Follow Christ

"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." I Corinthians 11:1

How many of you can remember back to that day when you become a Christian? The day when you totally and completely surrendered your life to Christ. As you began going on about living your life, you find that you have to make choices. The Holy Spirit is there helping you to make choices that would be an example of what Christ would do. I know that was a challenge, but what about being around people who knew you before you became a Christian? I will be honest, my people were brutal! I used to have friends that were into drag racing and street racing. Let's say they had a very rough and challenging lifestyle. But the thing that was cool was, as they saw the Holy Spirit doing His refining work in me they realized that I was changing and Jesus Christ was real. That was one of my greatest days ever when my friend and I were loading the race car on the trailer and he asked me to tell him what it meant to be a Christian. I asked him why he was asking me and he said that he saw that I wasn't the same person since I became a Christian. OMG!

You want to talk about not being the same person since they came to Jesus...let's look at Paul the author of 1st Corinthians and the person who wrote today's passage of Scripture. You want to talk about a huge change? Then Paul is our man. He used to hunt Christians and have them put into prison or killed. But, in today's passage of Scripture Paul was addressing the Church of Corinth (that city was a modern day Las Vegas). There was so much corruption and temptation that the believers were falling into it. Paul was encouraging them then just as he encourages us today, to follow the examples of Jesus Christ. No better person's example to follow than Jesus. The Bible tells us that Jesus was a man, but, not only a man but a man who knew no sin. In fact, we are told that Jesus after fasting forty days was lead into the wilderness. In Matthew 4:1-11 it gives the account of Jesus being tempted many times by Satan and each time Jesus withstood Satan by quoting Scripture. Satan realized that even though Jesus was a human man weakened because of fasting for forty days that he wouldn't get Jesus to sin or bow down to him because Jesus knew and used Scripture to beat Satan. In today's passage Paul is so right encouraging us to follow the example of Jesus by using Scripture to withstand the attacks of Satan. We know that the devil will tempt us when we are weak, alone, tired, and physically drained. But we can always recall Scripture to withstand him.

Paul, throughout the books he wrote always gave glory, honor, and love to Jesus because he knew without Him he wouldn't survive or succeed. Our worlds may differ but the bottom line it is all about Jesus, and His example. He guides, and directs us into an unfailing life of success, love, and happiness. Take time today and reflect on what areas of your life need to be made more Christ like. Then ask Him to help you make those necessary changes.

In Him,
Rick

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