WHAT DOES YOUR CONVERSATION SAY ABOUT YOU?
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.
Romans 1:16 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
There is a difference between being ashamed of the “Good News about Christ” and being ashamed of man’s religion. I grew up in some churches that allowed a lot of weird stuff to happen in the name of being open to the Holy Spirit. There were some amazing things that occurred but there were also sometimes when human flesh attempted to corrupt the reality of the Holy Spirit.
I was scared to invite anyone to my church because I was sure it would be one of those “weird” services. As I got older, I began to realize the Holy Spirit is not weird, people are weird. The Holy Spirit is beautiful, loving, and empowering. Some people have blamed the Holy Spirit for their weirdness, but they were weird before the Holy Spirit got involved.
I am a grandfather of four of the most amazing grandkids in the world. I carry a large collection of their pictures in my phone and am always ready to introduce you to my family. I am proud of the blessings God has brought into my life through my family. I want to tell people about my family.
My family is not perfect—they have me as a father and grandfather so there are some mistakes and issues. But I am very proud of every one of them. I want to talk about them.
The church is not perfect. But Jesus is perfect. The “Good News” about Jesus is that He died and rose again to pay the price for our sins. Because of His sacrifice we can be forgiven and free from the control and consequences of sin. That is good news.
Because I have received the “good news” about Jesus I am a new creation in Christ. I am in love with Jesus. I want everyone to know there is forgiveness and freedom in Jesus.
When I meet someone for the first time it doesn’t take me long to know what is important to them. Usually in a three-minute conversation they will give me some hint of what they value. Family, football, work, accomplishments, hobbies, etc. Whatever gets them excited will work its way into the conversation.
If we really believe the good news about Jesus is the power of God that can transform everyone, that information should work its way into our conversations. When we are in love with something or someone, we talk about that.
If we stopped to think about our recent conversations with co-workers and family members how often does Jesus come into the conversation?
I believe many of us may need to fall in love with Jesus again so that our conversation is marked with His presence.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit help me to have a fresh love for Jesus. Help me to recognize the good news is God’s power to transform every life. Give me the desire and courage to talk about Jesus to my world.
“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”
コメント