Thursday, January 12, 2017

Jesus' Influence {Read 2 Corinthians 5:11-21}

Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others, it is the only means. ~Albert Einstein~

Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! {2 Corinthians 5:17}

     Religion is like a magnet to those who enjoy an argument. They take an obscure text from the Bible and spend precious time attaching a meaning to it that was never intended. It is possible to make religion so philosophical that it loses its sense and meaning for ordinary folk.
     A meaningful faith must show practical results. It is of little use telling people to love God without showing them how that love should be revealed. Emphasizing the therapeutic value of forgiveness is not nearly enough. It is essential to reach beyond theory and to put love and forgiveness into practice. 
     You might be a zealous follower of Jesus, but if your spirit is rigid and confined, your faith will not count for much. It is when you live in the presence of God, and reflect on His gracious and loving personality, that you reveal to the world the kind of faith that is a blessing to all you come in contact with. They will know instinctively that you know Jesus and that He blesses them through you.
     There can be no effective argument against a living and positive faith. When narrow-minded believers become honest; when lives are transformed by the redeeming love of Jesus Christ; when homes that used to be hell become heaven, then there can be no argument against the influence of the Living Christ in the lives of people.

Lord Jesus, grant that the quality of my daily walk will be the greatest argument for my faith. Amen.

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