So, if Jesus Calls Me to Share My Faith With Others, So They Can Receive Forgiveness of Sins, What Am I Saying to Jesus if I Shirk that Duty?

Acts 26: 17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom I now send thee. 18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me.

So, if Jesus Calls Me to Share My Faith With Others So They Can Receive Forgiveness of Sins, What Am I Saying to Jesus if I Shirk that Duty?

You wouldn't think people would argue with Jesus, but I have done it more times than I would like to admit. There have been many times when I've had the instinct to share my faith with someone who maybe doesn't know Jesus as their Savior. Do I do it and say, "Yes, Lord, here I am. Lead the way."? Unfortunately, I'm sad to admit, I've thought of excuses more often than I have shared my faith. Here's just a few of them:

* "I'm not good at sharing my faith with others. You should pick someone who is better at it."

* "Remember the time that the person backed away when I shared my faith, You don't want that to happen again? Maybe You should pick someone else."

* "There are people out there who are much better trained to share their faith with someone else than I am. I'm sure they would do a much better job!"

* "Gee, whiz. Unfortunately, my plate is pretty full right now, Jesus. Maybe I could do it some time later."

The list goes on and on and on and on and........

Do you have a list like mine? We need to be prayerful about Jesus' will in our lives!

If I am Envying the Attention of Others, Am I telling Jesus that Their Attention Matters More to Me Than His Attention?

Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. Galatians 5: 26 

Growing up, I envied the ones who were among the "In Crowd." If I'm being really honest, as an adult, I've probably envied others I perceived were in that same type of group. I quite often felt like an outsider and longed for the camaraderie that seemed to exist in those groups.  They always seemed so happy. They always seemed to have lots of friends, be liked by many, and have nice clothes, hair, etc. 

So, if I am envying the attention of others, am I telling Jesus that their attention matters more to me than His attention? 

When I read this Bible verse, Jesus doesn't want us seeking that type of attention, so I already know I'm barking up the wrong tree! The tree I was climbing, was filled with superficial things and the admiration of others that doesn't last. 

I know that since I've turned my life over to the all capable hands of Jesus, fancy clothes, nice hair, and lots of trendy friends aren't what give me that sense of peace inside. Only Jesus can give me that sense of peace. Being self-assured comes from an on-going, active relationship with my Savior. I no longer need and long for the approval of others, although I sometimes backslide. Fortunately for me, Jesus forgives me when I ask Him and He will do the same for you!

If You Have a Neighbor Who Gets On Your Nerves, Does That Say It's O.K. to Disregard the Second Most Important Commandment Jesus Shared With Us?

Matthew 22: 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

So, if you have a neighbor who gets on your nerves, does that say it's O.K. to disregard the second most important commandment Jesus shared with us?

This is a tricky one to write about, because I absolutely love my neighbors! I've been truly blessed! At one time, I did have a neighbor that I avoided, because she complained all the time!!! It became overwhelming and I didn't want to be around her. Now, Jesus doesn't say that we have to stay in unhealthy relationships, but was there more that I could do???

First of all, I need to be more mindful of the other person. Someone who complains all the time is probably feeling pretty lonely, and she was! I'm afraid that my avoiding her, probably made this only worse! 

*Maybe, I could have structured our interactions in order to limit the negativity. I won't ever know, because I avoided her. 

*Maybe, I could have asked for us to interact through email, due to my busy schedule. That would have allowed her an outlet to share her problems and would have allowed me the opportunity to pick the timing to read them when it wouldn't stress me out. I won't ever know, because I avoided her.

*Maybe, I could have prayed for her and for Jesus to give her The Peace Which Passes All Understanding that only He can give. I won't ever know, because I avoided her...but I could pray for her now!  Although these posts are supposed to provide insight for readers, I find that Jesus calls me to be a better Christian through them, as well.

When We See All These Natural Disasters Around the World, Are We Ignoring the Message that Jesus Has for Us?

Therefore the strong people will glorify You; The city of the terrible nations will fear You. For you have been a strength to the poor, A strength to the needy in his distress, A refuge from the storm, A shade from the heat; For the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. Isaiah 25:3-4 NKJV

When we see all these natural disasters around the world, are we ignoring the message that Jesus has for us?

Although I can't profess to have all the answers, I think it's only natural to see all the natural disasters going on around the same time and wonder if Jesus is giving us a message? He quite possibly is, but are we heeding it? 

In Matthew 13:14-15 NKJV, it says: "And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says; Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; for the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.'  

Verse 16 NKJV says: "But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear;"

I also take solace in the part of the Bible verse at the top that says: For you have been a strength to the poor, A strength to the needy in his distress, A refuge from the storm, A shade from the heat; and feel the importance to focus on Jesus as our Lord and Savior, trusting Him through all of this, but not just putting our faith on the back shelf someplace when the disasters subside.

Do We Turn a Blind Eye When Jesus Calls Upon Us to Do Something Good for Others?

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. James 4:17 

Do we turn a blind eye when Jesus calls upon us to do something good for others? 

I have to be honest. I'm ashamed to say that I've done this before. Of course, I've come up all types of excuses to validate my inactivity. "I'm too busy, I'm doing this much more important thing, I can't because I have these other obligations, I've already done so and so which fulfills my obligation, they might just use the money to buy something that might be harmful to them." These are just a few of the excuses that have passed through my mind over the years.

Peter said, "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8