I went to a church tonight that was near my friend’s (Myles Doby) house. Their church was called Brothers In Christ…I think, I forgot. But that’s not very important. It was my first time attending their Saturday night praise and prayer. Boy did I get blessed. The speaker was on fire because his message was very convicting. He addressed the lack of zeal and passion that a lot of Christians have, including myself. He talked about many things, but I’m just gonna ponder on these two questions he asked.
Does the world see Jesus Christ in you?
Why does the world see Christianity as a joke?
“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers,they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”
-1 Peter 2:9-12
We are a people called for his own possession. We are a chosen generation and since we are God’s royal priests we are now able to show others the goodness/excellencies of God. Christians are laughed at by the world because we appear no different from them. The only difference is we proclaim that Jesus Christ is our savior. If people are able to see Jesus Christ when they look at us, then we are doing our jobs as Christians…being the salt and light of the world.
“We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak,be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.”
- 1 Thessalonians 5: 12-22
What if the world saw us Christians actually doing all that Apostle Paul instructed the Thessalonian church. They would be able to experience a glimpse of Christ’s love, mercy, grace, and so much more…through us!
I still got a lot to learn.
I want that God given desire to run HARD after Him.
I don’t want to waste a single day.
God is so merciful, he has let me live another day.
I need to learn to pray, face down, desperate for deeper intimacy with my Lord.
God deserves all the glory, all day and night.
No backsliding, no complacency, no passivity.
Bring on the suffering, oppression, WHATEVER!
My God holds my future.
I shall “rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for [me].”