What Do They See – Sunday Thought For The Day

The following is taken from my book: “Alone With Jesus: How I Start Each Day” (A month of daily devotions that are good for life) Copyright 2017.

If we say we’re Christians, what about us had changed?  When old friends see us for the first time after we’ve “supposedly” accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior, do they see something different about us?

What sets us apart as Christians? Is it a strict dogmatic, legalistic view of everything or is it something else? It should be more than just not doing what everyone else is doing.  There should be a ready evidence of a transformed life.

Maybe it is that we do not curse any more. Maybe it is that we stopped drinking. Those are good things if applicable, but our lives in Christ should be more than rigid religiosity.

Our lives should evidence the attributes of Christ and the Holy Spirit abiding in us. Our lives should outwardly and inwardly exhibit the “Fruit of the Spirit.” We should be truth tellers; our love for our brethren should be tangible and our disaffection for willful sinfulness should be readily apparent by the way in which we comport ourselves. The demeanor of Christ should be our demeanor.

That certainly doesn’t mean we should labor to project what will very quickly be identified as a lack of genuineness. Jesus never pretended to be what He wasn’t and neither should we.

If the “Fruit of God’s Spirit” abides in us, the light of Christ shows forth vividly in our actions. If it doesn’t, chances are, we’re carnal Christians or even worse yet, Satan has fooled us into believing we are saved, when in fact we have not accepted Christ as our Savior at all.

When our family, friends, acquaintances or even strangers look at us, do they see a man, woman or child of Christ – or do they see something else?

READ:

Galatians 5:18-26 (KJV)

18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.