Sunday, November 8, 2009

A Christian's Manifesto

I assembled these verses a few years ago and titled them "A Christian's Manifesto" as a means of inspiring myself to higher ground. I reread them today, and found them to still be very challenging.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Ga 2:20), Therefore:

I will love the Lord my God with all my heart, and with all my soul, and with all my strength, and with all my mind; and my neighbor as myself. (Lu 10:27)

I will trust in the LORD with all my heart; and lean not unto my own understanding. In all my ways I will acknowledge him, and he shall direct my paths. (Prov 3:5,6)

I will submit myself to God, and resist the devil. (Jas 4:7)

I will put on the whole armor of God, that I may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (Eph 6:11)

I will humble myself under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt me in due time: (1 Pe 5:6)

I will sanctify the Lord God in my heart: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks me a reason of the hope that is in me with meekness and fear: (1 Pe 3:15)

I will confess with my mouth the Lord Jesus, and will believe in my heart that God hath raised him from the dead. (Ro 10:9)

I will seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness. (Mat 6:33)

I will stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. (Job 37:14)

I will cast down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. (2 Co 10:5)

I will walk in the light, as God is in the light. (1 Jo 1:7)

I will keep God’s commandments: and his commandments will not be grievous. (1 Jo 5:3)

I will grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Pe 3:18)

I will be a good steward of the manifold grace of God. (1 Pe 4:10)

I will study to shew myself approved unto God, a workman that need not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Ti 2:15)

I will hide God’s word in my heart, that I might not sin against Him. (Ps 119:11)

I will preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. (2 Ti 4:2)

I will let the word of Christ dwell in me richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing others in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in my heart to the Lord. (Col 3:16)

I will hold forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither labored in vain. (Php 2:16)

I will give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. (1 Ti 4:13)

I will buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. (Pr 23:23)

I will love my wife, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (Eph 5:25)

I will not provoke my children to wrath: but will bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Eph 6:4)

I will command my children and my household after me, and they shall keep the way of the LORD. (Ge 18:19)

I will be an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. (1 Ti 4:12)

As I have opportunity, I will do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. (Ga 6:10)

I will honor all men, love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king. (1 Pet 2:17)

I will choose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season. (Heb 11:25)

I will very gladly spend and be spent for the brethren. (2 Co 12:15)

I will be kindly affectioned to others with brotherly love; in honor preferring others. (Ro 12:10)

Above all things I will have fervent charity among the brethren. (1Pe 4:8)

I will obey them that have the rule over me, and submit myself: that they may do their duty with joy, and not with grief. (Heb 13:17)

I will pray without ceasing. (1 Th 5:17)

I will come boldly unto the throne of grace, that I may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Heb 4:16)

I will confess my sins. (1 Jo 1:9)

I will, whatsoever I do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. (Col 3:17)

I will give thanks in everything. (1 Thes 5:18)

I will rejoice evermore. (1 Thes 5:16)

I will not love the world, neither the things that are in the world. (1 Jo 2:15)

I will put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of my mouth. (Col 3:8)

I will abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; (1 Pe 2:11)

I will cease from anger, and forsake wrath. (Ps 37:8)

I will depart from evil, and do good; I will seek peace, and pursue it. (Psa 34:14)

I will put away lying, and speak truth with my neighbor. (Eph 4:25)

I will be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: (Jas 1:19)

I will recompense to no man evil for evil. I will provide things honest in the sight of all men. (Ro 12:17)

I will not resist evil. (Mt 5:39)

I will love my enemies, bless them that curse me, do good to them that hate me, and pray for them which despitefully use me, and persecute me. (Mt 5:44)

I will abstain from all appearance of evil. (1 Thes 5:22)

I will not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves. (2 Ti 2:24, 25)

I will walk in the Spirit, and not fulfill the lust of the flesh. (Ga 5:16)

I will put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and not make provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. (Rom 13:14)

I will, by the mercies of God, present my body a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is my reasonable service. (Rom 12:1)

I will reckon myself to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Ro 6:11)

I will love without dissimulation, and abhor that which is evil and cleave to that which is good. (Ro 12:9)

I will rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. (Ro 12:15)

I will use hospitality to others without grudging. (1 Pe 4:9)

I will be a lover of strangers. (De 10:19)

I will forbear with others, and forgive others, if any man have a quarrel against me: even as Christ forgave me. (Col 3:13)

I will lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. (1 Ti 2:2)

I will be peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. (Jas 3:17)

I will glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation works patience. (Ro 5:3)

I will most gladly glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (2 Co 12:9)

I will endure God’s chastening. (Heb 12:7)

I will endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. (2 Ti 2:3)

I will walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. (Col 1:10)

I will do these things, only because I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me, according as his divine power has given unto me all things that pertain unto life and godliness,. (Php 4:13, 2 Pe 1:3)