LifeLink Devotions for Thursday, February 15, 2024

There’s an old saying that suddenly means something new to me in the light of today’s Scripture passage. The question was asked, “If you were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?” Here’s how the Apostle Paul describes his evidence:

2 Corinthians 6:3-4 “We try to live in such a way that no one will be hindered from finding the Lord by the way we act, and so no one can find fault with our ministry.  In everything we do we try to show that we are true ministers of God.” 

When the world looked at the way Paul lived, how could they tell he was a follower of Jesus? Without any detailed explanations, here is the list Paul gives us in verses  four through ten that can be the measuring stick of our own spiritual integrity as we live for Jesus in a lost world. Let each point convict you where it must and encourage you where it can.

1. Patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind, including beatings, jail, angry mobs, being over worked to exhaustion, enduring sleepless nights, and going without food. 
2. Prove yourselves by your purity, your understanding, your patience, your kindness, your sincere love, and the power of the Holy Spirit.  Go back and slowly read each of those again and let each one sink in and have an impact on your spirit and mind.
3. Faithfully preach the truth. Be a consistent witness for Jesus Christ.
4. God’s power has been working in us. Can the people of the world see the power of God in how we live or do they just see a powerful person?
5. We have righteousness as our weapon. Knowing what is right and then doing what is right no matter what the outside influence is on our lives gives us the strength to both defend ourselves and to mount an attack against the evil of our day.
6. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are not people pleasers but instead we honor God by serving Him and serving people no matter what they think or say about us.
7. We are honest, but they call us impostors. We are well known, but we are treated as unknown. We do not compromise for the sake of recognition.
8. We live close to death, but here we are, still alive. We have been beaten within an inch of our lives.The body may be bruised, but our spirit cannot be broken. We are alive from the inside out.
9. Our hearts ache, but we always have joy.We may be emotionally drained, but the joy of the Lord is our strength.
10. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything. The treasures of heaven outweigh the treasures of earth, and we are content.

Simply stated, the hardships of life are to become the evidence of our faith and trust in God. Take time to consider your evidence.

Pastor John