The house to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent.
Lord, as a living stone, I am being built up into a spiritual house. I am Your temple, Lord God, and Your Spirit dwells in me. If I defile Your temple, You will destroy me. For Your temple is holy, which temple I am. My body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in me, whom I have from You, Lord God, and I am not my own. For I was bought at a price; therefore I am to glorify You in my body and spirit, which are Yours. What agreement has Your temple, Lord God, with idols? I am a temple of the living God. As You have said, You will dwell in me and walk among me. You will be my God, and I shall be Yours. I have been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in You, Lord God, in whom I am being built together for a dwelling place for You in the Spirit. May the truth that Your Spirit dwells within me guide my words and deeds.
1 CHRONICLES 22:5; 1 PETER 2:5; 1 CORINTHIANS 3:16–17; 1 CORINTHIANS 6:19–20; 2 CORINTHIANS 6:16; EPHESIANS 2:19–22 - Dr. David Jeremiah Life-Changing Moments with God
“Hallowed be Your name.” Matthew 6:9b
Our calling as Christians is to bring glory to the name of God. God's name represents His character. Taking the name of God in vain misrepresents God's character to others (Exod. 20:7). As Christians, we carry the name of our Savior. The way we live and relate to others is a direct reflection on the name of Christ. Doing something “in Jesus’ name” is to do something that is in accordance with His character (John 15:16). It means that Jesus would be pleased to join us in what we are doing. If, however, our actions detract from God's reputation, He will jealously guard His name. Sometimes we are too concerned with protecting the reputation of people but too little concerned with protecting the holy name of God. When the Israelites profaned God's name before the nations by the way they lived, God “hallowed” His name: He made His name holy by punishing them (Ezek. 36:22). When David sinned before his nation, God publicly disciplined him in order to protect the holiness of His name. We can so tarnish the name father before our children that it hinders them from loving God as their heavenly Father. We can be such unforgiving Christians that our sinfulness discourages people from seeking forgiveness from our God. We can show such disrespect for God as we worship Him that those observing lose their reverence of Him as well. Our supreme desire should be to glorify the name of God by the way we live. We ought to pray daily, as Jesus taught us to, that God's name be treated as holy. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day
A wise man once said that should God repeat Himself there's your reason to stop and pay special attention.
The Prayer from Dr. Jeremiah and the thoughts of Blackaby today are repeating the same message. What are we doing in our lives that promotes the Name of Jesus?
Another once wisely stated that your life is your testimony.
Still another says that by all means share the Gospel and if you have to, use words.
What does you mouth and your actions say of your thoughts?
Do you consider your thoughts before speaking? I know that I often do not. Sometimes that filter in my brain just doesn't kick in when it really ought to have. It sure would save a lot of secondary explanations.
In your speech do you show the love of Christ or do you show the vileness of sin?
Scriptures say that both ought not to come from the same vessel. If you are in Christ and as such have the Holy Spirit within you, shouldn't He be honored? Shouldn't He be calling the shots?
I know many people who honestly don't see that they are giving God a bad name.
Their speech and conduct are totally against the word of God yet they go to Church.
As another of my devotionals said today, which technically makes it a threepete of God saying something to us, just because you are in a garage it doesn't,make you a car. Going to church doesn't make you a Christian. Coming to Christ, repenting of sin, living for Jesus, living in obedience does. My Wife's saying is that just because you walk into McDonald's it doesn't make you a Happy Meal.
Sitting in Church listening and not doing is you lying to yourself about your relationship with Christ. Did we say threepete? Let's go for 4. Another this morning also was about being hearers only and not doers of the Word. Deceiving ourselves.
Sitting in Church doesn't save you.
Only reading your Bible doesn't save you.
Obeying Christ after coming to Christ in faith for salvation is what changes you. You were never meant to be the same as you were when you came to Christ. God loves you and I too much to leave us that way. We have to let go of self and let God do what must be done in us that will bring honor and glory to His Name, not ours.
Prayer changes you and reveals things about you. Jacob was changed just as much as his brother by his prayers concerning him. When Daniel and his friends prayed and trusted God rather than defiling themselves with the King's choice food, they were changed as well as others who saw them.
If you can't see Godly change in your life, stop right now and really examine your heart. Are you saved at all? Scripture says we are His workmanship..Meaning He is at work in the heart of the believer. If there's no evidence of His work then you have great cause to be alarmed.
Turn back and ask for forgiveness and re-dedicate your life to Christ. The story of the Prodigal Son (or Daughter) might be you.
It saddens me greatly that when Christ Jesus returns there will be billions filling Church buildings because only then will the truth about salvation have hit them. Only then will they see that they had been living a lie.
My Dear Reader, God isn't willing that any should perish but that all would be saved.
He doesn't want a single person in Hell but that's what rejection of Christ does. A life not in Christ Jesus is going to find himself or herself opening up their eyes to the reality of God, of them and the judgment of Hell that awaited them for not receiving the free gift of Salvation.
In only the Name of Jesus Christ is anyone saved. The gift is free, the changes in life ought to be the herald of a saved soul.
Your life should reflect the Son of God. You should live lives that show the love of God to all.
Look at yourself today and be sure before you take your next breath.
No comments:
Post a Comment