A Life Of Convincing, A Convincing Life
Paul is a wonderful example of the process of considering this lifestyle and where does the believer begin? Three times in the book of Romans and once in 2 Timothy, Paul uses the phrase - "I am convinced". With these words Paul communicates to himself and his audience through his senses, intellilect and emotion that all the proofs of Jesus as The Messiah are true. This truth being revealed to Paul drastically in His initial encounter with The Lord and then throughout his service unto the Lord - Paul made it his mission to not only have A Life Of Convincing, but A Convincing Life.
If the Christian is truely to live A Life of Convincing, A Convincing Life - here are a few major pillars the Christ-like lifestyle should be built upon.
A Life of Love
In order to inspire change, one has to be that change and display it in their own life. Paul stresses the answer is an action word, a word that demands our participation, called "love". Paul says in his fist letter to the believers in Corinth -
"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing." (1 Cor. 13:1-3)A Life of Integrity
I know the Lord never leaves or forsakes His own, but I believe when Christians keep their lives on the straight and narrow, God rewards them with a special emphasis of His presence. I believe having our lives in order blesses the requests when we petition the Lord for His powerful influence. This is not to say God will not answer favorably to your prayer otherwise, but Christians presenting themselves better before The King in prayer by already having a lifestyle of integrity will help one's cause.
A clean, honest, upstanding life that is filled with integrity and led by Christ is the kind of impact I desire to leave on this world. But the world-vision, the world-change does not come until the personal, at-home transformation happens. How can I attempt to instruct someone on pulling a speck of dust out of their eye when I have a plank of wood in mine? (Matt. 7:1-5) Get your own house, your own life in order first, then your impact on the world will be incredibly favored by God.
A Life of Serving and Seeking
Once a person says "yes" to the invitation of Christ Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, many-a-instance has been that the transformation was so great and so greatly needed and appreciated that the life of convincing and the convincing life immediately began by witnessing.
There are many ways to serve the Lord, therefore those ways end up being many avenues of witnessing to unbelievers. However, sometimes a personal, one-one-one, heart-to-heart conversation about one's transformation is just what The Great Physician ordered.
Within the powerful tool of personal testimony, Christ Jesus initiates The Great Commission. The believer in Christ has the honor of telling his/her salvation story and The Salvation message while seeking out a potential new brother/sister in Christ, therefore executing A Life of Serving and Seeking.
A Life Of Convincing, A Convincing Life
Personally, my life, like many, has been dotted with physical, mental and financial trials. Like many believers in Christ, I can say - But God....
I try not say that But God phrase lightly anymore. I don't want to take The Lord's provision and guidance for granted. I really desire to take up Paul's phrase - "I am convinced..." when I speak of God's blessings and promises. And lead A Life of Convincing, A Convincing Life.
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