IMITATION

October 15, 2019October 14, 2019 | lindamowles

Have you ever tried to imitate someone?

When we were in England eight years ago, we went to London so the Beatles fans in the family could see Abbey Road. Then, in typical tourist style, the four men in the family walked across the street, in an apparent attempt to imitate the album cover!

When I look at the picture, I have to smile seeing the totally serious faces of the participants!

In June 2018 I used this same picture in a blog entitled “Who do you imitate?”. Apparently the Lord wants me to reinforce this thought in the blog site! Please refer to that blog for additional thoughts on our duty of imitation.

The Greek definition of the word “imitate” relates to one who mimics or who is an actor. In Vine’s Expository Dictionary, it is noted that the verb “imitate” is always used in exhortations and always in the continuous tense, suggesting a constant habit of practice.

So, do you make it a habit of imitating those Christians who have provided us examples of Christlike actions? Think about these exhortations:

WE SHOULD IMITATE THE CONDUCT OF MISSIONARIES

For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.

2 Thessalonians 3:7-9

WE SHOULD IMITATE THE FAITH OF SPIRITUAL GUIDES

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.

Hebrews 13:7

WE SHOULD IMITATE THAT WHICH IS GOOD

Beloved, do not imitate evil but imitate good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God.

3 John 1:11

God is good, and we should imitate this characteristic of our Heavenly Father. God’s goodness is shown in His benevolence toward us, His creatures. In like manner, we should reflect His goodness. How? We should imitate His goodness in our benevolence to others. This may look different for each of us as we relate to others in our own unique manner, but it should have the same fundamental characteristic – the actions should be for the benefit of the other person without regard to whether they thank us, like us or even know that we did anything for them. Our benevolence is based in God and in our transformation into the likeness of Christ.

Recall when Christ healed the 10 lepers. The story is found in Luke’s gospel.

And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.” When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

Luke 17:12-19

Ten were healed of the dreaded disease leprosy. Ten men went from having to stand outside the city, without family or friends, covering their mouth and crying “Unclean, Unclean”. Ten men went from having no interaction with society to being welcomed home, in the community and at the synagogue. But, only one came back to thank Him.

Scripture says that all ten of the men were healed as they were walking to the synagogue. There is no indication that their healing was reversed when they failed to give thanks.

One said thank you to our Lord.

We, too, are diseased. Oh, not with leprosy but with a disease just as deadly and putrid – sin. Oh that we would have a realistic understanding of how grievous our sin is to God, how God will not look at sinful creatures. He sent His Son to take our sin upon Himself so that we could come to God and become His children, children who God can look upon because what He sees, instead of our sin, is the righteousness of Jesus Christ that has been given to us through the blood of Christ.

May we imitate that one man who turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. May we recognize our sin and thank God through Christ Jesus for wiping it away, for cleansing us, now and forever. Once we are cleansed from our sin, may we imitate our God and Father Who lavishes His benevolence on us. When we give to others, when we help others, when we do for others without their knowledge, we are imitating our Father. Praise His Holy Name.

Father, so often we minimize our sin, saying it was just a ”white lie” or “not as bad as murder” when there is no gradation of “sin”. Disobedience to Your Word is sin, no matter how we may want to characterize it. Thank You for sending Your Son to be our atoning sacrifice that paid for the consequences of our sin. Thank You for calling us to Yourself through the Holy Spirit, and enabling us to imitate Your benevolence to those You place in our world.

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD – SOVEREIGNTY

March 2, 2018March 1, 2018 | lindamowles

Unlike centuries ago, we no longer have many sovereigns in our world today. When we visited England, we stayed in London and went to Buckingham Palace, one of the homes of Queen Elizabeth II. It is in downtown London and it takes up significant acreage with the palace, gardens and grounds.

Looking at Buckingham Palace from across the grounds you can get a glimpse at the magnitude of the Queen’s residence.

Standing closer, we could see the guard making his route securing the sovereign, as we were on the other side of the gate looking in with a throng of others.

We in the United States have a hard time with the concept of “sovereignty”. Our whole corporate psyche is centered on freedom. We believe that we were born free, to live as and where we choose while doing whatever it is that we want to do. No caste system. No one dictating what profession or job we must take. No one telling us where we can or cannot live.

Having a person over us who is sovereign is exactly what our forefathers rebelled against and it was the springboard for the Revolutionary War between our country and England.

So, when we come to the attribute of God that is titled “Sovereignty”, we have a hard time comprehending all that such term entails. It is easy to speak the words that “God is in control of everything.” But the reality of a Sovereign God is much more far-reaching than a platitude.

In Exodus chapter 18, we have a beautiful vignette of Moses and his father-in-law, Jethro:

“And Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, and [how] the LORD had delivered them. Then Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the LORD had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Jethro said, “Blessed [be] the LORD, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, [and] who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now I know that the LORD [is] greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, [He was] above them.“”

Exodus 18:8-11 NKJV

Jethro was glad for the deliverance of Moses and the children of Israel and, after Moses had described all that God had done in Egypt, Jethro rejoiced and praised the LORD who is sovereign over all. Nothing that some people may attribute to a god is outside His sovereign control.

The Psalmist says this about God’s sovereignty:

“Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.”

Psalm 115:2-3

God is sovereign over all mankind or anything that he worships, nothing compares to our God and Lord.

“The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.”

Proverbs 21:1

God is sovereign over other monarchs on earth – while the king might be making plans, the Lord God controls that which happens.

“The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.”

Proverbs 16:33

As with kings, even the common man is subject to the sovereignty of God. Men cast lots and then make their decisions based on that result, but God is the One who controls the decision that the lot mandates.

In fact, God is even sovereign over the actions of animals.

Recall what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 10:

“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.”

Matthew 10:29-31

Now, remember Jonah’s free transportation in the belly of the great fish, and then, at the word of the Lord, his being catapulted from the fish onto dry land. Jonah 2:10. Also, remember how God gave Balaam’s donkey the power of speech when the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the street, but his master did not. Numbers 22.

There is nothing outside the control of God’s loving hand.

Not the plans of the wicked even if they are dictators or despots.
Not the way our physical world works which sometimes seems to be in opposition to mankind such as when there are earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, or droughts.
Not the actions of demons or even Satan, remember how Satan had to get permission to test Job and could only take action within the confines established by God.
Not even my own free will. Regarding salvation, we may believe that we accepted Jesus through our own free will, but even then, it is God Who quickens our heart to become aware of our sin and our need of His grace.

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. … For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Romans 8:28, 38-39

God’s sovereignty is a tremendous comfort to the believer because it enables him to have confidence that he does not need to fear, God is still on His throne and He is still sovereign – in charge – in control, no matter what might be going on in this temporal world.

We must remember that when sin entered the world, man had turned himself into a headlong catapult toward sickness, illness, pain, sorrow and death. God intervened in Genesis 3:15 where we learn of a Redeemer, a Savior Who will pay the price of sin and redeem God’s children for Himself. We all must die physically because of the curse of sin on our mortal bodies. But, we don’t have to die spiritually if we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? … Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Romans 8:31-32, 35, 37

Beloved, God’s sovereignty is an attribute that is hard for us to comprehend but it is the basis of God’s providence. We know that God’s will, His providence, shall prevail because God’s sovereignty mandates it. Nothing can defeat God’s will. Praise His Holy Name!

God’s sovereignty + His love for His children

Unassailable confidence and comfort for the believer.

Father, there are no words available to express my praise and love for You and for Your Son, Jesus Christ. Lord, I cannot comprehend Your sovereignty and all that such attribute entails, but I do have confidence in You and Your sovereignty brings comfort to my heart. Thank You, Lord.

WHERE IS THE EVIDENCE OF OUR LIFE IN CHRIST?

March 8, 2016 | lindamowles

Think about how the New Testament describes the early church in Acts 2:42-47 [NIV]:

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. … Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

Church with stianed glass window — Church in Roanoke, Virginia in the summer with the roses providing fragrance to worshippers walking along the sidewalk.

What a difference would be made in our lives, our homes, our churches, our communities, or world if we reflected God’s love to all persons we meet throughout our day! The early church was known by their care and love for each other. Theirs was not a maudlin kind of service – Scripture says they were together with “glad and sincere hearts” and they praised God and enjoyed “the favor of all the people.” Incredible. No wonder that, as a result of their gospel-driven witness, the Lord added to their number daily.

Church - St Margarets church in London (C) — St. Margaret’s Church in downtown London, England.

I don’t think our response to the love showered upon us by God through Christ Jesus is intended to result in our withdrawal from society so that we hoard our time with God and ignore our fellow creatures on this whirling sphere we call Earth. No, that is not the life to which Jesus calls us. Rather, He calls us to serve others, as He came to serve. Matthew 20:26-28.

Where is the evidence of my life in Christ? The evidence, my friend, is my focused dedication to obey the commands of my Savior as found in Scripture, the foundational command of Jesus being that we are to first love God with all our strength, mind and heart and then we are also to love our neighbors as ourselves. Luke 10:27.

In fact, Jesus says that people will know that we are His disciples by the love we show to others. John 13:35.

Do I enjoy being with my brothers and sisters in the Lord when I meet with them during worship on Sunday morning, or during Bible study in Sunday School, or during the Women’s Circle Bible Study, or during Choir rehearsal? Do I cherish the people in my church and seek to attend to their needs?

Do I reach out in ministry to others beyond the walls of my church, perhaps even beyond my comfort zone? Do people see the evidence of my relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ who is my Savior?

I know that I have failed to be the loving witness Christ calls me to be, but I pray that each day I come closer and closer to the target of reflecting Jesus to others, of loving them as Jesus loved them.

Beloved, what has been the evidence of your relationship with Jesus?

How much do you love Jesus? How much do you love those whom Jesus loved?

Father, may I express my love to your Son, my Savior Jesus Christ, by ministering to those He loves, whether they may be among my friends or not. May I express my love to you, Father, by studying your Word and praying, listening to the Holy Spirit urge and direct me as I walk the path you have preordained for me to tread. Thank you Father for your Spirit who comforts, encourages and strengthens me. Please give me grace that I may continue to love and serve You throughout my days, even on the hard ones.

THERE IS ALWAYS TIME, RIGHT?

February 26, 2016 | lindamowles

We measure time all the time. Here, Bill is using a lawn sun dial which we came across at Blenheim Palace in England. The pointer (human) stands on the right spot for the month and day, and then you extend your arm straight up revealing the time. He was doing this shortly after 1:00 p.m. and the shadow on the ground is just clearing the 1 o’clock dial. That is one way to tell time! No electricity or battery backup needed – of course it must be sunny! [Apparently there was no need to tell time at night! J ]

Human sundial at Blenheim Palace (C) — Blenheim Palace lawn sundial — telling time without electricity or batteries!

For us, however, we feel that time is of critical importance, whether day or night. We react to events, plans and situations as they come our way, and we constantly run out of time to do all that we have on our calendars or that we want to accomplish. But unless it is our birthday, we rarely think about the amount of time we have already lived ‐‐ or, more to the point, the length of time we have left to live.

Just this morning we read in our local newspaper about a 39 year old businessman who died in a skiing accident in Colorado. I have no idea if this gentleman was believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. While I don’t know if he was a Christian, I feel certain that he did not know that yesterday would be his last on this earth. He did not know that all the dreams and plans that he was working on would be stopped on a dime when he drew his last breath. He did not know that his life would be cut short, or that he would not celebrate his 40^th birthday, or that there was no more time allotted to him, here.

Over and over in Scripture, writers tell us of the short life span we humans have, warning us that there is no guarantee of one more second, let alone one more day, week, year, decade! An example of this theme is seen in Psalm 39:4-5 where King David writes:

Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath. [NIV]

This theme is repeated in the New Testament teachings of Jesus in a parable recorded at Luke 12:16-21:

“The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, ‘What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”‘ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” [NIV]

This theme is again repeated in James 1:11 where James speaks of the man who goes about his business unaware that his life soon will end:

For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business. [NIV]

James continues to say in chapter 4:13-14:

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” [NIV]

Big Ben (C) — Big Ben in London — the quintessential example of a powerful clock!

Scripture repeatedly warns us not to assume that we will be here tomorrow, in other words, we are told that our life’s end may come when we least expect it.

Our Sovereign God has all this in His power. For this reason, we should focus on seeking the Kingdom of God rather than seeking worldly things. Matthew 6:28-34.

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 6:1-2:

“Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he [God] says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” [Quoting Isaiah 49:8] Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” [NIV]

I saw a series of television advertisements, most likely by a pharmaceutical company but I don’t recall which one, that say that you will not get an invitation or a bulletin warning that tomorrow you will have a fatal heart attack. Whether or not you use their medicine, the point is one worth consideration because it has eternal consequences.

In our human arrogance we think that there is always time to seek salvation. I’ll do it later. There is always time, right?

While there are many questions for which I have no answer, I do know the answer to this one. No!

One of these days time will run out and there is absolutely no way that you or I know when that day will come. The Apostle Paul was right – act now, while there is still time. Today is the day of salvation!

Father, we pray for the family of the young man who died in the skiing accident yesterday. We pray that he was a believer in Jesus Christ and that our Lord will be near and provide comfort to the grieving family. We also pray for those reading this post, that if they do not know the wondrous love of the Lord Jesus, that they would look to your Word and that your Spirit would touch their hearts so that saving grace would be made real to them this day. And, Father, we pray that you would remind each of us, daily, that our time is limited, and that we should make the most of each day you grant to us for the furtherance of your Kingdom, to your honor, glory and praise.