Verse: "If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it's wrong." Romans 14:23 MSG
"Cultivate your own relationship with God, but don't impose it on others. You're fortunate if your behavior and your belief are coherent. But if you're not sure, if you notice that you are acting in ways inconsistent with what you believe—some days trying to impose your opinions on others, other days just trying to please them—then you know that you're out of line. If the way you live isn't consistent with what you believe, then it's wrong." (verses 22 & 23)
Just saying to let your faith and belief match your actions isn't anything, if they aren't really aligned or matching. We have all heard the old saying, 'Talk the talk, and walk the walk', because some Christians are good at speaking the truth from the Word, but don't live it out in their own lives. I find that I am a strong believer of this fact, not only because it's written in the Word, but because I have the 'little eyes' watching me, and the 'little ears' listening to me, so I do no want to lead them astray by my actions. I believe this is a part of why teachers are judged harder. ("Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly." James 3:1) The ones we teach (whether they are little eyes or not -- but technically I think I have heard that your eyes stay the same size as you grow up) are always watching us, observing us, and seeing that what we say lines up with what we do ourselves. I have taught all my 'kids' to come up and keep me accountable, if they see me doing or saying something that I taught them not to do or say, then they have the right to come and tell me. So far I haven't had many complaints thankfully (all praise to God)... but I know that there are those others who are just waiting for the 'fall'. Somehow we have to turn things into a 'competition' whether we want it to be one or not. Others are competing to be a 'better Christian' sometimes it feels like, and you can get caught up in being the better teacher, the better Christian, the better friend, etc... but we need to be the best ME that we can be. We do not have to strive to be like others. God created us to be like HIM and Him alone. God created us to be used to our MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS (our M.E.) so that we can impact the world with His love, and share the good news/gospel of His love, mercy, forgiveness, salvation & His kingdom. Our actions should be matching that of what we believe, according to the Word of God, and the above message of the gospel, etc.
We cannot walk around as a 'Woman of Faith' (as my devotional book title states) or 'men of Faith' if we do not walk by faith ourselves. We can say we have all the faith in the world, but if we don't stand strong in the tough times and the good times trusting God completely, then we are not truly full of faith. The Bible says we are to have 'unwavering faith'-- "...To prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ." Ephesians 4:12-15 NIV We can say that we believe in God, but when it comes down to it, will God be seeing us as a 'good & faithful servant' or one that He 'does not know'. If we don't match our actions to our passions, then people will see us as a wave being tossed to & fro (as the verse in Ephesians above stated). They won't know where we stand, or what we believe, and they certainly won't want what we have.
So go out there today look past the 'competitions' of this world, and the deceivers, stand tall and strong of faith, and just as Paul said to the Ephesians, I say to you, "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4:1-6)
Today's verse and thoughts of this theme bring me back to the song we sang in VBS a few years ago, 'Gonna Let My Actions Match My Passion'. It is from 'Outrigger Island' VBS - one of my FAVOURITE VBS programs. Check it out...
BE BLESSED & BE A BLESSING!
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment