THE THINGS WE DO AND SAY

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”  (Ephesians 4:29-32 NIV)

It's one thing for the world to reject Jesus because the people in secular society consider the Gospel to be ridiculous.  It is quite another thing for the world to reject the Gospel because Christians are an embarrassment to God.  The Bible warns us against conducting ourselves so that people end up rejecting Jesus, not because of who He is but because of the stupid things we do and say. 

-- Tony Campolo in “Following Jesus Without Embarrassing God” 

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HOW OTHERS PERCEIVE YOUR FAITH

"Ever since the creation of the world God's eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things God has made." (Romans 1:20)

When I was in high school, I was the drum major for our marching band. When we would perform on the football field or in a parade, the band director would always say, “People listen with their eyes.” In other words, if band members were out of step or out of line, the audience would perceive the band to be out of tune.

I have come to realize the same thing holds true with our faith. People cannot see your faith. So they judge your faith by what they can see. People will trust their eyes long before they will ever trust your words. What do your visibles say about the invisible things you believe?  

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson

#5238

CONDUITS OF GOD’S LOVE

“Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and His love is brought to full expression through us.”  (1 John 4:11-12 NLT Life Application Study Bible)

A conduit is a channel or tube through which water or electricity can be conveyed from one point to another.   God’s love has [filled our lives] so we can be a conduit of God’s love to others.

An empty piece of conduit is not worth much.  Its value is realized when it is used to convey something of greater value from one point to another. The value is in what is conveyed within the conduit…

Christians are connected to the source of love -- God.  That same love is to flow through our bodies as conduit so God can love people through you and me.  Someone may say, “I cannot love that person.”  It is not up to you to love that person.  Your job is to be a conduit through which God can love that person through you.

People need to see the mighty love of God flowing from you to them -- See it in your compassion… See it in your unselfishness… See it in your forgiveness… See it in your deeds.  

-- Adapted from Al Hughes

#5034

THE GREAT COMMISSION… GOD’S PORTRAIT

You have been commissioned by God to paint His portrait for all to see. Your assignment (should you choose to accept Him) is to reveal in your life God who cannot be seen and to awaken in others the desire to know Him personally.

The canvas is your life. You design what goes on it with your body, mind, and soul; with what you do and refrain from doing; with what you say and refrain from saying; with how you deal with your successes and failures; with your love and compassion.

Choose your colors and brush strokes carefully. Do not rush. It will take a lifetime to paint the portrait because it requires such faithful dedication. In order to succeed in doing justice to the Subject, it is necessary to gaze at the Model often, until God's image is reflected in your life for all to see.

Like Christ, you are "the image of the invisible God." (Colossians 3:15) You are the portrait of God -- a work in progress.

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson

#4351

WATCH WHERE YOUR FEET TAKE YOU

“…I will show you my faith by my deeds.”  (James 2:18b NIV)

Actions speak louder than words in the spiritual world... Jesus tells a parable about a man with two sons. He asks the first to do something for him. He asks the second to do the same. The first son says he won't do it, but then later does. The second son say he will do it, and then later on does not.

There are many reasons why doing is more important than saying. One is because of the very nature of words themselves. Words can be tricky. It's possible to misunderstand them...

Another reason that doing is more important than saying is because it's possible to say all sorts of stuff and really not mean it...

Frederick Buechner once said that if you want to know who you are, as opposed to who you like to think you are, watch where your feet take you. I think he said this because he knows this same truth: the feet don't lie about who we are, because the feet are involved in what we do, not just what we say.

Watch where your feet take you. Take some time to assess not just who you say that you are, but also who you are through what you do. Maybe it's time to recommit your life to not just saying for Christ, but also doing for Christ as well?

-- Copyright Eric Folkerth 1999. All Rights Reserved. (Used with Permission)

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