watching

We’re Watching 

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Isaiah 8:18
“Here am I and the children whom the Lord has given me! We are for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of hosts, Who dwells in Mount Zion.”

Isaiah understood something about his life, which is often forgotten today. He realized his life was to be lived as an example. He was a model for others to learn how to follow and serve the Lord. Everything he did, including the way he raised his family, was designed to be a sign to the world in which he lived; teaching them something about the Lord.

Isaiah is not alone in this. Paul declared to his friends they should follow him as he followed Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). Essentially, Paul was stating, they could learn how to walk with the Lord by looking at the way he lived. Paul went on to say, every believer is an epistle or letter from God, written to the world to teach them how to live for Christ (2 Corinthians 3:2-3). In another place, Paul wrote of how each of us is on display. The whole world is watching and will determine the validity of the Gospel’s claims, based upon the way we live.

God is not expecting perfection from us, but He does require that we see ourselves as witnesses to the world. As much witnessing is done with our actions, as with our words. As we head out the door today, we should realize we are on display; the world is watching. Our lives, and lifestyles are a huge part of a person’s decision to follow Christ.

Pastor Jim

 

Always Watching 

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2 Chronicles 27:6
“So Jotham became mighty, because he prepared his ways before the Lord his God.”

My early years in ministry were spent as a Bible teacher at a Christian school. I recall one occasion, when I was called out of the classroom and into the hallway, I told the students to continue with the assignment I had given them. About five minutes later, I returned to the class to find the students had not followed my instructions. All but a few, were no longer working on the assignment, and some were completely out of control. I remember seeing paper flying across the room, and at least two students standing on their desks. I can attest, these behaviors NEVER happened while I was in the room. There is something about human nature which causes us to behave better when we know we are being watched.

The same was true of the ancient king, Jotham. We read in 2 Chronicles 27:2, he “did what was right in the sight of the Lord” and that his secret was, he “prepared his ways BEFORE the Lord.” How differently would you behave, if you kept in mind, everything you do is before the eyes of the Lord? The New Testament tells us every thing we do is “. . . naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account” (Hebrews 4:13). In other words, God is watching everything we do, and we will one day have to account to Him for our behavior.

There are many things we do because we know no one is watching, or we fail to do unless someone is watching. The proper attitude is to “. . . do ALL things heartily as unto the Lord. . . ” Colossians 3:23).

Pastor Jim

 

Always Watching 

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1 Samuel 2:17 

“Therefore the sin of the young men was very great before the Lord, for men abhorred the offering of the Lord.”


I read an interesting quote this morning from D.L. Moody. He said, “Out of one hundred men, one will read the Bible. The other ninety-nine will read the Christian.” 


Whether we like it or not, once we become a follower of Jesus our life is on display. Paul wrote to the Corinthians about how people observed his life as they would an exhibit.  


1 Corinthians 4:9

“For I think that God has displayed us, the apostles, last, as men condemned to death; for we have been made a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men.”


We might not like the idea of people watching our lives with a critical eye, but the fact is, they are. The way we choose to follow Christ will have an impact on others and their decision to come to Christ, or to reject Him. On the one hand, Eli’s sons lived a life that drove people away from the Lord, and filled them with excuses not to follow God. On the other hand, there are people who are watching our lives because they see a difference and they are intrigued. Jesus explained that we should, “let our light so shine before men so that they will see our good works and glorify God” (Matthew 5:16). 


As you head out the door today, keep in mind that the world is watching, and your actions can have a powerful impact on others as they make a decision regarding Jesus.


Pastor Jim  

  




Watching you

pjimgallagher1 Comment

Proverbs 15:3
“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.”

I have always been fascinated by the comment Jesus made to Nathaniel when they first met; the Gospel of John records:

John 1:47-48
“Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, and said of him, ‘Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!’
Nathanael said to Him, ‘How do You know me?’
Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.’”

The possibilities are endless as to what Nathaniel may have been doing under that tree, but we know for sure, whether it was good or bad, God was watching and loved him, regardless.

I wonder, “How are you spending your time when it seems that no one is watching?” How might those times change if we kept in mind,  the eyes of the Lord are always upon us?

Pastor Jim

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