Monday, March 23, 2009

Talk the talk, walk the walk

John 21:17 (NLT)
A third time he asked him,
“Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep."

Sometimes....like a lot of you other ladies....
I have trouble sleeping.
Often I wake up with somebody on my mind and I'll immediately pray for them...maybe they've told me they're having surgery, or medical tests, that day....or, it might be something going on in their lives, something they're troubled with....so I know God is reminding me that this person needs prayer before they have to face their day.

I woke up early one morning last week, and the idea for this post kept running thru my mind, so I got up so I could put some of my thoughts down "on paper" before they left me. But, when I got up, I got side-tracked...imagine that...but, at least in this instance,it must have been God who did the side-tracking...because I was led to the verse of scripture above in a devotional....and I had just heard it a few days before....so....we know what that means, don't we???
God's saying:
Listen up....pay attention....I'm talking to YOU!!!!

The "it's not odd, it's God" thing about this is that the verse of scripture goes along exactly with what was on my mind when I woke up that morning...about having a heart for others.
Jesus asked Peter...do you love me???

Peter reminds me of how I can sometimes be.....
bull headed, speaking out of turn, not really listening, taking matters into his own hands....SELF-CENTERED!!!
Before I REALLY let God into my life to "lead, guide and direct", as we've heard all our lives....I would have woke up with my own problems on my mind...probably not even remembering that somebody had asked me to pray for them.
I would have thought that my troubles were so much worse than theirs.
I shared something personal with a friend just the other night.
I used to hear people talk about having a burden for somebody, especially a burden for the "lost"....I didn't fully understand what that even meant.
I would even think to myself, "what are they talking about"?
Sure, I wanted everybody to be saved...but did I really have a "burden" for them...or, did I have a burden for those who asked me to pray for them, and truly take the time to stop and take their request to the Lord?

Jesus asked Deb...do you love me?

When I think only of ME...
like the post I did on "But, what about me?"...
what kind of example am I setting for Jesus' "sheep"?
What am I "feeding" others who know I'm a Christian...but I don't have the attitude of a Christian...I don't show them love and concern and compassion?
In other words:
"if you're gonna talk the talk, then you've gotta walk the walk".

I can tell you all day long that I'm a Christian...
but, does my speech and my attitude show it???
When you ask something of me,
do I try my very best to help you out?
There's a verse of scripture that goes along EXACTLY with this topic:

Matthew 7:21 (KJV)
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

I believe Jesus is saying in this verse of scripture:
"You can call yourself a Christian,
but unless you do the will of my Father,
you aren't a Christian"!!!
I've heard it said that if God is such a loving God, then why would He allow somebody to not go to heaven...
in other words, to put it bluntly...
why would God send somebody to hell????

I've also heard it said that God is a gentleman.
He won't push His way into your life...but He's there with open arms when we decide that we need Him. He's full of love and compassion and it's up to us to make the decision as to where we will spend eternity.....it's our own choice!!!

Jesus asks all of us....do you love me?


In His Love...and with mine!!!

2 comments:

  1. You know I can say I'm a Christian but there are days I don't feel like one and may not act like one. I don't like it when Satan interfers with that. Don't forget it is not just the will of the Father but you have to believe in your heart and confess with you mouth, then you will enter heaven.
    Romans 10:10
    Not everyone will believe in their heart and confess, they can say Lord Lord all they want but if they truly don't believe then, us Christians (believers) need to love them and speak to them gently and show them how much God loves them.

    ReplyDelete
  2. this reminds me so much of what daniel preached on last night. . . .about being a leader. there is always someone watching us. . .little chilren, etc.

    great message he preached, and wonderful blog post!!!

    ReplyDelete

Kind words are like honey—
sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
Proverbs 16:24