BBD 11.13.13 Follow the Example (Classic)

#1 · November 13, 2013, 5:17 pm

Quote from Forum Archives on November 13, 2013, 5:17 pm
Posted by: theburningbushdevotional <theburningbushdevotional@...>

Visit the
Burning Bush websites:

www.theburningbush.net

www.theburningbush.org

The
Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 170 countries. Celebrating
15 years online since January 31, 1998. Since June 8, 1998 the Burning Bush
Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 14,000
subscribers across the world.

You can
leave comments/feedback about the devotionals at www.theburningbush.net.

There is
a translation tool on theburningbush.net website in the top left hand corner of
all of the pages.

The Burning Bush Devotional

14,000 Subscribers
to the Email Devotional

Classic from 2005

11.13.13

Follow the Example

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. - Philippians 4:13.

Sharon had a terrible week, which began when someone
attacked her with spray paint. Soon after that Sharon was kidnapped; however,
she was found safe a day later. Now, Sharon has learned that she is in
violation of a city ordinance and will have to move. Who is Sharon? Sharon is a
seven-month-old goat who has been the mascot of the Sigma Chi fraternity at
Southeast Missouri State University. It is a violation of a city ordinance to
have barnyard animals living inside the city limits.

Even for a goat, Sharon had a horrific week, but even if
Sharon was a human being, we would not have been that surprised to have heard
the news about it. Because terrible things and even more horrific things happen
to people all the time. We are bombarded with the bad news on a continual basis
of all those bad things that occur so very frequently.

The threat of all of this bad news and terrible things
that we hear about to the average person is that we will begin to believe that
we are next. Because we begin to believe that we are next and that something
ugly could happen to us we will curtail, and reduce our activities. Believing
that around the next corner could be a threat to our life, family, or property
we become more and more cautious.

What does this have to do with living the Christian life?
As Christians, we are called to go (Matthew
28:18-20; Acts 1:8), to be ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), to reflect the light
of our Lord into the darkness around us (Matthew
5:14-16), and to be vocal and active enough to
restrain evil by preserving the good that is present in this world (Matthew 5:13). So, it is imperative for the fulfillment
of every Christian’s mission, purpose, and call, not to be deterred by the
activity of our enemy, the corruptness of this world, and the weakness of our
flesh.

The nourishment of our spiritual lives is a vital
necessity to overcome the bad things happening all around us to the extent that
we continue with our mission of living the Christian life effectively.
Maintaining continual contact with, and input from our Lord is vital. Only
through His power can we persist in living as we should. The apostle Paul
describes how the Lord empowered him to live by saying, “…for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: know how to be
abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned
both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do
all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:11-13).” Paul is thought to have been in prison in Rome as he
wrote those words. Prior to that time, Paul had experienced all kinds of terrible
things. Paul had been beaten, stoned (left for dead), put into stocks, jailed,

shipwrecked, and bitten by a snake.

You may be thinking that an apostle ought to be able to
do those things and go through those things, but you are just an ordinary
Christian. Here’s what Paul told the Philippians, and I believe God would tell
you through Paul today: “Brethren, join in
following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern
(Philippians 3:17).” Through Christ Jesus
let us move forward fulfilling the Great Commission, being Ambassadors
for Christ, bringing light to the darkness of this world, and preserving all
that is good.

Copyright © 2005-2013. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
June 8, 1998 the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
Ed Wrather began writing devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of
these first devotionals was primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent
to prison facilities throughout the United States and Canada.

Ed Wrather has retired from
pastoring full-time and has more time to pursue other ministry opportunities.
No matter what the size your church, Ed will come on a love offering basis for
a revival or to share his testimony in the continental United States. You can
make contact at edwrather@yahoo.com or theburningbushdevotional@gmail.com
View LinkedIn profile with endorsements at
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=92988105

Prayer Requests: Please pray for
Scott who is having severe headaches caused by a cyst. Many prayer needs are
posted at the Burning Bush website on the Prayer Request page. You can also
post your prayer requests there (Of course, I am always in need of prayer -
please pray for me.).

Please join the Burning Bush Prayer Group.
The group began in 1998 and is made up of over 300 prayer warriors. Send prayer requests and receive prayer
requests. To join send an email to: bbpg-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
subscribe by sending a blank email to burningbushdevo-join@welovegod.org

There is a complete devotional
archive at the old Burning Bush website. Here is the URL: http://www.theburningbush.org/33.html.

You can unsubscribe to the burningbushdevo
devotional group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org and then respond to the confirmation email.

You may
subscribe to the html text group (Because of time constraints the devotional is
only being sent now in html format) by sending a blank email to burningbushhtml-join@welovegod.org
and you may unsubscribe by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-leave@welovegod.org and then respond to the confirmation email.
If the link does not work, copy and paste the link.

--

To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org

Posted by: theburningbushdevotional <theburningbushdevotional@...>

Visit the
Burning Bush websites:

http://www.theburningbush.net

http://www.theburningbush.org

The
Burning Bush websites have received visits from more than 170 countries. Celebrating
15 years online since January 31, 1998. Since June 8, 1998 the Burning Bush
Devotional has been spreading the truth of God's Word to more than 14,000
subscribers across the world.

You can
leave comments/feedback about the devotionals at http://www.theburningbush.net.

There is
a translation tool on theburningbush.net website in the top left hand corner of
all of the pages.

The Burning Bush Devotional

14,000 Subscribers
to the Email Devotional

Classic from 2005

11.13.13

Follow the Example

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. - Philippians 4:13.

Sharon had a terrible week, which began when someone
attacked her with spray paint. Soon after that Sharon was kidnapped; however,
she was found safe a day later. Now, Sharon has learned that she is in
violation of a city ordinance and will have to move. Who is Sharon? Sharon is a
seven-month-old goat who has been the mascot of the Sigma Chi fraternity at
Southeast Missouri State University. It is a violation of a city ordinance to
have barnyard animals living inside the city limits.

Even for a goat, Sharon had a horrific week, but even if
Sharon was a human being, we would not have been that surprised to have heard
the news about it. Because terrible things and even more horrific things happen
to people all the time. We are bombarded with the bad news on a continual basis
of all those bad things that occur so very frequently.

The threat of all of this bad news and terrible things
that we hear about to the average person is that we will begin to believe that
we are next. Because we begin to believe that we are next and that something
ugly could happen to us we will curtail, and reduce our activities. Believing
that around the next corner could be a threat to our life, family, or property
we become more and more cautious.

What does this have to do with living the Christian life?
As Christians, we are called to go (Matthew
28:18-20; Acts 1:8), to be ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), to reflect the light
of our Lord into the darkness around us (Matthew
5:14-16), and to be vocal and active enough to
restrain evil by preserving the good that is present in this world (Matthew 5:13). So, it is imperative for the fulfillment
of every Christian’s mission, purpose, and call, not to be deterred by the
activity of our enemy, the corruptness of this world, and the weakness of our
flesh.

The nourishment of our spiritual lives is a vital
necessity to overcome the bad things happening all around us to the extent that
we continue with our mission of living the Christian life effectively.
Maintaining continual contact with, and input from our Lord is vital. Only
through His power can we persist in living as we should. The apostle Paul
describes how the Lord empowered him to live by saying, “…for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: know how to be
abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned
both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do
all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:11-13).” Paul is thought to have been in prison in Rome as he
wrote those words. Prior to that time, Paul had experienced all kinds of terrible
things. Paul had been beaten, stoned (left for dead), put into stocks, jailed,

shipwrecked, and bitten by a snake.

You may be thinking that an apostle ought to be able to
do those things and go through those things, but you are just an ordinary
Christian. Here’s what Paul told the Philippians, and I believe God would tell
you through Paul today: “Brethren, join in
following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern
(Philippians 3:17).” Through Christ Jesus
let us move forward fulfilling the Great Commission, being Ambassadors
for Christ, bringing light to the darkness of this world, and preserving all
that is good.

Copyright © 2005-2013. Ed
Wrather. The Burning Bush website has been online since January 31, 1998. On
June 8, 1998 the email version of the Burning Bush Devotional was first sent.
Ed Wrather began writing devotionals in the early 1990s. The distribution of
these first devotionals was primarily through the Burning Bush Newsletter sent
to prison facilities throughout the United States and Canada.

Ed Wrather has retired from
pastoring full-time and has more time to pursue other ministry opportunities.
No matter what the size your church, Ed will come on a love offering basis for
a revival or to share his testimony in the continental United States. You can
make contact at edwrather@yahoo.com or theburningbushdevotional@gmail.com
View LinkedIn profile with endorsements at
http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=92988105

Prayer Requests: Please pray for
Scott who is having severe headaches caused by a cyst. Many prayer needs are
posted at the Burning Bush website on the Prayer Request page. You can also
post your prayer requests there (Of course, I am always in need of prayer -
please pray for me.).

Please join the Burning Bush Prayer Group.
The group began in 1998 and is made up of over 300 prayer warriors. Send prayer requests and receive prayer
requests. To join send an email to: bbpg-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

If you enjoy the devotional please recommend it to your friends. They may
subscribe by sending a blank email to burningbushdevo-join@welovegod.org

There is a complete devotional
archive at the old Burning Bush website. Here is the URL: http://www.theburningbush.org/33.html.

You can unsubscribe to the burningbushdevo
devotional group by sending a blank email to
burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org and then respond to the confirmation email.

You may
subscribe to the html text group (Because of time constraints the devotional is
only being sent now in html format) by sending a blank email to burningbushhtml-join@welovegod.org
and you may unsubscribe by sending a blank email to
burningbushhtml-leave@welovegod.org and then respond to the confirmation email.
If the link does not work, copy and paste the link.

To unsubscribe, send ANY message to: burningbushdevo-leave@welovegod.org