WHO WE ARE

Acts 28:3-6,9

As Paul gathered an armful of sticks and was laying them on the fire, a poisonous snake, driven out by the heat, bit him on the hand.

The people of the island saw it hanging from his hand and said to each other, “A murderer, no doubt! Though he escaped the sea, justice will not permit him to live.”

But Paul shook off the snake into the fire and was unharmed.

The people waited for him to swell up or suddenly drop dead. But when they had waited a long time and saw that he wasn’t harmed, they changed their minds and decided he was a god.

Then all the other sick people on the island came and were healed.

There are some who say, I do not care what people say about me, it doesn't matter, I can do what I like and ignore the representation. Wait a minute, it does matter, we do not represent ourselves - we represent Christ.

Hebrews 11:39 

And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

1Timothy 3:7 

Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

For even Christ asked about what was being said about Him:

Matthew 16:13 

When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

For we came to shine the light, we are ambassadors of the Most High God. Yes ambassadors of Christ.

Matthew 5:16 

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

2Corinthians 5:20 

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech [you] by us: we pray [you] in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

So, yes it does matter how we live, for we are Christ's representatives. Paul, even in captivity lived an exemplary life, thus when he spoke the word people listened and many got saved for he was a true witness. He did not live like those who say listen to what I say but do not do what I do, like most ministers today. No, he showed Christ to the world.

I saw a post by an EFAC member on facebook, that he prayed that all young Christians will be on jeans and t-shirts at all corners and streets speaking the gospel. Well, I replied that we already have that, every morning as you go out you hear speakers in different corners blaring out the "gospel", but I also added that something was yet missing! That missing part is the EXEMPLARY LIFE!

For you can shout all you can about the gospel, even wear aprons with inscription of Bible verses, or your denomination stickers, but if you do not have that exemplary life, and you do not have love, you are no better than the Pharisees that Christ called hypocrites. Selah

Mark 7:6 

He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with [their] lips, but their heart is far from me.

Every believer must ask themselves the question - "Who am I?"

When we have established the answer, we go forth and live the life.

For we will keep preaching the word, we must keep exalting and strengthening the brethren in teachings, we must worship, we must study the word and we must pray. Yet, we must live exemplary lives.

For "Who we Are", is a function of the "Life we Live". Selah

So help us Good Lord.

He calls us blessed.

Love

@the watcher