Post by tomdurst on May 23, 2013 9:54:54 GMT -5
FOLLOW IN HIS FOOTSTEPS
By Thomas E Dust
By Thomas E Dust
Acts 10:38 Common English Bible (CEB)
38 You know about Jesus of Nazareth, whom God anointed with the Holy Spirit and endowed with power. Jesus traveled around doing good and healing everyone oppressed by the devil because God was with him.
1 Peter 2:21 Common English Bible (CEB)
21 You were called to this kind of endurance, because Christ suffered on your behalf. He left you an example so that you might follow in his footsteps.
Everything in the example and teachings of Jesus was practical. All of His theology related to everyday life, how to treat others, and the pursuit of the Kingdom of God above all else. His teaching was very informal and often in terms of simple parables and pointing to things around that were familiar to His audience. "Jesus traveled around doing good and healing everyone oppressed by the devil because God was with him." "He left you an example so that you might follow in his footsteps." Isn't it about time that we took this inspired instruction more seriously? After all, didn't Jesus say, "I am the way" (John 14:6)? Remember that healing in the Bible means "making whole" and is not limited to physical healing which is what we usually read into the word healing. Healing and salvation refer to restoration of the entire person--body, soul, and spirit. In most cases the words healing, salvation, and "making whole" could be used interchangeably and doing so in Bible study will often help greatly to magnify the meaning. There are so many opportunities that come to us everyday to bring wholeness to others. Every act of kindness and love brings healing [wholeness] at some level. Jesus looked beyond the outward appearance of people and saw them as God's children rather than as erring, sinful mortals and in doing so He healed and made many people whole in body, soul, and spirit. We are privileged to follow Him in this healing ministry. We need to constantly remember that Jesus was "anointed with the Holy Spirit and endowed with power." He spent whole nights in communion with His Heavenly Father and thus He was anointed with divine power. He didn't accomplish His mighty works by human will power (see John 5:30). A part of following in His footsteps is having set apart times for prayer and communion with God. Let us follow our Savior more closely than ever before. This kind of living will increasingly bring more love, joy, and peace to the whole world
I invite you to read OVERCOMING EVIL IN THE WORLD. Just click on the link below:
OVERCOMING EVIL IN THE WORLD
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