Wed, May 20, 2009
Focus on the Final Work
In order to fully appreciate God, you must look at the people you know that live bad lives, (or once lived bad lives) and see how God will change them (or once changed them). It all goes back to what Jesus said about judging others (Matthew 7:1). Do not write someone off now because of what they’ve done or what they’ve experienced. Remember, some sins were forced on people.
Yes, do bring a soft correction, but after that, your job is to love that person and keep that person up before God in prayer. And if that person isn’t saved, share the Gospel with them in some type of way. Anything other than this is taking matters into your own hands, and if that happens, you are skating thin ice! I’m sure that not every aspect of your life is a neat closet – you have some quirks too I’m sure. So the last thing you want to do is come off holy and proud. A Christian is basically someone saved by God’s grace. If you were able to save yourself from hell, then you would have every right to boast, but you can’t save yourself even if you tried. And besides, Jesus already did the redemptive work through his crucifixion. So when you step to an infidel, be humble and casual in action and speech. Be joyful, be diligent, and try not to complain. When people see this and the fruit of the Holy Spirit they will desire to have what you have. So even if they don’t accept the Gospel the first time you tell people about Him, they might accept Him later (Read Galatians 5:16-26).
And remember Rahab? (You can read about her in Joshua 2). Often when people think about her, they always think about when she was a whore and not when she was a clever thinking woman. She knew that God was on Israel’s side, and that they were going to take Jericho. She knew that in order to save her family from death, they must give in. So that’s what she did. This also may sound funny, but she was also a clever liar (not to say that lying is the right thing to do). In the big picture, she was the mother of Boaz, an ancestor of King David, and she also was one of the few women mentioned in the lineage of Jesus (Matthew 1:5).
So whoever looks like a screw-up to you now, can change, and evolve into a mighty servant of God! Never take anyone too lightly!
Yes, do bring a soft correction, but after that, your job is to love that person and keep that person up before God in prayer. And if that person isn’t saved, share the Gospel with them in some type of way. Anything other than this is taking matters into your own hands, and if that happens, you are skating thin ice! I’m sure that not every aspect of your life is a neat closet – you have some quirks too I’m sure. So the last thing you want to do is come off holy and proud. A Christian is basically someone saved by God’s grace. If you were able to save yourself from hell, then you would have every right to boast, but you can’t save yourself even if you tried. And besides, Jesus already did the redemptive work through his crucifixion. So when you step to an infidel, be humble and casual in action and speech. Be joyful, be diligent, and try not to complain. When people see this and the fruit of the Holy Spirit they will desire to have what you have. So even if they don’t accept the Gospel the first time you tell people about Him, they might accept Him later (Read Galatians 5:16-26).
And remember Rahab? (You can read about her in Joshua 2). Often when people think about her, they always think about when she was a whore and not when she was a clever thinking woman. She knew that God was on Israel’s side, and that they were going to take Jericho. She knew that in order to save her family from death, they must give in. So that’s what she did. This also may sound funny, but she was also a clever liar (not to say that lying is the right thing to do). In the big picture, she was the mother of Boaz, an ancestor of King David, and she also was one of the few women mentioned in the lineage of Jesus (Matthew 1:5).
So whoever looks like a screw-up to you now, can change, and evolve into a mighty servant of God! Never take anyone too lightly!
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