We are often told that actions speak louder than words. Sadly, many people write Christians off as hypocrites, because so many who claim to be Christians behave no differently than anyone else in the world. If you look at the Greek word for hypocrite it can be defined simply as one who acts, with his real motives hidden.

Jesus lambasted the Pharisees for their hypocrisy (Matt 23:1-39). Paul was able to say follow me as I follow Christ (1 Cor 11:1) and he exhorted Timothy to be an example in word and conduct (1 Tim 4:12). Moses was known as a man of humility and David as a man after God’s own heart, a man of obedience. However, we should be encouraged as we know that none of these men claimed to be, or where, perfect. Jesus is obviously our supreme example of a holy and godly life but even he said there is no one good except God himself (Luke 18:19).

We could list many attributes that the real Christian should manifest in public but space does not allow that here. Perhaps 1 John 3:18-19 (KJV) captures the essence: “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him”. The Apostle James tells us that if we claim to have faith but do not have corresponding works our faith is dead (James 2:14-17). How did the men above walk the talk? They were all men that had a genuine and close relationship with God; they were all obedient to the Spirit of God. We can be the same if we press into God and his word and allow his Spirit to change us.

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“But if the Spirit of him that raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you” (Rom 8:11; KJV).

This is a verse that I have been confessing for years. It is almost unbelievable that we have the same Spirit in us that raised Jesus from the dead. It can’t get any better than that. That same power of the Holy Spirit brings us gifts of wisdom, words of knowledge, faith that goes beyond the faith we all have, gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophesy, discerning of spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues (1 Cor 12:8-10).

That same Spirit can change us if we allow, so that the fruit of the Spirit develops in us: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. (Gal 5:22-23). Wow and double wow.

If you need healing in your body that same Spirit in you can bring healing. If you need self-control that same Spirit can bring it. If you need strength for your body, that same Spirit can bring strength. Whatever it is you need, that same Spirit can supply it. However, to just read about it is not enough, we need to believe and confess this word so that the power in it can have an effect on us.

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“For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it” (Matt 16:25; KJV). What Jesus was saying here was that if we stubbornly insist on doing things our way and pursuing only our own personal ambitions, we will lose life in Christ Jesus or the abundant life God planned for us (John 10:10).

In the passage, in Matt 16: 24-27, from which our first quote above was taken, Jesus exhorted us to sacrifice our own selfish ambitions (taking up our cross; v24) and to follow him. In verses 26-27 he posed the question as to the value of great material success and worldly recognition in the here and now, compared to salvation and God’s abundant life both now and eternally. I guess that’s a no brainier! 

Jesus assured us that if we make sacrifices for him and the Gospel in this life, we will receive rewards both in this life and the promise of eternal life (Mark 10:29-31). Jesus also promised in Matthew 6:33: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”. Living the God kind of life is easy, we just need to hear from God and do things his way. Is that an amen or an ouch?

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 In John 15:4-7 (KJV) the word abide is used 7 times. Jesus said “I am the vine, ye are the branches” (v5). He said we must abide in him; we can do nothing if we don’t abide in him. If we abide in him and he in us, we will be fruitful (v4). If his words abide in us, we can: “ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (v7).

To abide is to dwell, be present continually and to be rooted. Jesus abides in us in the form of the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-18), the power of God (Rom 15:13). We abide in the vine as we walk in obedience and submission to God and are teachable (Matt 11:28-30; James 4:7-8).

As we press into the vine and read, study and meditate the word, it can abide in us more and more in knowledge and revelation; revealed by the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). As faith is strengthened by the revealed word (Rom 10:17), this allows the power of the Holy Spirit to be manifested in our lives, meeting our needs, changing us (the fruit of the Spirit; Gal 5: 22-23) and pouring from us in power and anointing (the gifts of the Spirit; 1 Cor 12:7-11).

To be impacted, changed, blessed and used by God we need his word and we need to allow the Holy Spirit to teach us, change us and flow through us in: “rivers of living water “(John 7:38). Abide In the vine, press in, you’ll like it.

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Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others. 

“The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise." (Prov 11:30; KJV). Jesus says something very similar in Luke 5:10: “And Jesus said to Simon, have no fear; from now on you will be catching men”. Simon was a fisherman but Jesus made him a fisher of men.  These two scripture passages show us how important it is to be witnessing, but just in case you aren’t convinced, in Daniel 12:3 we are taught that we should shine brightly like the stars turning people to righteousness.

We are ministers of reconciliation, ambassadors for God (2 Cor 11:19-20). We are his hands, his feet and voice on this earth. God has empowered us to represent him (Matt 28:18-20). I know witnessing comes easier to some people than others; speaking personally, it really takes me out of my comfort zone. However, Jesus did say we should go (Mark 16:15), so it is something we need to be doing.

If we ask God for opportunities or divine appointments to share the Gospel with people, he will provide them. A good example of a divine witnessing opportunity is when Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well in Sychar. Through that interaction she and many in Sychar came to believe in Jesus (John 4:1-42). When you tell others about Jesus, he will even give you the words to say (Luke 21:15). Go Fish!

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Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.