I WANT TO BE LIKE JOE!

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ...(Ephesians 5:1, 2 NLT) One Sunday I was at the front of the church when a man approached me saying that he was new to the church and wanted prayer. I asked him what he wanted me to pray for and his answer startled me a little by simply saying, "Pray for me so I will be more like Joe." He didn't say "Pray that I be like God" or "for God to touch his life." He simply wanted to be like Joe. In a way, he was really praying, I want to be like God because Joe was living a sold out life for God. His faith was contagious and this man saw the difference that it made in his life. He wanted to be just like him. May I encourage you that people are watching how you live out your faith? Your family and neighbors and fellow employees are watching if your faith is genuine and if it is really changing you into a better person. Your children and grand children are observing your faith whether it is genuine or not. Personally, I think that man's prayer was one of the greatest prayers ever. God was living in Joe's life that the only God this man could see was how God was living in Joe. So, imitate God in all you do so you an say, "Follow me as I follow Christ."