Monday, February 15, 2016

Discipleship Is More Than Words . .It's Living Proof Of The Truth

My Utmost For His Highest
 
None of us lives to himself… —Romans 14:7
 
“Has it ever dawned on you that you are responsible spiritually to God for other people? For instance, if I allow any turning away from God in my private life, everyone around me suffers. […] If you allow physical selfishness, mental carelessness, moral insensitivity, or spiritual weakness, everyone in contact with you will suffer. […] “You shall be witnesses to Me…” (Acts 1:8). How many of us are willing to spend every bit of our nervous, mental, moral, and spiritual energy for Jesus Christ? That is what God means when He uses the word witness. […] Why has God left us on the earth? Is it simply to be saved and sanctified? No, it is to be at work in service to Him. Am I willing to be broken bread and poured-out wine for Him? Am I willing to be of no value to this age or this life except for one purpose and one alone— to be used to disciple men and women to the Lord Jesus Christ. My life of service to God is the way I say “thank you” to Him for His inexpressibly wonderful salvation.”  CHAMBERS
 
As a Christian, you are on a stage and the world is watching.  In Romans chapter 11, Paul said that the Gentile Christians should make the nation of Israel envious.  How?  The way the Gentile  Christians live and treat others, their relationship with God through Jesus,  is be a beacon of light that shines on the Messiah, the One they rejected. It reveals a life that they, themselves had an opportunity to experience.  But that is only if the Gentile Christians are living faithfully and fulfilling their purpose in Christ.  If a Christians is living in a way the reflects the world there is no spiritual attraction.  I was thinking about my mom after she became a Christian.  My sisters and I were skeptical about her “conversion”.  We had grown up with the unsaved mom, and knew what a terror she could be.  So we waited, watching, expecting the “old” mom to rise up once again.  But she didn’t.  Our testimony should begin at home.  People, who pretend to be spiritual, tend to let their “spiritual guard” down when they are home.  The problem is, their children and or spouse are watching.  It’s like when my dad told me to not ever smoke, as he puffed on a cigarette.
 
Making disciples is not just reading scripture to someone.  It is living life that reflects the scripture.  Do you lie in front of your children?  Do you allow things into your home through your TV or computers that are contrary to the Word of God.  Permitting those you are to be discipling to see and hear them.  If you say nothing you are giving your approval of what is seen or said.  Dr. James Dobson said, some years back, values are not taught, they are caught.  Do you know what happens when you lie to others because it is convenient at the time, you are teaching your children to lie and causing them to question your faith.  How often have you said, “tell them I am busy or not here”  which is a lie.  What you meant was “I don’t want to talk to them, but I don’t want to tell them that.”  You have discipled your children, but in the wrong way.  That does not point them to Jesus and a life lived in the power of the Spirit.  (Numbers 23:19) “God is not a man, that he should lie.”  You have shown them the way of the devil lived in the power of the flesh.  (John 8:44)  “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”  Do you ever yell or raise your voice in anger at your children?  Do you love them?  Then you should show it. And after reading this, you need to repent, then do it.  ELGIN
 
(1 Corinthians 13:4-8  "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”
 
Charley Elgin

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