Day 19 - Issue 33
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Colossians 4:5 NLT
'Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.'
Over the centuries, the Church has attempted to obey the great commission to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20) in a variety of ways. There is an inbuilt resistance to the gospel throughout society in all cultures for our adversary, the devil, seeks to distract humanity from God’s promise of personal salvation. Consequently, Christianity has its critics and we can at times confirm our critics through our well-meaning attempts in serving God.
We have to make judgements daily on how best to live out our faith. It is self-evidently beneficial for us to live as God directs us to, but not purely for our own self-interest. There is always a danger that the church community becomes an end in itself. Then all our attention is upon the character of our church and by default, we direct all our resources to servicing our church’s needs. We also need to maintain a close watch on how we live within our community so that we discover how best to communicate the gospel and reveal the God who we love and serve.
Our most natural vehicle for communication is language. Yet, today in a world of social media in which we drown in opinion and so-called “news”, words are in many ways a debased currency for communication. It has been said that “actions speak louder than words”. Indeed St Francis is attributed with the statement: “Preach the gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.” Whether factual or not, the sentiment speaks for itself.
Living the gospel requires me to consider the intent behind my actions. When Adam blamed both Eve and God for his predicament with a forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:12), it cut no ice and failed to deliver him from God’s judgement. Decisions matter, for they inform our behaviour and our behaviour offers a clear indication of our belief system. A watching world in search of God needs your life to reveal God’s gospel.
QUESTION: Does your behaviour offer a window into the love and grace of God?
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please help me make the most of every opportunity to share the good news of Jesus today.
Released on 27 Apr 2020
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