June 4, 2024 Reflecting ChristCYNTHIA HEALD Lee en español "For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters." Romans 8:29 (NLT) One time as I was reading the book of Romans, Romans 8:29 freshly penetrated my heart. My eyes rested on this verse, and I prayed, Lord, is Your overall purpose to make us like Jesus? What a masterful and lofty plan! But surely this must be for very special, chosen people, I thought. To become like perfect and sinless Jesus seemed an impossible goal. I love the Lord and want to be who He wants me to be, but is it even possible to be molded into someone who could represent Jesus in everyday life? As a young girl, I enjoyed playing "follow the leader" with neighborhood friends. The game was about imitation ... copying whatever our chosen leader did. If she ran, hopped or skipped, we did the same thing. Along these same lines, the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians: "Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ" (Ephesians 5:1-2a, NLT). As I meditated on Paul's instruction, my daily communications with my husband and children came to mind. I tended to respond too quickly and impatiently to their requests. Many times my behavior could not be considered Christlike. Imitating and following Jesus as a role model is challenging. Still, when we accept and believe in Christ's sacrifice on the cross, we receive new life through the indwelling Holy Spirit. We can begin the process of becoming like Jesus and reflecting His attributes of love, holiness, obedience, servant-heartedness, and unreserved trust in the Father. I'm encouraged by this verse in Philippians: "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him" (Philippians 2:13, NLT). So I have begun to be more intentional as I interact with people. My prayer and purpose are to be more loving and patient with my family as well as kind and gracious to the server in the restaurant, the sales clerk in the store, friends, and neighbors. I hope to reflect Christ to whoever crosses my path. My conformity to Christ, though, is still very much an ongoing process as I guard against pride, impatience and complacency. I can never presume on my past walk with God. My ability to reflect His character comes only through my daily walk with Him, in which I surrender my thoughts, actions and plans to His will. How humbling it is to think of becoming like Jesus. May this divine goal encourage us not only to accept His purpose for us but also to desire it. Lord, thank You for Your faithfulness in molding me to be like Your Son. May I leave a sweet fragrance of Christ with any family member, friend or stranger I might encounter. I want to love others as You have loved me. In Jesus' Name, Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS We love witnessing a long life lived well (not perfectly) and growing increasingly more like Christ. Cynthia Heald has been speaking and writing Bible studies and books for many years, and she is the first to say that she is still learning at the feet of Jesus. Her latest book is Becoming like Jesus: Reflecting Christ in Your Everyday Life. ENGAGE You can learn more about Cynthia here. FOR DEEPER STUDY 1 John 2:6, "Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did" (NLT). In what specific ways can you become more moldable in God's hands? What changes in attitude or actions do you sense you need to make to live as Jesus lived? We'd love to know in the comments! © 2024 by Cynthia Heald. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews, NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post Reflecting Christ –  Encouragement for Today – June 4, 2024 appeared first on GodUpdates.

June 4, 2024 Reflecting ChristCYNTHIA HEALD Lee en español "For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters." Romans 8:29 (NLT) One time as I was reading the book of Romans, Romans 8:29 freshly penetrated my heart. My eyes rested on this verse, and I prayed, Lord, is Your overall purpose to make us like Jesus? What a masterful and lofty plan! But surely this must be for very special, chosen people, I thought. To become like perfect and sinless Jesus seemed an impossible goal. I love the Lord and want to be who He wants me to be, but is it even possible to be molded into someone who could represent Jesus in everyday life? As a young girl, I enjoyed playing "follow the leader" with neighborhood friends. The game was about imitation ... copying whatever our chosen leader did. If she ran, hopped or skipped, we did the same thing. Along these same lines, the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Ephesians: "Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ" (Ephesians 5:1-2a, NLT). As I meditated on Paul's instruction, my daily communications with my husband and children came to mind. I tended to respond too quickly and impatiently to their requests. Many times my behavior could not be considered Christlike. Imitating and following Jesus as a role model is challenging. Still, when we accept and believe in Christ's sacrifice on the cross, we receive new life through the indwelling Holy Spirit. We can begin the process of becoming like Jesus and reflecting His attributes of love, holiness, obedience, servant-heartedness, and unreserved trust in the Father. I'm encouraged by this verse in Philippians: "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him" (Philippians 2:13, NLT). So I have begun to be more intentional as I interact with people. My prayer and purpose are to be more loving and patient with my family as well as kind and gracious to the server in the restaurant, the sales clerk in the store, friends, and neighbors. I hope to reflect Christ to whoever crosses my path. My conformity to Christ, though, is still very much an ongoing process as I guard against pride, impatience and complacency. I can never presume on my past walk with God. My ability to reflect His character comes only through my daily walk with Him, in which I surrender my thoughts, actions and plans to His will. How humbling it is to think of becoming like Jesus. May this divine goal encourage us not only to accept His purpose for us but also to desire it. Lord, thank You for Your faithfulness in molding me to be like Your Son. May I leave a sweet fragrance of Christ with any family member, friend or stranger I might encounter. I want to love others as You have loved me. In Jesus' Name, Amen. OUR FAVORITE THINGS We love witnessing a long life lived well (not perfectly) and growing increasingly more like Christ. Cynthia Heald has been speaking and writing Bible studies and books for many years, and she is the first to say that she is still learning at the feet of Jesus. Her latest book is Becoming like Jesus: Reflecting Christ in Your Everyday Life. ENGAGE You can learn more about Cynthia here. FOR DEEPER STUDY 1 John 2:6, "Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did" (NLT). In what specific ways can you become more moldable in God's hands? What changes in attitude or actions do you sense you need to make to live as Jesus lived? We'd love to know in the comments! © 2024 by Cynthia Heald. All rights reserved. Proverbs 31 MinistriesP.O. Box 3189 Matthews, NC 28106 www.Proverbs31.org The post Reflecting Christ –  Encouragement for Today – June 4, 2024 appeared first on GodUpdates.

1070 - Roquefort cheese created in a cave near Roquefort, France 1889 - Boston Beaneaters MLB pitcher John Clarkson is first to throw an "immaculate inning" (strikes out 3 batters on 9 pitches) in a 4-2 win over Philadelphia Quakers at South End Grounds 1950 - Dutch cyclist Wim van Est wins Bordeaux-Paris (586 km in 17:25) 1969 - 22-year-old man sneaks into wheel pod of a jet parked in Havana and survives 9-hr flight to Spain despite thin oxygen levels at 29,000 ft 1978 - "Working" closes at 46th St Theater, NYC, after 25 performances 1985 - Supreme Court strikes down Alabama "moment of silence" law 1988 - 42nd Tony Awards: "M. Butterfly" (play) and "The Phantom of the Opera" (musical) win 2002 - Canadian singer Avril Lavigne releases debut album, "Let Go" 2014 - 10 Nigerian generals and five other senior military officers are court-martialed for providing arms and information to jihadist terrorist group Boko Haram 2019 - Movement in Japan to end compulsory wearing of high heels in work places trends with hashtag #KuToo More Historical Events »

What happened when an Italian rock star got together with Motörhead, Uriah Heap, Slade and more to record as The European Team

Australian Jewish Association (AJA) CEO Robert Gregory expressed the Jewish community’s lack of trust in the Anthony Albanese government, urging enforcement of existing laws rather than the creation new ones. “Whether it’s radical imams or extremist university encampments, they don’t care about the Jewish community. So don’t use us as an excuse to bring in […]

A teen with Down syndrome went viral for the overwhelming joy she felt after being invited to a party, and her mother hopes the video teaches more people to extend some kindness. When Heather Avis, picked up her daughter, Macy, 15, from school one afternoon, she was shocked by her mood. The freshman was laughing so hard she was crying, and it was all because a classmate invited her to his birthday party—a simple gesture Macy had rarely experienced. “Y’all! I’m not exaggerating when I tell you we can count on one hand the amount of birthday parties she’s been invited to by school peers/friends SINCE KINDERGARTEN!” Heather wrote in an Instagram caption. Heather captured a video of Macy’s reaction, and you can feel the teenager’s happiness. She smiles so big that her face can hardly hold it, and tears form in her eyes as she tells her mom what happened. “You can hear me start to get choked up because my sweet girl is so elated to be included,” Heather told TODAY.com. “It speaks to the common humanity that we all share. We all as humans want to feel like we belong. We all want to be wanted.”  View this post on Instagram A post shared by The Lucky Few®️ (@theluckyfewofficial) “Her joy from this invitation is palpable. WOW!” Heather continued in the caption. “To me, it spoke of a longing fulfilled. All I could do was laugh with her and then cry as I celebrated with her.” The Teen’s Reaction To The Birthday Invite Is A Reminder “To Create A Space Where Everyone Can Belong” The birthday boy was part of Macy’s life skills program. He made it a point to invite “both disabled and non-disabled” students to be inclusive. “People like Macy and the young man we were celebrating, who are often excluded, truly understand how to include others,” Heather wrote in a follow-up post. “Let’s reflect on that for a moment!” Until recently, Macy had been learning in a general education program with others at her age and grade level. When she moved into a program with other intellectually disabled teens, she finally felt welcomed and accepted. “As soon as Macy walked into the classroom as a new student, she was instantly embraced. No one was questioning if she has value and worth,” Heather told Today. “She’s finding a place where she feels belonging and community.” Heather is thrilled that the sweet video went viral, and she’s hoping it helps others realize the overall message. “We all have opportunity to be the person to say, ‘I’m going to create a space where everyone can belong,’” she concluded. You can find the source of this story’s featured image here. The post Teen With Down Syndrome Gets Rare Invite To Party—Her “Palpable” Joy Goes Viral appeared first on InspireMore.

In choosing to overlook offenses, we can rely on God for wisdom, asking for His leading in our reactions and responses. Rather than focusing on another’s weakness, we can choose to forgive, keeping God’s forgiveness for us at the forefront of our thoughts.

For months, the Biden campaign has boasted about its financial edge over Trump, but this advantage was mostly illusory. Biden had been raising funds jointly with the Democratic National Committee since…