Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 291

October 18;      I Corinthians 4:16;       137/260(III);        ‘Imitate Me’

1 Corinthians 4:16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me.

It would almost seem like Paul is bragging in this verse.  He is not.  Paul founded the church in Corinth and taught them the Word and the revelation the Lord Jesus gave him.  When you have been in the ministry for a number of years, and have had a solid foundation put into your spirit and then have followed that up with much study and diligence, your life can be a pattern for others to follow.  Not only what you know spiritually, but your lifestyle.  Let’s just look at a few qualities in Paul that allowed him to say ‘imitate me.’  He was incredibly educated in religion and was zealous for the Lord in a religious way.  Once he was confronted by Jesus and realized that he was wrong, he changed immediately.  That would be something everyone could imitate, the courage to realize you were wrong and change.  He learned that the gospel is to be taught in a way that everyone can understand it.  Then he also learned that the Lord backs up His Word with signs and wonders.  Paul came to know it was the truth of the Word and the power of the Lord that changed lives, not the former prideful knowledge Paul could expound.  Ministering the Word simply and trusting the Lord to confirm the Word with miracles is worth imitating.  Finally, Paul never quit.  He knew that His ministry brought eternal life to those he ministered to.  Knowing how vital what he did was, he refused to let anything or anyone hinder him.   Paul, a life worth imitating.