Your actions are leading you somewhere. Where are you headed?

Welcome to Day 24 of Curious About Christ! Today’s reading is Luke 3 & 4. I chose to reflect on a verse from John the Baptist because it urges us to not only say we are Christians but to reflect it in our actions. I pray that this message changes your life and inspires you to think differently.

Let’s get into the Word of God!

Scripture: Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. Luke 3:8 NLT

Observation: John the Baptist preached that before the coming of Jesus, people needed to get baptized and repent their sins. In this verse, he explained that baptism alone was not enough. The people couldn’t keep making the same decisions they made before their baptism, they must choose differently. He told those who had extra clothes or food to give to the poor. He told corrupt tax collectors to stop using taxes as a way to steal money from people. He told soldiers to not extort money or make false accusations, and to be content with their pay. Basically John was saying don’t just talk the talk but walk the walk.

Application: When we are baptized, Jesus charges us to live a new life full of new decisions. As humans, I’ve observed that we tend to compartmentalize our faith in certain situations. We say we are Christians because we go to church and pray but do our actions reflect our relationship with God? All of our actions are leading us somewhere. Every day we get to decide whether we are going to take actions that lead us closer to God or further away. God has given us the free will to decide whether we want to live a life according to our standards or according to God’s standards.

As I grow in my relationship with God, I have become cautious of my actions and words as I want them to be pleasing to God. I am a representative of Christ so my actions and how I interact with people should reflect that. I shouldn’t have to reassure people of my beliefs by telling them “I’m a Christian!” They should know by the way I carry myself.

I’m not saying I do everything perfectly because we all fall short of the glory of God. Luckily, we receive the grace of God by accepting Jesus Christ. It is because he died for us that we are forgiven for our sins. Although I’m not perfect, I am intentional with my actions. Every day I am mindful to choose actions that bring me closer to God. Each day is a new opportunity for me to grow deeper in my relationship with God by choosing actions pleasing to him. When I sin, I know it creates a separation between me and God, and I don’t think it’s worth the risk. I’ve learned that my willpower alone can’t stop me from sinning, I must ask the Holy Spirit to help me. Jesus told us that our flesh is weak but it is the spirit that is willing. I felt a shift occur in my life once I asked the Holy Spirit to guide all my decisions. I always ask the Holy Spirit to guide me because actions informed by the Holy Spirit are destined to bring me closer to God. That is why I wanted to increase my biblical knowledge so that I am able to discern what is from God and what is not.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for this day! I do not take it for granted. Lord, I invite the Holy Spirit into my life and into the lives of those reading this. I ask that we no longer rely on our own strength but put our faith in you. I ask that the Holy Spirit helps us to not only talk the talk but walk the walk. We are representatives of Christ and must act as such. For Luke 6:33 says, “And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.” Thank you for your grace and for sending Jesus. I pray this in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Related posts:

Combine the best of both skills, and learn how to practice the Design Thinking Process from everything you do.

My brother was already living there in hopes of establishing a music career. He lived in Echo Park in a group of five cottages up some ridiculously steep stairs, and he told me there was a vacant one…