Day 257: Occupy Your Street

*It's late I know, I'm sorry. I promise I'm going to get back to a set schedule. I've been running around like a made person between show, school, and work. So please bare with me.*

1 Corinthians 7:20-24

Yes, each of you should remain as you were when God called you. 21 Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you—but if you get a chance to be free, take it. 22 And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ.23 God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world. Each of you, dear brothers and sisters, should remain as you were when God first called you.

Colossians 3:23

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters

When we give our lives to Christ our lives change for the better. We become better people all around. We start to love differently, see the world differently. It’s a really beautiful thing. With that comes this burning desire to want to share Jesus with everyone. Wanting to go all over the place telling people about this magnificent man, who changed our lives, and that He can do the same for someone else. That’s beautiful, it’s great, but sometimes we too quick to move out of the position God has us in in order to be in a place that seems more Godly to us. Meaning we often feel like we must make drastic changes to our life as opposed to our lifestyle. What I mean by that is we often give ourselves an ultimatum when it comes to our faith or coming to our faith for the first time. We tell ourselves, “It’s either God or this, God or that.” Or we often try to separate our life as a Christian from our personal life, those two things are not and should not be separate. We never think about the fact that God has us where we are for a reason, that He saved us where we are for a reason. That there are some people where we are that need guidance. But we cannot give it to them if we are too busy looking for a more Godly place to spend our time, or share the Good News of Christ.

I remember deciding to give up acting when I was sixteen because I had just become a Christian. Although it was something that needed to happen, I felt like the only reason I did it at the time was because the career I had chosen was not Christian enough. So I begrudgingly walked away and I was miserable for most of the five years that I tried to suppress the very thing that God has gifted me to do. Something that I know I was made for. My journey back to acting was longer than it needed to be, because even when  I knew the time was right I kept suppressing it because I felt like it wasn’t good enough. It would take away from who I was as a Christian. You ever been in place where you try to tell God what is Godly and what isn’t? I’m not going to do that because I have to help feed these kids in Africa that’s more Godly. I think you will approve of that more.

I have found that occupying my street and being where I am is the best thing possible. For example I am still an actress, but acting means so much more to me now than it did before because I have given my life to Christ. So everytime I walk on to that set, step on that stage, or give a performance of any kind I am giving it my all. I am doing it as if God Himself is sitting in the audience, and through that I can glorify Him. So wherever you are, whatever you are doing, do it all to the glory of God. Give everything, put your heart and soul into it. When I here that statement, “do it for the glory of God” I was always under the impression that it meant, do it in a church. Do it for a church event, make sure I’m only speaking ‘Christianese”. Wherever you are, whatever you do, glorify God, from right where you are. That’s what it means to occupy your street. You don’t always have to travel halfway across the world to do the Lord’s work, you can do it right here.

Mission isn’t just about traveling to another country to build houses. That’s one form of missionary work but what about where you are? What about the street you are on that has kids who need guidance, people who are starving in your area? God has us where we are for a reason, don’t be so quick to run away to “do the Lord’s work” when there is work to be done right where you are.

All this to say, occupy your street. You know what that is, you know what God has called you to do. Do it. That’s all.

Reflection/Prayer Time

Take the time to reflect on what we talked about today. Respond in whatever way you feel led, and let that lead you into your prayer.

I love you and I hope you have an amazing day or evening. Be sure to share this with someone and come back tomorrow for Day 258!

Day 45: It Is My Duty

It Is My Duty...

It is our duty as Christians, as the body of Christ to care for, defend, speak up, and lift up our brothers and sisters. We cannot sit around and do nothing when we have the ability to change a situation for the better. We are our brother's keeper. We must stand together and be one body, or else we fall.

Galatians 6:1-2

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Proverbs 31:8-9

Open your mouth for the mute, for the rights of all who are destitute. Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.

How many times have we been in a position to do something for someone and didn’t? How many times have we seen our neighbor falling and didn’t pick them up? How many times have we stood by and watched the oppressed remain oppressed? Many times we have the ability to do things and we do not because it will mean sacrificing self. It will mean possibly ruining a reputation, or image that we have taken so long to build. But God did not give us the power and authority to rule His nations, and have dominion over the land for nothing. God has place His word on our hearts, He has given us the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us. We are His people, and sometimes we have to stand up for His people. He is instructing us to lift up our brothers and sisters, carry their burdens, be a voice for the voiceless. It is our duty.

Standing up and speaking about it is one thing, and praying about it is another thing, and something we must do. But God gave us the gifts and ability to act, we have to put these words in action and be there for our brothers and sisters. And this sometimes means standing up for those whose lifestyles we don’t necessarily like or agree with. It means loving and defending our enemy, It means opening our door to people we wouldn’t usually sit next to on the train. And yes, it means taking in refugees. Jesus never turned anyone away, he never pushed anyone away because of their lifestyle, but He came for everyone. He came to heal, and direct His people. We must take on the attitude of Christ towards others.

It is our duty to:

1, hold one another accountable, and when we see our neighbors falling we are there to restore them and pick them up. Many times we are quick to judge the sins of our fellows Christians without knowing what led them to turn away from from God. But the moment we see someone slipping we should all be rushing to make sure they stay on track. Because that is how we are supposed to love and care for one another.  We cannot be the type of people to kick someone when they are down, that is not Christ-like. We must lift them up, we must pray for them, and with them. We must go to our brother or sister and let them know that God is greater than their sin, or struggle. God has equipped all of us, so that when one falls the next is there to catch them. If we can help bear the burden, why not take it on. Standing on the sideline and encouraging with our words sometimes isn't enough. We have to get in the game a play in order to get a victory. And when that victory comes we have to be okay with receiving no recognition for it. Because we do not help our brothers and sister for what we will get out of it. We have to put ourselves aside, for the well-being of others, and that in itself is a reward. Jesus did it for us, so let’s pass it on.

2. Stand up for one another. We have a voice, and God has given us the words and wisdom to speak up when we need to. Many times as Christians we shy away from speaking up out of fear that we will be judged. Well, news flash, we’re judged every day of our lives whether we know it or not or whether we like it or not, so that’s something we can stop being afraid of. There are people that need our voice, who better to speak for them than the body of Christ? There are people being oppressed and if we can do something about why not? People are waiting for us. If we are loving our neighbors as ourselves that means we are standing up for our neighbors the way we stand up for ourselves. We are defending and protecting our neighbors the way we would defend and protect ourselves. Because we love them, and it is our duty.

• I don’t care if we agree with people, or the lifestyle they live, it’s not for us to judge. God does the judging. What we are here to do is love them. All of them, not just the people we like, not just Christians, not just the people we know. We are to love EVERYONE. Standing up for each other, being there, speaking up, and defending our brothers and sisters falls under the umbrella of love.

Alot has fallen on this generation. We are living in and have grown up in a time where there is a lot of pressure to fix everything broken in this world, and create a better one for the generation after us. One thing’s for sure is that we cannot fix it without Christ. Now is the time for us as not only young people with a voice, but young Christians to be on the frontline of every outlet. We must occupy the space we are in and use the platform we have been given to share the message of Christ, to give the people hope in a Savior that saved us long before we knew we needed it. A Savior that was thinking 2500 years in the future when He died so that we may live. The world needs us as the body of Christ to stand up and protect, and speak His word. We must declare that the power of the living God is greater than all the chaos that ensues in the world on a daily basis. We must be the love that the world is missing, We are representatives of Christ and we must lead His people back to Him. Use the gifts He has given you to spread His message. No matter how big or small your platform is, we each have the ability to reach somebody and that somebody can reach someone else, and we will start a chain reaction. Occupy the space you're in.  

Reflection

1. Reflect on what was discussed today. Do you believe that it is your duty to stand up, protect, and lift up your brothers and sisters?
2. How can you use the gifts and platforms God has given to reach His people?
3. What are ways that you can stand up for and defend the oppressed, give a voice to the voiceless, and lift those up who have fallen?
4. GO do it! But first…
   
   

...Prayer Time

Take the time today to pray for the world, and the state that it is in right now. Make that prayer a little more detailed, pray for your country, your city, your town, your village, your island, your community, your home. Pray that the people will be united and reunited with the one and only living God. Pray for wisdom, that you will be able to stand up for your brothers and sisters in a Christ-like manner.

Now go out there and fulfill your duty! Have an AWESOME day or evening, I love you! Share this with a friend and make sure you come back tomorrow for day 46!