Imitate 353 March 2008 PM

Who should we imitate? That is the question would like for you to consider, today. The main example we should follow is our Heavenly Father. He shows us how we should behave through examples and instructions in His Word. Let's begin our study in the Book of Isaiah. Isaiah 46:1 Bel boweth down, Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle: your carriages [were] heavy loaden; [they are] a burden to the weary [beast]. (Bel and Nebo are false gods of the heathen. The heathen make so many idols that their beasts had a hard time carrying all of them around. Listen to Father.) Isaiah 46:2 They stoop, they bow down together; they could not deliver the burden, but themselves are gone into captivity. (The heathens weren't pleasing God. He sent Cyrus to defeat them. If you are burdened down with idols, God isn't pleased with you, either. He'll see that you are in captivity, as well.) Isaiah 46:3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne [by me] from the belly, which are carried from the womb: (Man is often too busy carrying their idols around to realize that God wants to carry them. He wants to be your God. But if you want to whittle a god, have at it. You'll have to carry your god, rather that your God carrying you. The choice is yours to make.) Isaiah 46:4 And [even] to [your] old age I [am] he; and [even] to hoar hairs will I carry [you]: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver [you]. (This is God's promise. What a shame so many like to burden themselves down with problems and worries, when God wants to carry them?He wants to help you.) Isaiah 46:5 To whom will ye liken me, and make [me] equal, and compare me, that we may be like? Isaiah 46:6 They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, [and] hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship. (Anything that comes between you and God is an idol. It may be your home, a car, or your business. Be careful. Your idol can't carry you into the eternity. God will carry you into the eternity. God will carry you into the eternity, if you do things His way.) Isaiah 46:7 They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, [one] shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble.(No matter how much you worship an idol, it can do nothing to help you. God, on the other hand, is able to carry you through this life and beyond. I can't comprehend how anyone could choose an idol over our Father.) Isaiah 46:8 Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring [it] again to mind, O ye transgressors. Isaiah 46:9 Remember the former things of old: for I [am] God, and [there is] none else; [I am] God, and [there is] none like me, (God loves you. And He wants you to return His love by following Him, not some idol you made with your hands. Do your best to imitate His example. We all fall short. But when you try, He stamps your effort approved.) Isaiah 46:10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times [the things] that are not [yet] done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: (God told us of the future through His prophets. Many of those prophecies have been fulfilled; many have not. They will come to pass, and no one can change that.) Isaiah 46:11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken [it], I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed [it], I will also do it. (Again, God is addressing the worshippers of false gods. The ravenous bird is the eagle which was the standard for Cyrus king of Persia whom God would utilize to conquer the idol worshippers.) Isaiah 46:12 Hearken unto me, ye stouthearted, that [are] far from righteousness: Isaiah 46:13 I bring near my righteousness; it shall not be far off, and my salvation shall not tarry: and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory.(And God has, and does and will provide that salvation for His children that follow Him. Strive to imitate Father, but also realize no one is His equal. Turn with me to Ephesians which is written to God's elect.)

Ephesians 5:1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; (The word "followers" in this verse is translated from the Greek word "mimetes" (mim-ay-tace'). It means to imitate.) Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. (He gave Himself as the Passover Lamb. He did this for us. He took the sins of the world on Himself.) Ephesians 5:3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; (Saints means "set aside ones". They are His elect.) Ephesians 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. Ephesians 5:5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. (Imitating these characters will earn you a one-way ticket to hell. Imitate your Father, not Baal worshippers.) Ephesians 5:6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. Ephesians 5:7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. (If you imitate the children of disobedience, you can be expecting the wrath of God to come down on you hard.) Ephesians 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now [are ye] light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (Darkness is Satan and deception. Light is God and truth. Once you come into truth, you are children of light.) Ephesians 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Ephesians 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.(When you do the best you are able to imitate God, the Holy Spirit enlightens you as to what is acceptable unto the Lord. You intuitively know right from wrong.) Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove [them]. Ephesians 5:12 For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret. Expose the works of darkness and deception with truth. It is a shame that the works of darkness are deceiving many, today. Turn with me to the Book of Philippians. Philippians 3:1 Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed [is] not grievous, but for you [it is] safe. Philippians 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. (Concision is heathenism.) Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. (The flesh usually leads to trouble. Anytime people are led by the flesh rather than the spirit, trouble will be near.) Philippians 3:4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: (Pauls credentials in the flesh were noteworthy. He could match anyone's credentials, but he didn't place his confidence in his own accomplishments. We shouldn't either.) Philippians 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, [of] the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Philippians 3:6 Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.(Paul had it all as far as flesh credentials go. Paul's point is that flesh credentials really don't amount to much.) Philippians 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. (Anything we might gain in the flesh is nothing compared to serving Jesus Christ.) Philippians 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ, (Paul could have written his own ticket with the big wigs of Jerusalem. He was

willing to give up everything in the flesh to serve Jesus Christ. He knew who to follow.) Philippians 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; (Our righteousness is but filthy rags compared to the righteousness of God.) Philippians 3:11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead. (Eternal life meant more to Paul than anything the flesh might have to offer. It should to you, as well.) Philippians 3:12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Paul was captured by Jesus Christ. I hope you take your faith that seriously. I hope that there is nothing that can draw you away from your love of Christ.) Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, (Don't look back. Once you have repented, the past means nothing. You are a new person with a fresh start.) Philippians 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. (Perfect means mature. If you aren't mature, God will help you. Remember, He will carry you.) Philippians 3:16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Philippians 3:17 Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. (Paul is a good one to imitate. He did some terrible things in the flesh, before he was struck down on the road to Damascus. But Paul repented of his sins, and got down to business serving the Lord. God would utilize Paul to write most of the New Testament. Do your best to imitate God and those who serve Him well. In His Service, Arnold Murray