Mission Venture Ministries

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. (Ephesians 5:1-2) 

Growing in Christ involves far more than just attending church, tithing, and listening to a sermon. In fact, many believers do all this but remain inactive in their walk. For us to become more like Jesus, it is necessary for us to learn and obey His instructions and to follow His manner of action when He was on earth. 

The most important part is learning truth and this is accomplished by reading the Word of God since Scripture instructs us that just as newborns crave milk, we are to desire His Word so that we might grow (1 Peter 2:2). 

Simply listening to the truth, however, doesn’t mean that we’ve acquired it. Some people love attending Bible studies and expanding their knowledge, but their lives remain unchanged. Remember that actual growth requires action as James 2:26 states, “Just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.” 

If we’re truly maturing, our life will be increasingly Christ-like, and our desires will align more closely with God’s heart, therefore we need to make sure that we are listening and responding to His truth. 

The true anchor for our soul is Jesus, who Scripture promises will never change. To find comfort in Him, we must learn who He is, what He does, and how He works. 

John 1:1 reveals that Jesus is Deity from the beginning. Fully God and fully man, He was born of a virgin. Scripture identifies Him as the Christ (Matthew 16:16-17), the Savior who was crucified and who resurrected after three days. Jesus is the Son of the Living God and the only way to Him (John 14:6). He fulfilled countless prophecies in the Old Testament, such as Isaiah 53:1-12. 

Like us, Jesus had feelings; He wept in one occasion and felt righteous anger when people misused the temple. He was loving, compassionate and just, and we need to remember that God’s character never changes; Jesus Christ always remains the same. The better we know Him, the easier it will be to turn to Him for refuge since He’s the only true shelter and rock that will not change. What a comfort for believers! 

So let’s take a look at some of Jesus’ characteristic that we must imitate in our own life: 

• He forgave others. He showed mercy, not judgment, to those who recognized their sin. 

• He comforted the hurting. He visited Mary and Martha, who were mourning the loss of their brother Lazarus (John 11:1-45). 

• He provided for needs. After spending three days healing, He was concerned that the large crowd hadn’t eaten. He could have sent all 4,000 away to find their own food, but He provided more than enough to satisfy their hunger (Mark 8:1-9). 

• He interceded for His disciples. Just before He was crucified, Jesus asked the Father to protect and sanctify His followers, including you and me (John 17:15-20). 

• He strengthened believers and gave them power to do God’s work. In Acts 1:8, the Lord sent His disciples out to share the gospel, assuring them, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8). 

Jesus still forgives, comforts, provides, intercedes, and empowers us each day. What a blessing it is that we can always find refuge in our amazing Lord! 

Please keep in mind that our mission is to use the precious time our Creator has given us to grow each day since every day and every minute that we live count; and to remember to live for Him, like Him and to share about Him to those who do not know Him. 

Therefore bear in mind always that, “Whoever says he abides in Him ought to walk in the same way in which He walked” (1 John 2:6). 

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