II Timothy 1:5 (KJV) Says, "When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also."
In the above verse of scripture Paul is talking with Timothy, and he tells him that he remembers the strong faith that his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice, both had. He also tells him that he sees that same strong faith in him. Timothy's family is a prime example of how strong faith in God can be passed down from generation to generation.
The manner in which we live our lives on a day to day basis is our greatest testimony, and it can have a powerful impact on others. The faith that Lois and Eunice demonstrated in their lives was so strong that Paul did not forget it. Paul recognized that he had witnessed strong faith passed down through three generations, and that is powerful.
I was blessed to have been raised in a home with two parents who both loved the Lord, and reverenced him. I grew up attending Church where I came to love God, and accept him as my personal Lord and Savior. I was also blessed with grandparents who loved the Lord. Having these people in my life demonstrating for me the importance of God and putting him first in my life was the greatest blessing I could have ever been given. It established within me a foundation of faith that can never be shaken. For example, there was a time in my life that I strayed from my walk with God, and during that time I consistently felt the Holy Spirit tugging at my heart in an attempt to force me back toward what I knew was the right path. Praise the Lord that I turned back to him knowing that to live a life of obedience to God is to live the greatest life anyone could ever possibly hope to live. I was raised to love God and I had accepted him into my heart, and therefore living in disobedience to him was living a life lacking any peace whatsoever. I thank God for my parents and my grandparents, for their love for the Lord, and for being examples to me of what loving him looks like.
Although we as human beings can never reach perfection, being a Christian by definition means to be Christ-like. When we behave in a Christ-like manner, first and foremost it is pleasing to God. Secondly we are setting an example for not only the children in our lives, but for every person we come in contact with. Our faith is demonstrated in many ways. It is demonstrated in how we treat other people, how we respond to difficult situations, in the way we walk through our personal storms, in our responses, our reactions, in our work, in the words we speak, and in our actions.
It is of vital importance that we not only state that we have strong faith in God, but that we demonstrate it through our behavior. As we see by the example set for us in the above verse of scripture strong faith can be passed down from generation to generation. This means that each and every one of us can set a Godly example, and have a powerful impact on our family members, on all those we come in contact with and on future generations, if we will choose to demonstrate our strong faith through Christ-like behavior.
Are you setting a Godly example? How do you react when people come against you? Do you pray for them and let God handle the situation; or do you respond in the same manner they would, if you had come against them? How do you react when you feel you are being treated unfairly at work? Do you pray about it allowing God to handle the situation; or do you develop a negative attitude and begin grumbling and complaining to your co-workers about it? Do you join in conversations of gossip; or do you walk away from those who are engaging in them? When something upsets you do you scream, yell, and throw a tantrum; or do you maintain Godly peace and refuse to allow whatever it is to steal your joy? When you are walking through a storm in your life, do you become angry and bitter; or do you hold God's hand and press forward? It is certain that we will face situations and issues in life that test us, and when we do with God and others watching, we have two choices one we can react in the flesh, or two we can respond in a Christ-like manner and thereby set a Godly example that can impact generations to come. My prayer is that as Christians we all choose the later.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you!
Thursday, October 15, 2015
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Disconnected
Amos 5:21-24 (KJV) Says, "I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fat beasts. Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols. But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream."
In the above passage of scripture God makes clear how he feels about the rituals offered to him by Israel while they are living lives of hypocrisy. Amos the prophet points out, as he had done in times past, that Israel's sacrifices are disconnected from her faith relationship with God. The people of Israel at this time seemed to have thought that as long as they offered sacrifices and sang praises to God they would be in good standing with him in spite of the fact that they continued with their idolatrous customs. The people are warned that they will be punished for their continued disobedience.
Unfortunately, hypocrisy is not a problem that mankind has overcome with time. If we had statistics on how many Christians attend worship services on a regular basis, listen to a pastor deliver a message, sing praises to God, and then go about the rest of their lives living in disobedience to him, they would be startling. All one has to do to recognize the hypocrisy going on today among Christians is look around. The word Christian by definition means to be Christ-like, and although we will never be perfect, as he is, we should strive daily to be more like him.
Amos makes clear that going through the rituals of worship are in no way pleasing to God as long as we are living lives of hypocrisy. This is not to say that if we sin, which we all do, God is not pleased with our attending church, singing praises to him, and other forms of worship, because he is. When we commit sin, however, it is necessary for us to ask forgiveness from God, and to repent of our sins which means to turn from them. It is when we continue to live our lives in disobedience to God with no desire or intention of changing, and then carry out rituals of faith that there is a disconnect. To profess with our mouths and through worship activities that we love God on Sunday and then live our lives the remainder of the week in disobedience to him is absolute hypocrisy. Gossiping, disrespecting parents, ignoring the poor, pride, boasting, arrogance, and such among Christians is exactly what earned them the reputation of being hypocrites among many non-believers.
Take an honest look at yourself and determine if there is something in your life that doesn't fit who you are as a follower of Jesus Christ. Do you repeatedly disrespect your parents? Do you disregard the poor? Are you arrogant and prideful? Do you gossip or do others things that you know are not pleasing to God with no intention of repenting? It is important to recognize that any behavior not pleasing to God done repeatedly with no desire in our hearts to repent causes a disconnect between our faith and our worship and praise of God. Don't get so busy evaluating others for what you feel they need to repent of that you miss the fact that there is an area in your life that you need to turn away from.
If we truly love God, then we should have the desire in our hearts to demonstrate that love by living our lives in obedience to him. Can you imagine a world where every Christian lived their lives in a manner that demonstrated that they were followers of Jesus Christ? How wonderful it would be if like Jesus, all Christians were humble, forgiving, understanding, merciful, kind, compassionate, and loving. Do you live your everyday life in a manner that is pleasing to God? When you attend worship services on Sunday and sing praises to God is it pleasing to him because it is coming from a place of love and obedience? Or, is it displeasing to him because it is coming from a place of hypocrisy? I urge you to remember that in order for our worship and praise of God to be pleasing and acceptable to him we must be living in obedience to him; otherwise it is mere hypocrisy. Are you walking in obedience to God everyday keeping your faith and worship of God connected? Or are you living like a hypocrite with a disconnect between your faith and your worship activities?
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above passage of scripture God makes clear how he feels about the rituals offered to him by Israel while they are living lives of hypocrisy. Amos the prophet points out, as he had done in times past, that Israel's sacrifices are disconnected from her faith relationship with God. The people of Israel at this time seemed to have thought that as long as they offered sacrifices and sang praises to God they would be in good standing with him in spite of the fact that they continued with their idolatrous customs. The people are warned that they will be punished for their continued disobedience.
Unfortunately, hypocrisy is not a problem that mankind has overcome with time. If we had statistics on how many Christians attend worship services on a regular basis, listen to a pastor deliver a message, sing praises to God, and then go about the rest of their lives living in disobedience to him, they would be startling. All one has to do to recognize the hypocrisy going on today among Christians is look around. The word Christian by definition means to be Christ-like, and although we will never be perfect, as he is, we should strive daily to be more like him.
Amos makes clear that going through the rituals of worship are in no way pleasing to God as long as we are living lives of hypocrisy. This is not to say that if we sin, which we all do, God is not pleased with our attending church, singing praises to him, and other forms of worship, because he is. When we commit sin, however, it is necessary for us to ask forgiveness from God, and to repent of our sins which means to turn from them. It is when we continue to live our lives in disobedience to God with no desire or intention of changing, and then carry out rituals of faith that there is a disconnect. To profess with our mouths and through worship activities that we love God on Sunday and then live our lives the remainder of the week in disobedience to him is absolute hypocrisy. Gossiping, disrespecting parents, ignoring the poor, pride, boasting, arrogance, and such among Christians is exactly what earned them the reputation of being hypocrites among many non-believers.
Take an honest look at yourself and determine if there is something in your life that doesn't fit who you are as a follower of Jesus Christ. Do you repeatedly disrespect your parents? Do you disregard the poor? Are you arrogant and prideful? Do you gossip or do others things that you know are not pleasing to God with no intention of repenting? It is important to recognize that any behavior not pleasing to God done repeatedly with no desire in our hearts to repent causes a disconnect between our faith and our worship and praise of God. Don't get so busy evaluating others for what you feel they need to repent of that you miss the fact that there is an area in your life that you need to turn away from.
If we truly love God, then we should have the desire in our hearts to demonstrate that love by living our lives in obedience to him. Can you imagine a world where every Christian lived their lives in a manner that demonstrated that they were followers of Jesus Christ? How wonderful it would be if like Jesus, all Christians were humble, forgiving, understanding, merciful, kind, compassionate, and loving. Do you live your everyday life in a manner that is pleasing to God? When you attend worship services on Sunday and sing praises to God is it pleasing to him because it is coming from a place of love and obedience? Or, is it displeasing to him because it is coming from a place of hypocrisy? I urge you to remember that in order for our worship and praise of God to be pleasing and acceptable to him we must be living in obedience to him; otherwise it is mere hypocrisy. Are you walking in obedience to God everyday keeping your faith and worship of God connected? Or are you living like a hypocrite with a disconnect between your faith and your worship activities?
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Backsliding My Story
Jeremiah 3:12 (KJV) Says, "Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say, Return thou backsliding Israel saith the Lord; and I will not cause my anger to fall upon you: For I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger forever." Jeremiah 3:22 (KJV) Says, "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto thee; for thou art the Lord our God." I John 1:9 (KJV) Says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
The word backsliding literally means "turning back" or "turning away" and is used to describe those who turn away from God. As we see in the above passage of scripture God gave Israel a warning to return to him, and tells them if they do so, he will not cause his anger to fall upon them. He tells them that he is merciful and that he doesn't remain angry forever. He tells us in Jeremiah 3:22 (KJV) that he will heal our backslidings, if we will return to him. I John 1:9 (KJV) tells us that if we will confess our sins that God is faithful and just to forgive us, and that he will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I have experienced firsthand how merciful and forgiving God can be, and I am so grateful to have the privilege of serving him. I grew up attending a small Baptist church, and that is where I came to develop a tremendous love for the Lord. Of all the things my Mom did for me as a child, and there were many, the greatest of them all was taking me to church where I grew to love the Lord, and instilling in me Christian values. I was born again at age nine, and what an experience. It is a feeling that words cannot do justice. I attended Sunday School, worship services, Vacation Bible School, participated in plays, sang duets with my sister, and was a part of any other activity made available to me. I developed, at an early age, the greatest foundation anyone could ever have, and that foundation was Jesus Christ.
My backsliding occurred in 1978, and it lasted for a number of years. On Thursday, March 2, 1978, I was at home with my parents, when the phone rang. My Daddy picked up the phone, said hello, and in an instant I knew something was wrong. The caller on the other end of the line was my Mom's sister, my Aunt Bessy, and she was calling to say that something was seriously wrong with my Grandfather, my Mom's Daddy. Mom and Dad rushed out the back door in seconds heading for my grandparents home.
I have to tell you that I loved my grandfather dearly, he taught me a great deal, and it is from him that I got my love for sports. We were very close, and this phone call scared me, and upset me tremendously. I had been to visit my grandparents on Tuesday of the same week, and I was mad about something that day. I feel sure my behavior made that evident. As soon as my parents closed the back door I raced down the hall to the bathroom, closed the door, dropped to my knees, and began praying, and praying hard. I pleaded with God to spare my grandfather at least long enough for me to see him one more time, and tell him how much he meant to me, and how very much I loved him. Hours later my parents came home, and the expression on my Mom's face coupled with the fact that she had the quilt from my grandparents bed wrapped around her; left no doubt in my mind that God had not answered my plea. My grandfather had gone home to be with the Lord.
For the first time in my life I became angry at God. I was firing off question after question to him. How could you do this to me? What would it have hurt for you to allow me to see him one more time? I begged you, I pleaded with you, I go to Sunday School and church, I sing praises to you, and you know how much I love you. Why couldn't you give me one last moment with my grandfather?
After my grandfathers funeral my anger at God grew and it lingered. I strayed further and further from my walk with him feeling as though he had turned his back on me. I began going out to clubs, drinking, and disobeying my parents among other things. I stopped praying and it would be years before I stepped foot back in church. In fact, the next time I entered that church was ten years later in 1988 when I attended my grandmother's funeral.
Throughout the years I spent as a backslider I could never get God off of my mind. He stayed after me to repent from my sins, and to turn back to him. He was relentless. I mean he literally stayed after me for years. No matter how hard I tried to block him out I couldn't do it. He kept loving me, and he kept after me to turn from my sinful ways. He watched over me and protected me throughout all of my foolish behavior and poor choices in spite of the fact that I was furious with him.
There were many occasions during this period in my life, when God would come up in conversation, and it was during these conversations that I began to notice how a number of self-proclaimed Christians talked to and treated those that were lost. I knew that the way I was living my life made me less than a good witness for Christ; so I chose to sit quietly by allowing people to assume I knew nothing about God or his Word. I watched some of these self-proclaimed Christians make God out to be some mean spirited individual standing up in heaven with a lightening bolt in his hand eager to throw it at the nearest individual for the slightest misstep. I watched others harshly judge and condemn non-believers, and witnessed some behave as though they were perfect. These people would stand on their soap boxes and preach to the lost about the sins they were committing, and how displeased God was with them. I have to tell you as a born again believer in Jesus Christ, these things were very difficult to watch. Mad at him or not I knew God is merciful, kind, compassionate, forgiving, understanding, and that he by definition is love. What I was seeing from many Christians, however, was far from a demonstration of love. Observing all of this did two things for me, first and foremost it strongly rekindled the passion I have to share Christ and his love with others. Secondly, it upset me to the degree that it prompted me, years later, to write my book, Christian Behavior a Look in the Mirror in hope of enlightening people to the fact that judgmental behavior and condemnation do not lead people to the Lord, love does.
In 1988, ten years after losing my grandfather, my grandmother was hospitalized with cancer, and her condition was terminal. I was under intense conviction at this point, and I was losing the strength and the desire to fight God off. I couldn't help but notice the irony in the fact that I had turned away from God after the death of my grandfather, and here I was ready to race back to him as I faced losing my grandmother, a woman I was very close to and loved tremendously. It was in the hospital cafeteria, that I realized I could no longer fight off the tears welling up inside me. I found a private area where I could be alone, and I went to God in prayer immediately, I asked him to forgive me for all of the sins I had committed, I asked him to forgive me for being angry with him, I thanked him for watching over me and protecting me, I thanked him for not giving up on me, and I thanked him for loving me through it all.
God forgave me, he healed my backslidings, he showed me mercy, and he cleansed me of all unrighteous just as the above scripture promises, and he did so the moment I turned back to him. If you have turned your back on God and you are under conviction to return to him, I urge you to do so immediately. Don't waste precious time and suffer unnecessarily like I did. God is there waiting for you to return to him, and he loves you right where you are. You are one prayer away from God's divine peace, comfort, strength, understanding, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, and his love. I urge you to pray that prayer right now, and I can tell you from experience you won't regret it. The moment I went to God in prayer he did as he promised, he was faithful and just in forgiving me, healing me, and cleansing me from all unrighteousness, and I have no doubt whatsoever that he will do the same for you.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
The word backsliding literally means "turning back" or "turning away" and is used to describe those who turn away from God. As we see in the above passage of scripture God gave Israel a warning to return to him, and tells them if they do so, he will not cause his anger to fall upon them. He tells them that he is merciful and that he doesn't remain angry forever. He tells us in Jeremiah 3:22 (KJV) that he will heal our backslidings, if we will return to him. I John 1:9 (KJV) tells us that if we will confess our sins that God is faithful and just to forgive us, and that he will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
I have experienced firsthand how merciful and forgiving God can be, and I am so grateful to have the privilege of serving him. I grew up attending a small Baptist church, and that is where I came to develop a tremendous love for the Lord. Of all the things my Mom did for me as a child, and there were many, the greatest of them all was taking me to church where I grew to love the Lord, and instilling in me Christian values. I was born again at age nine, and what an experience. It is a feeling that words cannot do justice. I attended Sunday School, worship services, Vacation Bible School, participated in plays, sang duets with my sister, and was a part of any other activity made available to me. I developed, at an early age, the greatest foundation anyone could ever have, and that foundation was Jesus Christ.
My backsliding occurred in 1978, and it lasted for a number of years. On Thursday, March 2, 1978, I was at home with my parents, when the phone rang. My Daddy picked up the phone, said hello, and in an instant I knew something was wrong. The caller on the other end of the line was my Mom's sister, my Aunt Bessy, and she was calling to say that something was seriously wrong with my Grandfather, my Mom's Daddy. Mom and Dad rushed out the back door in seconds heading for my grandparents home.
I have to tell you that I loved my grandfather dearly, he taught me a great deal, and it is from him that I got my love for sports. We were very close, and this phone call scared me, and upset me tremendously. I had been to visit my grandparents on Tuesday of the same week, and I was mad about something that day. I feel sure my behavior made that evident. As soon as my parents closed the back door I raced down the hall to the bathroom, closed the door, dropped to my knees, and began praying, and praying hard. I pleaded with God to spare my grandfather at least long enough for me to see him one more time, and tell him how much he meant to me, and how very much I loved him. Hours later my parents came home, and the expression on my Mom's face coupled with the fact that she had the quilt from my grandparents bed wrapped around her; left no doubt in my mind that God had not answered my plea. My grandfather had gone home to be with the Lord.
For the first time in my life I became angry at God. I was firing off question after question to him. How could you do this to me? What would it have hurt for you to allow me to see him one more time? I begged you, I pleaded with you, I go to Sunday School and church, I sing praises to you, and you know how much I love you. Why couldn't you give me one last moment with my grandfather?
After my grandfathers funeral my anger at God grew and it lingered. I strayed further and further from my walk with him feeling as though he had turned his back on me. I began going out to clubs, drinking, and disobeying my parents among other things. I stopped praying and it would be years before I stepped foot back in church. In fact, the next time I entered that church was ten years later in 1988 when I attended my grandmother's funeral.
Throughout the years I spent as a backslider I could never get God off of my mind. He stayed after me to repent from my sins, and to turn back to him. He was relentless. I mean he literally stayed after me for years. No matter how hard I tried to block him out I couldn't do it. He kept loving me, and he kept after me to turn from my sinful ways. He watched over me and protected me throughout all of my foolish behavior and poor choices in spite of the fact that I was furious with him.
There were many occasions during this period in my life, when God would come up in conversation, and it was during these conversations that I began to notice how a number of self-proclaimed Christians talked to and treated those that were lost. I knew that the way I was living my life made me less than a good witness for Christ; so I chose to sit quietly by allowing people to assume I knew nothing about God or his Word. I watched some of these self-proclaimed Christians make God out to be some mean spirited individual standing up in heaven with a lightening bolt in his hand eager to throw it at the nearest individual for the slightest misstep. I watched others harshly judge and condemn non-believers, and witnessed some behave as though they were perfect. These people would stand on their soap boxes and preach to the lost about the sins they were committing, and how displeased God was with them. I have to tell you as a born again believer in Jesus Christ, these things were very difficult to watch. Mad at him or not I knew God is merciful, kind, compassionate, forgiving, understanding, and that he by definition is love. What I was seeing from many Christians, however, was far from a demonstration of love. Observing all of this did two things for me, first and foremost it strongly rekindled the passion I have to share Christ and his love with others. Secondly, it upset me to the degree that it prompted me, years later, to write my book, Christian Behavior a Look in the Mirror in hope of enlightening people to the fact that judgmental behavior and condemnation do not lead people to the Lord, love does.
In 1988, ten years after losing my grandfather, my grandmother was hospitalized with cancer, and her condition was terminal. I was under intense conviction at this point, and I was losing the strength and the desire to fight God off. I couldn't help but notice the irony in the fact that I had turned away from God after the death of my grandfather, and here I was ready to race back to him as I faced losing my grandmother, a woman I was very close to and loved tremendously. It was in the hospital cafeteria, that I realized I could no longer fight off the tears welling up inside me. I found a private area where I could be alone, and I went to God in prayer immediately, I asked him to forgive me for all of the sins I had committed, I asked him to forgive me for being angry with him, I thanked him for watching over me and protecting me, I thanked him for not giving up on me, and I thanked him for loving me through it all.
God forgave me, he healed my backslidings, he showed me mercy, and he cleansed me of all unrighteous just as the above scripture promises, and he did so the moment I turned back to him. If you have turned your back on God and you are under conviction to return to him, I urge you to do so immediately. Don't waste precious time and suffer unnecessarily like I did. God is there waiting for you to return to him, and he loves you right where you are. You are one prayer away from God's divine peace, comfort, strength, understanding, compassion, mercy, forgiveness, and his love. I urge you to pray that prayer right now, and I can tell you from experience you won't regret it. The moment I went to God in prayer he did as he promised, he was faithful and just in forgiving me, healing me, and cleansing me from all unrighteousness, and I have no doubt whatsoever that he will do the same for you.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Walking in the Light
Luke 11:33-36 (KJV) Says, "No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light."
The above passage of scripture reminds us that no man lights a candle and then hides the candle so that the light coming from it cannot be seen. When we light a candle we place it on a candlestick in order for it to give us the most light possible. In John 8:12 (KJV) it is made clear that Jesus is the light of the world. It says, "Then spake Jesus again unto them saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." There should not be one born again believer in Christ walking through life in the dark, when they have the light of the world dwelling within them.
Nevertheless, there are a number of Christians walking through life in the dark. In the above passage of scripture we are told that the light of the body is the eye, and that when our eye is single then our whole body is full of light. When we focus on the things of this world and place them above God and our personal relationship with him, then we darken the light of Christ that should be shining through us. When we focus on Christ and put him first in our lives, his light shines through us for the whole world to see. His light shining through us in our everyday lives sets us apart from those that are lost, and it is our greatest personal testimony. When people see the light of Christ shining through us in our attitude, our behavior, and in our handling of day to day situations they want what we have. It should be our hope that seeing the light of Christ in us will lead the lost to him and prompt them to accept for themselves his precious gift of salvation.
If there is something in our lives that we know doesn't fit who we are as followers of Jesus Christ, then these things dim our light. If we want the happiest life possible and desire to be the witnesses for Christ that we are commanded to be, then we need to get rid of anything in our lives that dim the light of Christ within us. The things of this world are temporary, and they will never bring us true happiness. We cannot be effective witnesses for Christ while we are living our lives focusing on the things of the world that temporarily please us in the flesh. When we choose to live our lives in a righteous manner focusing on God and putting him first in our lives, then it is pleasing to him, it is a great testimony to others, we will be rewarded for it in heaven, and we will be living the best life possible here on earth.
When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior we become his disciples, and as such we are commanded to fulfill the Great Commission. We are to spread the good news of his precious gift of salvation, and we are to let his light shine through us for the whole world to see. Matthew 5:16 (KJV) Says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
Friends I encourage you to evaluate your life and to weed out anything that you know does not fit who you are as a follower of Jesus Christ. I urge you to ask yourself if you have placed the light of God that is within you on a candlestick, or if you have it hidden. Are you living your life in a manner that witnesses to non-believers in a way that prompts them to desire Christ? Are you living your life in a manner that is worthy of God raining the blessings he has for you down from heaven? Have you put Christ first in your life, and made him your number one focus? Are you living in the dark, or are you walking in the light of Christ?
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, send me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
The above passage of scripture reminds us that no man lights a candle and then hides the candle so that the light coming from it cannot be seen. When we light a candle we place it on a candlestick in order for it to give us the most light possible. In John 8:12 (KJV) it is made clear that Jesus is the light of the world. It says, "Then spake Jesus again unto them saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." There should not be one born again believer in Christ walking through life in the dark, when they have the light of the world dwelling within them.
Nevertheless, there are a number of Christians walking through life in the dark. In the above passage of scripture we are told that the light of the body is the eye, and that when our eye is single then our whole body is full of light. When we focus on the things of this world and place them above God and our personal relationship with him, then we darken the light of Christ that should be shining through us. When we focus on Christ and put him first in our lives, his light shines through us for the whole world to see. His light shining through us in our everyday lives sets us apart from those that are lost, and it is our greatest personal testimony. When people see the light of Christ shining through us in our attitude, our behavior, and in our handling of day to day situations they want what we have. It should be our hope that seeing the light of Christ in us will lead the lost to him and prompt them to accept for themselves his precious gift of salvation.
If there is something in our lives that we know doesn't fit who we are as followers of Jesus Christ, then these things dim our light. If we want the happiest life possible and desire to be the witnesses for Christ that we are commanded to be, then we need to get rid of anything in our lives that dim the light of Christ within us. The things of this world are temporary, and they will never bring us true happiness. We cannot be effective witnesses for Christ while we are living our lives focusing on the things of the world that temporarily please us in the flesh. When we choose to live our lives in a righteous manner focusing on God and putting him first in our lives, then it is pleasing to him, it is a great testimony to others, we will be rewarded for it in heaven, and we will be living the best life possible here on earth.
When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior we become his disciples, and as such we are commanded to fulfill the Great Commission. We are to spread the good news of his precious gift of salvation, and we are to let his light shine through us for the whole world to see. Matthew 5:16 (KJV) Says, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
Friends I encourage you to evaluate your life and to weed out anything that you know does not fit who you are as a follower of Jesus Christ. I urge you to ask yourself if you have placed the light of God that is within you on a candlestick, or if you have it hidden. Are you living your life in a manner that witnesses to non-believers in a way that prompts them to desire Christ? Are you living your life in a manner that is worthy of God raining the blessings he has for you down from heaven? Have you put Christ first in your life, and made him your number one focus? Are you living in the dark, or are you walking in the light of Christ?
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, send me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Focus
Genesis 3:1-6 (KJV) Says, "Now the serpent was more subtile than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden. But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die. And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die. For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil. And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat."
In the above passage of scripture the serpent although created by God is used by Satan to tempt Eve. Satan will use whatever he can in order to tempt us in hopes of causing us to stray from our walk with God. The Bible tells us, Satan roams the earth looking for people to devour. The Word of God makes clear that temptations will come before us in this world, and Jesus demonstrates for us how to resist these temptations.
It is of the utmost importance that we maintain a strong personal relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We must focus on him, and on what is pleasing and right in his eyes. The Garden of Eden was filled with beautiful trees all of which Adam and Eve were permitted to eat from with the exception of one single tree that sat in the middle of the garden. God had forbidden Adam and Eve from touching or eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and so Satan used this one tree to tempt Eve. As we know, she failed to resist that temptation. Adam capable of making his own decisions followed suit. When Satan working through the serpent began discussing the tree of the knowledge of good and evil with Eve she became focused on it. Satan made the forbidden tree out to be greatly desired, and lied to Eve about what the consequences would be if she went against God, and ate the fruit of it. She had plenty of beautiful trees filled with food surrounding this one tree, and when tempted she became solely focused on it knowing that it was forbidden. When Satan is successful at drawing our focus onto something of this world that he knows will cause us to stray, he is drawing our focus away from God and nothing pleases him more.
If we want our lives to be filled with peace, contentment, and joy then we must remain focused on God, and resist the temptations that Satan sends our way. We were given freewill by God, and thereby we have the right to choose which path we will take in our lives, and whose plan we will follow. We can choose to follow the plan that God has for us and walk the path of righteousness, or we can follow our own path, and the plan we've created. The Word of God tells us in Proverbs 4:18-19 (KJV) "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble." The Bible is filled with examples of those who have chosen to follow God and live their lives in a righteous manner, and the blessings of peace, joy, and contentment that come along with that. It also contains many examples of those who chose to live their lives focused on the things of this world, and who opted not to follow God and live righteously and the consequences that come along with doing so.
I assure you that the difference between the life you can have if you choose to focus on God and live your life in a manner that is pleasing to him, and the life you will have if you choose to focus on the things of this world going after those are polar opposites. I urge you to take a moment to consider that God is our divine creator. Ask yourself who knows better what is best for you. Is it Almighty God who created you, or you his creation and child? Do you have more wisdom than God? Do parents not know better than their children what is best for them? Do parents not want their children to have the best possible life they can have? Of course they do, just as God wants what is best for his children.
I encourage you to focus on God, and live your life in a manner that is pleasing to him. You will be blessed and rewarded for it, and you will be choosing the best life possible. Choosing to focus on God and follow the path and plan he has for us is to exercise wisdom. Choosing to focus on the things of this world and follow our own path and plan thinking that we know better than our Divine Creator, Almighty God, is nothing short of foolish. As I mentioned above God has given each of us a freewill which permits us to make our own choices. With that said, I urge you to choose wisely. Focus on God, trust him, build a strong personal relationship with him, resist the temptations that Satan sends your way, and live the blessed life that God has planned for you.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, send me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above passage of scripture the serpent although created by God is used by Satan to tempt Eve. Satan will use whatever he can in order to tempt us in hopes of causing us to stray from our walk with God. The Bible tells us, Satan roams the earth looking for people to devour. The Word of God makes clear that temptations will come before us in this world, and Jesus demonstrates for us how to resist these temptations.
It is of the utmost importance that we maintain a strong personal relationship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We must focus on him, and on what is pleasing and right in his eyes. The Garden of Eden was filled with beautiful trees all of which Adam and Eve were permitted to eat from with the exception of one single tree that sat in the middle of the garden. God had forbidden Adam and Eve from touching or eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and so Satan used this one tree to tempt Eve. As we know, she failed to resist that temptation. Adam capable of making his own decisions followed suit. When Satan working through the serpent began discussing the tree of the knowledge of good and evil with Eve she became focused on it. Satan made the forbidden tree out to be greatly desired, and lied to Eve about what the consequences would be if she went against God, and ate the fruit of it. She had plenty of beautiful trees filled with food surrounding this one tree, and when tempted she became solely focused on it knowing that it was forbidden. When Satan is successful at drawing our focus onto something of this world that he knows will cause us to stray, he is drawing our focus away from God and nothing pleases him more.
If we want our lives to be filled with peace, contentment, and joy then we must remain focused on God, and resist the temptations that Satan sends our way. We were given freewill by God, and thereby we have the right to choose which path we will take in our lives, and whose plan we will follow. We can choose to follow the plan that God has for us and walk the path of righteousness, or we can follow our own path, and the plan we've created. The Word of God tells us in Proverbs 4:18-19 (KJV) "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble." The Bible is filled with examples of those who have chosen to follow God and live their lives in a righteous manner, and the blessings of peace, joy, and contentment that come along with that. It also contains many examples of those who chose to live their lives focused on the things of this world, and who opted not to follow God and live righteously and the consequences that come along with doing so.
I assure you that the difference between the life you can have if you choose to focus on God and live your life in a manner that is pleasing to him, and the life you will have if you choose to focus on the things of this world going after those are polar opposites. I urge you to take a moment to consider that God is our divine creator. Ask yourself who knows better what is best for you. Is it Almighty God who created you, or you his creation and child? Do you have more wisdom than God? Do parents not know better than their children what is best for them? Do parents not want their children to have the best possible life they can have? Of course they do, just as God wants what is best for his children.
I encourage you to focus on God, and live your life in a manner that is pleasing to him. You will be blessed and rewarded for it, and you will be choosing the best life possible. Choosing to focus on God and follow the path and plan he has for us is to exercise wisdom. Choosing to focus on the things of this world and follow our own path and plan thinking that we know better than our Divine Creator, Almighty God, is nothing short of foolish. As I mentioned above God has given each of us a freewill which permits us to make our own choices. With that said, I urge you to choose wisely. Focus on God, trust him, build a strong personal relationship with him, resist the temptations that Satan sends your way, and live the blessed life that God has planned for you.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, send me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
Walk Away
II Samuel 11:1-5 (KJV) Says, "And it came to pass, after the year was expired, at the time when kings go forth to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel; and they destroyed the children of Ammon, and besieged Rabbah. But David tarried still at Jerusalem. And it came to pass in an eveningtide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house: and from the roof he saw a woman washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon. And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite? And David sent messengers, and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house."
In the above passage of scripture King David gives into temptation, and it results in his having a moral failure. Notice that we are told that at a time when kings normally go to war David opted to send Joab, his servants, and all Israel off to war while he remained at home. The second thing we should note is that while at home David had plenty of idle time. He spent this time doing things such as laying on the bed, and walking around on the roof of his house. We must be careful that we don't allow to much idle time in our lives allowing Satan plenty of opportunity to tempt us.
As David is walking around on the roof of his house he notices Bathsheba bathing, and he finds her very beautiful. He should have resisted temptation, and left the roof immediately upon laying eyes on her, but instead he stood and watched her bath in awe of her beauty. This was a huge mistake that served only to cause David to become weaker in resisting the temptation, and stronger in his fleshly desire for Bathsheba. Instead of walking away, David sent someone to inquire about who she was, and discovered not only who she was, but that she was indeed married to a man named Uriah.
David's fleshly desire consumed him to the degree that he ordered Bathsheba's husband Uriah to the front lines of battle in hopes that he would be killed leaving David free to take Bathsheba for his wife. As David had ordered, Uriah was sent into battle and was killed. David then took Bathsheba to be his wife.
David had found it more and more difficult to resist the temptation of this beautiful woman so much so that he graduated from lusting after her from the rooftop to having her brought before him. When she was brought before David he sinned further in that he was with her, and she conceived a child.
The Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David that because of his sin in sending Uriah to battle in order to have him killed so he could take his wife, the child that Bathsheba was carrying would die. The child later got very ill, David fasted and prayed throughout the sickness, but just as Nathan had prophesied the child died.
It is imperative that we resist temptation the moment we are faced with it. When we allow Satan to convince us that a little of this or a little of that won't hurt we are setting ourselves up for moral failure. Many tragedies came to David secondary to his not walking down off of that roof the moment he saw Bathsheba, and realized how beautiful he thought she was. He should have resisted the temptation and simply walked away. If he felt the temptation was more than he could bare then he should have called on the Lord to give him the strength to resist it. Just think, had he walked away the moment he felt tempted it would have been pleasing to the Lord, Bathsheba and Uriah would have remained happily married, Uriah would not have lost his life, and David would not have suffered the heartache and pain of losing his child.
I encourage you to resist temptation the moment you feel tempted to commit an action that you know does not fit who you are as a follower of Jesus Christ. Don't allow Satan to lie to you, and convince you that some behavior you know to be sin is small. There is no rating scale for sin that goes from great to small. Sin is sin. I urge you to call on the Lord asking him for the strength to resist any temptation you feel is too great for you to handle alone. Don't make the mistake David made, when you find yourself facing temptation instead at first recognition of it simply walk away. I have no doubt that David wished he had.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above passage of scripture King David gives into temptation, and it results in his having a moral failure. Notice that we are told that at a time when kings normally go to war David opted to send Joab, his servants, and all Israel off to war while he remained at home. The second thing we should note is that while at home David had plenty of idle time. He spent this time doing things such as laying on the bed, and walking around on the roof of his house. We must be careful that we don't allow to much idle time in our lives allowing Satan plenty of opportunity to tempt us.
As David is walking around on the roof of his house he notices Bathsheba bathing, and he finds her very beautiful. He should have resisted temptation, and left the roof immediately upon laying eyes on her, but instead he stood and watched her bath in awe of her beauty. This was a huge mistake that served only to cause David to become weaker in resisting the temptation, and stronger in his fleshly desire for Bathsheba. Instead of walking away, David sent someone to inquire about who she was, and discovered not only who she was, but that she was indeed married to a man named Uriah.
David's fleshly desire consumed him to the degree that he ordered Bathsheba's husband Uriah to the front lines of battle in hopes that he would be killed leaving David free to take Bathsheba for his wife. As David had ordered, Uriah was sent into battle and was killed. David then took Bathsheba to be his wife.
David had found it more and more difficult to resist the temptation of this beautiful woman so much so that he graduated from lusting after her from the rooftop to having her brought before him. When she was brought before David he sinned further in that he was with her, and she conceived a child.
The Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David that because of his sin in sending Uriah to battle in order to have him killed so he could take his wife, the child that Bathsheba was carrying would die. The child later got very ill, David fasted and prayed throughout the sickness, but just as Nathan had prophesied the child died.
It is imperative that we resist temptation the moment we are faced with it. When we allow Satan to convince us that a little of this or a little of that won't hurt we are setting ourselves up for moral failure. Many tragedies came to David secondary to his not walking down off of that roof the moment he saw Bathsheba, and realized how beautiful he thought she was. He should have resisted the temptation and simply walked away. If he felt the temptation was more than he could bare then he should have called on the Lord to give him the strength to resist it. Just think, had he walked away the moment he felt tempted it would have been pleasing to the Lord, Bathsheba and Uriah would have remained happily married, Uriah would not have lost his life, and David would not have suffered the heartache and pain of losing his child.
I encourage you to resist temptation the moment you feel tempted to commit an action that you know does not fit who you are as a follower of Jesus Christ. Don't allow Satan to lie to you, and convince you that some behavior you know to be sin is small. There is no rating scale for sin that goes from great to small. Sin is sin. I urge you to call on the Lord asking him for the strength to resist any temptation you feel is too great for you to handle alone. Don't make the mistake David made, when you find yourself facing temptation instead at first recognition of it simply walk away. I have no doubt that David wished he had.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Sunday, March 15, 2015
Little Faith
Matthew 6:30 (KJV) Says, "Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Matthew 8:26 (KJV) Says, "And he saith unto them, why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? And then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm."
In the above verses of scripture we find examples of Jesus warning people about demonstrating little faith. He makes it clear to us in Matthew chapter six that even those who have few possessions should not fall prey to worrying and become anxious about there needs being met. When we become anxious and worry as to whether or not our needs will be met, we are failing to trust God and we become distracted from faithfully doing his will. Jesus tells us that even the poor among us should not worry about what they will eat, drink, or wear and he uses nature to demonstrate his point. He makes it clear that he provides for nature so he will certainly provide for us, when we are living in his will. Therefore, to become anxious and worry about our needs being met when we are living in God's will, is to distrust God, and to demonstrate that we are of little faith.
Satan puts doubt, anxiety, worry, and other like thoughts into our minds in an attempt to cause our faith to waver and hopefully lead us away from God and our service to him. We must be mindful of this and rebuke him and his lies, and remain steadfast and strong in our faith. Remember Satan roams to and fro looking for individuals to devour, and that he is the father of lies. As we see in Matthew 8:26 (KJV) the disciples who were on a ship with Jesus demonstrated little faith when they became afraid because the sea grew extremely rough in a storm. Jesus was on the ship sleeping, and they woke him up professing that they needed him to save them because they were about to perish. As we see above he responds to them by asking them why they are afraid, and he tells them they are of little faith. The fact that the disciples allowed themselves to become so afraid for their lives secondary to a storm knowing Jesus himself was on the ship makes clear how weak in the flesh mankind can be.
When we find ourselves in the midst of a storm, we must remember who God is. He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and sovereign over all things. Don't allow anything to take your eyes off of him and cause you to waver in your faith. God doesn't promise us that we won't face trials, temptations, and go through storms in our lives, in fact he tells us that we will. He does promise us that he will never leave us nor forsake us, and friends he has never broken nor will he ever brake a promise. It is easy to proclaim our faith and remain steadfast in it when we are standing on top of a mountain in life. That is great, but we should also proclaim our faith and remain steadfast in it when we find ourselves in a valley. Remember to trust God and to be of great faith in all your circumstances. He is the same no matter the weather.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above verses of scripture we find examples of Jesus warning people about demonstrating little faith. He makes it clear to us in Matthew chapter six that even those who have few possessions should not fall prey to worrying and become anxious about there needs being met. When we become anxious and worry as to whether or not our needs will be met, we are failing to trust God and we become distracted from faithfully doing his will. Jesus tells us that even the poor among us should not worry about what they will eat, drink, or wear and he uses nature to demonstrate his point. He makes it clear that he provides for nature so he will certainly provide for us, when we are living in his will. Therefore, to become anxious and worry about our needs being met when we are living in God's will, is to distrust God, and to demonstrate that we are of little faith.
Satan puts doubt, anxiety, worry, and other like thoughts into our minds in an attempt to cause our faith to waver and hopefully lead us away from God and our service to him. We must be mindful of this and rebuke him and his lies, and remain steadfast and strong in our faith. Remember Satan roams to and fro looking for individuals to devour, and that he is the father of lies. As we see in Matthew 8:26 (KJV) the disciples who were on a ship with Jesus demonstrated little faith when they became afraid because the sea grew extremely rough in a storm. Jesus was on the ship sleeping, and they woke him up professing that they needed him to save them because they were about to perish. As we see above he responds to them by asking them why they are afraid, and he tells them they are of little faith. The fact that the disciples allowed themselves to become so afraid for their lives secondary to a storm knowing Jesus himself was on the ship makes clear how weak in the flesh mankind can be.
When we find ourselves in the midst of a storm, we must remember who God is. He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and sovereign over all things. Don't allow anything to take your eyes off of him and cause you to waver in your faith. God doesn't promise us that we won't face trials, temptations, and go through storms in our lives, in fact he tells us that we will. He does promise us that he will never leave us nor forsake us, and friends he has never broken nor will he ever brake a promise. It is easy to proclaim our faith and remain steadfast in it when we are standing on top of a mountain in life. That is great, but we should also proclaim our faith and remain steadfast in it when we find ourselves in a valley. Remember to trust God and to be of great faith in all your circumstances. He is the same no matter the weather.
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
Persecuted or Popular?
Matthew 5:11 (KJV) Says, "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake." II Timothy 3:12 (KJV) Says, "Yea, and all that will live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."
In the above verses of scripture it is made clear to us that if we choose to live our lives in obedience to God, we will be persecuted. The Bible doesn't say that we may be persecuted or that there is a chance we will be persecuted, but rather that we will be. The good news is that God is with us at all times which, of course, includes the times that we are suffering persecution, God blesses those who live in obedience to him, and we will be rewarded in heaven for choosing to live our lives in a Godly manner.
After accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior we become his disciples, and as such we become a light in a very dark world as the Holy Spirit shines through us. When we are living a Godly life it makes many people uncomfortable. This includes Christians who have strayed from their walk with the Lord opting to go along with what is popular in society in order to be accepted by their peers.
As Christians we should have the desire in our hearts to live our lives in obedience to God. To be Christian by definition means to be Christ-like. Jesus demonstrated for us exactly how we are to behave as followers of Christ and the example he set is well documented in the Bible. Jesus walked in love demonstrating, mercy, understanding, forgiveness, kindness, compassion, and many other like traits. The way we live our lives is our greatest testimony, and as Christians we should be exhibiting Christ-like traits.
Let me make clear that I am not talking about being persecuted because you have become holier than thou, condemning people, judging people, and being so caught up in religion itself that you become obnoxious to the degree no one can tolerate being around you. I am talking about being persecuted because you walk out of a room when something ungodly is on television, you change the radio station when an ungodly song is being played, you refuse to listen to and or participate in gossip, you choose to walk away when someone tells an ungodly joke, and all such demonstrations of what it means to live a Godly life.
Persecution for being a follower of Christ can be avoided by going along with the majority in order to fit in, and their are many Christians who opt to take this route. If you are a born again believer in Jesus Christ that wants to avoid persecution by others you may find yourself listening to gossip, and even joining in. If you want to fit in and avoid persecution you may listen to ungodly music, watch ungodly television shows, listen to cursing, laugh at ungodly jokes, join in conversations with those who are verbally attacking another individual. You may participate in; or tolerate other ungodly activities simply to be accepted by others knowing that these things are most certainly not pleasing to God. This type behavior by Christians is hypocritical, and does much in the way of damage to our personal testimonies. Remember our personal lives are our greatest testimony. If we go along with and participate in things that we know don't fit who we are as followers of Jesus Christ, then how do we appear to be any different from non-believers? What does this type behavior say to non-believers about what it means to be a Christians, and what it means to live a godly life? It says that Christians are hypocrites.
We are born with a freewill, and it is up to us as individuals to choose whether we will live our lives in a Godly manner; or whether we will go along with things that we know do not fit who we are as followers of Jesus Christ in order to avoid persecution and to be accepted by society. Are you living your life in a manner that is pleasing to God or are you living it in a manner that gels with those who are not? It is up to each of us as individuals to decide how we will walk. How do you choose to walk? Will you be persecuted or popular?
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
In the above verses of scripture it is made clear to us that if we choose to live our lives in obedience to God, we will be persecuted. The Bible doesn't say that we may be persecuted or that there is a chance we will be persecuted, but rather that we will be. The good news is that God is with us at all times which, of course, includes the times that we are suffering persecution, God blesses those who live in obedience to him, and we will be rewarded in heaven for choosing to live our lives in a Godly manner.
After accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior we become his disciples, and as such we become a light in a very dark world as the Holy Spirit shines through us. When we are living a Godly life it makes many people uncomfortable. This includes Christians who have strayed from their walk with the Lord opting to go along with what is popular in society in order to be accepted by their peers.
As Christians we should have the desire in our hearts to live our lives in obedience to God. To be Christian by definition means to be Christ-like. Jesus demonstrated for us exactly how we are to behave as followers of Christ and the example he set is well documented in the Bible. Jesus walked in love demonstrating, mercy, understanding, forgiveness, kindness, compassion, and many other like traits. The way we live our lives is our greatest testimony, and as Christians we should be exhibiting Christ-like traits.
Let me make clear that I am not talking about being persecuted because you have become holier than thou, condemning people, judging people, and being so caught up in religion itself that you become obnoxious to the degree no one can tolerate being around you. I am talking about being persecuted because you walk out of a room when something ungodly is on television, you change the radio station when an ungodly song is being played, you refuse to listen to and or participate in gossip, you choose to walk away when someone tells an ungodly joke, and all such demonstrations of what it means to live a Godly life.
Persecution for being a follower of Christ can be avoided by going along with the majority in order to fit in, and their are many Christians who opt to take this route. If you are a born again believer in Jesus Christ that wants to avoid persecution by others you may find yourself listening to gossip, and even joining in. If you want to fit in and avoid persecution you may listen to ungodly music, watch ungodly television shows, listen to cursing, laugh at ungodly jokes, join in conversations with those who are verbally attacking another individual. You may participate in; or tolerate other ungodly activities simply to be accepted by others knowing that these things are most certainly not pleasing to God. This type behavior by Christians is hypocritical, and does much in the way of damage to our personal testimonies. Remember our personal lives are our greatest testimony. If we go along with and participate in things that we know don't fit who we are as followers of Jesus Christ, then how do we appear to be any different from non-believers? What does this type behavior say to non-believers about what it means to be a Christians, and what it means to live a godly life? It says that Christians are hypocrites.
We are born with a freewill, and it is up to us as individuals to choose whether we will live our lives in a Godly manner; or whether we will go along with things that we know do not fit who we are as followers of Jesus Christ in order to avoid persecution and to be accepted by society. Are you living your life in a manner that is pleasing to God or are you living it in a manner that gels with those who are not? It is up to each of us as individuals to decide how we will walk. How do you choose to walk? Will you be persecuted or popular?
If you have a prayer request and would like me to pray for you, leave me a message and I will be more than happy to do so. May God bless you.
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