Imitate Good - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) October 22, 2021

3 John 1:11 - Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good...

Let us take some time to read that scripture a few more times. What does it say to you? To me, it is a clear warning to imitate what is good and shun evil. However, the line between what is evil and good can be hard to find. Praise the Lord, He has promised to tell us where the line is. In fact, He does so already by His Word and His Spirit.

Philippians 3:17 - Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. Here Apostle Paul told the Church of Philippi to look to him as an example of how to behave and thereby imitate what is good. Consider the fact that at the time this verse was written, the followers of Jesus were a small group of churches scattered around the Middle East, Asia and Europe. Many individuals had only known pagan worship their whole life. They needed examples of godly behavior and living to counteract the 'programming' they'd know their whole life.

Christian believers face those same issues today. Living godly lives can be very difficult because we are bombarded with non-Christian concepts and images. And oftentimes, even the people we should emulate are inconsistent in their behavior. There are so many confusing and contrasting messages coming our way - deciphering it all can be mind numbing. Glory be to God, however, that He has not left us on our own to figure things out. Look at this instruction in the Bible - Philippians 4:8 - Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Most of us can tell what is right from what is wrong. Our conscience gives us a heads up. The only issue is if we ignore it. And when the lines seem blurry, we need to pray for God's guidance so we stay focused on the things that please Him while avoiding what displeases Him. Reading our Bibles is key, as it contains examples from the lives of those who went before us that we can learn from. For instance, read the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), who took care of a waylaid traveler. Regularly read the Gospel books in the New Testament and see how Jesus lived, learn what He taught, and put this into practice.

Imitating what is good requires us to be intentional and strive to rewire our brains from operating in ways that are acceptable to the non-believers but distance us from God. And yes, this seems like an insurmountable task but His grace is sufficient for us all (2 Corinthians 12:9). And, never forget the word contained in Philippians 4:13 - I can do all this through Him who gives me strength. Ask God for strength and believe you've received it. Then take it day by day, paying attention to the things you see around you and asking yourself, is this something God approves of or not.

And if you still aren't convinced that you can grow in the right direction, pray the following promise over yourself, Philippians 4:19 - And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. Proclaim this verse regularly while you learn to live a life that becomes an example of what is good and a rejection of what is evil to the glory of God. May the Lord help us all to please Him by His grace, IJMN, Amen.

Please join us for Praise & Pray (for others) today at Noon EST where we will imitate our Savior Jesus Christ by praising the Lord and prayerfully concerning ourselves with the needs of others. Hope to see you then!