Hebrews 13:7-8

Hebrews 13:7-8 Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Every Christian, regardless of his or her position in the body of Christ, should emulate Jesus. He devoted his life to the Father's will. As with Jesus, our present day spiritual leaders should be interested primarily in doing God's will. If they rightly serve God with integrity and love, we should respect them and imitate THEIR FAITH. We surely should consider the outcome of their way of life. Some of my forbearers were pastors and leaders who passionately served God. Looking at their lives, I see they committed everything to God and sacrificed material things to champion his causes. They did not live in fancy houses or even on the "right side of the track." Many times they just traveled from one city to the next, spreading the gospel. They remained faithful to their calling to the end. They stayed married, raised children who loved the Lord, and their grandchildren and great-grandchildren serve God today. As I view the graves of their children who died young and recall their stories of hardships and heartbreaks, I consider how they conducted their lives. In his last days, my own dad could not interact easily with others due to illness; yet, as we sat together, he would raise his hands to God and tearfully say, "The Lord is so good, He is so marvelous to me." This was a man whose tongue was so swollen that he could hardly talk, but he used all his strength and passion to praise the Lord with uplifted hands. Of course, his faith dramatically impacted me and my own children.

As we emulate our leaders who follow Christ passionately, we first and foremost imitate Jesus' life. He was passionate for his mission to reveal the Father and the Father's love to the world. Similarly, we should commit everything to showing our Father God to the world. I do not think we can serve God successfully in any other way. As members of God's family, we should cast off our lukewarm attitudes and behaviors. We should stop being up one day and down the next, choosing whether to follow God or not, whether to serve him or not. Scripture reveals that dedication to God means imitating the faith of our leaders and seeking to reflect Christ to the world. James says, show me your faith by your works, your consistent commitment to God's plan for you. Christian leaders are always on display whether they are on vacation or speaking for God on a public platform. They cannot take a day off and must readily serve God in every situation. We too must be ready and willing to serve God every day. Jesus was not the part-time Messiah. Even on days when He sought a respite from the crowds, He was moved with compassion for their needs and always ready to serve. We are not occasional ambassadors of Christ; we are always on duty and committed to hearing the Holy Spirit and to reaching out to others. This is our daily mission, our constant calling.

As emulators of Christ our Lord, we are not covenant breakers: we serve others as we serve God. We willingly give what we have and go the extra mile with the Roman centurion. We offer living water to those who despitefully use us, caring for the needs of our enemies. We respond tenderly and kindly to those who love us. This is our assignment in life. Today, I am concerned that we who follow Christ lack fervor because we so easily succumb to the spirit of the age, living mostly for ourselves, our wants and desires. How many of us have harbored bitterness, anger and hatred in our hearts, even self-loathing? God desires goodness and peace in our lives; He wants us to love and to serve others, to meet their needs ahead of our own. The spirit of this age says: WE ARE ONLY GOING AROUND ONCE, SO WE MUST GET ALL WE CAN FOR OURSELVES. WE MUST LIVE FOR OURSELVES, PROTECT OURSELVES. IF WE DON'T, WHO WILL? This selfish attitude leads to materialism, failed marriages, and broken relationship with friends, neighbors, and family members. A fleshly lifestyle opposes the will of God and his endearing love for all people. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. When we live IN JESUS, we should become more like OUR LEADER. The Bible says we will reap what we sow. Following the dark lifestyle of the devil and his demons produces a harvest of hurt, pain, trouble, and destruction. Following Jesus leads to healing, wholeness, peace, and joy.