Abide and Imitate Me

My Top Ten Daddy Jokes

What did the drummer call his twin daughters? Anna one, Anna two!

How did Darth Vader know what Luke got him for Christmas? He felt his presents!

Want to hear a joke about construction? I'm still working on it.

What’s Forrest Gump’s password? 1forrest1

What sound does a witches car make? Broom Broom

To whoever stole my copy of Microsoft Office, I will find you. You have my Word!

5/4 of people admit that they’re bad with fractions.

What do you call a man with a rubber toe? Roberto.

If a child refuses to sleep during nap time, are they guilty of resisting a rest?

The next time the cashier at the grocery store asks you if he would like the milk in a bag just replies, "No, just leave it in the carton!"

When does a joke become a dad joke? When it becomes apparent!

John 15:5 NKJV

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

1 Corinthians 4:14–17 NKJV

14 I do not write these things to shame you, but as my beloved children I warn you. 15 For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. 16 Therefore I urge you, imitate me. 17 For this reason I have sent Timothy to you, who is my beloved and faithful son in the Lord, who will remind you of my ways in Christ, as I teach everywhere in every church.

Imitate me - Become what I am Becoming.

what was Paul becoming or better what had he become.

1 Corinthians 11:1 NKJV

1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.

Let me give you a crazy example

It’s as impossible to imitate or copy Kingdom life without Kingdom birth as it is for a fish to live out of water and breathe air like a human being. It is not a matter of trying harder – or attending “fish church”. That poor fish can try and try till it is blue in the gills and it will die trying. To live in our environment will require that it be “born again” as a human being

I would imagine that for most of us, we read that passage and think that is such a bold statement, . As a Christian I do want to live in a way that everyone will a reflection of Christ and as a result be drawn to Christ in order to live the same.

Paul after all is writing here to a church. But what if we took it a step further perhaps? What if we read this passage as a “parent?” Think about it this way, regardless of where God has lead you in this life whether to be a parent, single, without child, etc... Every ministry and every ministry, and remember we are all called in ministry, it takes on the personality of their leader.

Every child takes on traits and behaviors of a parent…good and bad. The truth is our children do and will imitate us. We know this, but we often do not think about this on a daily basis. So do we take this seriously? Here are a few questions to ask ourselves:

1. Is my life worth imitating? Why or Why not?

2. What areas of my life do I need to repent of and grow in?

3. When I look at my life, am I the person I want my children to be?

4. What are things in my life I need to ask forgiveness for from my children?

5. Am I reflecting Jesus to my family?

JUST WATCH!

A young boy looked up at his grandfather and wondered aloud, "Grandpa, how do you live for Jesus?"

The respected grandfather stooped down and quietly told the boy, "Just watch."

As the years went by the grandfather was an example to the boy of how to follow Jesus. He stayed rock-steady in living for Him. Yet the grandson often lived in a way that was not pleasing to God.

One day the young man visited his grandfather for what both knew would be the last time. As the older man lay dying, his grandson leaned over the bed and heard his grandpa whisper, "Did you watch?"

That was the turning point in the boy's life. He understood that when his grandpa had said, "Just watch," he meant, "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." He vowed that from then on he would live as his grandfather did - striving to please Jesus. He had watched, and now he knew how to live.