Monday, January 24, 2011
Do you wear different coats? What do I mean by that? Do you put your "Christian" coat on when you go out and then take it off when you get home? I will be honest and admit that I have been guilty of this very thing. We get home and we "relax". We put on our "home" coat. I submit to you that Christianity, that is truly following Christ, is MORE than something that we only wear on Sundays! If you are born-again, the Spirit of God indwells you! You are "in Christ".
Jesus Christ spoke of the coming of the Holy Ghost in the John 3. Interestingly, He speaks of LOVE a great deal in that chapter! When the Holy Spirit is present in your life, fruit is produced. "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance" (Gal. 5:22). [Notice the Word says "fruit", not "fruitS"]
Often times, especially if we have been raised in church, we get into a routine. We go through the motions of Christianity. We do what we should, but our hearts are not in it. This is what the Israelites were guilty of in the book of Malachi. Read the whole book! They were doing the right things, but their hearts were wicked.
We SHOULD do "right". We SHOULD display the fruit of the Spirit while we are outside of our homes, but don't "relax" at home! Your home is your greatest ministry! If you are going to be "real" anywhere, PLEASE be real at home! How many couples scream at each other on the way to church, then go in and sing "Blest Be The Tie That Binds"? How many times have we disrespected our husbands or neglected our children, yet how sweetly we talk to "Sister Sarah" on the phone about how she can better her walk with God?? We have this idea that it is okay to be rude and downright self-centered in our homes, but we would never speak that way to our preacher. Sometimes when it is a certain "time of the month" we think that is an excuse to "relax" in our homes and take that Christian coat off.
Generations have been lost because what folks claimed they believed on Sunday was not lived on Monday. I'm not saying we can ever be perfect, but PLEASE Christians, put your "Christian coat" on and don't take it off!
"If what you talk on Sunday Ain't what you walk on Monday You better start to practice what you preach 'Cause if your life ain't showin' All the things that you claim to be knowin' You won't be any use to a world that we need to reach!"