.
He was content no matter what circumstance he found himself in. People could
still see Jesus in him no matter what he was going through. Can we with hand
on heart say to new believers as Paul did “Imitate me, as I imitate Christ”, no
I don’t think we can. That is an amazing statement but it is one that we can
strife for, we can examine our lives and put right those things that grieve the
Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit. We can strive with the help of the Holy Spirit
to be more and more conformed to the likeness of Jesus. Don’t concentrate on
your problems but concentrate on the true, the noble, the just, the pure, the
lovely, the good report, virtue and things praise worthy, in other words all
the things of the Lord Jesus and not of ourselves or the world. Paul’s focus on
the world was the lost people and that should be our focus especially our family, friends, and neighbours. If we imitate Christ, and pray for them then one day
they may sing with us.
King
of Kings, Majesty,
God of heaven, living in me
Gentle Saviour, closest friend,
Strong Deliverer, Beginning and End
All within me falls at Your throne
Your Majesty, I can but bow
I lay my all before You now
In royal robes I don't deserve
I live to serve Your Majesty
Earth and heaven worship You,
God Eternal, Faithful and True
Who bought the nations, ransomed souls
Brought this sinner near to Your throne
All within me cries out in praise
God of heaven, living in me
Gentle Saviour, closest friend,
Strong Deliverer, Beginning and End
All within me falls at Your throne
Your Majesty, I can but bow
I lay my all before You now
In royal robes I don't deserve
I live to serve Your Majesty
Earth and heaven worship You,
God Eternal, Faithful and True
Who bought the nations, ransomed souls
Brought this sinner near to Your throne
All within me cries out in praise
