WHY ARE THEY WATCHING ME?

Hey friends, how are you today? Really, how are you? The fifth month of the year is almost on its way out and maybe too soon, the sixth month will be here.  Take a minute to evaluate the past five months.  Are our footprints leading others to a loving, gracious and merciful Savior?  Our lives are an open book and are being read by others (II Corinthians 3:2).  They watch and evaluate us.  Our lifestyles tell them exactly what we believe about God.  It tells them also what they should believe about our God.  Our actions and speech become our testimony for our Savior.  Perhaps there are people out screaming at us to pick a side, because our speech conflicts with our actions.  We say we believe, but our actions tell a different story. prov 31 31I must admit, when I was younger, I did not particularly care what people thought about me.  People’s opinion did not matter much to me. I tried to live my life independent of others. If someone said, “go right”, I went left. I was totally going to be me. This life was going to be just me and God and nobody else mattered.  Ummmm, recently the Lord convicted me of this belief. You see, people matter to God.  You matter to God!  People and their thoughts and beliefs about me; MATTER! Now, I cannot always dictate what they believe, BUT my lifestyle should not encourage negative ideas about me, because I represent the Lord Jesus Christ.Rom 5 5 6Although salvation is free, it demands change. Before salvation we were dirty and unclean.  (Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23).  Before salvation, we deserved everlasting separation from the Almighty God.  I know it’s hard to believe but the truth is our good (works) do not outweigh our bad. It took only one disobedience to plunge the whole world into sin and brand everyone else, a sinner. (Romans 5:12) It only took one sin! The cost of one sin is much greater than any good work outside of salvation. Do you know my God?  james 2 10Rom 3 23Good! Now change must take place.  The world needs a Savior! My friend once told me because we are under grace; we are free to do what we want.  She said God will forgive us and our liberty in Jesus Christ should not be questioned.  That’s immature thinking isn’t it? (Romans 6:15).   Before the wedding, Meghan Markle was not bounded by the rules and regulations of the monarchy. After she became the Duchess of Sussex all the rules and regulations now do apply to her.  After taking on Christ; the rules and regulations found in His Word do apply to us. eph-5-15 It is for our good, but not ours only; it is also for the good of those around us.  The world needs to see a people who demonstrate love and peace.   They need friends who hasten to forgive. They need parents who encourage and are patient.  They need a grandparents’ gentleness and compassion. They need to see humility in their sisters and brothers. They need leaders who demonstrate integrity.   They need a people whose speech aligns with their actions. God is not looking for absolute perfection in me, that’s why He provides an unlimited supply of forgiveness, but He wants me to be consistent and intentional in my daily practice.  I Thess 5 11How are you today? Everyday given is a day to do better, isn’t it? Let’s do better today! closing1brenda

 

 

 

66 responses to “WHY ARE THEY WATCHING ME?”

  1. Brenda, absolutely right on blog entry. I hope that it may admonish some brothers and sisters (me included to love more like Jesus). I wanted to added one thought to your analogy about the Duchess of Sussex. Not only is she under the rules of the monarchy, but she would not want it any other way. She wants to please her prince, because she loves him. I want to obey my Master because He is worthy and I belong to Him, but when temptation comes, I want to obey Him because He first loved me and now I love Him. Keep writing God glorifying entries, sister.

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    • Amen and amen! The Duchess would welcome the rules and regulations not because she HAS to but rather would because she loves her family. I like that! May I too choose to obey, not because I have to, but because of my love for the Savior

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  2. Well said, Brenda! I remember a poem my mother used to read: it started, “I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day.” Now, I love to hear a good sermon, but it’s true that folks are watching us and our lives really should be a blessing to them.

    Thanks so much for joining the Grace at Home party at Imparting Grace. I’m glad to meet you. I’m featuring you this week!

    Liked by 2 people

    • Wow! What an honor! Thank you, thank you. Indeed, may all the glory go to our God. That’s a very good quote 🙂 My pastor says the problem with the world today is God’s people. 😦 Our lifestyle does not align with the Word of God. May that not be said of me 🙂

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  3. As I read this I thought that our lives are meant to be beacons of hope for those who are searching for God. We can be a light shining them to shore or a stumbling block in the darkness. Thanks for this, Brenda.
    Blessings,
    Marva | SunSparkleShine

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  4. Today Brenda I am good! And yes, yes, yes! How we appear to others does matter! It’s so true that others base their beliefs about God and Christianity based on how we present God and Christianity. And I like this part:
    “God is not looking for absolute perfection in me, that’s why He provides an unlimited supply of forgiveness, but He wants me to be consistent and intentional in my daily practice. ”
    💗 hugs to you!

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  5. “For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God…” Titus 2:11‭-‬12 NLT
    “Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?” Romans 6:1‭-‬2 NLT
    Yes, we CAN continue living in sin, but we shouldn’t want to. By flaunting our sin in the face of our LORD, we are telling Him that either His sacrifice meant nothing, or we expect Him to hang on the cross, again and again. It’s a choice we have to make with every decision we make, over and over and over. Thank You, GOD, for Grace and Mercy so that when I DO sin, I am not separated from You. As Christians, we need to remember that we are sinners just the rest of the world. The difference is that we are Forgiven, once and for all, in spite of our flaws. It doesn’t give us immunity from discipline or punishment! I can testify to that! (Sorry about the sermon!)

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  6. Brenda,
    I loved this line:
    “my lifestyle should not encourage negative ideas about me, because I represent the Lord Jesus Christ.”
    True words!
    Praying your life increases to represent HIM well 🙂
    ~Sherry Stahl
    xoxo

    Liked by 2 people

  7. God requires so much of me. Thanks for unpacking the myths that we sometimes buy into about not concerning ourselves with anyone except ourselves. God definitely gives us a greater responsibility as Christians a higher responsibility that we can carry out ONLY through Him.

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  8. Brenda, Well said!

    I particularly like this thought: Our lives are an open book and are being read by others (II Corinthians 3:2). They watch and evaluate us. Our lifestyles tell them exactly what we believe about God. It tells them also what they should believe about our God. Our actions and speech become our testimony for our Savior.

    Emerson wrote: “Who you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you’re saying.”

    Debbie

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