Tag Archives: Who do you know?

Who do you know Part 2

Who do you know Part 2

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The other day I was driving on 54/400 highway and as I was coming over the hill an 18 wheeler blinked it’s lights at me, as he was approaching me coming from the west as I drove east. I took it as a warning,  I didn’t need to slow down as I had my car on cruise control. I use the cruise partly because my legs are almost to short to reach the petals in our car,  so when I use the cruise control on long distances drives because, it just makes it easier than stretching my ham string for an extended period of time. The other reason I like using my cruise control is because I like making sure I am driving at a safe speed. Sure enough as I went over the hill, there were two state troopers sitting over on the side of the road.  That little scenario got me to thinking.

I appreciated the truck driver, being kind enough to warn me of the upcoming possible ticket. I mean after all he didn’t even know me, we have never met, nor will we probably ever meet. But I wander just as the driver was concern enough to warn me.  Are we as concerned with people enough that we do know to assure they don’t stray from what they should be doing?

In this offense driven society we can often be afraid to speak up for fear of offending someone. But the bible says

…… if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Galatians 6:1

…. if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring that person back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of their way will save them from death and cover over a multitude of sins. James 5:19-20

Last week, we talked about “It isn’t about where you live, but who you know” Being that,  when we know Christ, we should want to be like Christ and what did Christ do for us, but gave himself for us. So that we might have eternal life with Him in heaven one day.

You know my husband and I have always had 2 different philosophies of ways to raise our children, one of us wants to protect them from everything and warn them from anything that might harm them. The other is happy to just sit back and them figure it out on their own. “After all that’s the way I learned” is the quote from the person who thinks it’s okay for their kids to figure it out on their own. I’ll let you figure out which one of us thinks what. Let’s just say it’s a good thing we have opposite opinions because we help keep each other balanced.

But my point here is, Isn’t that like a lot of us today as we see our friends, stubble in their walk with Christ? How many times have you sat back when see someone you know go down a road of life that they don’t belong. But because we didn’t want to “offend them” or “ruffle any feathers” we just sit back on cruise control and watch them as they are about to go in the ditch on this road called life.

See I don’t know about you but I believe God holds us accountable for those He has put in our life, we hold their eternity in our hands and yet instead of being like the driver who warned me of the impending troopers, We sit back and “let them figure it out for themselves” In fact in Ezekiel 3:18 says …. I will hold you accountable…

If we will pray to,  “See people with Christ’s eyes, Hear with His ears, and Love with Christ’s heart.” Then we will be more Christ like. Christ loved us enough to leave us a book called the bible that can guide us through this down this road of life and He left us here to share the understanding with others. In the loving caring way that Jesus did when He was on this earth.

That’s why, It isn’t about where you live, it is about who you know.  So, Who do you know that needs the love of a Savior? Who do you know that is hurting and needs a friend? The bible tells us that He loved the unlovable, He hung out with them so much that people began to accuse Him of being like them. It’s up to you to be that friend, it is up to you to come along side the hurting and be their friend. Instead of living your life on cruise control, so you don’t strain any extra unnecessary muscles. That may mean that others might not approve of you hanging out with “those people” cause they might not fit in your “group of friends”.  But that didn’t stop Jesus and it shouldn’t stop us. It is time for us to reach out beyond the imaginary walls we put up around ourselves and love everyone just like Christ did.  Keeping in mind, people don’t really care what you know until they know you care. So it may take some time to invest in the emotional bank of these people, (if you haven’t already) before you have enough in there to make a withdraw. That is why we have to be strategic in reaching out praying and asking God “Who can I bless today?”

Because it’s up to you to blink your light (Christ’s light) and warn the person coming toward you when possible trouble is ahead for them, and not leave them to just figure it out on their own, even if it is “how you learned” !

 

 

 

You don’t trust who you don’t know!

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In the bible, there is a story about a man named Job. Most of the time when we think about Job we think about the guy who lost everything but his wife. God described Job as a fair and upright man. In fact, in the beginning of this story, there is a conversation between satan and God.

God asks satan “What have you been doing?” and satan replies ” roaming about on the earth”. This reminded me of the Scripture where God warns us to, “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

As the story goes on God is telling satan what an amazing guy Job is and says ” Have you considered my servant Job”, Satan tells God that He thinks if God would remove his protection from Job and his family he doesn’t think Job would be such a devoted follower.  It was almost as if satan issued God a challenge. God trusted Job so much, He says, go ahead do whatever you want, you just can’t kill him. Read the book of Job for more details.

 

Job isn’t the only one God trusted, In Numbers, we see God so angry that He comes down in a cloud and calls Miriam and Aaron out of their tent because they were talking bad about Moses.  He informs them that Moses is the one I trust! (Numbers 12:7)  This story reminds me of a friend coming to defend his friend who he sees is being picked on, and I have to say, if you are gonna have a best friend. God is the one to have, I  mean picture it, God is up in heaven listening to Miriam and Aaron complain and gossip about Moses and it makes Him so mad He comes down out of heaven in a cloud and calls these guys out of their tent to basically tell them to leave His friend alone! Because He trusts Moses! 

We all often wonder if we can trust God, but time after time here in the bible we see that God talks about trusting.

Did you ever ask yourself if God can trust you? Can He trust you that if your world falls apart and you lose everything, you will still serve Him like He did Job?  Can He trust you like He did Moses to speak to you face to face and allow you to see His shadow?

Or are you like Simon Peter where God told Him in Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan desires to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for you, that your faith fail not: and when you are converted, you will strengthen your fellow believers.

I am not much of a farmer, but I know that if someone says, they want to sift me as wheat. That isn’t a good thing. Satan wants to take us out. But Jesus says here He prayed for Simon. Does Jesus have to pray for you, that you won’t fail?

God, has warned us over and over again in the bible, that trouble will come, and satan is after us. So why are we so surprised with trouble comes our way. In John 16:33 He tells us ” These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

He says here “In Me, you will have peace”  and “In the world, you will have tribulation” God wants us to focus on Him because the more we focus on Him the more we will trust Him and the more we trust Him the more He can trust us. God wants to trust us so much that when satan temps us He will know that you will stand against satan,  and you won’t be tempted by his tricks.

You know it is hard to trust someone you don’t know. I mean if you are attending a big event in a giant arena, in a city where you don’t know anyone and you decide to sit down next to a stranger, you aren’t going to ask that stranger to hold your purse or wallet while you go to the bathroom. No! especially if all your money is in it. The bottom line is we don’t trust people we don’t know.

God talks about not knowing someone. In the book of Matthew, He tells us that not everyone that calls Him Lord will enter heaven. There are people who when they stand before Him will say “Didn’t I cast demons out in your name? Didn’t I prophesy in your name? Didn’t I do many wonders in your name?” And God is gonna look at them as say “ I never knew you; depart from Me,” Matt 7:23. 

See in the same way God wants to trust you,  He wants to be your friend because you don’t trust a stranger, So can God trust you today?  Don’t just say you know Him. Don’t just claim to be His friend. If you haven’t been to church in a month if you haven’t read His bible and spend time with Him if you aren’t doing your best to live a life that He would be pleased with?  Because all these things are how we get to know Him.  Oh! no one is perfect, but let’s strive to be a person that God can trust. Because you don’t trust, who you don’t know? So, do you really know God?