“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s, the same save it. ” Mark 8:35 (KJV)

When we decide to become a follower of Christ, what we are saying to God is “Here’s my life Lord, take me and use me for your glory.” Your life now belongs to God and therefore your actions must mirror Christ’s. As Jesus would do, you should do.  In Mark 8, Jesus gives a simple three-step plan to become a true follower.

In life, there will be so many challenges that will arise and God may allow those challenges to continue so that you can learn to take them up and come to him with them. No longer will we have to carry any burdens alone. Christ is giving us a way to have peace and have a life more abundant if we decide to follow him. God never promises us a problem-free life here on earth, but he does promise to help us with any issues we might have. Paul even proclaims that he glories in his infirmities because he knows that God will be his strength.

“Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:10

Above all Christ wants you to follow him because that is the only way that you can become more like him. We can literally follow Christ when we learn about his character and then begin to apply his characteristics to our lives. We follow Christ by:

• Being obedient to God’s word (Luke 22:42)
• Daily committing our lives to him (1 Corinthians 15:31)
• Exhibiting his love towards others (Matthew 22:39)
• Serving in his ministry (Matthew 28:18-20)

Jesus is calling you to be His follower. He is calling you to deny yourself, daily pick up your cross and follow him.

We are told in Ephesians 5:1 to be followers of God as dear children. The word follower means “imitator” or copy. We are to initiate God as children imitate their earthly parents. Watch what God does, and then do it. Mostly what God does is love. We follow his example and walk in a life of love. He did not love to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. We follow that example; we follow a love like that.

We see a perfect example of this in the life of Jesus. Jesus said that He does the same as His Father does and speaks only the things that the Father has taught Him (John 5:19, 8:28). He is the express image of God. We know about God’s character by looking at Jesus.

Jesus operated totally by faith. He spoke words full of power. In every situation. He spoke the desired result.

We imitate his manner of life. In his relation to God, Jesus put him first and served him faithfully. In his relation to men, he fulfilled every moral precept of the law perfectly. He was loving, compassionate, and merciful. He was gentle, patient, and kind. He was humble, forgiving, and submissive to his Father’s will. “Let this mind be in you which was also in Jesus Christ” (Phil. 2:5). “Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matt. 11:29).

1 Corinthians 11:1, NLT: “And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.”

We follow Jesus in living by his word. Peter connects the example of Jesus to his role as “the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Pet. 2:25). The figurative use of “Shepherd” includes the idea of a teacher. “He will feed his flock like a shepherd” (Isa. 40:11). Jesus is not only our perfect example, but he is also our perfect instructor. His teaching can no more be separated from his life than his example. We follow him in both. The latter refers to the teaching he left us in the New Testament (Matt. 19:28; Heb. 2:1-4).

Jesus intended for us to walk by his example. “For to this were you called . . . that you should walk in his steps.” Christians are called to God’s service through the gospel for the purpose of imitating Jesus in their lives. Those who think Christianity consists of anything less than imitating his teaching and example have missed the point. Sinners must understand this when they become Christians. “Therefore, we were buried with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). And Christians must never forget this commitment: “Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Rev. 2:10).

Christ Is Our Example

²¹ For you have been called for this purpose, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you would follow in His steps, ²² He who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; ^23 [a]and while being abusively insulted, He did not insult in return; while suffering, He did not threaten, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; ²⁴ and He Himself ^[b]brought our sins in His body up on the ^[c]cross, so that we might die to ^[d]sin and live for righteousness; by His ^[e]wounds you were healed. ²⁵ For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and ^[f]Guardian of your souls.

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21).

When Jesus was on earth, hearing and obeying the Father was essential to His success. It is essential to ours, too. If we want to live the kind of supernatural life that Jesus lived, we must slow down enough to listen for and to our Father’s voice.

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. John 10:27 (NKJV)

 As Jesus’ disciples, we CAN do it!

According to Jesus we really can. He said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father” (John 14:12). He also said, “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples; indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:31-32).

 I looked up disciple, the word disciple means, “to follow a teacher in order to become like him.” If we will say what He said and do what He did, we will get the same results He got. As Philippians 2:7 says, He laid aside all the divine power that belonged to Him as a member of the Trinity and operated as a man. In other words, Jesus was as dependent on the power of His heavenly Father for His success in life and ministry as you and I are today. He said, “I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father taught me. And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him…. The words I speak are not my own, but my Father who lives in me does his work through me” (John 8:28-29, 14:10).

This is how Jesus lived: He said only what He heard His Father say. He did what His Father taught Him to do. Then, His Father supplied the power and did the miraculous works everyone marveled over.

That process brought Jesus’ 100 percent success all the time in every area of His life. If you follow Jesus, it will do the same for you.

Please read the Bible Verhttps://awomenaftergodsownheart.org/bible-verses-about-living-by-example/ses A Living by Example

5 Ways to Walk Like Jesus

• He had compassion. “And Jesus went forth, and saw a great multitude, and was moved with compassion toward them, and he healed their sick.” ~Matthew 14:14. …
• He sought to do the Father’s will. …
• He interacted with people that others avoided. …
• He was humble and served others. …
• He prayed often.

Prayer for Today:

Dear Jesus,

Help me to be more like you. Help me to follow you in everything that I do.

Amen.

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