Christian LIfestyle

Christian lifestyle,
The Apostle Paul writes,
“But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.
"The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions  and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. 
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.  
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." Galatians 5:18-25.
Do you exhibit the fruits of the Spirit?
A friend told me of a woman who was a member of the Salvation army. This was decades ago in Europe. She would wander into bars in her uniform take off her cap and go around the patrons asking for donations. She never condemned them for their drinking or being in a bar. She never preached a sermon. She never verbally asked for money. She simply took off her cap and moved from patron to patron.
Everyone in that bar however knew what the uniform, and she stood for and they respected her.
One day apparently there was a big burley sailor who entered the bar. Someone not familiar with her. He stood in front of her and said a few choice and very vulgar words to her, trying to intimidate her. Still she stood her ground.
The bar according to my friend became very quiet. The man looked around and could see every eye was on him. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out a large bill, put it into her hat then left. To the shouts of delight of the other patrons.
The woman paused, waited for the noise to die down and said something to the effect. “That man is loved by God. As are you all. I shall pray for him as I do for you all each day. That you may accept Christ as your saviour.”
My friend although not a Christian remembered that encounter as if it were yesterday.
When he told me the story I thought of how she showed the love of Jesus. I remembered the words of Paul who said,
“the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”
In doing what she did she exhibited these attributes of the spirit as should we all who claim to be believers in Christ.
That woman planted a seed in my friends heart. I had the good fortune of being able to water that seed when he told me about her. To tell him about the Love of God, the Love of Jesus.
All because of this nameless woman who years before had exhibited the fruits of the spirit in front of my friend.
I’m sure that woman never consciously realized my friend was watching, but he was. The fact is if you claim to be a believer in Christ those around you are watching.
Francis of Assisi once wrote,

“The deeds you do 

may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 

                                                                     Francis of Assisi

Please think about it.

Christian LIfestyle

Christian Lifestyle
The Apostle Peter states,
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  
Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 
Dear friends,
 I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  
Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:9-12.
The writer of Proverbs states,

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; 

bind them around your neck,

 write them on the tablet of your heart. 

Then you will win favor and a good name

 in the sight of God and man.” 

Proverbs 3:3,4.

It is clear the members of the early church practised what is said above because the book of acts records,
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  
Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.  
All the believers were together and had everything in common.  
Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.  
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,  praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47.
The early church is an example of how we as Christians in the twenty-first century should live. The early church was showing love. It watched out for the needs of other believers and did it’s best to help them.
While the early church was still a part of Judaism when the book of acts was written, and it had a difference of opinion on who Jesus was. They still put into practice what Jesus and the apostles taught. Which was the essence of the teaching of Judaism that taught love. The book of  Deuteronomy stating
“Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  
These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.  
Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”  Deuteronomy 6:5-7
Jesus echoed this when asked,
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” 
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  
This is the first and greatest commandment. 
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  
All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40
Jesus also stated,
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  
But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  
that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous...”Matthew 5: 43-45
The result was those around them seen their love and devotion to God through their actions. As a result they gained the respect of those around them.
My question to you, if you claim to be a Christian in the twenty-first century. Do people see your love for God, your neighbour and even your enemy?
Are you remembered for these things?
Please think about it. 

Christian Lifestyle

Christian Lifestyle
Jesus said,

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened,

 and I will give you rest.  

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, 

for I am gentle and humble in heart, 

and you will find rest for your souls.  

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

Matthew 11:28-30.

If you were in a position to give the people around you peace and rest would you? OR would you push people away. Tell them they are no good and don’t deserve what you are offering.
I think any person in their right mind would offer the peace and rest to all. Yet many calling themselves Christians push people away from the peace and rest that Jesus has to offer.
I hear it from non-Christians all the time. They say Christians look down on them or act like they have a “special sin”. They see some calling themselves Christians as judgmental prejudice and bigots.
They look at the lives of those claiming to be Christians and say “why should I become a Christian. I live as good a life as them if not better.
I as a Christian, with admittedly as many flaws as anyone can see were non-Christians are coming from.
Christians need to be careful with respect to how they act and speak. Christianity is first and foremost a way of life, a lifestyle committed to Christ, committed to God.
We are to do as Jesus would do and that means loving God, our neighbour, our enemy and praying for our persecutors. We cannot do less.
Christians are not to judge anyone outside their faith. Jesus saying,
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”Matthew 7:1,2.
The apostle Paul telling us,
“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  
God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12,13.
We as Christians are to tell people about the love and grace of God through Jesus Christ. We are sinners as much as anyone. The apostle Paul reminding us,
“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23,24.
When Paul said “ALL”, he meant all you, me everyone who has ever been born. There is no big or little sin, no special sin. Sin is sin and sin separates us from God.
By judging someone outside of our faith we are sinning. Sinning is anything that is contrary to what God wants for your life.
An intense light shines on Christians. The eternal resting place of those we meet may depend on how we act and what we say to others. We cannot do anything less that show them love. Love the apostle Paul describes in 1 Corinthians, when he says,

“Love is patient, love is kind. 

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, 

it is not easily angered, 

it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil 

but rejoices with the truth.  

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails....

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. 

But the greatest of these is love.”  

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13.

If we claim to be Christians we need to look at how we interact with others. We need to ask ourselves are we showing the love of God to all people or is our life, lifestyle and what we say turning people away?
Please think about it.