Thought for Today: The Perfect Example 

All your life you have either admired or have been influenced by someone that helped you be the man or the woman that you are today. For many it is a mom or dad, or a coach or a teacher. Then there are those who have influenced many of us the wrong way. We have all made poor or bad decisions by looking at those who did not have our best interest in mind.  

There will be many who want to pull you in many different directions, hoping that you will follow them.  Religion will pull you one way, while the world will pull you another way. If the world is not pulling you its way then your flesh (feelings and/or emotions) will pull you in its direction to fulfill its desires.  

And if that is not enough, the devil is like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour suggesting that you do what he wants. Listen to me, I know this may sound narrow-minded, but as a child of God the only example that you should be following to live a life that is pleasing to God is the life of Jesus Christ.  

“Why Jesus, Pastor Erick?” The reason we should follow Jesus as our example is because momma made mistakes, daddy fell at one point or another, your pastor ain’t perfect, the person writing this thought of the day (yes me) has out-right sinned and fell short. But not Jesus. For the word of God says in Hebrews 4:15, “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are YET WITHOUT SIN.”

Listen to me, it’s not that great man of God or that great woman of God that you admire and want to be like. They put Jesus Christ first in their lives as Lord and Savior, it’s the Christ in them that you are attracted to. This is what Jesus meant in John 12:32, “And I (Jesus the Christ) if I be lifted up from the earth WILL DRAW ALL MEN/WOMEN UNTO ME.” 

You have been told all your life that you cannot be like Jesus. As a matter of fact, those who don’t even believe in Jesus will tell you that you cannot be like someone they don’t even believe in. I don’t know who I am talking to, but the devil is a liar. The reason why the world, your flesh, and especially the devil don’t want you to follow after the life that Jesus Christ lived while He was on this earth is because not only did He live a perfect life, He is the perfect example on how to live a life that is pleasing to God the Father.   

For the word of God says, “Looking unto Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the sham, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God (which is the position of authority)” (Hebrews 12:2). 

When you look to Jesus as the example of the life that you want to live, you will begin to take on the divine nature. Here, read it for yourself, 2 Peter 1:3-4 says, “According as His (God’s) divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness through the knowledge of him (as you get to know Jesus for yourself) that called us to glory and virtue. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these YE MIGHT BE PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

The real reason why your enemies don’t want you to know Jesus for yourself by reading the word, praying, and worshiping God in spirit and in truth is because the more you get to know Jesus Christ for yourself the more you will become like Him. For HE IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE to live by.  

It is written, “So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest but He that said unto him, Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee, As he saith also in another place thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of his flesh when he hath offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard because of his reverent submission. Though he (Jesus the Christ) were a Son yet LEARNED HE OBEDIENCE by the things which he suffered. AND BEING MADE PERFECT HE BECAME THE AUTHOR OF ETERNAL SALVATION UNTO ALL THEM THAT OBEY HIM” (Hebrews 5:5-9). 

Get in the word of God and find out who Jesus is for yourself, and know this truth the more you get to know Him the more you will become like Him for HE IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE on how to live a life that is pleasing to God the Father.