Christ – Page 2 – The Center City Christian

Praise to God for a Living Hope

1 Peter 1:3-12 KJV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,

5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:

7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

8 Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

9 Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

10 Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:

11 Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.

Real Talk – God’s Got This

John 16:33 KJV

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Oh Lord, what we are facing in our nation and all over the world right now! But from the words of Jesus to His disciples, “take heart!” (John 16:33 NIV) We will inevitably face struggles, but we are not alone! Let us remember that Jesus is with us and the ultimate victory is ours to claim (Revelation 1:17-18)! “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7 KJV)

There is also this verse: “For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:3 NIV) So what does it mean to be “hidden with Christ”? The meaning of hidden here is that a believer’s life is covered and safe. We need not hope only for the future; eternal life begins when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior (1 Peter 1:3)! Once again, we can take heart that our salvation is secure, and we can be free to live for Christ each day!

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Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

Living as Those Made Alive in Christ

Colossians 3:1-17 KJV

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.

9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

11 Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.

12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.

Real Talk – The Secret of Being Content

I have been buying new shoes at a discount department store lately. Before military school, I went to a public high school. And this is Real Talk, so let’s be real. Especially in high school, I cared about popularity. And I felt that being accepted at that school was related to wearing expensive clothing. And that stayed with me until I came to Christ. Anytime I bought clothes, everything had to be name brand.

But that’s not the reason why I went to military school. The reason is that I was a mess. The more I chased the acceptance of the in-crowd, the further it became.

The Secret of Being Content — ***Buying inexpensive clothing also contradicts the worldly view of materialism.***

The apostle Paul wrote about knowing “what it is to be in need” and “what it is to have plenty” (Philippians 4:12 NIV). And after reading his story (Acts 7:58—28:31) and his letters, this particular verse especially speaks to me.

There were times in my life, like when I was growing up, that I certainly had. And there were other times in my life, like in my testimony about being homeless, that I had not.

But I declare with great joy 😁 that the Lord has set me free and given me confidence in this area! To be content with maintaining a budget and no longer living beyond my means.

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Real Talk – The CCC

I remember when I first transferred to my four-year university. I changed my major to Public Administration (I graduated with a degree in Marketing 😂) and had aspirations to run for mayor of Allentown and rebuild the city. While working at a retail store, I worked with a retired engineer who told me about the CCC.

The Civilian Conservation Corps was a program established as part of the New Deal during the Great Depression. It helped lower the unemployment rate by providing jobs for hundreds of thousands of young men on environmental conservation projects.

From then on, I wanted to start something that used that acronym. What I didn’t know was what it would be or if it would ever happen. It reminds me of this Scripture verse about being set apart:

Romans 8:28 KJV

28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

This verse is a promise that if we love Him and are “called” (have received Christ), God will work in “all things” for our good, even things far into the future. And to fulfill His purpose. The short story mentioned above certainly seemed like an isolated incident at the time!

Therefore, my only response is praise! 🙌

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Real Talk – Live Through Love

The Gospel of John shows Jesus as fully human and fully God and the Father’s unique Son—this is the foundational truth of Christianity. I realize it’s a lot to understand at first—that Jesus lived on the earth as a man, yet He is God.

To help put it into perspective, I previously wrote Giving the Glory to God. Genesis 1:1—2:3 shows us that God created the heaven and the earth. And I cross-referenced these verses in Scripture:

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:15-17 NIV)

Colossians 1:15-17 shows us that Jesus is also our Creator. If we do not believe this essential truth that Jesus is the Creator and Sustainer of all things who gives us eternal life, how will we have the faith necessary to trust in this promise?

God is love (1 John 4:16). Love is the reason why God creates, and He has created us to love. God cares for us even as the sinners we are because He loves us. Each person has a choice because God wants us to respond to Him out of love. Christ’s love for us caused Him to die on the cross because sin was a problem that needed conquering! And eternal life is an expression of God’s love that will last forever.

Jesus shed His blood so we could have new life. By accepting this wonderful gift, we live through Him and therefore live through love.

The Word Became Flesh

John 1:1-18 KJV

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

2 The same was in the beginning with God.

3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.

16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.