Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me

 Good morning. Remember Paul just talked about being buried with Christ. If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourselves to decrees such as… If walk in the Spirit, we don't need a bunch of rules and regulations. They don't run our lives, the Holy Spirit does. He says that these have the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-basement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence. I'm sure you've seen in movies people who inflict themselves with harsh treatment to overcome temptations in their lives. The only thing that does is give you pain and scars. OK so we have died with Christ, what else? If then you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. We died, were buried, and raised with Christ. We should not be seeking the things down here – we should be seeking the things in heaven. After all, that is where our treasure should be. Even if we got all of the things that we seek down here, it would not be enough – we would still be empty. These things down here are only temporary; the things in heaven are eternal. If we keep seeking the things above, God will supply all of the things down here that we need. Father thank You that You supply all of the reader’s needs, because he/she keeps seeking the things above. Heal his/her family quickly.