Sunday
09-06-2026
By: Brenda
“Christ-like”
I know it seems like I speak on the same things over & over. I see these things as very important not only for us today but for our future in God’s kingdom to come.
Today will be another one of those devotionals. I read something on Facebook recently that stirred my spirit, again… It was not harsh, but it was honest.
It reminded me that not every struggle is spiritual warfare – sometimes it is simply our flesh resisting the life God calls us to live & His Son, Jesus taught.
This made me ask myself a question-
I want to gently ask you today. If the word “Christian” means Christ-like… who are we actually imitating?
Christ’s life was not random – It was obedient. Christ lived in perfect alignment with His Father. Christ kept the Sabbath & He kept it holy. Christ kept the Biblical Feasts & He honored every one. Christ kept a clean diet & He ate according to Scripture. Christ kept the Torah & He followed it, taught it, & fulfilled it.
And Christ rebuked the man-made traditions of the religious systems.
Christ’s life was not a suggestion.
It was a pattern.
Yet most Christians today do not keep the Sabbath. They choose Sunday instead.
(Or some choose any day they feel like & say – “Jesus is their sabbath rest!”)
Some do not keep the biblical holidays.
But they keep secular & pagan holidays days. Some do not follow the dietary Biblical instructions. They eat every profane thing, including swines flesh.
And some certainly do not follow or keep the Torah. In fact, they claim it was nailed to the cross.
Many believers imitate everything except the life Christ lived. Not because they are rebellious. But often it is simply because they have never been taught to examine the difference between following Christ & following Christianity as a culture.
This devotional today is not to point fingers. It is about pointing our hearts back to being Christ-like. If Christ is our example, then we need to ask ourselves. Are we imitating Christ or imitating a version of faith that asks nothing of us?
Some of us keep some things. Some of us keep nothing. Some of us keep what is convenient. And some of us keep what is comfortable. But God sees clearly. And God is not fooled by our partial obedience.
Yet God is not angry – He is inviting, forgiving, & waiting…
*So, what are we striving for? What is the reward for our obedience? What is the purpose of our surrender? Why die to ourselves daily – & sometimes hourly?
*This is why – because we were never called to be half‑lit lamps, or half‑obedient disciples, or half‑surrendered believers, or half‑alive Christians.
Scripture says plainly.
“Because you are lukewarm… I will spew you out of My mouth.” Revelation 3:16 (This is not to frighten us – but to awaken us.) Lukewarm faith is faith that wants comfort without commitment, identity without obedience, & salvation without surrender. But we as followers of Christ are called to something deeper. Dying-Daily, Yes… this is the path back to Christ-likeness.
And here is the truth that touched me deeply. We can not cast out our flesh.
We must crucify it. And crucifixion hurts.
I have said this before… It hurts to say “no” when our flesh screams “yes.”
It hurts to obey when compromise feels easier. It hurts to forgive when the wounds are still fresh. It hurts to keep God’s ways when culture mocks them. And it hurts to surrender when pride wants control.
But every “no” to the flesh is a “yes” to the Holy Spirit. And every act of obedience makes us look a little more Christ-like.
This is why we imitate Jesus.
Not Christianity, not culture, & not convenience.
God is not looking for perfect people.
God is looking for surrendered people.
Our Christlikeness is not achieved in one leap. It is lived out one surrender at a time.
Daily, hourly, & sometimes moment by moment. Not because it is easy, but because He is worthy.
Oh, how God loves us ❤️
Dear Father in heaven,
Softly draw our hearts back to Your Son.
Remove the fog of tradition, convenience, & culture, & let us see Jesus clearly, the
One we are called to imitate.
Teach us to surrender daily, not out of fear, but out of love. Show us where we have grown lukewarm, & warm us again with Your Truth. Give us courage to obey, humility to learn, & tenderness to repent.
Make our lives look more like Christ, not in word only, but in practice, devotion, & daily choices. Lead us gently, faithfully, & patiently into deeper obedience.
May we all desire to imitate Your Son.
In Jesus name, Amen.
Have a blessed day
God loves you ❤️
and so do I ❤️