This is the time of the year that we celebrate the birth of God manifest in the flesh as Jesus Christ. His name shall be call Emmanuel – God with us. Jesus came to earth to become the supreme sacrifice for our sins and restore us to a perfect relationship with Him. Through new birth, we are to become Christ-like living our lives to give Him glory. We are to be holy as he is holy. Does this describe your daily life?
Many people go to church weekly, but when they leave the church and go out to their homes and jobs they leave their Christian belief at the door of the church. Attending church is a very small part of our weekly life. Are we living godly outside the church walls?
We have 168 hours in every week. If we attended church 8 hours per week, we would still have 160 hours in our week to allow God to be the center of everything that we do. If we sleep 60 hours per week, we have 100 hours a week to interact with others starting in our home, on the job, in school, in college, being with friends, etc. Do you have an intimate relationship with God that guides your daily life moment by moment?
1 John 2:6 (NKJV) 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. Enoch walked with God and he pleased the Lord. What does it mean to ‘walk as Jesus walked?’ Study Galatians 5, 1 Corinthians 13, and allow God’s Word to mold and shape our thinking so our actions will be Christ-like. We must allow the Fruit of the Spirit and the love of God flow through us to others in our attitudes and spirits. 1 Corinthians 6:20 tells us “to glorify God in our body and our spirit, which our God’s.”
1 John 2:15-17 (NKJV) 15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. The point of this article is to bring an awareness that God wants to be in control of our lives – every detail every day. A relationship with God is not just church attendance.
How we treat other people is how we are treating God. God’s morals and values need to be an integrate part of our thinking that influences our feelings and our actions in every situation. It’s what I call living in a God-conscious state of mind. It can also be described as being Holy Ghost controlled.
The letters written to the church in the New Testament from Romans to Jude give us Holy Spirit inspired instructions how we ought to live our lives. The scripture tells us to put off the old sinful nature and put on the Lord Jesus Christ. I recently taught out of Colossians the third chapter. If all believers would live that chapter daily, it would change their world for righteousness. How we live our lives is being a witness for God. Presenting our bodies as a living sacrifice unto the Lord as our reasonable worship unto Him is ‘walking as He walked.’ This is not just church attendance. This is allowing God to be the center of every part of your life.
Acts 2:38 instructs us to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission (forgiveness) of our sins and we shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. This is the new birth experience where we are buried with Him in baptism to rise up and walk in a newness of life. The Bible is our instruction book – especially the letters written to the church in the New Testament. Are you reading God’s Word daily? Are you ‘talking’ to God throughout your day asking for His wisdom and guidance in all you do?
God came in the flesh to die on a cross to pay the high price of His blood for our sins. He wants us to be willing to be a living sacrifice unto Him reflecting His character through our thoughts, feelings and actions for His glory! I’m begging you, please do not be a ‘Sunday go to meetin’ Christian. Allow God’s Spirit to influence all you do in your daily life. My daily goal is to walk just as He walked for His glory!
(c) Carol Clemans – December 2014
www.carolclemans.org – Carol is a Certified Pastoral Counselor/anointed Bible teacher/Christian Life Coach/Certified Sexual Addiction Recovery Facilitator. She provides nationwide counseling by phone/Skype (636) 448-0121. Carol teaches God’s Word for churches and conferences. Over 100 articles on website, teaching CD’s, DVD’s, book: God’s Design for Marriage.