Rahel
05-13-2009, 05:50 AM
While I was working through some Scriptures for a cell group where I wanted to speak about church I stumbled over verses like:
Matthew 5,16: In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
1.Peter 2,11&12: Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
John 17,22&23: I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Deuteronomy 4,5-6: See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.
2.Corinthians 6,16-18: What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.
So far, I think there would be more like these.
But here is what I was thinking about: We pray so much for revival. And at least I got the impression in most places that we think that it has nothing to do with us, but just with God's grace to touch our places. And the only think we can do is to pray for it.
But when I read such Scriptures like those above, I think that God gave us some very practical things into our hands with those we can work on revivals on the earth.
He says that we should do the good deeds that he prepared and let our light shine THAT the people may glorify the Father in heaven. And I believe that is what happened in the first chapters of Acts.
He says that we should keep the commandments he gave AND the people around will praise God's people for their wisdom. It will influence the world around us.
He says that we shall be in unity as the body of Christ, THEN the people will see that JEsus was sent by the Father and He also promised in his word that where is unity there he will command His blessings.
He challenges us to live a life without compromise and to be cleansed by the ways of the world. This will let the light of heaven shine.
I wonder on what the church puts it concentration and strength...or maybe it is just in Germany that the church misses something.
How much compromise do we take because of the ways of the world that we are used to and we say we can't see things so black and white and we must understand this or that. Paul said: Step out.
Do we chase after peace and love with each other. It is in our hands to forgive each other. It is a decision (of course our emotions need some time to heal again, but the act of forgiveness is just a decision in obedience to God's word).
How eager are we to follow and obey the Spirit in the Word of God. Or are we saying too often "oh, I will start tomorrow or when the circumstances are much better".
Is our concentration on the Kingdom of God or on our own lives and we give a part of it into the Kingdom.
Are we giving everything that is in our ability to create the platform for God to pour out his blessing.
I know that only God can touch people's heart, but after these Scriptures I believe that He gave a big part of responsibility into our hands to build such platforms that it can happen in higher levels like we read in Acts.
What do You think?
Matthew 5,16: In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
1.Peter 2,11&12: Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.
John 17,22&23: I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
Deuteronomy 4,5-6: See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.
2.Corinthians 6,16-18: What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people. Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.
So far, I think there would be more like these.
But here is what I was thinking about: We pray so much for revival. And at least I got the impression in most places that we think that it has nothing to do with us, but just with God's grace to touch our places. And the only think we can do is to pray for it.
But when I read such Scriptures like those above, I think that God gave us some very practical things into our hands with those we can work on revivals on the earth.
He says that we should do the good deeds that he prepared and let our light shine THAT the people may glorify the Father in heaven. And I believe that is what happened in the first chapters of Acts.
He says that we should keep the commandments he gave AND the people around will praise God's people for their wisdom. It will influence the world around us.
He says that we shall be in unity as the body of Christ, THEN the people will see that JEsus was sent by the Father and He also promised in his word that where is unity there he will command His blessings.
He challenges us to live a life without compromise and to be cleansed by the ways of the world. This will let the light of heaven shine.
I wonder on what the church puts it concentration and strength...or maybe it is just in Germany that the church misses something.
How much compromise do we take because of the ways of the world that we are used to and we say we can't see things so black and white and we must understand this or that. Paul said: Step out.
Do we chase after peace and love with each other. It is in our hands to forgive each other. It is a decision (of course our emotions need some time to heal again, but the act of forgiveness is just a decision in obedience to God's word).
How eager are we to follow and obey the Spirit in the Word of God. Or are we saying too often "oh, I will start tomorrow or when the circumstances are much better".
Is our concentration on the Kingdom of God or on our own lives and we give a part of it into the Kingdom.
Are we giving everything that is in our ability to create the platform for God to pour out his blessing.
I know that only God can touch people's heart, but after these Scriptures I believe that He gave a big part of responsibility into our hands to build such platforms that it can happen in higher levels like we read in Acts.
What do You think?