Guard Your Heart - - Follow The Pattern

 

1 Corinthians 11:1

Be followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 3402

Followers: imitator, emulator

From the Greek word 'mimétés' (pronounced mim-ay-tace'): the root of the English word mimic. Properly, the positive imitation that arises by admiring the pattern set by someone worthy of emulation. Mimétés is always used positively in the NT (seven times) – of followers of Christ emulating a God-approved example. The supreme model is God Himself (see Eph 5:1). 

Ephesians 5:2 "Therefore, be followers of God, as dear children."

This word 'followers' is used only seven times in the New Testament. Though some translations use the word 'imitators' instead of 'followers', the meaning is the same. 

1. 1 Corinthians 4:16 - followers of Paul (his example)

2. 1 Corinthians 11:1 - followers of Paul even as he follows Christ

3. Ephesians 5:1 - followers of God

4. 1 Thessalonians 1:6 - followers of Paul, Silvanus and Timothy, and the Lord, with joy in the Holy Spirit

5. 1 Thessalonians 2:14 - followers of the churches of God in Christ Jesus who also suffer at the hands of their own nation

6. Hebrews 6:12 - followers of the faithful

7. 1 Peter 3:13 - followers of what is good

FOLLOW THE PATTERN

Philippians 3:17 

Join one another in following my example, brothers, and carefully observe those who walk according to the pattern we set for you.

Philippians 4:9

Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. 

2 Timothy 1:13

Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me, in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus.

FOLLOW THE SHEPHERD

John 10:3, 4

3. The gatekeeper opens the gate for Him, and the sheep listen for His voice. He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.

4. When He has brought out all His own, He goes on ahead of them, and His sheep follow Him because they know His voice.

FOLLOW THE SPIRIT's LEADING

Romans 8:3, 4

3. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh,

4. so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Galatians 5:25

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

    We lead by example, whether we lead others in the way of death and destruction (Matthew 10:25) or in the Way of the Lord . The better way is God's Way. If we're going to be God's faithful leaders, then we need to be God's faithful followers. 

    A servant is not greater than his master. (Matthew 10:24; John 13:16; John 15:20). A faithful leader is a faithful servant. We follow Christ wherever He leads us, even to death. He is bringing us out of this world into His world, into our heavenly home. 

FOLLOWING JESUS CHRIST, OUR PATTERN

    Knowing that Christ suffered at the hands of his own countrymen, why are we expecting not to suffer at the hands of our own countrymen, our own nation, our own cities and towns? Jesus Christ told His disciples (and us) to take up our crosses and follow Him.

Matthew 16:24

Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

1 Peter 2:21-23

21. For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps:

22. “Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth”;

23. When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.

    Don't be surprised when the men and women you have called friends turn their backs on you when you profess Christ as your Lord and Savior; when your ways are not their ways. Don't be alarmed by family suddenly criticizing the change in you. Stand firm in your newfound faith in Christ. You are not alone.

    But continue to follow Christ faithfully. Read your Bible. Study your Bible. Highlight areas that make an impact on you. Underline verses that reach you. Date these things in your Bible, if you can. Use the flyleaf and the back blank pages. You should see my study Bibles. 

    Keep a journal or notebook with your Bible. There may be times when you need more space to write your thoughts and the insights you have gained in your studies. This will help you remember what you are learning.

     "​A faithful follower I would be​,"​ is what the hymnist wrote way back in 1862, when he penned the words to "He Leadeth Me." 

FOLLOW THE PATTERN MEDLEY

Arming The Spiritual Warrior -- How To Walk Like A Warrior

 1 Thessalonians 5:22

Abstain from all appearance of evil.

*Strong's Ex. Conc. No. 568

Abstain: to hold back, keep off, to be away, be distant; to have one thing by separating from (letting go of) another

For a Christian to abstain from evil is to eschew evil in every form, whether by what we are seeing, what we are hearing, what we are saying or what we are doing. As has been said, the born again Christian may be the only Bible those around him or her see. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance that we walk an upright life, which can only be accomplished if we obey God's Word daily. 

We must live a separated life, a sanctified life: our lifestyles must align with God's Word and we must choose to be obedient to Him. Every. Single. Day. It helps me to greet Him when I first begin to wake, even before my eyes are open. "Good Morning, Lord." "Welcome, Holy Spirit." Being aware of the fact that God is with us, with us at all times. My evening prayers usually end with me falling asleep before I say Amen. 

Walk Righteously

Isaiah 33:15

He that walks righteously, and speaks uprightly; he that despises the gain of oppressions, that shakes his hands from holding of bribes, that stops his ears from hearing of blood, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil.

Psalm 15:2-5

He who walks with integrity and practices righteousness, who speaks the truth from his heart, who has no slander on his tongue, who does no harm to his neighbor, who casts no scorn on his friend, who despises the vile but honors those who fear the LORD, who does not revise a costly oath, who lends his money without interest and refuses a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

Ephesians 15:2

(Paul writing to the church in Ephesus)

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one another. 

Walk The Way

Deuteronomy 5:33

You shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may be well with you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which you shall possess.

Galatians 5:24, 25

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit. 

2 Corinthians 5:7

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Hebrews 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

2 Corinthians 4:18

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Follow God Faithfully 

Every army has a Commander-In-Chief, even a spiritual army.

John 7:16, 18

“My teaching is not My own,” Jesus replied. “It comes from Him who sent Me.  If anyone desires to do His will, he will know whether My teaching is from God or whether I speak on My own. He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is a man of truth; in Him there is no falsehood."

Psalm 25:9, 10

Good and upright is the LORD; therefore He shows sinners the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way. 

Psalm 27:11

Teach me Your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path, because of my oppressors.

Isaiah 30:21

And whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear this command behind you: "This is the way. Walk in it."

Where He Leads Me

Psalm 23:3

He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. 

Psalm 119:35

Direct me in the path of Your commandments, for there I find delight.

Psalm 61:2

From the ends of the earth I call out to You whenever my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 40:2

He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

You know what that miry clay is? Sin. It attempts to cling to us even after God has delivered us from its clutches. It stains our garments and threatens to hold us back from what God is accomplishing in us. But God. 

He (God) brings us (they whom He has saved) up out of a horrible pit (death the result of sin) out of the miry clay (sin), and sets our feet upon a rock (the Chief Cornerstone), and establishes our goings (directs our path wherein we are to walk). 

Let us pray that you and I may continue to walk where God leads us. Let us listen for His voice that we may obey Him more faithfully. Let us walk, live the life that is pleasing to God, with respect to His Word and His Way, in joy and love. Let us choose to walk like warriors: heads up (with honor), looking forward (towards the unseen destinations), uprightly (with integrity and honor), shield in hand (by faith). 

Intelligent Worship -- Follow God -- Part 5

 

FOLLOW: Walk after, go with, accompany

Deuteronomy 13:4

"My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand  upholds me."

FOLLOW: Cleave to, cling, keep close

Psalm 63:8

"My soul follows close behind You; Your right hand upholds me."

WALK: Walk after, go with, accompany

Isaiah 30:21

"And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left."

WALK: Conduct my life. walk around, comprehensively

2 John 1:6

"And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it."

Sounds easy, doesn't it? But to walk the walk and talk the talk of being Christian is anything but easy. In point of fact, it's going to be the hardest thing we will ever do. And we can't do this by ourselves. We need God's Holy Spirit to empower us with the ability to not only say "No", but follow through with our actions and not do the things that would separate us from our walk with God. 

We just need to Trust God and Believe that God Is and that God's Word is Faithful and True. Then like the psalmist says, we can follow close behind the LORD God. That phrase "follow close behind" means 'stuck like glue'. Think of our walk with God as being superglued to His Word. Nothing comes between us. 

Are we following closely after God? When we make time with God a priority in our lives on a daily basis and do so out of a loving heart, a desire to please God, then following God becomes a habit. Once a habit is formed solidly that habit becomes harder to break. I want that habit. Don't you?