Monday, June 15, 2020

Does your Light shine?

Then the Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.” Genesis 7:1 

The children of Noah faced a significant decision. They lived in a world where everyone blatantly disregarded God. Wickedness was the norm. No one would have condemned Noah's sons for living evil lives like the rest of society—no one except their father. In a world rampant with ungodly attitudes and every form of wicked behavior, they were fortunate to be Noah's sons. When their father invited them to spend the next hundred years building an ark in obedience to a word from God, Noah's sons had to choose whether to believe those around them or to trust their father. They chose to join their father. What a wonderful testimony of Noah's godly influence in his home! How fortunate for Shem, Ham, and Japheth that their father refused to compromise his integrity, even though everyone else in his society had done so. Your life has an influence on those around you as well. Your spouse and your children are profoundly affected by your choices. Your co-workers, your neighbors, and your friends will all be impacted by your life. As the world tries to persuade people to follow its standard, your life should stand in stark contrast as an example of a righteous person. Your life should convince those around you of the wisdom of following God. Do not underestimate the positive effect that your obedience will have upon those close to you. - Blackaby Experiencing God Day by Day 

Influence. Influencing. Influenced. 
You are one of those. You are either being influenced or you are influencing others. 

Then there's those in this world who firmly believe it's their job to influence you. 

The only one whom should be influencing you is the Spirit of God.  A discerning person would be in such fellowship with Jesus to understand what is of God and what is not. 

Prayer is not only a necessary part of your life as a child of God, it's as necessary as breathing is to your body. 

Prayer isn't just about food and forgiveness.  It's about the worries and concerns you have in life.  

Prayer has many levels and certainly has challenges at times.  Storms of life stretch us in ways that beforehand we thought would break us.

Prayer shows mercy and grace even when we might not understand it as such.  The thing that I have learned in my walk with Jesus in recent years is that I don't need to complicate Christianity.  Jesus meant it to be so that a Child could understand it.

Re-looking at some of those healed by Jesus reveals that very idea.  The 'educated' in the Temple couldn't understand the simple.  The 'uneducated' were kicked out for truly understanding the work and Word of God. 

There's even times that I wonder about some of today's and those in recent decades, 'big names' in Christianity of whether or not they have also overcomplicated the message.  Jesus meant for anyone to understand the message of the Gospel. 

Our light, if there is one, influences those around us.  Be it good or bad it's still an influence.  I don't need much to be reminded of where I was a negative influence.  I still pray for those whom I had a negative influence on. That God might fix where I messed up. 

Even those in darkness of sin influence others.  Before the flood all mankind was influenced by sin to the extent only Noah, his wife, his son's and their wives were to be saved. 

From then until now we as a world went from 8 people to near 8 billion. We don't know how many were here before the flood. But it was probably in the billions too. 

Our choices influence in both subtle and not so subtle ways.  In our words and actions and our lack of words and actions. Even inaction is an action in and of itself. 

Which is why you ARE either a believer in Jesus or you are not.  You are either saved or you are not.  The description by Jesus in Revelation says you are either among the wheat or among the tares.  You are in the book of Life or you are not.  For those who do not believe in absolutes those are indeed absolutes.  

You are either growing in Christ or you are not.  You are either being influenced to grow in Christ or not.  The things of God are either important to you or they are not. 

Jesus deals in absolutes. Salvation is free. You either accept it and are saved, bound for Heaven or reject it, are not saved, and are bound for Hell. 

Your life is full of influences to try to direct you one way or the other way.  Towards Christ or away from Him.  When Peter's eyes were towards Christ on the water he was fine.  Took them away from Him and he sank.  Notice there was no in between. 

Consider your thoughts and actions today.  Consider if they lead you to a closer walk with Jesus or farther away.  

You WILL be going one way or the other. 

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