Image via WikipediaWalk not in Fear (Phyllis C. Michael) Today you do not walk alone. So do not walk in fear.The Lord, your God, is everywhere,In fact He's very near.Although you walk a path todayYou've never walked before,Walk on in faith, the Lord is nearAnd shall be evermore.
Although a door should open nowPresenting to your viewA scene unknown to human eyes,Know this, God walks with you.Let faith fill every waking breath -To God each child is dear;Today you do not walk aloneSo do not walk in fear.
We may think we know God, but if our faith does not result in striving to complete obedience to God, our faith is dead (James 2:17).
When we accept that we are God's children; who cannot reach him on our own, but must turn our lives over to him; we will accept the submission and obedience due to him. Then we will accept his love and forgiveness for any wrong we have done. This acceptance confirms that we understand that we are his Children. This acceptance is not enough, we must also live as his children and as brothers and sisters in the same family. Often people excuse selfishness, pride, or evil by claiming their rights. If we say we follow Christ, we must also may we want to live as he lived. Are you selfishly clinging to your rights?
(Philippians 2:1-8)"Your life in Christ makes you strong, and his love comforts you. You have fellowship with the Spirit, and you have kindness and compassion for one another. I urge you, then, to make me completely happy by having the same thoughts, sharing the same love, and being one in soul and mind. Don't do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble toward one another, always considering others better than themselves. And look out for one another's interests, not just for your own. This attitude you should have is the one that Christ Jesus had.
"He always had the nature of God, but he did not think that by force he should try to become equal with God. Instead of this, of his own free will he gave up all he had and took the nature of a servant. He became like man and appeared in human likeness. He was humble and walked the path of obedience all the way to death."
How would things change if verses above marked your family life? Church life? Work life?
With God's own Son as our example, and with the guidance and support he has provides us; how can we not use our freewill to make the right decision and join him in heaven.
Does what you have learned, made you more optimistic or less, and why?
Why did God provide us with free will? This is a question that I would like to address at this point. We could have been created where we would do only what we were suppose to do. But since God wanted members of his family (sons and daughters) who He could share love with. He needed to create us in his likeness.
Why did God give us free will?
Their may be a question in your mind at this point. Isn't the concept of free will incompatible with a already know plan of God? No! To illustrate this answer let me use a parable. Many students in certain college classes have conducted certain tests with mice in a maze. The mice in the maze may be given paths they could follow. But because of various reasons, they will go a certain way. The mouse has free will to choose his path. But his nature will normally direct him a certain way. We as humans created as part of this earth, have a earthly nature which will normally direct us certain ways. Just as the mouse may be trained to take a path different than his normal nature which will normally direct us certain ways. Just as the mouse may be trained to take a path different than his normal nature to a better future. God may know what way we are going to take, but we still have to make that decision.
How am I going to improve my humility and "Childlike Nature?"
You as a human being could share love with another human being or with an animal. But you can not share love with a car or a coat. In order to be able to share love a creature must be free to accept, reject, and/to give love.
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