Living Christian Standards

How well your faith grows is indicated by the expression of your faith. Our faith is expressed in several ways. Firstly worship, praise & thanksgiving. Secondly, our daily behaviour, dress & language. Thirdly, our promotion of The Faith, which is the gospel message. We can promote it by explaining it to others, we can promote it by sacrificially financing those that explain it, or we can promote it by physically and/or emotionally helping anyone in need, that is being a ‘good Samaritan’ while providing access to the gospel. NEGLECTING TO EXPRESS OUR FAITH, IS THE SAME AS NEGLECTING TO LIVE BY CHRISTIAN STANDARDS. Why? Because Christ is our standard, and he came to seek and save the lost, Matthew 18:11, Luke 19:10.

 

Goals of Christian living are summed up in the greatest command: Love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength & mind, and your neighbor as yourself.. Mark 12:30 & Luke 10:27.

 

HEART 1st Peter 3:15-16, Sanctifying Christ as Lord in our hearts, is equated with being prepared to give an answer to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in your heart. What we really love in our heart, is what we will talk about by our mouth. Matthew 12:34.

 

SOUL :  1st Peter 2:18-23, to endure hardship for doing what we believe Christ would do. Because Christ suffered for us, we in turn should be willing to undergo hardship for the truth. Christ did not strike back when suffering for the truth of doing what is right, but committed Himself to the One who judges justly. Can we commit our own soul, that is our self into His care?

 

STRENGTH :  Philippians 1:20, to highly honor Christ in our bodies, or “magnify Him”. That is to have our lifestyle extol or sharpen the image of Christ, so others can see an example of Jesus. WWJD? 1st Corinthians 11:1.

 

MIND :  Philippians 2:5-8, to adopt Christ’s attitude of servitude in our thinking. This requires us to put the needs of other people up above our own needs in our mind.

 

These are all listed as goals, because each of us struggles to consistently live every day like we truly love the Lord with all our heart, soul, strength and mind. If we know what hinders us, then we are more likely to overcome sin. This will help our love for God to grow deeper.  Law of Interference; plants don’t grow well when crowded, we can allow worldly things to crowd out spiritual things, please read Mark 4:18-19 & 1st Kings 20:39-40.  Law of Disuse; A knife stays bright when used, but when sat sheathed it eventually becomes rusty, Matthew 25:14-30, be careful to never neglect one single talent, if you don’t use it, you will lose it. Discouragemnt; this usually starts with feelings of uselessness, but God promises in 1st Cor. 15:58 that none of our labor for Him will be in vain. Do you believe this?

 

This week’s pointer in prayer;

Can we ask God to help us imitate Jesus? How do we learn what kind of mother/father Jesus would be?, or what kind of employer Jesus would be? Or what kind of student Jesus would be?, or what kind of husband and/or wife Jesus would be?  Do you believe these type of questions in prayer are inappropriate?