Today’s Podcast

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1. Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
2. Do you ever flatter anyone? Do you know the highest form of flattery? Let’s talk about it.
3. Scripture
   1. John 8:39-41
   2. Jesus: If you are truly Abraham’s children, then act like Abraham!  From what I see you are trying to kill Me, a man who has told you the truth that comes from the Father. This is not something Abraham would do,  but you are doing what you have learned from your father.
4. Devotional
   1. In 1820, Charles Caleb Colton wrote “imitation is the sincerest of flattery.” Although something similar appeared in the biography of Emperor Marcus Antoninus by Jeremy Collier in 1708 when the quoted the Emperor as saying, “you should consider that imitation is the most acceptable part of worship and that the gods had much rather mankind should resemble, than flatter them.”
   2. Often told imitate habits of successful people
      1. Rise early
      2. Plan well ahead
      3. Pay attention to detail
      4. Anticipate problems and develop contingencies to deal with them
      5. Share success but own failure
      6. Read broadly
      7. Learn something every day
   3. Wouldn’t expect to be successful if you did just the opposite
      1. Lazy
      2. Just let things happen
      3. Never thought through ways to recover from failure
      4. Push everyone away
      5. Blame everyone else for your own mistakes
   4. We become very much like the people we imitate, whether we want to believe that or not
      1. Business
      2. Parenting
      3. husband/wife act like father/mother
      4. Friendships
      5. Spiritual life
   5. Who are you watching to pattern your life?
      1. Jews said they patterned after Abraham, but just progeny; long dead
      2. Watched someone else
         1. Greed
         2. Pride
         3. Selfishness
   6. Who do you watch? Who is your example?
      1. Accountability to peer
      2. Need human mentors
      3. Do they try their best to mimic Christ
         1. Accept failure
         2. Repent
         3. Own frailty
         4. Lean heavily on God
         5. Know what real success means
         6. Know priorities in life
   7. Song titled “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”
      1. Watch Him
      2. Anyone between you and Him is closer to Him than you are
5. If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

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