God wants us on the edge of our seat always. He wants us looking for His return. We are to be ready and waiting with anticipation. The question is, "Is my life showing that I am a pilgrim on a journey?" I must tell you the more I see of Him the less I want what this world has to offer.
"Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when the speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation." 1 Peter 2:11-12
Before all others my life is examined daily. No matter where I am there is always someone watching and waiting for me to slip. To show that I am not in fact a Christian, but a fake. Ever feel like the enemy is in wait ready to attack?
As I read this verse I see that as a pilgrim of God I am to walk in light of Him. I am to be a reflection of His love to everyone along my path. I am to conduct myself in such a way that others know I am different. Not better, but different. Not pious, but humble. Not fake, but genuine. The real deal. Walking the talk and talking the walk. Of course there are those who are against us. There are those who will attack our character and our motives. But as long as our heart is pure and we are living for God the opinions of others do not matter in such a way as to bring us down.
"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16
As Christians we are to encourage and uplift those around us. We are to give encouragement to our brothers and sisters in Christ and too many times we do not. Many times in fact we put them down. We hear whispers and we believe what is being said. The words that one says about another speaks more about that man's values than the one he is speaking of. The more we speak of others the more we are truly speaking of ourselves. Gossip is slander. It not only tears apart friendships, but our church family. How is it that we can go to church with one and see them on Sunday with a smile, but then during the week we spill the beans to another about things we have no idea about? But things we only assume? I see this more and more. Friends, we can gather our bibles each Sunday and fill the pews with our bodies, but if Jesus Christ is not present we are not having church. When He is absent from our hearts do we really think He will show up on Sunday just because we have a bible in our hands? We must be more. We must strive for more. Going to church is the easy part. It is living what we hear as we walk outside those church doors. It is Sunday through Saturday that matters. We must check ourselves in our own walk before we judge the walk of another.
Living before the world we must lay down the lusts of our flesh, whatever they may be and pick up the Word of God with a new challenge. To walk upright in a fallen world. Every choice we make effects another. A joke we just want a laugh from. Music that makes our feet move, but our hearts to cold. Television shows that highlight the wrong life is the right life. Movies that we pay to see, but never have the guts to walk out on when the subject matter is unworthy for our eyes.
In the day of visitation every knee will bow and every man will know that Jesus Christ is Lord. Every tongue will confess that He is Holy Holy Holy. On this day He will be made known in the hearts of those who believe and those who have turned will realize that He was the way all along. We need to be ready. We need to prepare. We need to shout from the rooftops that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior of all.
What are we missing? The mark. Oh, we throw darts. We aim, but this world has our eyes clouded and our vision is not clear. We focus on the things of this world rather than the hearts of man. We think we have tomorrow and we ignore all the signs God is placing before us. When will we take His coming seriously? We might say, "I am so ready for the Lord to come", but are we really? Have we told our families? What about our friends? Those co-workers we meet everyday? Even those who sit next to us in church. Can we really say we are preparing?
We take part in so much that is unworthy. We are at war with our flesh. We are to make war against all that is taking our eyes off the mark. As long as we have faith to believe Jesus is all we need. When we give up and surrender to Him, He will shine through our lives and others will see a glimpse of something so different they will wonder and ask. We leave opportunities behind. We need to be showing those around us that this world cannot satisfy. Satan disguises the lusts of the world to make us think we need them. We can't live without them. It is time to lay down all that is unholy and pick our cross and follow Him.
"Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain." Philippians 2:14-16
Do we tremble at His voice? Do we raise our hands in praise of mighty works? I don't want to get to the end of my life and look back knowing I left behind unfinished work. Undone work that my Savior made me for. I want to stand before Him and hear Him say, "Well done my faithful daughter."
Friends, if we are not in the Word we will find ourselves becoming immune to all that is around us. We will see wrong and just turn the other the way without standing for what it right. If we are not in the Word Satan will have a foothold in our life in some aspect and try to take over our life. Think he won't? He is out to kill and destroy us. There is nothing he isn't willing to do to bring us down. On our knees is where we fight him. In prayer and petition to God is where we find strength to overcome this world and shine for Him.
