WARNING! HARD MESSAGE HERE, BUT IT'S BEEN ON MY HEART FOR SEVERAL DAYS AND I AM JUST THE MESSENGER:
As Christians, each of us must walk the walk that the LORD directs for our lives. I wish that I could say that I have never stumbled or taken a wrong turn along the path, but that would be a lie. I have failed the LORD many times, but HE has NEVER failed me! I am far from perfect but strive to be daily, as we are commanded. I have been guilty of some of the things I am discussing here, so I am not judging anyone. I am simply giving you the WORD that was given to me.
With that in mind, here is the message:
As Christians, we are to teach CHRIST in our homes, and we are to LIVE as an ambassador for CHRIST. As I said, I know that MY walk has been far from perfect, so PLEASE do not take this as a personal assault on anyone. This is directed at me as much as anyone else. So how do we live our lives so that others KNOW that we have "come out from among them" and have become "a peculiar people?" We have blurred the lines for so long between worldly and GODLY, that the world CERTAINLY can't tell the difference in many cases. *If your first instinct is to attack ME or point out MY faults, then you are probably under conviction and the enemy doesn't want you to get the message.*
What is the first thing that most people notice about us? (In person, not in cyberspace or on the phone.) It's how we look. If you saw 3 women lying around a pool in string bikinis, how could you tell which one is the Christian? When you see women whose breasts are bulging out through her low-cut tops, can you pick out the Christian? When you see several women wearing super short skirts or shorts, how do you know which one is the Christian? I am NOT saying that we need to wear dresses to the ground with sleeves to our wrists and turtleneck everything. You can be comfortable AND modest at the same time. As I said, I have been guilty myself. I dated a gentleman who liked for me to wear low-cut tops. I really didn't see anything wrong with it at first, but after a while, I felt like he wanted me on display, even when we would attend a prayer service. Ken told me early on that he didn't like the idea of every man out there looking at my chest. He said that it makes women look cheap and like they don't have any self-respect. I truly appreciated that! It meant that he VALUED me!
Once people have noticed how we look, they watch to see how we act, in person, in cyberspace, and on the phone. Can people tell that YOU are a Christian by the way you act? Again, I am as guilty as the next person. Let's look at language. Are your posts peppered with inappropriate language (words you wouldn't want your child to tell their Sunday School teacher?) Do those words come out of your mouth as a matter of norm? I heard a young mother scold her child recently for saying, "F--k you," to people. I have known this young woman since she was a child. I told her not to scold the child and feign embarrassment when she talks like that all the time! She tried to say that she rarely says such a thing, but I guess that she didn't realize just how much that word comes out of her mouth. The point is, if you would NOT use those words if JESUS was standing next to you, then don't use them at all! (I realize that we all have "moments" where we may slip up, and that's not what I am talking about...though we need to repent of even those times...but if you don't go a day without it coming out of your mouth, then the world doesn't see anything different about you from them.) bridesmaids selection with affordable price
How about how we interact with others? I was recently reprimanded by a couple of people for the way I spoke to someone, but they were not aware of the entire situation and how I had already tried a kinder, gentler approach on several occasions, to no avail. I don't like to have to be "firm" with someone, but when they continue to try to drag you into drama, sometimes you have to put your foot down. I try to smile at everyone because sometimes all a person needs is a kind word or a friendly face to lift their spirits. I hate to fight with anyone and do my best to avoid it, but sometimes you simply can't. In those cases I try to take the high road to resolve the matter quickly.
I could go on...do you drink to access? How can you pick out the Christian in the swaying crowd holding up their beer bottles for the camera? I am not saying that you shouldn't drink be cause the Bible says that a little wine (not unfermented grape juice, as some teach) is good for the stomach. But if alcohol is a problem for you, or you do things when drinking that you would not do if you were not drinking, then you are not being an Ambassador for CHRIST and the world can't tell that you are different from them.
Our SOLE mission in life as a Christian is to win others to JESUS and keep them from an eternity separated from GOD. When we act so much like those LOST souls that can't see how our lives are any different from theirs, then we are NOT being Ambassadors for Christ! Please examine your life. Ask the LORD to show you where you need to make changes. I am going to say this because the LORD has given it to me, but I know some will be offended: just being baptised as an infant, getting saved at 10, or joining the church at 20 does NOT mean that you can you live anyway you please and expect to enter into Heaven. (Read Matthew 7:21-23)
I know that when the LORD gives me a difficult message, I may lose friends. I am OK with that. I have planted a seed. It is up to the LORD to make it grow.
If I have tagged you, it is because I believe that you will share this message. If you do not feel comfortable doing so, please remove the tag. Again, this is NOT aimed towards anyone, any more than a Sunday morning sermon is aimed at a particular person. It's just the message that I was given.