Living: June 2, 2014

TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY JUNE 2, 2014.

LIVING

DEFINITION:

Having life; being alive; active or thriving.

SCRIPTURE:

For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. Matthew 5:13

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Very few people today are living enthusiastically for God. The question we want to have you consider today is that if you are one that is a believer in Jesus how are you living? Are you one who is content to sit back and live a morally good life, enjoy the blessings that God has given you and accomplish very little, if anything for the Kingdom of God.

Or are you one who has chosen to sacrifice your time, talents, social positions, and lucrative posts, and fling aside every advantage in order to serve God and further the Kingdom of God.

Many people of the world look at one who is serving God as literally mad. They think, and some say out loud, that that type of person is crazy or out of their mind.

Many people down through history have been called mad, or out of their mind, for trying to accomplish something big. It is this attitude that God wants from us, as believers, that we put Christ first in our lives and attempt big things for Him. Doing big things takes boldness and courage.

Columbus was called mad because he decided to sail the uncharted ocean. Martin Luther was called mad because he presumed to defy the entrenched religious hierarchy of his time. Patrick Henry was considered mad when he cried out, “Give me liberty or give me death.” George Washington was thought to be mad when he decided to continue the war after the winter at Valley Forge, when thousands of his men had died and other thousands had deserted, leaving him only a handful of men.

We have become too sophisticated and respectable to be called mad in our generation. Christianity has become so compromising and so conventional that it is now insipid.

Too many people who say they are Christians do not act as they are. Most just want to blend in and be like everyone else and go with the flow. Jesus said in Matthew 5:13 that believers are the salt of the earth, but if salt loses its saltiness it is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out. It is worthless and of no value. If Christians make no effort to affect the world around them they are of little use to the Lord and they are worthless. YES, the salt has lost its flavor.

Would to God that the world we live in today found us Christians dangerous enough to call us mad. Materialism and secularism has swept our world, our churches, our homes and our believers. We must ask ourselves -- are we living a bold and uncompromising life for Christ that has an effect on others?

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in John 1:12.

To all that received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become the children of God.

PRAYER:

Instill in me, dear Lord, the same savor that the disciples showed as they lived so enthusiastically for You.