Christ's Prayer and your life

Christ’s prayer and your life
Jesus prayed,
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” John 17:20-21.
Here Jesus prays not just for his disciples and those who believed in him while he was on earth. In essence Jesus is praying for all those who believe in him, and are presenting the salvation message to the present day.
As believers in Christ we need to be telling the world about Jesus. We need to be living a life that reflects Jesus in a positive light. The writer of Hebrews tells us,
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14.
The life of a believer in Christ should be a positive one. Followers of Jesus need to be known for their beliefs, not for what they are against.
Mahatma Gandhi upon observing some who called themselves Christians said,

“Jesus is ideal and wonderful, but you Christians

 - you are not like him.

                                  Mahatma Gandhi

All too often especially here in North America people see those claiming to be Christians and observe what Gandhi seen.
They see Christians in a negative way. Believers in Christ need to take the advise of the apostle Peter to heart when he wrote,
“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 2:11,12
Question. If you claim to be Christian are you as the writer of Hebrews said, making,
“....every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Hebrews 12:14.
Please think about it.

Your Life

Your Life
Question,  Are you living life the way God would want you to live?
James the half brother of Jesus writes,
“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.  
But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.  
Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.  
For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.  
Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.” James 3:13-18.
If you claim to be a follower of Christ you will desire to live a life that is acceptable to Jesus. In order to do that we must do our best to live a good life. A life of humility. We are not to harbour bitter envy and selfish ambitions or deny the truth. As James tells us this “is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil.”
As James states,
“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
Wisdom however that comes from heaven as James put it
“...is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.”
The Apostle Paul tells us,

“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.  

Galatians 5:22,23.

  If we claim to be Christians what James and Paul are saying need to be seen in our life by those around us with out us saying a word.
Question, when people see your life, what are they seeing?
Please think about it. 

Your Life

Your Life
The Psalmist writes,

“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked

 or stand in the way of sinners

 or sit in the seat of mockers. 

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, 

and on his law he meditates day and night.” 

Psalm 1:1,2.

The writer of Hebrews states,

“Make every effort to live in peace with all men 

and to be holy; 

without holiness no one will see the Lord.” 

Hebrews 12:14.

If you claim to be a Christian do you live a Holy life? A lifestyle that the world is attracted to?
Francis of Assisi said,

“The deeds you do 

may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 

 Francis of Assisi.

When people look at you do they see a positive difference between your lifestyle as a Christian and that of the world, OR do people see in you a religious version of the world?
Billy Graham noted,
“Those outside the church expect followers of Christ to live differently, yet today many in church are chasing after the world - not to win them, but to be like them.”Billy Graham.
As Christians we need to study the scriptures. We need to look to the examples of Christ and the apostles. These men never raised a fist in anger. They never spoke against the Roman secular government.
They preached the gospel of Love. God’s love for all men. They led by example. They were willing to sit down with anyone who would listen and tell them about the Good News of Jesus Christ. They sent such an example that 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.
Is this the kind of life you are living as a Christian?
As a Christian you are called to Love God, your neighbour and even your enemy. Jesus 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 told us,

“So in everything, do to others 

what you would have them do to you, 

for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” 

Matthew 7:12.

If you claim to be a Christian are you doing this.
Please think about it.

Your Life

Your Life
The apostle Peter writes,
“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.
Francis of Assisi wrote,
“The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 
                                                                                                          Francis of Assisi
What is your sermon telling the people around you? Is your life reflecting the love of God to those around you.
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 by men. 
You are the 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 men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
                          Matthew 5:13-16
A great light shines on the Christian. The eternal resting place of people we come in contact with may depend on us. By our deeds will people will judge, not only us, but Christ.
We must at all times act in an ethical and moral way toward those around us. We cannot afford to do less.
All too often I’ve heard “Why should I go to church. I know people who say they are Christians and I live lives that are better than them.”
As Christians we need to be going before God each day and asking him to show us how we can live a better life. How we can live a life acceptable to Him.
Billy Graham said,
“The men who followed Him were unique in their generation. They turned the world upside down because their hearts had been turned right side up. The world has never been the same.”
                                                                                                                                         Billy Graham.
Is your heart turned right side up?
When people look at you and your life do they see a morally and ethically good person? Do they see Christ reflected in your life and lifestyle?
For many years I was a professional clown. I did everything from Children’s birthday parties to major events to which thousands showed up. Before I left my home to perform I said a simple prayer that I still say each morning. I pray,
Dear Heavenly Father,
May your will be done in my life this day. May I perform to the best of my ability. May I bring a little joy, happiness, and laughter to those whom I preform in front of. May all who see me see Jesus reflected in my life.
                            Amen.
You may not think you are performing but you are. Your life is a performance. Each day when you meet people they consciously or subconsciously are judging your performance.
So what will they see in your performance?
Please think about it.

Your LIfe

Your Life
Ben Zion Bokser
"The man sweeping the synagogue paused for a moment.  He looked at the flowers lying about in disorder, ‘What waste!’  He said too himself.  Those roses had adorned the pulpit at a wedding aan hour before.  Now all was over and they were waiting to be discarded.
The attendant leaning on his sweeper was lost in thought when suddenly he heard a strange sound.  One of the roses replied to him.
‘Do you call this a waste?” the flower protested, ‘What is life anyway, yours or mine, but a means of service?  My mission was to create some fragrance and beauty, and when I have fulfilled it my life has not been wasted.  And what greater privilege is there than to adorn a bride’s way to her beloved, what greater privilege than to help glorify the moment when a bride and groom seal their faith in each other by entering the covenant of marriage?’
Our little flower paused for a moment too watch the man’s face, and then continued her discourse.
‘Roses are like people.  They live in deeds, not in time.  My glory was but for a brief hour, but you should have seen the joy in the bride’s eye.  I like to believe that I had something to do with it, by creating a suitable setting for the moment of her supreme happiness.  So don’t grieve for me.  My life has been worthwhile.
Having spoken her little piece, the rose was once more silent.  The attendant, startled from his reverie and a little wiser, pushed the sweeper again and continued with his work."
                                                                                                              Ben Zion Bokser
Does your life have meaning? What will your deeds tell about you?
Not so long ago I was at the funeral of a young man who’d died before his thirtieth birthday. To my wife and I this young man was respectful and pleasant to be around. He had an eight year old daughter and girlfriend that loved him.
By all accounts sadly he was an alcoholic who couldn’t give up the bottle. He was also I’m told a mean drunk frequently getting into fights.
It was a fight that ultimately killed him. He died as the result of a series of punches or kicks to the head that caused him to bleed into his brain.
In the end his father told me he was expecting a call telling him his son had died a violent death. That it was easy to see how his end would come.
Sadly along with being remembered as a good father he will be remembered as a person who when drunk used his fits.
There are many in the Christian community that will be remembered in a similar way to that young man.
O they won’t be remembered as an alcoholic or someone who used their fist in a physical way.
They will however be remembered as a good parent and spouse. Sadly they will also be remembered as someone who’s actions turned people away from Christ saving grace.
You don’t have to throw a punch to hurt people. Standing with a placard in front of an abortion clinic or court room to oppose same sex marriage is in many ways similar.
When we as Christians protest any legal activity in a secular democracy, even if we consider it morally wrong it is in itself wrong. It can and dose turn people away from Christ.
The apostle Peter writes,
“Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority,  or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right.  
          For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.  Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.  
Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” 
   1 Peter 2:13-16.
The apostle Paul confirms this saying,
“Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.  
Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.” 
                                                                                         Romans 13:1,2.
The early church lived within Roman laws. They respected even though they may not have agreed with the laws Rome passed.
Those same early Christians presented the Gospel of Christ so effectively that in short order the word of God had reached every part of the Roman empire.
Those early Christians were remembered for their courage under persecution. They were remembered for their faithfulness to Christ.
My question is what will those claiming to be Christians here in North America, that are demonstrating against the rights of others be remembered for?
Christians should not be demonstrating against abortion clinics. They should be providing an alternative well publicized alternatives to abortions.
They should not be protesting against law the secular government passes that does not restrict the rights of Christians or others.
The writer of Hebrews states,
“Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” 
Hebrews 12:14 
Christians should be remembered for living at peace and living holy lives. For it is only by doing this that we can reach people for Christ.
Please think about it.