Are You Living Like You Have A "Free Pass"
Colossians 4:2 & 5
Vs 2: “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart."
Vs 5: "Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity."
Well, according to verse 2, (joke coming) I am NOT to pray first thing in the morning LOL I am NOT a morning person LOL However, I actually think this verse goes along with SO many others, that we are to be 'sober' and 'ready' to pray at all times. I agree with this verse, to always have thankfulness mixed in our prayer requests too. Verse 5 'live wisely' - what does your life look like to people around you? Are you just a Christian at home, behind closed doors? Or NOT at home, but only around others? Or just on Sunday? Or only with other believers? How do you act in front of others? Are you being a good 'steward' with what God has blessed you with? People are ALWAYS watching us!! Especially those searching for God. If we go out and spend money that we don't really have, and buy things we could actually do without - those that watch us, are put off by that. If we drink or do drugs (prescribed or not) and we are not 'clear minded' when we are around others, this too turns them away from God. Big one, if we profess Christ as our Savior, and even try and share Him with our friends, family, neighbors - but we lie, cheat or steal - they KNOW it, they see it, they feel it in their bones.... the 'red flag' of us being a hypocrite. Worse yet, because we confess that we are a Christian and are "like Christ" they view Jesus as someone He is not! Sad.
We are supposed to be "making the most of every opportunity" when we are around others. That is for the sole purpose to witness and share about Jesus! How He has changed us and our lives. If we are living in a way, that reflects badly on our salvation - then we are actually "putting others off" of their accepting the free gift of salvation. Does that feel like too big of a responsibility? Well it should, because it is! We are called to share the Good News and the Gospel of Christ. Why? To lead others to accepting His grace and mercy through Salvation the forgiveness of sins. When we are a 'bad example' of someone "living for Christ" - then we in fact, are causing someone to either delay their receiving their Gift, or them rejecting it all together. OUCH!
So, today, between you and God - ask the Holy Spirit to help shine a light and reveal any area that needs to be 'cleaned up' so that our witness of Jesus thru us, is good and inviting. No, we don't have to be perfect, but we also can't use our salvation as a 'free pass' to live and work and behave in disrespectful or sinful ways. Let's be brave and take off our "Two-Faced" mask, so Jesus can shine thru us to others! Let's "live wisely among them" so that we can actually make the most of every opportunity.
Vs 2: “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart."
Vs 5: "Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity."
Well, according to verse 2, (joke coming) I am NOT to pray first thing in the morning LOL I am NOT a morning person LOL However, I actually think this verse goes along with SO many others, that we are to be 'sober' and 'ready' to pray at all times. I agree with this verse, to always have thankfulness mixed in our prayer requests too. Verse 5 'live wisely' - what does your life look like to people around you? Are you just a Christian at home, behind closed doors? Or NOT at home, but only around others? Or just on Sunday? Or only with other believers? How do you act in front of others? Are you being a good 'steward' with what God has blessed you with? People are ALWAYS watching us!! Especially those searching for God. If we go out and spend money that we don't really have, and buy things we could actually do without - those that watch us, are put off by that. If we drink or do drugs (prescribed or not) and we are not 'clear minded' when we are around others, this too turns them away from God. Big one, if we profess Christ as our Savior, and even try and share Him with our friends, family, neighbors - but we lie, cheat or steal - they KNOW it, they see it, they feel it in their bones.... the 'red flag' of us being a hypocrite. Worse yet, because we confess that we are a Christian and are "like Christ" they view Jesus as someone He is not! Sad.
We are supposed to be "making the most of every opportunity" when we are around others. That is for the sole purpose to witness and share about Jesus! How He has changed us and our lives. If we are living in a way, that reflects badly on our salvation - then we are actually "putting others off" of their accepting the free gift of salvation. Does that feel like too big of a responsibility? Well it should, because it is! We are called to share the Good News and the Gospel of Christ. Why? To lead others to accepting His grace and mercy through Salvation the forgiveness of sins. When we are a 'bad example' of someone "living for Christ" - then we in fact, are causing someone to either delay their receiving their Gift, or them rejecting it all together. OUCH!
So, today, between you and God - ask the Holy Spirit to help shine a light and reveal any area that needs to be 'cleaned up' so that our witness of Jesus thru us, is good and inviting. No, we don't have to be perfect, but we also can't use our salvation as a 'free pass' to live and work and behave in disrespectful or sinful ways. Let's be brave and take off our "Two-Faced" mask, so Jesus can shine thru us to others! Let's "live wisely among them" so that we can actually make the most of every opportunity.
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