Day 78: Faith Based Living

1 John 3:18

Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.

1 John 2:6

Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

I have found in my life that living is a collection of experiences. We don’t have to talk about living because it is just something we do, we wake up every morning with steady breath and heartbeats, we walk and talk we do things that shows for itself that we are living breathing beings. We don’t have to prove that we are alive, the breath in our lungs as our chest rises and falls is proof of life.

It’s no different  with our faith and this Christ-like life we are living. When we commit ourselves and our hearts to Christ our lives begin to look like His. Our actions become similar to His, we begin to live a life that is fully devoted to Christ and stands as a testimony of His, life, death, and resurrection, because we have committed our hearts to Him. When we are fully committed and devoted to God we do not have to prove our faith. We do not have to prove our Christianity because our lives speak for themselves. It’s the way we love, the way we live, the way we treat others, the way we walk this day to day life. When we are committed to Christ it becomes less about talking and more about the walking. We don’t have to force Jesus into our lives because He is already there.

I have found from experience that the times I was forcing Jesus into my life and trying to prove my Christianity was when I really wasn’t devoted to Him at all. When I had a desire to be a Christian, but no desire to live like one. That presented a problem, I was a sunday only Christian. But Monday through Saturday I had to keep up the image of a Christian. Fooling people into believing that I was a ‘Good Christian. Making sure I talked about God at least three times a day, read a few scriptures, and bragged about my Christian lifestyle. This was because I needed my life to look good, I had to talk about it because I wasn’t living it. It was rough, at times I didn’t even feel like a Christian, I felt like I was doing everything out of obligation, going through the motions. I was being a hypocrite. Not really experiencing God because my ego, and my lack of humility got in the way. See I wanted to be a Christian but I also wanted to be the center of attention, I wasn’t ready to let go of my pride and selfish desires. I wanted to find a way to fit God into my life, not realizing that if I just gave up my pride, my selfish desires that God had my life planned already, I fit into God’s plan, not the other way around.

-Dyamond

All that to say, when we are fully committed to Christ when we make the choice to follow Him with all our heart, and soul, and mind, and seek His face first, then we are living, we will not have to prove that love. Our lives will speak for us, Matthew 7:16 states, “You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act…” We are known by our actions not our words, by the fruit we bear.

If we are not bearing good fruit, where are our roots planted? On what foundation do we stand? We must commit ourselves fully to Christ, and continue to make that choice every single day. Everyday we get up we choose to continue following Christ, we choose to dive into His word. We choose to pray and talk to Him, we choose the soil we are planted in. When we do this, and when we start to grow, the fruit from the tree will speak for itself.

Live, don’t talk about it, just live.

Reflection

1. Where are your roots planted?
2. Do you find yourself trying to prove your Christianity?

Prayer Time

Think about the questions and answers. Reflect on what we talked about today and respond to God. Give Him every part of your being. If you have not fully committed our life to Christ, I believe that right now is the perfect time to do so. We all must make this choice and no one can make it for us, so if you feel the Holy Spirit tugging on your heart, that gut feeling, whatever it may be pushing you to respond, do it. Maybe you have never been offered the gift of salvation, if that’s you and you want to make that decision, you just have to believe it in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and that He was raised from the dead. Wherever you are, you don’t have to be in a church or religious setting to give your life to Christ. There is no better time than right now.

If you made the choice to follow Christ, rededicate, or to submit your life to Him fully, Go to Romans 10:9-10

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

And repeat these few words,

Jesus I declare that you are my Lord and Saviour who died for my sin and was raised three days later. I repent of my sins and I give my life to you. I believe in my heart that you are the true living God. Thank you for saving me. In Jesus name, Amen.

Congratulations! The angels in heaven are rejoicing right now.

Be sure to come back tomorrow for Day 79 and everyday for the rest of the year!