Do You Represent Christ?

Looking back on the past week man I am glad it is over. It just seemed like everything that I did either messed up or cost more money. We all have weeks like that, thinking will we ever get past this or good grief can anything else really happen. But if we really look at what we are going through it is is minor compared to most things we could think of in this world or read in the Bible. I mean lets really look at it, Job for instance, lost EVERYTHING!!!!! Not just something, not just a couple of things but everything that he held dear. So now how does your problem compare? Not even close right?  Just think how mad you got, how frustrated, the things you said over things (for the most part) you wont remember in a year. Was it really worth the headache or what happened for something that when you look over your life really doesn't mean that much. NOPE!!!! It is hard to see that when it is all going on but hind site is 20/20.  As Christians we need to remember the way that we act (even when we think no one is looking) should be a direct reflection of Jesus. Yes this is hard sometimes especially in the world that we live in today but what do other people think when they see us do that or say that? Why would they want to be a Christian if you act the same way that they do? What do you think it looks like when you like a picture on facebook that has profanity on it? Yes whether we like it or not as a Christian we are under a microscope and we should take more pride in who we are and who we are suppose to represent!!!!

Encouragement

You know we all have good days and bad day... But as Christians it is our responsibility to try as hard as we can to look past what we have going on and encourage everyone else. Just think when we are having a hard time we have people that can be there for us and Jesus that loves us no matter what. For everyone else if they don't know about Jesus or have just gotten away from God they don't have that piece of mind. They don't have the right people in their lives to help them the right way and really don't have a close enough relationship with God to feel comfortable talking to him. That's where we come in.... how awesome would it be if you are there at the right time, the right place and what happens if your not right with God to give them the word that they need. Wouldn't that stink!!!! To leave and know you could have done more, you could have said something different, you could have changed the way they think about God.  Don't let that be you!!! Do your studying... your praying....involve yourself in church more that the hour on Sunday and Wednesday!!!!! And just think if you do this you might be able to make that mark that helps lead someone in the right direction! So for the question.... has God put that person in your walk that you were able to help? If not ask yourself this question.... Are you doing your due diligence for God to even put that person in your walk??

Are you ready?

Have you ever felt like I could do more but you don't know what that is. You start praying and something hits you like a ton of bricks. So you hook up with some people and start doing what you felt like what the Lord said to do but there is this feeling.... I feel like I got more. God has out people in our lives to help get us closer to him but what's to say we don't progress faster than that person. What happens if we rely so much on the person helping us that we don't reach our full potential in our own lives? This can be very frustrating!!! You don't feel like you are ready but you know you could do more. Then when you finally step out on faith woooo what a climb up that mountain!!! It seems lime everything is going against you. Everywhere you turn something is going on and you start second guessing what God called you to do. You know God never said it would be easy, he never said it wouldn't take time. What I can tell you that you are there for a reason whether you know it or not. He did not put you there to sit in a recliner but to weed the garden. He knows what you have in you even when you don't think so!!!!!!! So stop sweating the small stuff and start thanking God for everything that you do have !!!

Will you take the rough road?

I heard a good question this morning. If the going really got rough would you stick it out for the Lord? Seems like an easy question when you first think about it but lets dive a little deeper. Say for instance the world starts going really downhill, and lets say congress starts blaming Christians for what is going wrong with the country. They start taking away our churches, persecuting us for our faith and it goes downhill from there. What happens if it gets so bad that we have to denounce our faith or we face the unthinkable death? So many people actually have to go through that now!!! We take so much for grated because we live in the good ole USA. We have missionaries in countries that have to have secret church meetings just to have church. Most of the time the hardest thing we have to worry about is whether to get up or not to get up or where are you going to eat afterwards. So lets put some of our local problems out there. How about when someone is telling a bad joke or when someone is cheating some time at work. Will you stand up for whats right? Even though you will be looked at differently or even be tormented because we stand up for whats right? No matter how big or small the choice you will have to make about doing the right thing, will you stand up for whats right or will you just go along with the world? Take the easy way out? Act like it doesn't really matter?

The apostles had a degree??????

You know so many times as Christians  trying to strive towards Jesus we get discouraged because of the people around us. Me for example, I don't have any schooling like allot of the pastors that I know. I don't have all the time in either but I feel a strong call that the Lord has put on my heart and I won't let a piece of paper hold me back from doing what the Lord has called me to do. We should not feel down because we don't have degrees like other people. God has called us to do his will and it doesn't matter if we have a piece of paper hanging up or not. As long as we are doing his will everything will work itself out. God has many ways to get us where we need to be in our own way and time. If you still think this is not true think about this, did any of the apostles have a degree? Did Abraham? Moses?  The apostles didn't have the luxury of Jesus sitting behind a desk and putting everything he said on a blackboard.  They didn't have to make sure that they were in class twice a week for 2 hours to make sure that they got the credit. They were called to do very specific things for the Lord and got real world training!!! Just think how much different the Bible would be if instead of seeing all the wonderful miracles that Jesus did they just heard him talk about it and had some pictures. So my reason for all this is to let you know not to let yourself be discouraged!!! Don't let the intimidation take over but instead take the work that God has laid on your heart and run with it!!!! He will do great things in those who listen!!!

Do you act like a Christian?

You know this would seem like a pretty simple question at first. If you are a Christian you try to act like one but how is one suppose to act? Unfortunately looking at it from a worldly stand point Christians in general are condescending. We are always looking at the bad and quick to condemn someone when they do something wrong. This is the exact opposite of what we are suppose to act like!!! Like we haven't ever done something wrong that we regret but boy don't let someone in the church do something wrong... Boy when that happens we are all over it, quick to judge, quick to talk about them, quick to be anything but Christian. I hate to sound cliche, but WWJD... We should ask ourselves this question every time before we open our mouths. Would Jesus do that? Would Jesus say that? Would Jesus listen to that? Would Jesus watch that? I hear so many churches talking about how to get more people in the door and get their name out there but really, who would want to be a Christian and go to church when they see what the people are really like. They see people talking about coworkers on the job, other church members at lunch and the pastor at church!!! I wouldn't want to go to church if this is what I saw looking in for the first time. This means you cant just be a Christian on Sunday morning for that one hour. You have to be a Christian in everything you say and do!!!!  How can we expect someone to want to become a Christian if we can't practice what we preach?

What will the devil do?

At the end of Pastor Paul's sermon he brought up an awesome point. He said I hope when I die hell rejoices!!! So this brings up the point will hell rejoice when you die? Will the devil say... thank goodness, he is finally gone!!!? Are you just like the pastor said...just shouting to shout or are you shouting to praise. Are you going to church for the right reasons and not just so someone sees you there? Is your mind clear of the things of this world when you go so you can actually praise and worship and take in all that the spirit has given your pastor? Are you too worried about what baby is crying and who is walking in and out instead of what the pastor is preaching?  These are things that all of us need to change because I know when I die I would like hell to rejoice!!! The devil to say good grief it took him long enough!! But then for the devil to realize that just because I am gone that the Lord will still be working in all the people that I knew so he still didn't have a chance!!! I know we would all like the devil to say that when we die but would he really say that about you? Are you just allot of noise and show or are you true to the bone for God? Will he dance that you finally died or will he say, oh he didn't matter anyways.  Only you truly know that answer but I challenge you to make that choice now, that from now on you won't care what other people think or do. That you won't go to church to make some noise and put on a show, but that you will go to church not just to listen but to hear. Not just to sing but to worship, not to see who is there and what they are wearing but to seek God!!!

Half the year gone!!!

Today at 12 noon officially  half the year will be gone... Wow how time flies!!!  Undoubtily we have all had good times and bad times. We all can look back and say, maybe I could have done that different, maybe I could have said that different. All of us have things we wish we could take back no matter how small the issue was.  Was is the key word.... It is in the past, take this time now to look at the future. You have a half of a year left to make an impact on your family and the people around you.  How about the next time someone makes you mad instead of saying something you will regret you walk away... instead of getting road rage you take some deep breaths and slow down...instead of keeping all of your time to yourself you put down the remote and help a neighbor that needs it!! We all have a half a year to make a final impact on 2012, will you take this opportunity to turn this year around and end it with a bang?