A Note to Christians
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.
Dear Christian are you living a life acceptable to God?
The other day I was at a friends store. They are getting ready for their opening and I was helping them out. The persons sister came into the store who claimed to be a Christian. She didn’t see me I was hidden behind a shelf.
Without even saying hello she immediately started criticising everything she seen and not in a good way. I have a fairly thick skin and am not easily upset. But she upset me and had my friend who’s store it was in tears.
My friend had put a lot of work into making the place look good and it did look very good. She’d had her own business before and knew how things worked.
Others had come into the place and commented on how good it looked. Yet her own sister who claimed to be a believer in Christ verbally abused her it was that bad.
I said nothing. I didn’t have a chance she left almost as quick as she came but she left. She left as I said leaving my friend in tears. It took well over an hour for her to compose herself.
Francis of Assisi said,
“The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today”
Francis of Assisi.
The sermon that woman preached that day was one of arrogance and hate. She showed no understanding or love toward her own sister. It was a horrible testimony for someone who claims to be a Christian.
Had non-Christians been there she would have turned them away from God.
The apostle Peter’s admonition,
“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.”
Should be integral to our walk as Christians. We should not attack.
Jesus said,
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”
Matthew 10:16
Simply put we are to be wise and carful in what we say. Harmless as a dove. No one should see a Christian as threatening. They should see us as loving, caring and understanding.
We should be an example of love as written by the apostle Paul who said,
As Christians we need to every once in a while ask God to increase the Love we have for both Him and those around us.
We need to pray a prayer like Francis of Assisi, who prayed,
Please think about it.
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.
Dear Christian are you living a life acceptable to God?
The other day I was at a friends store. They are getting ready for their opening and I was helping them out. The persons sister came into the store who claimed to be a Christian. She didn’t see me I was hidden behind a shelf.
Without even saying hello she immediately started criticising everything she seen and not in a good way. I have a fairly thick skin and am not easily upset. But she upset me and had my friend who’s store it was in tears.
My friend had put a lot of work into making the place look good and it did look very good. She’d had her own business before and knew how things worked.
Others had come into the place and commented on how good it looked. Yet her own sister who claimed to be a believer in Christ verbally abused her it was that bad.
I said nothing. I didn’t have a chance she left almost as quick as she came but she left. She left as I said leaving my friend in tears. It took well over an hour for her to compose herself.
Francis of Assisi said,
“The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today”
Francis of Assisi.
The sermon that woman preached that day was one of arrogance and hate. She showed no understanding or love toward her own sister. It was a horrible testimony for someone who claims to be a Christian.
Had non-Christians been there she would have turned them away from God.
The apostle Peter’s admonition,
“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.”
Should be integral to our walk as Christians. We should not attack.
Jesus said,
“I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”
Matthew 10:16
Simply put we are to be wise and carful in what we say. Harmless as a dove. No one should see a Christian as threatening. They should see us as loving, caring and understanding.
We should be an example of love as written by the apostle Paul who said,
“Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,
it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails....
And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a,13As Christians we need to every once in a while ask God to increase the Love we have for both Him and those around us.
We need to pray a prayer like Francis of Assisi, who prayed,
“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”
Francis of AssisiPlease think about it.
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