How does the way we respond to circumstances in the world affect the way that other see us? It matters. I would like to say that I have made all good decisions and that my responses have always been simple, good and covered in prayer. I know that would not be true. I think that we can all say we have made our share of emotional responses that we wish were more intentional, more thought out.
When I was young, in my early twenties, I made decisions that were meant to protect someone from mistakes I feared they were getting ready to make. It didn’t matter. What I took away from that situation was I had complicated my involvement by trying to make decisions for them. I learned the hard way that when someone has made up their mind and they are ding, dang, dong, determined to make this mistake, there’s nothing you can do besides sit by and watch.
Most likely there is nothing you are going to be able to do about it. You can try to be an influence and show them what’s right or wrong, but in the end, they are the one that has to make the decision. And sometimes when you get involved in those situations you end up losing relationships that are very precious to you.
That one left some bumps in the road for me. I lost a friendship that was very dear to me simply because I took a situation that was very simple and complicated it to the point where I did not really know what to do. I did not make the correct response and wish that I had put a little more prayer and intention into the way I responded.
The apostle Paul told the church in Rome that the response to receive salvation was simple, not complicated. It was a matter of having faith in Christ Jesus, by confessing Him as their Lord and believing in His resurrection.
In Romans 10:8-10, Paul detailed to the believers there that even Moses wrote in the Law that finding the Anointed One was near to every one of them. It was in their mouth to speak and in their heart to accept.
He explained to them how to gain salvation, how to accept a relationship with Christ Jesus. He explained it simply. They needed to confess the Lord Jesus with their mouths and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead. Confess…taking deliberate action to confess. Believe…pulling from within their hearts, within their beings, to believe.
Paul told them the rewards of confessing and believing. He said that when they believed with their hearts, they did this and received righteousness. Then, when with their mouths they confessed that Jesus is Lord, they received salvation.
What is the challenge from this passage for followers of Christ? The challenge could be allowing our ourselves to become so comfortable within our faith that we do not reach out to others. It is scary sometimes to share our faith. The world that we live in now does not want us to share our faith out loud. They want us to keep it in a hidden, silent place.
How can we apply this to our lives? As believers in Christ Jesus, we need to be willing to share our faith and live out our faith in our daily walk. We need to hold God‘s Word close, allow it to guide all of our decisions in life so that others can see Christ through us. Don’t let the world cause us to keep our faith in a silent hidden place. Live for Christ openly and with volume. helping to make God‘s plan of salvation available to all that need to hear.
What does this mean to my faith? My faith is strengthen day by day as I walk with my Lord. I know that He is not far from me anytime that I need Him. The good thing there is that it is not just me that He is close to. He is available to anyone that would choose Him.
My Lord and my God, thank you for making this beautiful gift of salvation simple to explain and simple to understand. Help me to be able to put aside mistakes that I have made in the past—and I have made them—and the mistake of sometimes trying to make Your story more complicated than it is. Help me to be able to more easily share You with anyone that needs to hear about Your love and grace. I want my response to You to always be genuine and filled with the love of Christ.
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Scripture Reference:
“8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:8-10 (KJV)
Cross References:
“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Acts 16:31 (KJV)
“Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:” Luke 12:8 (KJV)
“Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.” 1 Peter 1:21 (KJV)
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I feel that since God has given me the gift of this platform, I must always tell you about my Jesus.
What is your relationship to the all-knowing God of the universe? Do you know Jesus? Do you know the peace that can come only from an intimate relationship with Him? You can know Him. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, born into human flesh, sinless, crucified and giving His life freely, buried, arisen on the third day, will come into your life and change the outcome of your eternity. You just have to be willing to believe and accept His truth.
Here is a web page that will give you more information about Jesus Christ and hope He can change your eternity: Start Your NewLife With Christ.
In addition, here is an excellent page that can give you additional information on peace with God: PeaceWithGod.net.
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