Day One 2021: Imitate God

Grace and Peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus, our LORD. (2 Peter 1: 2) Welcome to 2021, and Happy New Year. For me, this is surreal to be able to say Happy New Year, being that I was deathly ill earlier this year due to COVID-19. The LORD, in His goodness and mercy, healed me, and I stand before you able to testify that God is gracious. Today, January 4th, 2021, we embark on our yearly fast. Our journey is to seek the face of God, and determine what pleases him regarding his will for our lives this year. At IHP, I have declared that this year is the year of Opportunity! We have taken this theme from Ephesians 5 verse 16, which is rendered this way in the NIV. 

Eph. 5:16 making the most of every Opportunity because the days are evil. NIV  

We will talk more about that this week. I want to begin our focus by looking at the beginning of this pericope. Verse 1 of Chapter 5 starts this way in the NLT version. 

Eph. 5:1 ¶ Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. NLT

Today, I want to encourage you to imitate God. From the Oxford dictionary, we get this meaning for imitate: take or follow as a model. So, for the year, in everything that we do, we should follow God as a model. It means, before we do anything, ask, how would God do this? How would God want me to do this?  

This may make you think that this is impossible. When I read the scripture, there is a lot that I don’t see God doing. God has never gone to work, or we do not see where God, Jesus, or the Holy Ghost, ever took a wife. God does not play sports. He does not have a Facebook or Instagram page. In situations where you don’t find a direct correlation, the way to imitate God is to follow or use his word as a model. For example, God tells us, “live a life filled with love.” Eph 5:2 NLT We have never seen God love his friends or relatives because we understand that there is no one like God. He has no equal. The scriptures teach us this. 

Deut. 3:24 “O Lord GOD, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your might; what god in heaven or on earth can perform deeds and mighty acts like yours!

Ex. 15:11  ¶ “Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods?

Who is like you, majestic in holiness,

awesome in splendor, doing wonders?

1Sam. 2:2  ¶ “There is no Holy One like the LORD,

no one besides you;

there is no Rock like our God.

2Sam. 7:22 Therefore you are great, O LORD God; for there is no one like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

So, if there is no way to compare God in his interactions with equals, how do we “live life filled with love, as He would do?” The end of that verse teaches us how. “following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.” NLT 

We should look for opportunities to imitate God by “following the examples of Christ.” This means we should seek to be Godly and to be Godly in everything we do. Our speech should be Godly. Our work should be Godly. Our intentions should be Godly. What is required is that we think before we act. Think before we speak. Think before we love before we eat before we agree. In everything we do, think, “Would this please God.” 

In everything you do, in everything you say, in everything you think, imitate God. 

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Remember beloved, drink all the water you can drink and take one bowl of Soup after 3 PM. I pray this blog was an encouragement to you. Please, plan now to bring someone to church with you this week, even virtually. This is part of what we are called to do. This, too, is wisdom. If you are not a member of a church, you need a place to run as if every step matters, be a part of In His Presence Family Worship Center at 1673 Dean Street, Brooklyn NY, every Sunday at 8 AM and every Wednesday at 7:30 PM. Some of the best people in the world are there, and we would love to have you as our guest. Join us for our weekly services at http://ihpfwc.org/livestreaming-and-video.html. 

If you would like to sow into this word, please obey what God is saying and give. Go to this link, http://ihpfwc.org/online-giving.html. You can give by downloading our ‘Givelify’ app and going to In His Presence Worship Center. This gives you a one-step option. Also, you can give using Zelle @ pastor@ihpfwc.org Honor the LORD with your substance. Proverbs 3:9 

Also, new this year, download the IHP app. Go to where you obtain your apps, Google Play for Androids or the App Store for iPhones, and look for In His Presence FWC. Download the app and stay connected. 

Yours Because I am His, 

Leo Colon

www.ihpfwc.org

pastor@ihpfwc.org

888.640.5550