*Be Inspired Bible studies 14th April 2022*
*Topic:* Love and humility the nature of Christ
*Text:* Philippians 2:1-8
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Philippians 2:1-8 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/php.2.1-8.KJV
*Prayer;*
Lord we worship your majesty for another privilege to gather to study your word. We ask you father for divine enlightenment. We pray that we will not just be hearers, or readers alone but doers of the word in Jesus mighty name amen.🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽
✅The topic today is Love and humility the nature of Christ.
💓Love: can be defined as intense feeling or affection.
🛐Humility: being modest or having a low view of one's importance.
♻️Nature: features character or quality of something or someone.
Breaking down the three key words in the topic will help us understand what the topic is about.
💞💕So to love is a special emotion, with characters that is modest and divine like Christ.
In Philippians 2:1-8, the Bible let us know that if we have any consolation(comfort) in Christ, if we have love, fellowship, mercies and not do things down to strife.
If we value people more, just as Christ left heaven, He didn't see it as if He is too big to come down🌏 to the level of ordinary human but He still came because He loved us more, so we will be regenerated and reunited to Him.
He came,humbled himself, came in the lowliest nature or way you can imagine, He was born in a menger, He came from the parents🚻 who didn't have everything, after that He humbled Himself to a gruesome criminalised death just so we can be saved.
Humility is a nature of Christ that you and I as believers must emulate.💝
Many are times that some people once they attain a post or get a title they see themselves as assistant God👀🤦🏽♀️.
No one can speak to them, they breath fire 🔥 and brimstone. They want to command and condemn and destroy just with their words and attitude.
✅♻️It is even ridiculous that it has become the norm within the body of Christ that we should be learning from.
Some people even elevated themselves above the God that call them. They can't be asked for anything, they can't be advised, they will flip the coin and guilt trip everyone if they do not have their own way😒.
Do not get me wrong, the human nature is proud. But you cannot inherit the kingdom of God or the nature of Christ if you are fully sold out to the nature of men🌏.
Sometimes people feel like humility should eventually lead them to act foolish or stupid🥸🧐. No, God wants us to be humble but not to the extent of acting silly or stupid just to save face😏.
For example after Jesus finished the 40days and 40nights and Satan appeared to him, he told him to turn stone to 🍞 bread, Jesus did not say yes just let me be humble and not show myself as God. He answered using the word that no one survives just by eating bread but through the word of God. He didn't act stupid to save face, He was humble yes functioned in His right by telling the devil off.
You cannot be stopping 🚶🏽♀️🚶🏽♂️low to the dictates of this world and be claiming that you are humble.
The humility which is the nature of Christ will make you act just like Christ. Some people equate the attributes of their earthly leaders as the nature and way they should live instead of the nature of Christ.
Can I tell you that if your earthly leader isn't living a life that emulates Christ, it is useless trying to live like them✅✅.
The scripture we are studying says "let nothing be done through strife or vainglory." Strife is anger, while vainglory is pride. It is so common now among men not just in the world but within the body of Christ to see people regardless of the position or their level of faith act in vainglory🌹.
This is because many get blinded by achievement either spiritual or physical achievement😡.
Some can't even carry their own bag, Bible, some can't even be bothered to come to worship, when they come in everyone must stand. It makes you wonder what then happens when we see Christ face to face😒😏.
He is always present with us, yet thousands and millions of believers will disobey him millions of time before they disobey their spiritual or earthly parents one time.
I am not advocating to be rude and ruthless. I am admonishing us to live a life that truly depicts the nature of Christ in and out of service👍🏽🙏🏽.
Do not be that believer that is upright in church, in the public but in your closet and heart of heart, Christ is far away😠.
Even Christ became obedient unto death. Here many might find it a bit confusing, obedient unto death here, is because that was why He came, to obey God by reuniting man to God.
Do not stay in a place that you continue to claim obedient to man but thinking you are obeying God and you become so stuck till you are spiritually or physically dead.
The nature of Christ propagates the will of God. Does it mean we will have everything nice and lovely🧐 not always, times will come with trials and challenges but the word of God says
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
John 16:33 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.16.33.KJV
It is only in Christ that we can find peace, the nature of Christ also gives us peace even in the midst of turmoil.
You can't continue to be sold out to worldly measures and live in the nature of Christ.
You need to bury one for one to rise🗣️🗣️. And the one you need to bury is the worldly nature because whatever is of this world will perish and it's temporal, but what is of God is eternal and permanent.
I do not know what your stand is in living in love and humility which is the nature of Christ. God wants you and I to reflect on our way of life.
When people see me, hear from me, read about me can they see the nature of Christ or not?
*Let us Pray*
Father thank you for your word that you have given to me this day.
Lord have mercy on me in anyway I have lived being sold out to the nature of this perishing world.
Lord purify my mind and draw me into your secret place so I will forever abide in you and you in me.
Lord uproot and eliminate any seed of worldly pleasures that stands against your will in my life.
Father I want to live for you from today renew my mind and increase the zeal to obey you and do your will in me.
*Personal Prayer*
Thank you abba for answered prayers in Jesus name amen