Follow Good Examples

Philippians 3: 17-21

Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. 

We are to watch and observe to see how Paul and others we know live their daily lives. What is their highest priority in life? Are they seeking the Lord daily? 

For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the Cross of Christ, 

Most people today, especially in the US, who consider themselves to be Christians, do not have that relationship with God that He wants with them. They have never let Jesus take their death for them, so He's not washed them in His Blood. 

And a lot of these people are pastors and teachers. 

whose end is destruction, 

If they're not saved by the Blood, then there's no hope for them.

whose god is their appetite, 

Their first priority in life is the satisfaction of their physical needs.

and whose glory is in their shame, 

These people are depending on what they can do, which is not acceptable to God because it is tainted by our sinful flesh. Only what is done in the Spirit is acceptable to Him. And they don't have His Spirit.

who set their minds on earthly things. 

All their goals are in this World.  

For our citizenship is in heaven, 

We fix our eyes on that Heavenly country, as Abraham did, we're told in Hebrews 11:10 and 13-16.

from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 

Jesus is coming back, and I believe, very soon now. He will call us out by name, and we will come with Him through the clouds to set up His Kingdom.

who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, 

This is when He will change our fleshly bodies into shining spiritual bodies, like His Resurrection body.

by the exertion of the Power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.  

This is the Power of the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, and the same Power by which He holds authority over all Creation. 

This is the Power of Absolute Authority over all that He has made, as Creator and Purchaser of everything that exists. Owner of every person.

This is the Power that He has given us, to live inside our bodies, in our spirits, giving us Life and Power to defeat all our foes, including our own flesh.  

O my Father, only Your Power is absolute! Only Your Power has the Strength to overpower every evil and every weakness and every particle that is not perfect. 

Father, You are cleansing and purifying and refining Your creation from the Galaxies of Stars down to the molecules of our bodies. Everything will be made clean and pure and whole and perfect. 

Father, teach us how to live our lives every moment of every day as Your Royal children, remembering who our Father is, and becoming every day more the sons and daughters You intend for us to be. 

And every knee will bow, every tongue confess, that Christ Jesus is Lord God Almighty, to the glory of God the Father. 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!