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God's Words For US
by Cecelia Lester
“Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand
In the evil day, and having done all stand firm” Ephesians 6:13 (ESV)
In today’s world we see a lot of activity that does not speak of Christianity but of the world.
My heart goes out to those in Sutherland Springs, Texas. A friend pointed out to several of us that that one small church had 60 members and lost at least 26 of their people. We prayed for that church and town during our times of prayer this week.
The gospel hymn, “Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus” comes to mind. But how can we truly stand for Him in this world that does not even recognize who He is?
Jesus himself tells us to “be my witness.” Have we forgotten how? Yes, I am afraid that we have forgotten how to stand for Jesus. We have allowed the world to infiltrate God’s houses and into our individual lives. This has allowed people to fall into thinking as the world does, not as God wants us to believe.
What do we need to do to make our neighbors aware of God’s love for them? There are ways we can present Jesus to our neighbors that are simple everyday things.
*Greeting them with a smile and a wave when you happen to be out.
*Watching over their house when they are on a trip.
*Praying for them when you are aware of a need they might have.
(I write this list with three fingers pointing back at myself.)
Even if we don’t know those who live around us we can pray for them. In our prayer group we pray for the neighborhoods of those who come to pray. On our personal prayer lists we can include those who live around us, even if we are not acquainted with them.
When we shop, let’s practice saying a kind word or two to those who help us with our purchases. At one store I patronize, they greet me shortly after I enter and ask if I need help finding what I need. (Sometimes, I do.) If I am there toward the end of the week, I always try to ask the cashier if she has to work on the weekend. The husband of one who did work there started his own business, a lawnmower repair service. When I saw her, I asked how his business was doing.
Instead of telling the cashiers and sackers, “Have a nice day, “why can’t we tell them to ‘have a blessed day’ or tell them to ‘be blessed?’
It is not easy to stand for Jesus in our world today. Let’s all seek the courage to obey God rather than man. (Acts 5:29)
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Cecelia Lester has been serious about her writing for over two decades..
She composes Christian essays and posts them to her blog quietspirit-followingmyking.blogspot.com/
She has served in a faith-based organization, Grace In Action by writing two newsletters and searching for possible grants.
In July 2017, she published her first book, 'Times of Trouble Bring Rays of Joy.'
She and her husband of 54 years live in central Indiana. They have one grown son.
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