💡 THOUGHTS FROM ME
I. The idea of having a personal relationship with Jesus while not being in community with other believers is completely foreign to the New Testament.
We are saved personally, but never privately.
The commands of Jesus cannot be lived out in isolation; otherwise, they simply become theoretical ideas you do not have to implement.
There are no perfect churches because there are no perfect people, which is great, because then we can actually live out things like forgiveness and reconciliation with one another.
Do not follow Jesus in isolation. Do not be a foolish Christian. Find a community to live out the way of Jesus with.
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II. You should want to live a life worth imitating.
In fact, this is the wisdom we get from Scripture.
In Philippians 3:17, Paul says, “Join in imitating me, brothers and sisters, and pay careful attention to those who live according to the example you have in us.”
You might think that only someone like Paul, or a pastor, or a spiritual leader should say something like that. But every follower of Jesus has people in their life who learn from the way they live. Your habits, your priorities, and your rhythms are shaping someone.
A helpful question to ask is this: Would I want other people to follow Jesus the way I follow Jesus?
You will never follow Jesus perfectly, but do you have regular practices that others could imitate and be drawn closer to Him? Prayer. Scripture. Community. Integrity. Generosity. Small steps that build a faithful life.
You may not feel like a spiritual giant, but God has placed people in your life who need your example. Live a life worth imitating.
📖 UNDERSTANDING THE BIBLE
Paul wrote more than two letters to the Corinthian church.
In the New Testament, we have the books of First and Second Corinthians, but in those books we see that he actually wrote at least four letters to the church in Corinth.
In First Corinthians 5, Paul refers to an earlier letter he had already sent. In Second Corinthians 2 and 7, he mentions another painful letter that is different from First Corinthians.
This does not mean anything is missing from Scripture. It simply reminds us that God preserved the letters His people needed. First and Second Corinthians are part of a larger conversation Paul had with this church, and these two letters contain the wisdom the Holy Spirit intended for us to have today.
🤔 1 INTERESTING BIBLE FACT
Ancient Hebrew did not have written vowels.
The original Old Testament manuscripts only had consonants. Example: “David” would appear as DVD.
The Hebrew vowel system we use today was added by scribes called the Masoretes around AD 600–900.
📚 1 BRIEF BOOK REVIEW
Well guys, I'm going to be an influencer... 🕺
I can't remember how this book got on my reading list, but I really enjoyed it.
I've read a number of books over the years in this genre: brand building, online messaging, etc. Most of these books share a couple of interesting/practical principles, but also a lot of steps and work you have to put in to achieve any real results.
That all makes sense if you really want to grow/get paid/expand your influence. I usually just read these for a small tip or two or to get a new insight.
This book was one of the better ones I have read in this genre.
Yes, there are steps this book walks you through, but they aren't overwhelming and are actionable even if you don't put a ton of effort into it (of course, the more effort, the better it will go for you).
Maybe because my expectations weren't all that high, I really enjoyed the book and look forward to working through some of the concepts. I even took some notes while reading.
If you own a brand, have a product, or generally want to improve in this space, you will really enjoy this book.
8.5/10
P.S. I don’t want to pick, but pick what I would pick if I did…
