A CREDIT TO THE MESSAGE

04/08/2024

“Meanwhile, live in such a way that you are a credit to the Message of Christ. Let nothing in your conduct hang on whether I come or not. Your conduct must be the same whether I show up to see things for myself or hear of it from a distance” (Philippians 1:27 MSG).

Goodliness is not a gift of the spirit; it’s a conscious display of God's life in you. It’s not about “putting on a show” when you are around church folks and when elsewhere, you live a different life. To consistently experience the flow of the Spirit’s blessings in our lives, we must consistently live by God's Word, privately and publicly. Paul the Apostle put it this way in Philippians 2:12: “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Apostle Paul highlighted their private display of goodliness. If you display holy piety in public, then it ought to be in abundance in private. Also, you must bear in mind that working out your salvation should not be according to human ability, but by grace. Philippians 2:13 AMP says “[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.” Nonetheless, it’s your responsibility to allow that divine flow of energy and grace that produces a lifestyle that credits the message of salvation. 

Here's an example. There are so many of God’s people not experiencing peace. Just by looking and listening to them, one would wonder if their last name was “war.” From their finances to their relationships, everything is a battle. But the Bible says, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). So the question is no longer whether or not they have peace. The question is why hasn’t this peace dominated their experiences? 

To answer that, we may have to ask, “Is their trust in God’s Word or in something else?” Because trusting in God and His Word will always produce peace. Isaiah 26:3 says “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” In Colossians 3:15 the Bible says, “And let the peace which Christ gives settle all questionings in your hearts, to which peace indeed you were called as belonging to His one Body; and be thankful” (Weymouth New Testament). Letting the peace of God govern us is not something that God will do for us. It’s our responsibility to either allow or disallow the reign of peace in our lives. If you keep your thoughts on God's Word, peace will dictate your experiences. But when you do otherwise, you can expect a life of endless chaos.

Jesus said “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew 7:20). So ask yourself, “Can someone spot the peace of God in me from a mile away or would they be surprised to find out that I am a Christian?” Are you wondering why your experiences contradict the message of peace? The Bible says “...live in such a way that you are a credit to the Message of Christ. Let nothing in your conduct hang on whether I come or not. Your conduct must be the same whether I show up to see things for myself or hear of it from a distance” (Philippians 1:27 MSG). In other words, be consistent in godliness. Don’t pride yourself in being the cause for commotion or disruption. Such thoughts can keep you sick and broke for a long time.

So make up your mind to live as a credit to the gospel of Jesus Christ and let peace reign in your heart.

God bless you!

Faith-Filled Confession: 

I choose to allow the peace of God to reign in me. I refuse every symptom of anxiety. I know that all things are working together for my good. Even that which was meant to cause me harm has been turned around for my testimony. My Trust is in God alone. He has perfected all that concerns me. In Jesus name, Amen.

One-Year Bible Reading Plan: 1 Samuel 1-3; Luke 12:1-34