I’m Stuck on This Copycat Thing . . .

I know. I know. I know.
I’ve been rambling on about imitating Christ for the past few weeks.
But I can’t help it.
It’s where I am.
It’s what God is teaching me.
And I want to share it with you.

I’m still stuck on the apostle Paul.
We already looked at what he said in 1 Corinthians 4:16:
“I urge you to imitate me.”

Let’s also look at what he said in 1 Corinthians 11:1:
“Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (NIV).

And in Acts 20, Paul encouraged the new believers to
emulate him,
to watch him,
to listen to him,
to be like him.

Could it be that Paul knew something we’ve forgotten?
That we’re not simply called to speak the gospel—
but that we ARE the gospel!

Even though Paul was tortured,
shipwrecked,
misunderstood
and jailed,
he was living in the kingdom of God.

His eyes weren’t focused on his situation.
He looked past the pain
the discomfort
the hatred . . .
and focused instead on simply being Jesus.
And acting on earth as he would act in heaven.
He was living in the kingdom of God—
while he was on earth.

Father, help me to live in Your kingdom
right here
right now
regardless of what I’m experiencing.

Help me to imitate You.
Help me to live the kingdom life—
on earth.

Stephanie Rudash says:

09/12/15 at 4:57 am

Susie – I really needed this today. In March I went in remission from Hodgkin’s for the first time in 5 years! God is so good! However, now I’m having fevers that can’t be explained and a swollen lymph node was found on my neck. I know I need to claim God’s promises and his healing In my life, but I must admit – my faith is shaken. Will you pray with me as you did a couple summers ago at the WV Nazarene Family Camp?

Leota says:

09/11/15 at 6:29 pm

We are to be imitators of Christ… “like father like son (daughter)” Putting on the mind of Christ…. Abide in Christ and He will abide in you … If Christ abides in us and we in Him, we will imitate Him automatically just as a small child imitates their parents in words, actions, and deeds.