Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers
and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts,
which war against the soul; having your
conversation honest among the Gentiles:
that, whereas they speak against you
as evildoers, they may by your good works,
which they shall behold, glorify God
in the day of visitation.
I Peter 2: 11 -- 12
A question: Do you see yourself as a stranger and as a pilgrim? An old song entitled: "This World Is Not My Home," and it further states that we are just passing through for our treasures are laid up somewhere in the blue. Is this how you see yourself? If not, why not? You may not have been displaced from their homes, country, and had active persecution, but you are involved in a war. This war is not for your possessions, it is for your soul. One of the major ways that we fight this war is to abstain from fleshly desires, that which we would call lust. Are you seeking to gather all the toys, implements, bigger and better homes, the latest and greatest new car or pick up? Are you going into debt to achieve what you desire? Are you looking for more money, or fame or fortune that the world would see you as someone special? If so, your faith, your understanding of who you are is askew. There is a problem because you are not actually fighting this war you're joining the enemy.
Question: What about your conversation, your language, is it vulgar, is it filled with things other than speaking about the Lord Jesus Christ and the Gospel? It is not that we could not talk about other things but we must be in control of our conversation that it is an honest conversation so that you or I will not come into condemnation by a non-Christian, at least over our conversation. If your conversation is more like the conversation of this world the Gentiles, that is the non-Christians, will know that you are not actually acting like Christian. They see you, that is the non-Christians, as a hypocrite. They believe they have an honest reason to war against you for as a hypocrite you are seen as an evil doer and name may not be far from wrong. Does the world see you as a person who lives your faith and that faith is seen in your works? I don't mean just teaching Sunday school, going to church, going to various functions, I mean do they see you mowing your lawn keeping your house clean caring for your children and wife properly and that you are not in debt so that you are unable to keep a good report. How will they glorify God if they cannot see God in you? They can't! When Jesus Christ comes for his church, his day of visitation, will they be able to glorify Jesus Christ?
God uses the means to accomplish His will. You are the means to bring the Gospel to the world. There are many and various avenues by which this Gospel can be supported into the world but it will not be spread unless a person is intentionally taking the Gospel to their world. Notice the word intentional; that means you are taking time to plan and then to do and not just simply speak about what others are doing, rather exercise your faith and you will not have to speak about it for others to see it.
We speak about the love of God in His mercy and we want it, but, are we giving back truelove to God? You see when we love we give Whether it be our wives or our children, loving care for our cars by washing and waxing it because in some way we love that vehicle. If we are willing it to do loving godly things upon this earth and are we willing to give love to God who loves us unconditionally and has shown that fact by coming to earth as the Son of God so that we, you, others, can be saved.
Our blessings are so great for we are blessed to have eternal life and that life began when we put our faith, trust, belief, and have converted to the Lord Jesus Christ. a great joy is yours and mine when we follow the commands and do the will of God. It is there for us to grab hold of still the question is will we actually reach out to obtain it. It is up to us?
In that day, declares the LORD Almighty,
I will break the yoke off their necks
and will tear off their bonds; no longer
Will foreigners in slave them.
Jeremiah 30: 8
Reach out and do the will of God
Richard L. Crumb
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