Friday, November 25, 2011
Friday, November 4, 2011
2 Marks of a true follower of Christ
Rescue those who are being taken away to death;
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
12If you say, "Behold, we did not know this,"
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it,
and will he not repay man according to his work?
Proverbs 24:11-12
Everyday before I start school with the kids I read the Proverb for the day. I realize that while they eat that bowl of Frosted Mini Wheats or eggs and toast that they may not be tuned in keenly to what I am reading. But my prayer is that they will pick up on truths that will be planted deep, deep down in the well of their soul. Every new month we start over, reading the same ones over and over. But last month on the 24th those two verses struck something deep in my own soul. So I did a study on them. Turns out that what those verses are referring to are two-fold.
First, it is directing that as true followers of God we are to care for those who are suffering. When God reveals a need to us, when He lets us in on a plight of some form we are to do what we can to relieve that person. The orphans of course come to my mind since that is where we are walking. But of course it is for the widows, the poor and homeless, the tired and weary, the hurting. There is no need to pray God should I help, the prayer is HOW can I help. Does He want me to provide food? A hug and encouraging words? Money? My home? My time? We are His people bearing His name. We can not sit by and say "But we did not know". God perceives our hearts, He holds us accountable. We are to lead the way to bandage the broken and hurting, "to hold back those being taken away to death, those stumbling to the slaughter". Never have I seen such hurting world-wide, never have I seen so many chances to be God's hands and feet. It can be overwhelming. God help us to be focused on where You are at work and give us a discerning heart to MOVE and DO!
Second, the verses point to rescuing those being taken away to death through a life of sin. If we see someone stumbling to the slaughter, taking a path that will lead to their demise, we are to ACT. Again we can not say "Behold we did not know this." People are all around in droves marching to their graves in need of a Savior. How dare us not invest in their lives. We must. God says. The times in which we live demands us to measure every activity against His word. True followers of Christ must de tangle themselves from the world and pursue people. Now, am I saying we are to quit all extra curricular activities and do a mass evangelism door to door every day all day?? No of course not! We must though change the reason we do them. If you take your kids to ball use this as an activity to reach out to your community for Christ. Meaning get involved in their lives. Build relationships. Don't just invite them to church, even though that is great. Do Not just give them a tract even though that is good too. Learn their hurts, their background, go to dinner with them. Speak truth into their lives. If you work, that is no longer just a job, a way of providing for your family. It is now a battlefield where you seek out the ones the enemy has injured and lied to and you are escorting them to the path of life. This includes our Christian brothers and sisters. We all have stumbled onto the wrong path and need help and encouragement coming back.
I feel like God has shown me that this is a true mark of a true follower. We can not simply declare His name, or accept His salvation. We must do, obey what He says. And clearly He has spoken.
I hope I didn't bore you with rambling. God has convicted me about all this lately. It is where I am walking. May God change our hearts. I pray He speaks to you clearly too. May He stir us to ACT and SIT NO MORE!
Pressing On,
Carrie
hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.
12If you say, "Behold, we did not know this,"
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it,
and will he not repay man according to his work?
Proverbs 24:11-12
Everyday before I start school with the kids I read the Proverb for the day. I realize that while they eat that bowl of Frosted Mini Wheats or eggs and toast that they may not be tuned in keenly to what I am reading. But my prayer is that they will pick up on truths that will be planted deep, deep down in the well of their soul. Every new month we start over, reading the same ones over and over. But last month on the 24th those two verses struck something deep in my own soul. So I did a study on them. Turns out that what those verses are referring to are two-fold.
First, it is directing that as true followers of God we are to care for those who are suffering. When God reveals a need to us, when He lets us in on a plight of some form we are to do what we can to relieve that person. The orphans of course come to my mind since that is where we are walking. But of course it is for the widows, the poor and homeless, the tired and weary, the hurting. There is no need to pray God should I help, the prayer is HOW can I help. Does He want me to provide food? A hug and encouraging words? Money? My home? My time? We are His people bearing His name. We can not sit by and say "But we did not know". God perceives our hearts, He holds us accountable. We are to lead the way to bandage the broken and hurting, "to hold back those being taken away to death, those stumbling to the slaughter". Never have I seen such hurting world-wide, never have I seen so many chances to be God's hands and feet. It can be overwhelming. God help us to be focused on where You are at work and give us a discerning heart to MOVE and DO!
Second, the verses point to rescuing those being taken away to death through a life of sin. If we see someone stumbling to the slaughter, taking a path that will lead to their demise, we are to ACT. Again we can not say "Behold we did not know this." People are all around in droves marching to their graves in need of a Savior. How dare us not invest in their lives. We must. God says. The times in which we live demands us to measure every activity against His word. True followers of Christ must de tangle themselves from the world and pursue people. Now, am I saying we are to quit all extra curricular activities and do a mass evangelism door to door every day all day?? No of course not! We must though change the reason we do them. If you take your kids to ball use this as an activity to reach out to your community for Christ. Meaning get involved in their lives. Build relationships. Don't just invite them to church, even though that is great. Do Not just give them a tract even though that is good too. Learn their hurts, their background, go to dinner with them. Speak truth into their lives. If you work, that is no longer just a job, a way of providing for your family. It is now a battlefield where you seek out the ones the enemy has injured and lied to and you are escorting them to the path of life. This includes our Christian brothers and sisters. We all have stumbled onto the wrong path and need help and encouragement coming back.
I feel like God has shown me that this is a true mark of a true follower. We can not simply declare His name, or accept His salvation. We must do, obey what He says. And clearly He has spoken.
I hope I didn't bore you with rambling. God has convicted me about all this lately. It is where I am walking. May God change our hearts. I pray He speaks to you clearly too. May He stir us to ACT and SIT NO MORE!
Pressing On,
Carrie
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