Inspirational
13 Qualities Of A Legit Christian
Being a legit Christian is all about owning up to the unique qualities in which Jesus reflected during his time on earth. And while we as humans will never be able to fully reflect the perfect image of Christ, I believe there are many attributes that will reflect one worthy of His name. All these attributes can be found in following Christ himself.
1. Loving
You love your enemies, your neighbors, your family, and your friends. You aren’t afraid to love when others are withholding it. (1 John 4:8)
2. Forgiving
Grace is an inevitable quality of any Christ follower. While the rest of the world may show resentment and hold grudges, a legit Christian will always show grace and forgiveness. (Ephesians 4:32)
3. Selfless
You don’t think of yourself before others. In fact, you do the complete opposite. Your spirit is wired to put others before your own needs, wants and desires. Why? Because Jesus himself did the same thing. (Philippians 2:4)
4. Servanthood
You give and serve out of the abundance of your heart. Not only is your heart passionate about serving others, but its sole purpose is to serve others as Christ came to serve us. (Psalm 37:21)
5. Humility
Pride comes before the fall. If you don’t remember, pride itself is what sent satan to his lonely exile. Humility showcases a posture that is open to being molded, directed, and empowered by the Spirit of God. There is no such thing as a prideful example of Jesus. Why? Because pride isn’t an attribute that Jesus practices. (Matthew 23:12)
6. Driven
You don’t sit at home and bask in your own mess. Instead, your are a driven and goal-minded individual who seeks after the will of God. Your driven heart keeps you focused on God’s promises, his will, and his grace. (Proverbs 10:4)
7. Passion
You are passionate about Jesus, sharing the promises of God, and showcasing the living and breathing image of love. Settling for mediocrity is not something you’re willing to do. Your passion and zeal for the Lord takes you deeper into the character of God himself. (Colossians 3:23)
8. Compassion
Compassion is like a second language to any legit Christian. You bear the burdens of others, feel their pain, and do whatever you can to comfort those going through a tough time. (Galatians 6:2)
9. Patience
Patience is a true virtue of any true Christ follower. It’s easy to make quick decisions, but those who are truly grounded in the Word of God are prone to slowing down, seeking Godly wisdom, and pursuing the guidance of Christ. (Philippians 4:6)
10. Control
Self-control brings security and maturity to anyone’s life. And while some may see control as a flaw, Jesus views control and organization as a beautiful thing to practice when in a relationship with him. (Proverbs 25:28)
11. Kindness.
If you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all. Kindness is a beautiful attribute of any legit Christian. Not only does kindness showcase a vibrant reflection of Christ, but it also allows you to personally reflect an image of his being. (Proverbs 11:17)
12. Joy
Life is too short to be spent in sorrow. As Christians, we are called to rejoice in all things. No matter what you are going through in life, choosing joy will always be the way of a legit Christian. (Philippians 4:4)
13. Peace
Don’t look to stir up controversy, dissension, or even strife. Seek to be a peacemaker in all things. While the rest of the world looks to make their point, seek to bring peace through the love and grace of Christ. (Romans 12:18)
-Jarrid Wilson
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What are some other qualities of a legit Christian?
20 Things to Start Doing in Your Relationships
1. Free yourself from negative people.
2. Let go of those who are already gone.
3. Give people you don’t know a fair chance.
4. Show everyone kindness and respect.
5. Accept people just the way they are.
6. Encourage others and cheer for them.
7. Be your imperfectly perfect self.
8. Forgive people and move forward.
9. Do little things every day for others.
10. Pay attention to who your real friends are.
11. Always be loyal.
12. Stay in better touch with people who matter to you.
13. Keep your promises and tell the truth.
14. Give what you want to receive.
15. Say what you mean and mean what you say.
16. Allow others to make their own decisions.
17. Talk a little less, and listen more.
18. Leave petty arguments alone.
19. Ignore unconstructive, or hurtful comments.
20. Pay attention to your relationship with yourself.
Posted by Sunday Idika
There Is No Middle Road
You are either on the Broad Road the leads to hell or on the Narrow Road that leads to Heaven. Matthew 7:13-14′Enter ye by the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and MANY there be which go thereat: Because strait (narrow) is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto Life, and FEW there be that find it.’
BIBLE NOTE:” Jesus taught that the majority of the multitudes would not follow Him on the road that leads to Life. Comparatively speaking, those who enter the humble gate of true repentance and deny themselves to follow Jesus and His commands, who earnestly seek His kingdom and His righteousness, and persevere until the end in true faith, are not many but few.”
Many give Jesus their ‘mental assent’ and affirm what He did on the Cross but they are not contrite and not under conviction of their sinfulness!! They have a false faith that bears no fruit at all!! James 2:17′Even so faith, if it has not works is dead, being alone.’ James 2:19′Thou believest that there is one God: thou doest well: the devil’s also believe, and tremble.’ The faith of devils will save no one! Saving faith is always a living faith that not only confesses Jesus as Savior, but obeys Him as Lord. (1st John 2:3-5)
THE BROAD ROAD! Multitudes choose the easy way and many travel on this very comfortable road to hell. It is very easy to go to hell, all you have to do is live a careless sinful life and ignore the Lord Jesus. All roads lead to a destination and many Church members are on the wrong road thinking they are on the right road and are heading to eternal damnation. You can be sincere and religious but still lost in sin! Prov.21:2 ′Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: butt the Lord ponders the heart.’ Job 8:13 ′So are the paths of all that forget God: and thee hypocrites hope shall perish.’ Mans pride blinds him to his own sin, he is like a carefree traveler on a road that looks safe, looks free from hazards, looks attractive but is headed toward disaster! There are no restrictions on the broad road .You can choose this easy path without repenting of sin. You can live just like the world and do not have to live a holy life. Heb.12: 14 says to make every effort to be holy, ‘for without holiness no man shall see the Lord.’
On the Broad Road you can be a church member, water baptized, make a profession of faith and carry all your suitcases of sin, lust and worldly pleasures .You can have an outward form of godliness but you deny Him by the way you live. (2nd Tim.3:5)
4 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE BROAD ROAD TO HELL!
1.Its a Crowded Road- Matt.7:13′…many there be which go thereat.’ It seems to be the right road, its roomy and its popular and you can live in sin on this road. Friend Jesus saves us from sin (Rom.6:22) and those who name the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2 Tim.2:19)
2.It’s a Downhill Road-Its the easy path, going downhill takes no effort! (Dead fish float downstream but it takes a live fish to swim against the currents) The moment you are truly saved you leave the Broad Road and you swim against the currents of a sinful culture on the Narrow Road. You reject the ways of the world and no longer follow the crowd. You are totally different now and you will be mocked because you are a new creation in Christ (2nd Cor.5:17) and you live godly (Titus 2:12).
3.It’s a Deceptive Road-Most if not all do not know where this road is really leading them. Many think they are on their way to heaven but are deceived. They bear ‘no fruit’ and show no signs of a true conversion to Christ! (Eph.5:6) ’Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because off these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.’ Few warn today to ‘flee from the wrath to come.’
4.Its a Fatal Road- (Prov.14:12) ’There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death. ‘The only way to get off this fatal road is to repent, forsake the old life and surrender to Jesus. It frightens me to see a professed Christian, a person who says they are on the right road but their lives are still bound to self, to sin and worldly pursuits! There is no self -denial, no dedication to Jesus, no love for the Word yet they are convinced they are true believers because of some long past ‘decision’ to go to an altar to ‘profess Christ.’ There is no evidence at all of being a New Creation in Christ. Plus it is dangerous for a preacher to tell you ‘now you are saved. ‘That is not biblical.
5.Today is the day of salvation! Turn from sin and turn to Jesus who is the only Savior! Cry out ‘God be merciful to me a sinner!’ Set me free from my sin!
(Titus 1:16) ’They profess that they know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate’ WHICH ROAD ARE YOU ON TODAY?? SHARE THIS AS THE LORD LEADS YOU.
http://1.dailyprayersforyou.org/2014/02/05/there-is-no-middle-roadplease-read-all-of-this/
Prone To Wander
One of my favorite classic hymns is “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” which was written in 1757 by 22-year-old Robert Robinson. In the hymn’s lyrics is a line that always captures my attention and forces me to do some self-evaluation. The line says, “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love.” I feel that way sometimes. Too often I find myself distracted and drifting, instead of having my heart and mind focused on the Savior who loves me and gave Himself for me. Robert Robinson and I are not alone in this.
In those seasons of wandering, our heart of hearts doesn’t want to drift from God—but, like Paul, we often do what we don’t want to do (Rom. 7:19), and we desperately need to turn back to the Shepherd of our heart who can draw us to Himself. David wrote of this struggle in His great anthem to the Scriptures, Psalm 119, saying, “With my whole heart I have sought You; oh, let me not wander from Your commandments!” (v.10).
Sometimes, even when our hearts long to seek God, the distractions of life can draw us away from Him and His Word. How grateful we can be for a patient, compassionate heavenly Father whose grace is always sufficient—even when we are prone to wander!
The Golden Rule
The concept of The Golden Rule—treat others as you would like to be treated—appears in many religions. So what makes Jesus’ version of the saying so exceptional?
Its uniqueness lies in a single word, “therefore,” that signals the generosity of our heavenly Father. Here is what Jesus said: “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them” (Matt. 7:11-12 italics added).
All of us fall short of what we know to be true: We do not love others the way God loves us. Jesus lived out that admirable ethic with perfect love by living and dying for all our sins.
We have a loving, giving Father who set aside His own self-interest to reveal the full measure of His love through His Son Jesus. God’s generosity is the dynamic by which we treat others as we would like to be treated. We love and give to others because He first loved us (1 John 4:19).
Our heavenly Father asks us to live up to His commands, but He also gives us His power and love to carry it out. We need only to ask Him for it.
Heavenly Father, I know that I lack Your
patience and mercy and love. Please show
Your perfect love through me in some small
way today. In Your Son Jesus’ name I pray.
We have committed The Golden Rule to memory; now let us commit it to life. —E. Markham
We Have All Made Mistakes
Paul was not nearly as interested in creating an image as he was in being an example. He did not hesitate to share his past, because he knew his failures would allow others to have hope. At times we hesitate to share our past struggles with others because we are afraid it will tarnish our image. Paul demonstrated that lowering our guard can be an important step in communicating the gospel. People will not believe the gospel is important if they can't see that it is crucial in your life. How has Christ shown patience with you? Did he stay with you when you doubted and rebelled? Did he remain faithful when you ignored his prior claim on your life? Did he love you when you disregarded his Word and his church? Remember that his patience is unlimited for those who love him. Don't be afraid to let others know what Christ has done for you.
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.
1 Timothy 1:15 KJV
Life Application Bible
Question:
Question: "Does the Bible record the death of the apostles? How did each of the apostles die?"
Answer: The only apostle whose death the Bible records is James (Acts 12:2). King Herod had James “put to death with the sword,” likely a reference to beheading. The circumstances of the deaths of the other apostles are related through church tradition, so we should not put too much weight on any of the other accounts. The most commonly accepted church tradition in regard to the death of an apostle is that the apostle Peter was crucified upside-down on an x-shaped cross in Rome in fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy (John 21:18). The following are the most popular “traditions” concerning the deaths of the other apostles:
Matthew suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia, killed by a sword wound. John faced martyrdom when he was boiled in a huge basin of boiling oil during a wave of persecution in Rome. However, he was miraculously delivered from death. John was then sentenced to the mines on the prison island of Patmos. He wrote his prophetic book of Revelation on Patmos. The apostle John was later freed and returned to what is now modern-day Turkey. He died as an old man, the only apostle to die peacefully.
James, the brother of Jesus (not officially an apostle), was the leader of the church in Jerusalem. He was thrown from the southeast pinnacle of the temple (over a hundred feet down) when he refused to deny his faith in Christ. When they discovered that he survived the fall, his enemies beat James to death with a club. This is thought to be the same pinnacle where Satan had taken Jesus during the temptation.
Bartholomew, also known as Nathanael, was a missionary to Asia. He witnessed in present-day Turkey and was martyred for his preaching in Armenia, being flayed to death by a whip. Andrew was crucified on an x-shaped cross in Greece. After being whipped severely by seven soldiers, they tied his body to the cross with cords to prolong his agony. His followers reported that when he was led toward the cross, Andrew saluted it in these words: “I have long desired and expected this happy hour. The cross has been consecrated by the body of Christ hanging on it.” He continued to preach to his tormentors for two days until he died. The apostle Thomas was stabbed with a spear in India during one of his missionary trips to establish the church there. Matthias, the apostle chosen to replace the traitor Judas Iscariot, was stoned and then beheaded. The apostle Paul was tortured and then beheaded by the evil Emperor Nero in Rome in A.D. 67. There are traditions regarding the other apostles as well, but none with any reliable historical or traditional support.
It is not so important how the apostles died. What is important is the fact that they were all willing to die for their faith. If Jesus had not been resurrected, the disciples would have known it. People will not die for something they know to be a lie. The fact that all of the apostles were willing to die horrible deaths, refusing to renounce their faith in Christ, is tremendous evidence that they had truly witnessed the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Recommended Resources: Foxe's Book of Martyrs by John Foxe and Logos Bible Software.
While he is not the author of every article on GotQuestions.org, for citation purposes, you may reference our CEO, S. Michael Houdmann.
Read more: http://www.gotquestions.org/apostles-die.html#ixzz2vOh3cKNN
Transforming Power
Our Daily Bread
Many people love to play games that test their knowledge. Recently, a colleague and I were testing a Bible-knowledge game. Since we were seated in an open area of our office, those nearby could hear our conversation. Soon questions ranging from Noah’s ark to the woman at the well were being answered by those within earshot of us. It was a delight to hear various staff members volunteering responses to Bible questions.
A knowledge of the Bible is important, but God desires us to be saturated with His Word and to internalize it so we can grow in our relationship with Him. The Holy Spirit uses the Word to make us more like Christ (Eph. 4:20-24). Consider these benefits of internalizing the Bible: joy and rejoicing (Jer. 15:16); spiritual success (Josh. 1:8); a tool in spiritual warfare (Matt. 4:1-11); correction (2 Tim. 3:15-16); light for our path (Ps. 119:105); wisdom with problem solving (Prov. 1:1-2); and stimulating faith (Rom. 10:17).
Learning about the Bible just to increase our knowledge can lead to spiritual pride (1 Cor. 8:1). But allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us by the Word helps us navigate through life’s twists and turns and respond in love to God and to each other.
Many books can inform, but only the Bible can transform.
By Dennis Fisher
