Whatever Situation

The bible is clear when it explains that if we are already a believer then we shouldn’t marry, or yoke ourselves with, an unbeliever. If you do, you’re just asking for trouble. Your spouse might even eventually lead you away from Christ. But what if you became a believer after you got married? What do you do then? Well the bible has something to say about that too. Paul shares this with the church in Corinth in first Corinthians chapter 7 verse 17 which says:  

"Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches."

Earlier in verses 12 and 13 Paul says, 

“If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.” 

So just as you were a mess before you believed in Christ, your situation may be a mess after you’ve accepted him. But Paul tells us that if we find ourselves in that place, that we should live as a believer in the situation the Lord has assigned us. So if you are a new believer now yoked with an unbeliever, I encourage you not to make any drastic changes in where God has you. Live for Him and allow the Holy Spirit to direct your future. It may be incredibly difficult, but keep your eyes on Jesus. He knows your situation and may want to use you right where you are.

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“Each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned them.” When we come to Christ, we are a new creation. It may take time for the Holy Spirit to help us conform to the likeness of Jesus, but your life is headed in that direction if you let the Spirit take control. Likewise, it may take time for your current life situation to align with Christ as well. Yes, if there is sin in your life, you will need to deal with that right away. But if your spouse, or your life situation doesn’t lead you into sin, but at the same time isn’t exactly conducive to an easy walk with Christ, I encourage you not to make any drastic changes, but live for Christ and let the Holy Spirit direct your future.

Spirit Pleaser

I’ve often heard it said that whatever you do in life will come back upon you whether good or bad. It’s the basic Karma theology - If you do good, good things will come back to you and if you do bad, bad things will come back to you. There is some wisdom to this concept, but a similar biblical principle has more to do with the Spirit and it is expressed in terms of reaping and sowing. Galatians 6 verses 7 and 8 puts it this way:  

"Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life."

I encourage you, whatever you do, do it to please the Spirit (referring to God), not the flesh (which refers to our sinful nature). That way you’ll reap eternal life, not destruction. A very good Christian friend of mine recently passed away. And as I look back on her life, I know that right now she is reaping eternal life, because as Galatians says, “whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” You may also know of someone who is sowing to please the Spirit. You yourself might even be that person. If not, then I encourage you to follow this biblical principle. Sow to please the Spirit, not the flesh. Those who do, definitely have eternity in mind.

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Whatever you do in life, I encourage you to do it to please the Spirit, not the flesh. Being Spirit minded has eternal rewards. You may never know what your actions yield this side of heaven. But the bible says, while it is day, do the work of the Lord, because there will come a day when no one will work. So, share the love of Christ, help those in need, pray for others, run hard after Christ, live a life that pleases the Spirit, then when the day comes for you to meet Jesus face to face, he will tell you “well done my good and faithful servant”.

Persevere

Have you ever wondered why God allowed Job to go through such horrendous trials? He was a righteous man that God favored, yet he still felt a level of suffering that even most sinners will never experience. But through it all, God was always aware of what he was going through. And regardless of the level of suffering or pain we may experience, we should always remember that our God is a God of compassion and mercy. James chapter 5, verse 11 puts it this way:  

"As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy."

Compassion and mercy doesn’t always mean that God will deliver you from your suffering. Sometimes, God calls us to suffer so that he can refine us, or test us, grow us, or maybe even to reward us. James says that we as believers should count ourselves blessed when we persevere through a hardship. So I encourage you, if you’re going through something difficult right now; some trial, or some form of suffering, do not lose heart. Put your trust in God. You may not be able to see how things will turn out, but maybe that is the point. By hanging in there and persevering, you will be able to count yourself as blessed if your faith remains strong, and your hope remains in the Lord.

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James says “As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered.” If you are in the middle of some form of pain or suffering, be it relational, physical, or situational, I encourage you to persevere. Try to keep your eyes on Jesus, and not on your circumstance. Because God is always bigger than any situation we find ourselves in and James reminds us that he is full of compassion and mercy. So, hang in there brothers and sisters and persevere. Who knows, your story may help someone some day who may end up facing the same trials you’re facing now.

Laid Bare

How important do you think our actions are here on this earth? Do you think that only the big choices in life matter in the grand scheme of eternity? Or do you believe that every word and every action, whether big or small, good or bad, public or private matters? I believe that everything we do and everything we say may ultimately be dissected when we get to heaven and stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Hebrews chapter 4, verse 13 says:  

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

And Jesus says in Matthew 12:36

"But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken."

In both instances, it says that we’ll have to give account on the day of judgment for our behavior here on earth. I challenge you to consider how short life is compared to all eternity. I believe that it is so short that everything we do and say is important. Jesus said that if we even give a cup of water in his name that we will be rewarded. So I challenge you to consider your actions, big and small. In the grand scheme of eternity, they may be more important than you think.

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“Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.” The good news is that God is merciful and he is forgiving. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t see everything and know everything about us. Many Americans are concerned with privacy. They are concerned whether “big brother” is watching. I think we all should be more aware that everything is laid bare before God, and we should take that truth very, very, seriously.

Aroma of Christ

Are you good at making first impressions? It doesn’t take very long for someone to form an opinion about you in only the first few seconds of meeting you. They judge you with their eyes by how you appear, they judge you with their ears by what you say, and some may even judge you by their nose. I’m not talking about perfumes or body order - though that could apply. No, I’m talking about the spiritual nose, and whether you give off the aroma of Christ or not. Paul explains in second Corinthians 2, verses 15 and 16:  

"For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?"

To God, believers should carry with them the aroma of Christ. He can smell death or life on every person depending on if they’ve accepted Jesus or not. But could that also be said of others around us in this world? Spiritually speaking, can they smell the fragrance of life or death on you? People are watching all of the time. Some watch with interest, and some watch with indifference, but it is my hope that they are able to sense something different about believers, that they may be able to sense something different about you and me, if we consider ourselves believers in Christ. If they are unbelievers, I pray that the aroma may bring them to a saving knowledge of Christ. And if they are fellow brothers and sisters, I hope the smell will be a fragrance of life.

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“For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” I pray that you are one that gives off the aroma of Christ in the sight of God, but I also pray that is true in the sight of man as well. We are Christ’s ambassadors here on this earth. We should act differently than the world in public and in private. We should speak differently with words of love that encourages and challenges, and hopefully we even smell differently by giving of the aroma of Christ.