There are two words that Christians ought to use regularly to encourage believers and engage with non-believers: I understand. We get it that perfection isn’t possible. We get it that mistakes will be made. We get it that flaws will come forth. We are all sinners who struggle with being the people we were made to be and doing the things we were made to do, even if we have been following Jesus for decades. We never outgrow our need for His forgiveness and help. Others need to hear us honestly acknowledge that we are fellow-sojourners who fail and fall too. And that we know where to go for grace when we do.
Turn On The Light Today
The Bible is a light that illuminates dark places. When you read it or hear it, it lights up the darkness of… Your heart. Your path. Your witness. Your life. It exposes the sinfulness of your heart so you can go to Jesus for forgiveness. It shows you the pitfalls of the path you are on so you can follow Jesus safely to where you are meant to go. It brightens your witness before other people as you go so you can point them through your good works to the hope and happiness you have in Jesus. It shines encouragement into your life so that you can keep going because of the promises of Jesus. So… turn on the light today.
Point To The Source
They may not listen. They may not care. They may not believe. But the people in our lives need to hear us bear witness to what Jesus has done for us. We have been summoned to take the stand and testify to what we know to be true. How? One way is by pointing to Jesus as the source of everything bragworthy about our past, present and future. He forgives, restores and guides us. He gives us peace, strength and rest. He is our security, hope and joy. He fills our lives with purpose, confidence and blessing. By God’s grace, may it not be that others do not know of Jesus because we did not tell what we know of Him.
What You Do Matters
The enemy wants to convince you that God isn’t using your life to make much of a difference in this world, but nothing good you do for others in the name of Jesus is ever wasted. What you do matters! Even the small stuff counts, for a tiny spark can start a wildfire and a tiny seed can birth a mighty tree. In your home, at your workplace, throughout your neighborhood, across your community, around the world… Keep doing what you were made to do even when it is hard, unpopular, tiring, inconvenient, thankless, lonely or unnoticed, trusting that God will work through you to fulfill His purposes.
Instead Of Condemning Others
When we remember and rejoice in Jesus’ removal of our own condemnation, we will stop condemning the people around us. For those of us who have received His priceless gift of salvation, there is no condemnation for our sins, though we were rightly deserving of that condemnation. By the lavish grace of God, we are pardoned. Guilty, yet set free. Flawed, yet forgiven. Outsiders, yet welcomed in. Enemies, yet made family. Deserving of hell, yet shown mercy. Wages of death earned, yet eternal life freely given. Instead of condemning others, let us point them to the fountain of grace we ourselves are drinking from.
Calling Out From The Noise
Last week is behind you. This week is ahead of you. What did you do, and what will you do, that really matters? It’s important that we take regular inventory of how we are spending our time to make sure we don’t waste away on unimportant things the lives that God has given us. The enemy wants us to lose our focus and lose our purpose. And one of his primary weapons against us is busyness. Much of it is meaningless distraction away from the important work God has given us to do. Today, listen for your Father’s voice calling out from the noise and leading you to do great things that matter forever.
Love Is Not Silent
Love your spiritual siblings. Love your neighbors. Love your enemies. The Bible makes it clear that we are to love other people, but sometimes we are not clear about what it looks like to love other people. One thing we need to understand is this: It is un-loving to be silent. Silent in calling people to repent. Silent in calling people to follow Jesus. Silent in calling people to live abundantly. Love isn’t indifferent to the well-being of others or tolerant of the wrong-doing of others. We are to show up, speak up and stick up for people in ways that invite them in to enjoy the ever-present, everlasting love of God.
He Is Far Better Than What They See In Us
As image-bearers of God who are to model Jesus to a hurting and hungry world, there are two things we need to do: Make it clear what Jesus is like. Make it clear that Jesus is not like us. In other words, we need the people in our lives to see us showing them the heart of our Savior. But, let’s face it. We’re going to get this wrong a lot of times. So, we also need to tell others what Jesus is like. That He is… Purer than us. Wiser than us. Calmer than us. Kinder than us. Stronger than us. Greater than us. Let us strive by grace to show others Who Jesus is, but let us also tell others that He is far better than what they see in us.
Go Shine Your Light
God didn’t create you primarily so you could make a lot of money, take a lot of trips, have a lot of fun, and indulge in a lot of temporary pleasures. Those things may be a part of your experience, but they are a means to this end: “to let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Today, be mindful of the beautiful calling upon your life: You were made to be… An image-bearer. A darkness-brightener. A difference-maker. A good-works-doer. A Jesus-treasurer. A God-glorifier. That is why you are here … so, go shine your light!
Pressing On And Passing On
One of the primary aims of Christianity is to invite as many people who are far from God into the joy that we have in Him so they can experience it with us. To fight the good fight, finish the race and keep the faith means not only enduring in the gospel ourselves until our homecoming, but also equipping others with the gospel so they can fight on, race on, and keep on when we have gone on, until there is no place left that has not heard the good news of Jesus. A life well-lived means we press on in the faith ourselves and pass on the faith to others so that God is honored in more of us and more of us are happy in Him.
Those Who Are Close To You But Far From God
Are you praying for God to change the lives of those who are close to you but far from Him? It may not look promising right now, but don’t lose hope because no one is a lost cause. That family member, that friend or even that foe can be changed by God no matter how disinterested they are in Him or distant they are from Him. A rebellious will can surrender to the plans of Jesus. A closed mind can open to the good news of Jesus. A hard heart can soften to the love of Jesus. Keep talking to God about that person and keep talking to that person about God. Remember: He can do for others what He has done for us.
If We’re Going To Say Something About Someon …
Here’s the ironic truth about gossip: it says more about the one doing the talking than the one being talked about. Gossip reveals a heart that finds more pleasure in the transfer of information than in the transformation of an individual. It is the opposite of the gospel for it is indifferent to its harmful effect on others, or it is intent on that harmful effect. Rather than pointing out the bad news about others, we should use our words to point to the good news of our Savior. Let us fill our minds and our mouths with things that repeat His story. If we’re going to say something about someone else, may it be about Jesus.
The Much-Needed Act Of Spurring
Every Christian should not only lovingly do good things, but should also spur on other Christians to lovingly do good things. This includes encouraging both those who are passive and those who are active in serving God’s kingdom. Some people need to be convinced to get going. Some people need to be cheered to keep going. It’s easy to get distracted and discouraged when it comes to pursuing eternal priorities, so we need to help each other not lose focus and not lose heart. Instead of assuming others will continue in a life of good works in the Name of Jesus, we should be affirming them as they do.
Tell Your Story. Tell His Story.
Who you were. What you do. Where you’re from. Where you’re going. What you believe. Who you are. Every Christian has a story to tell, and each one is important and worth telling when Jesus is rightly portrayed as the Hero of it. Your narrative is unique, and you will unfold it in bits and pieces in everyday conversations with the people in your life. As you do, be sure to point them to the Author of your story Who is the Source of every good thing you have in your life and all that you hope for in the one to come. Tell your story. Tell His story. People need to know what you know … that they need to know Jesus.
Truth Matters
If you know a tornado is headed for me, I don’t want you to disregard, downplay, deceive, or delay in telling me about the danger of my situation or my inaction. I want the truth. I need the truth. I may not like the truth, but my life depends upon you telling me the truth. As Christians we should be… Lovers of truth. Guardians of truth. Speakers of truth. Receivers of truth. But we shouldn’t be manufacturers of our own truth. God has ordained that we communicate the truths of His word and His world to each other so that we can be set free from sinful self-destruction and find our way to safety in Him. Truth matters.
It’s What You Forward Ahead
One thing most of us struggle with is disobedience by delay. That is, we wait to do what God has called and equipped us to do. We wait until a more convenient time, thinking we have plenty of time, but more often than not, we will run out of time. For most of us, God doesn’t mean for us to wait until some future day to serve Him by going out in a million-dollar blaze of glory, but rather He wants us to give ourselves to Him in daily nickels and dimes of service. By grace, lay up treasures in heaven with how you use your time today. It’s not what you leave behind that matters most. It’s what you forward ahead.
You Are Not Done Shining Yet
God will bring you through 100% of your dark days until He brings you home. He will not forget you a single moment. He will not forsake you a single time. He will not fail you a single day. Will it always be easy? No. Will it always be comfortable? No. Will it always be the way you want it? No. But it will always be under the careful, calculated and compassionate rule of a Father Who loves you and has a purpose for you. You are alive and breathing today because God made it so; God made it so because you were made to be a light in this dark world. And you are not done shining yet.
The Model, Means And Motivation For Loving Others
This is the model, means, and motivation for every expression of our love toward the people God has put into our lives… Jesus loves us. Jesus loves us. Jesus loves us. For who better to love imperfect people than those who were at their own worst when Jesus loved them anyway? He loved us then. He loves us now. He will keep loving us forever. Listen: It’s not about trying harder to love better; it’s about rejoicing in the love that God has shown us in Jesus and then responding by loving Him back and sharing His love with other people. There is grace for us when we get this wrong and grace to help us get it right.
Who Would Love People Like Them?
Let’s be honest… Loving others isn’t as easy as it sounds. Some of the people where we live, work and play are know-it-alls, gossips, selfish, cry-babies, back-stabbers, unforgivers, lazy, troublemakers, judgmental, self-righteous, unkind, power-hungry, cheaters, entitled, drama queens, hypocrites, snobs, braggarts, and downright unlikeable. Who would love people like them? Jesus. Jesus would love people like them. Jesus loves people like you and me, who are just like them. We may sin differently than others we know, but we are sinners just the same. And Jesus loves us anyway. So we love others in His way.
For You To Love On Them
Every person in your life is there for this reason: for you to love on them. God put you where you are, and brought people into your life where you are, so you could demonstrate His love for them, to them. These aren’t just neighbors, co-workers, and teammates; they are intended recipients of God’s affection to be administered through you. Every meeting, conversation and encounter is a wonderful occasion to bless and brighten someone else’s life to the glory of God. Remember today…The intersections where your life meets someone else’s life hold a beautiful, God-given opportunity and responsibility to love like Jesus.
