Showing posts with label Paul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul. Show all posts

Sunday, September 9

Follow Me!




“Let’s play follow the leader!”

Remember saying that? We’ve all played that age-old game. Running around the yard, doing exactly what the leader did.

As you played that game years ago, could you have imagined saying it many years in the future but in reference to your life?

Paul was a leader and encouraged the Philippian believers to follow him, “Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.” (Phil. 3:17 NLT)

In essence, Paul said, “Be co-imitators of my life.” “Learn from those who shape their lives after us.” “Mimic us and observe those that live as we do.” “We” meaning Paul and his other followers who were living exemplary lives. They were setting an example, a pattern of living, something worthy of being imitated.

He also told the Corinthians, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." (1 Cor. 11:1 NIV)

Why was Paul a good leader? Why was he able to tell others to follow him? Because he truly followed the Lord.

Can we say the same about our lives?

Our lives will more than likely be a disappointment to others at some time or another. The Lord never said we were perfect. But He said He is. And our lives should point to Christ as the Perfect One to follow.

Jesus has always entreated others to align themselves with Him. He started by calling the Disciple Dozen to follow Him.

One day on the lakeshore of Capernaum, as Jesus walked through the crowd gathered there and was teaching them, He saw Levi, a tax collector. He looked at him and said, “Follow Me.” No other conversation. Levi got up, left his old way of life, and followed Jesus. He is otherwise known as the disciple Matthew.

Jesus called Simon Peter and his brother Andrew as they fished. He called James and his brother John as they mended their nets. One day in Galilee, Jesus found Philip and called him to follow.

All the disciples left their old way of life and followed Jesus.

On one occasion, Jesus spoke to the disciples and a crowd, saying, “If any of you wants to be My follower...you must put aside your own pleasures and shoulder your cross, and follow Me closely.” (Mark 8:34 TLB)

And He speaks the same to us. “Leave it all behind and follow Me!”

Jesus said, “If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.” (John 12:26 NKJV)

By definition, if anyone is serving Jesus by being an attendant, ministering to one, waiting at a table offering food and drink to guests, supplying food and the necessaries of life, taking care of the poor and the sick, serving as deacons, serving another’s interests, s/he is to also follow Jesus.

If we’re going to serve Him, we must walk as He walked, do as He did, follow His lead.

In other words, we can’t just “play” follow the leader. We must be sure that what we are doing in service to Jesus is truly following Him and not just doing works. “To follow” means to be in the same way with, to accompany as a disciple. A disciple is one who imitates Jesus’ example by serving others. True service brings honor.

If we follow Jesus, Paul urges us, “Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ” (Phil. 1:27 NLT), to walk “worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory” (1 Thess. 2:12 NKJV), and “now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him.” (Col. 2:6 NLT)

We need to ask ourselves...

Am I “playing” follow the leader?
Is my life worth imitating?
Have I left my old way of living to follow Jesus?
Am I truly serving others?
Am I living my life for God’s glory?

Our prayer should be as David’s, “Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for You are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in You.” (Ps. 25:5 NLT)

Are you like this...


Or can you say to others with confidence, “Follow me”? 
 



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Monday, July 19

Who's Your Faith Hero?


Whenever the question is asked…Who is your favorite biblical hero of faith…most people pick Paul. However, my heroes of victorious faith are those in the Old Testament, those whose faith held to the backside of the cross, having the faith to see what was yet to be. They had no anchor of hope in Christ as we do.

Abraham is probably my number one hero of faith. When Paul wanted to convey righteousness through faith to the Romans, he wrote about Abraham, telling them to “walk in the way of that faith which our father Abraham had.” (Rom. 4:12 Amp)

Then he said, “It is clear, then, that God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was not based on obedience to God’s law, but on the new relationship with God that comes by faith.” (Rom. 4:13 NLT) All he did, the Bible says, he did by faith.

From the beginning of God’s promise of his son Isaac to Abraham until the time of fulfillment was about twenty five years. Then, Abraham’s faith was tested to the max. When he obeyed to the point of nearly sacrificing his own son, a Ram in the thicket was provided.

That thing dearest to his heart he released to God and received it back multiplied times over. Abraham’s faith seed was planted there on Mount Moriah, and his seed produced seed upon Seed, and all of us have been blessed and rewarded since that time.

Look at the results produced from that one extraordinary act. If we follow this out, we will see the culmination of a progression of a life of faith, obedience, and sacrifice, from the seed of Abraham’s obedience, to David’s purchase of the threshing floor, to Solomon’s building of the Temple.

As the hill of these sacrifices and obedience, Mount Moriah (meaning ‘seen or vision of Jah’) is the same area, and thought by some scholars to be the very sight, of the greatest sacrifice ever, the crucifixion of Christ.

Our faith walk should be like Abraham’s, for he knew God kept His promises, “He drew strength from his faith, and, while giving the glory to God, remained absolutely convinced that God was able to implement His own promise.” (Rom. 4:21 Phillips)

When Paul wrote to the Galatians, he wrote about living by faith as Abraham, “It is [really] the people [who live] by faith who are [the true] sons of Abraham.” (Gal. 3:7 Amp) Therefore, “Those who are people of faith are blessed and made happy and favored by God [as partners in fellowship] with the believing and trusting Abraham.” (Gal. 3:9 Amp)

Paul also said of Abraham, “No unbelief or distrust made him waver (doubtingly question) concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God.” (Rom. 4:20 Amp) His words of praise strengthened his faith, connecting Him to God’s power.

Paul said, “Therefore, [inheriting] the promise is the outcome of faith and depends [entirely] on faith.” (Rom. 4:16 Amp) He said our faith should rest “in the power of God.” (1 Cor. 2:5 NKJV)

When you come before the God of the universe, do you believe that He is the God of all creation, that He is able to do what He says, that He will be with you in whatever you are going through, and that He rewards those believing in Him?

*Is there an Isaac in your life that you need to release by faith?
*Does your praise empower your faith?
*How long have you waited for an answer to prayer or the fulfillment of a promise from God?
*How do you walk, how do you behave, while you are waiting, in faith or doubt and worry?
*Do you rest in the power of God?

Does Jesus say to you, as He did to Peter when he began to be overwhelmed by the waves, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matt. 14:31b NKJV) Or does He say to you as He did to the woman that came to Him on behalf of her demon-possessed daughter, “O woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire”? (Matt. 15:28 NKJV)

If God is looking for victorious faith in His children, does He find it in you?



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