How are we representing?

A couple days ago my husband met an old friend of mine on his way to the gym and they had a short but very interesting conversation which he relayed to me by text. After her initial greetings and stuff about him and how I was doing and how long ago we/they had seen each other etc, he went on to tell her about a book of poetry I had published. He asked her if she wanted to get a copy and her response was, "I don't want any book that has anything to do with God". I thought that was very sad, but the question he asked me opened my eyes to the responsibility that's been given to us and how often we don't live up to it.
He asked me, "Why is it that so many people seem not to want anything to do with God?"

I know that there are those out there who have blamed God for everything. They look at all the wars and earthquakes and all the senseless ways that people lose their lives and they ignorantly blame God for all of it. People also carry a lot of deep-seated hurts from their own experiences and feel like God has forsaken them and many times they ask themselves why should I serve a God who wasn't there to rescue me when I needed Him?

However when I look into the Word of God I see a responsibility that we carry as christians but we drop it so often. Jesus once walked on this earth as 100% man and God. Now seated at God's right hand He can no longer be seen here on earth. So how do people know that He is still alive? How do people know that He cares? How do they know that He is mighty to save and strong to deliver?

The only way that they will know is through our lives.

Why would someone who is hurting not want a pain reliever?
Why would someone who is drowning not want a lifesaver?

We represent the Great Physician and the Life-Giver, but are we portraying Him as such? Do people see from our lives that Jesus is really the answer or are we so unsure ourselves that we dare not take the chance in case He doesn't come through. Are we taking the time to present Jesus the Comforter or are we just leaving them to draw their own conclusions based on their own religious outlook? Do they just see us as people who abstain from this and that or do they see a transformation in us that compells them to seek the Source of it?

Many times we say "Jesus is the Light of the world" so follow Him and that's true, He is the light of the world as He said in John 8:12. Do you also know what Jesus said?

 "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven" (John 5:13-16).

Why is the world so turned off about Someone who turns us on? Are we really representing and presenting Him the way we should? We have been entrusted with the very Life of God inside of us. If we put our light on a stand that the world could see they would be drawn to IT not repulsed.
In a world of darkness why is our light so dim? Why are we so afraid to say and show that we represent not one of many answers for this world but the only real Answer?

I became friends with this young lady when we worked in the same area some 5/6 years ago and we kept in touch for a while. She had issues in her life that I knew about but I remembered she also had a family tragedy when her only brother was senselessly killed by a drunken man. He was in her home country and she was not able to even go say goodbye to him. She shut herself off for weeks and would not answer her phone. I remember at the time calling her and leaving a message saying how sorry I was about her loss and that I was praying for her. When I eventually got to talk to her I sympathized with her but I never took the time to present Jesus as the healing balm to the pain in her soul.

My friends' response could have come from a variety of places. It could have come out of her own internal issues or possibly it could have come out of that same tragedy, but the only way she could have reached out and taken what Jesus had to offer that she needed (even if she didn't know she needed it) was through me or through another christian.

How are we representing Christ? We are His ambassadors (2 Cor.5:20). Paul says it is as though God was making His appeal through us. He even went on to say we are God's co-workers. Are we doing our share of the job presenting Jesus as the answer to a fallen world? Am I telling my family about Christ even as I pray for them? Am I showing them what He is able to do with their lives by the fruit in mine?
It's easy to invite them to church or to a conference or to a concert and hope that they take that step of salvation. Its also easy to get caught up in our own lives and our own needs and desires that we forget what God really desires and that's to reconcile with man.

Jesus is no longer here on earth, but He sent His Holy Spirit to work in and through us to rescue a dying world. Will you purpose today to share more of Him so that others taste His goodness and smell His sweet aroma?
It's not easy but thankfully we are not called to do it on our own. He is there at the right Hand of the Father, interceeding for us even as His Holy Spirit enables us.

Thank You Jesus, for Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for being all that we need, for Your love, care and compassion. Lord help us not to be selfish or shy with your goodness, but may we boldly share what You have done and all that You are capable of doing. We pray for Your strength as we take this step of faith, in Jesus name. Amen


Blessings,
Vickie

We are sealed

For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those He predestined, He also called;  those He called, He also justified;  those He justified, He also glorified. What then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all - how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:29-32

I read this portion of scripture some weeks ago and found it astounding. I remember thinking on it for a while and almost finding it hard to comprehend how God could do such a thing. My husband brought it to my attention again yesterday as he was thinking on it and all those feelings came rushing back again and even more.

When I look at the complete work that God has done through His son Jesus for us, I am truly amazed. These verses make me think of being sealed or sealing something. As a child growing up I lived with my grandmother and my mother lived in London (still does). In those days when a parcel or so came for you, it was brought directly to your house and you didn't have to open it in front of the officers at the port or so like you had to in later days. When my mother sent a parcel she really sealed it. It would be taped down over and over. They usually came by ship so it took a couple weeks before we got it, but she wanted to make sure that whatever tossing there was nothing could happen to that parcel. Sometimes it was a little dirty I guess from the tumbling or the storage but it was always intact because she made sure and sealed it really well. We even struggled to open them sometimes because she did a very good job securing what she sent.

2 Cor1:21 & 22 says Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ, He anointed us, set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, gurarantee-ing what is to come.
Before the Creation of the world we were chosen in Him (Eph.1:4). We were not afterthoughts nor were we random selections or quick picks.

God foreknew us. He knew that you and I would be unfaithful to Him many times. He knew that our hearts would turn away when life got too tough. He knew how often we would promise to serve Him but then go back on that promise. He foreknew us but yet He predestined us to be conformed to the image of His son.
O God you knew what I would be like and predestined me to be shaped in to the image of Your Son Jesus? How gracious are You Lord?

He could see way ahead to this day and time and still He didn't just predestined me, He called me. He called me. He knocked on my heart's door when I wasn't looking for Him nor was I thinking about Him. He reached down when I was lonely and lovingly drew me nigh. When I couldn't go to where He was because of the gulf of sin, He came to me. He came to you and I.

As if that wasn't enough, He didn't just call us, He justified us. With the precious blood of His son Jesus he announced to the world that nothing they did or said about you and I meant anything in His eyes. To Him it was just as if we had never sinned, because He only saw the blood on the door post of our heart.
O my Lord and Savior there's nothing I could do that could ever merit Your Love for me.

You not only called and justified me, but You glorified me. You raised me up out of the dung hill. You took me out of the miry clay, and in spite of all that you knew about me You glorified me.
Friends He didn't wait to see how I would perform, He sealed me with His love right from the start. Notice that the word is all in the past tense. He's already done it. We are already sealed unto the day of redemption (Eph.4:30).
This was not a plan that God formulated as time went on, this was God's plan before the beginning of time to last through time and eternity.

"What then shall we say in response to these things?" Paul asks in verse 31. All I can say is "hallelujah!"
My heart is so overwhelmed at the love of God. The voices of a million angels could never ever express my gratitude to Him.

 "If God is for us - how could we question it, after He predestined us, He called us, He justified us and He glorified us - who can be against us?" The enemy can come after us and he does with all his demonic forces, but we are sealed. All the tossing and tumbling and all that he throws at us cannot ultimately prevail because we are sealed unto the day of redemption. God is for us. No weapon that's formed against us will prosper. We are safe in His Hands.

Thank you Jesus. May my heart always be tender before You. May I never ever take Your love for granted.
I pray for those who read this post, that their hearts be encouraged today as they see with new eyes the love that You have for them. In Jesus name, Amen.

blessings,
Vickie