BELIEF AND BEHAVIOR

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Let’s really look at people’s behavior today.  Are we shocked?  We should be!  Everyday I read something about someone who did something so shocking to a complete stranger that I cannot wrap my head around it.  Our society’s decency is deteriorating day by day.  But why?

WHAT WE BELIEVE INFLUENCES OUR BEHAVIOR.

And slowly but surely, our country has taken GOD out of everything.  You wonder…… if you asked a person after they have taken a baseball bat to someone’s head,  “what do you believe in?” if they believe in anything at all? 

Do we believe in truth or in counterfeit narratives?  Who influences us and our thinking?  Where do we get our information from? 

LOOKING ANYWHERE OTHER THAN GOD’S WORD FOR GUIDANCE IS A DEAD END.

PSALM 27: 13  “I BELIEVE THAT I SHALL LOOK UPON THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING.”

When we look for the LORD, believe in HIM and HIS word, and abide daily with HIM, then HE convicts us, changes us, and influences all of our behavior.  Our hearts are changed because of our belief in HIS word to us and thus our behavior is changed too.

PSALM 27: 14  “WAIT FOR THE LORD; BE STRONG, AND LET YOUR HEART TAKE COURAGE; WAIT FOR THE LORD!”

How we used to behave no longer works for those who believe in HIM.  HIS convicting influence causes us to rethink all of our responses.  We tend to think on a daily basis:  is this pleasing in HIS sight?  Am I doing this for JESUS or for myself?  Do I work for the LORD?  Are my words kind?

In all things and in every way, with a humble mind and heart, let us work and behave in a way that brings all glory to the LORD!  Our words and our actions need to reflect the GOSPEL.

TO LOVE GOD AND LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR IS MORE THAN ANY SACRIFICE WE COULD BRING BEFORE HIM.

Our serving at Church is not about us, it’s about the LORD!  And let us extend our serving to our families, our neighborhoods and our communities……this behavior is and will be noticed.  And why?  Because our culture is so self-centered and will continue to be in the future. 

WHO WE BELIEVE IN GUIDES OUR EVERY MOVE, OUR MIND AND HEART.

2 CORINTHIANS 1:12  “FOR OUR BOAST IS THIS, THE TESTIMONY OF OUR CONSCIENCE, THAT WE BEHAVED IN THE WORLD WITH SIMPLICITY AND GODLY SINCERITY, NOT BY EARTHLY WISDOM BUT BY THE GRACE OF GOD…….”

Let our boasting be of GOD, not ourselves.  Oh how we may stand out on this point!  Does your FB and Instagram reflect GOD?  Or is it all about you?  Think on this one and go look yours over……who are we glorifying on our pages?  Because our world is so into social media, our behavior there and what we post there, and what we say there, reflects what we believe.

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Let us live, eat and breathe for our SAVIOR, the ONE who saved us from sin and death.  Let our behavior be worthy of HIM! Let’s reflect HIM in our daily faith walk.  Because HE chose us first, let us choose to live lives of love and integrity of character.  Choose today to live wisely and abundantly in the Savior JESUS CHRIST, the faithful ONE, the ONLY ONE who loves us with an eternal love.

PHILIPPIANS 1: 21  “FOR TO ME, TO LIVE IS CHRIST AND TO DIE IS GAIN.”