Being More Like Christ

I try my best to stay positive.  I like this blog to be a place of encouragement, but sometimes life is difficult and I get discouraged.  Lately I've been struggling in my Christian walk and my faith is weak.  I'm sure more of you can relate than I can imagine.  We all know that life is a series of ups and downs.  We go through difficult times and many of us carry burdens that no one ever knows about.  Since I know I'm not alone in this struggle, I decided to let you know what I'm trying to do to get out of this spiritual depression.  Even if you are in a good place with your spiritual life, this could still be an encouragement.

Mark and I have had some long talks about it and we both know what we need to help us in the challenges we are facing.  We need to focus more on prayer and Bible study. One thing that stuck with me in one of the long discussions that I've had with Mark is that we need to focus on being more like Christ. 

 When I read the following verses in Philippians, Ephesians, 1 Peter, 1 Corinthians, and 1 John it reminded me to look to Christ as the ultimate example of what God desires from us.  We must strive to follow his example even at the times in our lives when it's most difficult.  Look at all of the suffering Christ endured for us because he loved us.  Mark and I have decided to start this Bible study about the life of Christ in the new year.  We felt like focusing on Christ and his example would help us overcome the challenges we are facing.  
Here's a link to the study

A Chronological Study of the Life of Jesus 

These Bible verses are some that we have read through that helped us.

Philippians 2: 1-18  Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, 2 make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. 3 Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; 4 do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. 5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 12 So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. 14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing; 15 so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I will have reason to glory because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.17 But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all. 18 You too, I urge you, rejoice in the same way and share your joy with me.

Ephesians 5:1-2 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.  And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

1 Peter 2:18-25 18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly. 24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

1 Corinthians 11:1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

1 John 2:5-6 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him:  whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

May God bless you in this new year!
I look forward to all that the future holds in 2015.