Following
God's Example
How do I
follow God's example? The Bible is filled with how God wants
us to be. The
best example of following God's example is to strive to be more
like Christ.
He was and is the true model of how God wants us to live,
act and be.
Ephesians 5
"Follow God's example in all that you do, because you are
His dear children. Live a life filled with love for
others, following the example of Christ, who loved you and gave
himself as a sacrifice to take away your sins. And God
was pleased,
because that sacrifice was like sweet perfume to him."†
Just as children learn from following the example of their parents we can and will learn from following God's example. His great love for us, led Him to sacrifice himself so that we may live. Our love for others should be of the same kind. A love that goes beyond affection to self sacrificing service. We must do what is holy and righteous, strive with all our being to be more like Him.
God has
given us a new beginning! First we must have a clean heart
Psalm
51:10 " Create in me a clean heart O God. Renew a right
spirit
within
me".† Psalm 51:12" "Restore to me again the
joy of your salvation and make me willing to obey you".†
Because we
are sinners, our natural inclination is to please ourselves
rather than God. God can and will cleanse us
from within
if we ask, filling our hearts with new thoughts and desires.
Right
conduct can only come from a clean heart. With a clean heart
we are able to leave our past self behind and follow the example
God has provided for us.
God wants
us to be close to him, what parent does not want to be close to
their child. He wants us to experience His full and complete life.
But sin that remains unconfessed makes such intimacy impossible. Confess
your sins, all of them. You may have to face some earthly
consequences, but God will give back the joy of your relationship
with him. When God forgives our sins He restores our
fellowship with Him. We want to reachout to others who need
forgiveness and
reconciliation. Lamentations 3:23 "Great in his
faithfulness
his mercies begin afresh each day."†
God willingly
responds with help when we ask. Are we willing to
forgive others, reach out and help others who need?
Each day is a new beginning, it is up to us to chose what we want
to do with it! Romans 5:11 "So now we can rejoice in our
wonderful new relationship with God all because what
our Lord Jesus Christ
has done for us in making us friends of God".†
When we claim to be God's Children we must behave like God's children. We must show faith and works. One with out the other is incomplete. James 2:17 "So you see it isn't enough just to have faith. Faith that does not show itself by good deeds is no faith at all~ it is dead and useless".†
We can not
earn our salvation by serving and obeying God. Our salvation
comes from accepting Jesus into our life, repenting of
our sins,
asking for forgiveness, believing Jesus as the true
and risen Christ. Good deeds show our commitment is real.
Deeds of a
loving service are not a substitute for, but rather a
verification
of our faith in Christ. When someone claims to have faith, what
he or she may have is intellectual assent~agreement with a set of
Christian teachings~ and such it would be incomplete faith. True
faith transforms our conduct as well as our thoughts. If
our life
remains unchanged, than we do not truly believe the truths we
claim to believe.
God gives
us His blessings! Luke 11:28 "But even more blessed are all
who
hear the word of God and put it into pratice".†
When we follow the example of God and become more
Christ like. God pours His blessings out on those who
hear his Word
and follow his examples
and put it into practice through out their daily lives. The Light
Of Christ shines from within us and all that we do.
