You have a choice...a choice to either live your life 100% devoted to the call of Christ or to live unto yourself.
Are you living for Jesus with your entire being? Jesus said, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind." Matthew 22:37
Loving affects Living. In other words, whatever you love the most is what you'll live for. Whatever you give your heart to is what will show up in your actions, habits, language and routine.
What are you known for? Jesus said, "by their fruits you shall know them." Matthew 7:20 The evidence of what we are shows up in our language, actions and lifestyle.
If I want to know what someone is "about"... all I have to do is listen to their conversation or watch their life choices. Whatever is IN them...will work its way OUT of them.
As a "watchmen on the wall," for the congregation He's entrusted me with, I'm doing my best to lead people forward in faith. At times, part of that responsibility compels me to "call out" unhealthy behavior and dysfunctional mindsets. It doesn't make one popular - especially with those who may be out of alignment with the cannon of Scripture and seek to justify dysfunction.
We are either living FOR ourselves...or we are living for JESUS.
People make excuses all the time. In fact, I've heard so many "juicy" excuses that I'm nearly numb.
The bottom line of human nature is this:
- WE LOVE OURSELVES MORE THAN WE LOVE GOD.
- We seek to do what is easy rather than what is right.
- We live for the TEMPORAL rather than the ETERNAL.
- We make excuses for ourselves while condemning others.
What do you want to be known for?
Believe me, you will be known for something and people will form an opinion of you (right or wrong) by your words and actions.
It is our responsibility to make sure we are representing Christ to our families and the world around us. If we are CHRISTIANS, we have an obligation to live a CHASTE life unto the Lord. A life that is full of VICTORY, VIGOR and FUN but is also DISCIPLINED, BALANCED and in pursuit of MATURITY.
If we are airing our "dirty" laundry on social media formats - then we're really revealing our immaturity and emotional dysfunction. My advice in this area is - LESS IS MORE. Sharing everything you know and feel in a public format isn't always the best therapy and certainly isn't wisdom. Sure, you may feel better getting something off your chest but at the same time you may have shot yourself in the foot with others who tire of immature, loose lipped, childish behavior.
Make a decision today to GO UP in your actions, words and lifestyle. Make a fresh start today. It's your choice.
What do you want to be known for?
