This Confidence I Have

This confidence

2 Cor. 3:1-5 1Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? 2Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. 4And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 5Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.

Paul writes to the church at Corinth, you are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men.

The bible says that we are in this world, but not of this world. Which means that while we are here on this earth, we are the representatives of Christ. We are the body of Christ. You may be the only Jesus that some people ever get to see.

Many of us work with, or run into on a regular basis, people who are not “in church”. That is why it is important that we try to live as Christians.

It is a popular form of teaching today, that when you accept Christ as Lord and savior, that you keep it to your self, and try to live good, and be nice, and after that, you can do pretty much whatever you want to.

Live how you want, mon-through Saturday, but on Sunday be on your best behavior.

But this type of teaching is dangerous to you, and everyone around you.

Jesus said in the great commission, in Mark-“ Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature”

Matthew- Go then and make disciples of all nations....

Our Job as Christians, is to make other Christians. To reproduce in the earth, which is Gods ultimate design.

The importance of living a Christian life, effects more than just you. In fact, its not all about you. Its about standing in place of Jesus for other people.

You never know, how other people watch you. You never know, what other people look at, and how closely they examine your life.

The reason why we are scrutinized so heavily, is not because people are just trying to find a fault with you, but it is because they are looking for answers. They are looking for help. They are looking for direction.

Paul said you are our epistle, written in our hearts, known and read of all men. As you call yourself a Christian, you automatically are subjecting yourself to be read. Just like an open book.

You are the next book in the bible.

That is why it is so important to be led of the spirit of God in everything that we do. They that are led by the spirit of God, shall be called the sons of God.

Jesus said in John 16:13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.#

This is how you recognize someone who has the Holy Ghost living on the inside of them, because they do not take the credit for the things that they do, but they give all the glory to God.

Jesus said when the spirit of truth has come, he shall not speak of himself, but shall speak what he hears of the father.

Galatians 5:18 says- If you are led by the spirit, then you are not under the law.

As a new creature in Christ Jesus, old things pass away, behold all things become new. We’ve talked about how it is a process for someone to grow in the Lord, and it is. It is a transformation which does not occur overnight. In fact when we first get saved, we should walk around with signs on that way work in progress.

The most important thing that we can do as Christians, is to be led by the spirit of God. To allow the Holy Spirit to lead us and guide us in everything that we do.

In order to do this, a lot of times we have to block out people that we really care for. This is one of the hardest things that you can do. But there are some decisions in life that you can not rely upon mom en them for the answer.

Because most of the time whether it is friends or family, they try to give advice based on personal experience, but the advice that we need comes form God, and God alone.