Keep our house clean

  Keep our house clean

In the book of Acts we read,

"They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  

Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.  

All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.  

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts,  praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47.

This is a snapshot of the embryo church if you will. They were known for their devotion to God and the Love of God they showed.

Sadly in many cases the today especially here in North America where I live people don’t see the Church as loving. 

The face of the church is seen by many as judgmental hypocrites. As one who supports politicians and others that are clearly not exhibiting Christian values. 

As Christians we need to stop getting involved in politics and return to our roots as demonstrated by the church Luke describes in the Book of Acts. 

We need to obey the words of the apostle Paul who wrote,

“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside?  God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5:12,13.

For it’s only when we are keeping our own house clean that we will win souls for Christ.

Please think about it.

Be wise

Be wise
The apostle Paul writes,
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” Colossians 4:5,6.
I was in a church not so long ago. It was during the gay pride parade in Toronto. When someone said. We need to pray for “those people”. “They” are in need of God’s salvation”.
What the implication was, was that gay people by simply by being gay were sinners. What a lot of hogwash.
The fact of the matter is 100% of heterosexual men and women are sinners as is everyone that has ever been born. The apostle Paul states,
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23.
That all means all. No matter who the person is, their lifestyle or for that matter what they believe. “All have sinned”. Even people sitting in that church with me that morning were sinners according to the apostle Paul.
The person who spoke those words would never win a member of the LGBTQ community to Christ. Quite the contrary they may have pushed the person away.
They obviously had not taken to hart the words of the apostle Paul to the Colossians
“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” Colossians 4:5,6.
We must remember that Jesus told us,
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  
For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." Matthew 7:1,2.
If you are speaking out and judging anyone especially in a negative way they will judge you also. Not only that but if they perceive your judgment to be in error they will not listen to you.
The bottom line is we should not be judging anyone. We especially should not be centering out anyone person or any group.
Billy Graham the American evangelist rightly said,

“It is the Holy Spirits Job to Convict, 

God's job to judge

 and my job to love,” 

                             Billy Graham

Jesus said,
"So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 7:12.
Please think about it.