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Pursuing the Ultimate Goal - Part 4 of 6

TEAM UP
Philippians 3:17 - Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.

Jesus came to earth to be our pattern of what we are to strive to be more like in our lives.  We are to pursue that pattern as our goal in life.  But pursuing Christ is not about perfection, it is about the persistent effort to get there.  2 Corinthians 12:9 says "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me."  It is not by OUR works or accomplishments that we are saved.  That is only possible through GOD's grace and mercy.  When we realize that we are weak and need his strength and power, and the strength of Christian people around us, that's when we can really have a breakthrough.

As you join with others, learn from the mistakes they make.  The smartest people learn from others' mistakes and experiences without having to go thru them themselves.  Watch the people who are in the positions or jobs that you want and imitate them, follow their pattern.  Look at the way they work and work that hard, dress the way they dress, if you want to be the CEO, dress like you are the CEO.  When people decide to train for a 5k or a marathon, what do they do?  The begin to pattern their lives after a runner's life.  You train like he trains, and dress like he dresses.  That principal applies to our Christian lives as well.  But we don't want to copy the scrubs, you want to imitate the best, the best workers, the best runners, and the best Christians.  Imitation is not only the sincerest form of flattery, it is also the sincerest form of Christianity.  In 1 Corinthians 11:1, the bible says "Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ."

Serve and volunteer as part of a team.  But do so with humility and not for self-recognition.  Philippians 2:3 says to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Find an accountability partner, small group, and church that you can be strengthened by and that you can make stronger as well.  God did not create us to be solitary creatures, we are to be relational and use those relationships and teams to glorify Him.

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