Bible

Happy New Year

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If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land, (2 Chronicles 7:14).

Can you handle the responsibilities of a role model?

In 1993 former basketball star, Charles Barkley declared to the world in an Ad that he was not a role model. Charles was at the peak of his career, and even though he hadn’t won a Championship kids everywhere looked up to him. They thought he was somebody they could emulate. He was their role model. But he could handle the responsibilities or the pressures of the squeaky clean role model. So, he ran an Ad on TV titled ‘I am not a role model.’

So, I took another look at the Charles Barkley ‘I am not a role model’ Ad, and it occurred to me that every Christian is a role model. It is part of our responsibilities as followers of Jesus Christ.. When Jesus says, “Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16); He is really asking us to become the light that leads others to Him.

Make no mistake, the world will never find Jesus on its own, and even though it will never admit it, It is morally bankrupt and in desperate need of your help. It needs mentors and role models like you that it can emulate. And since we are Jesus’ representatives here on earth, we must step up and be the role models and mentors the world needs to help steer it back from the precipice. But this is no easy task. Therefore, as committed servants of Jesus Christ, it is of paramount importance that we lead lives that are worthy of the calling we have received. Not only when the spotlights are shinning on us, but also when no one is looking.

Further, as Christians and role models and mentors we must stand out among the crowd wherever we go, and we must never be afraid to embrace who we are and who we represent. The Apostle Paul emphasized this in Romans 12:2 ” Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

What does your attitude says about you?

Your attitude says a lot about you. A Christian with a friendly demeanor is more likely to draw sinners to the Kingdom of heaven than, let’s say one with a repulsive attitude.

It is true; many of my Christian brothers and sisters have attitude problems. (…you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either. Matt. 23:13) We often scoff at sinners and anyone who does not attend our church. Hence, we limit ourselves to the four walls of our sanctuary and refuse to adopt to the changing environment. Essentially, we have become aloof, judgmental and disinterested.

But no one likes being around a person with a bad attitude. So, if we want our light to shine before men, that they see our good works and glorify the Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16), then we must clean up our attitudes.

Since Jesus  is our example, Christians are obligated to follow His lead and strive to emulate Him in every respect. He never turned anyone away. Everybody is welcome in His presence; even the little children. He is approachable, and He never looked down on sinners. As a matter of fact, He sat down and ate and drank with sinners, much to the chagrin of Pharisees. ‘Why does he eat with tax collectors and “sinners”? They asked the disciples. The bible said, “On hearing this, Jesus said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance’” (Luke 5:30-32).

Does your attitude helps to draw people closer to the kingdom of heaven, or does it drives them away?

What do you do when problems overwhelm you?

We are unique in many ways. Hence, we all have different methods of approaching difficult situations. Some of us turn to professionals, family, friends and neighbors when we do not know what to do with our problems. But often time these sources of help are inadequate. So, many of us throw our hands in the air and give up. Others who have read God’s Word and believed in His promises turn to Him for divine help.

In 2 Chronicles 20 Jehoshaphat, king of Judah was faced with a very difficult situation. He got the news from the people that the Moabites, Meunites and the Ammonites were mounting an attack against him. And even though he was fearful. He never took things in his hands, and he never surrendered. Instead, he turned to God for divine intervention. Here is what the Bible says:

“Jehoshaphat was terrified by the news and begged the LORD for guidance. He also ordered everyone in Judah to begin fasting. 4 So people from all the towns of Judah came to Jerusalem to seek the LORD’s help.

Jehoshaphat stood before the community of Judah, and Jerusalem, in front of the new courtyard at the Temple of the LORD. 6 He prayed, “O LORD, God of our ancestors. You alone are the God, who is in heaven. You are the ruler of all the kingdoms of the earth. You are powerful and mighty; no one can stand against you! 7 O our God, did you not drive out those who lived in this land when your people Israel arrived? And did you not give this land forever to the descendants of your friend Abraham? 8 Your people settled here and built this Temple to honor your name. 9 They said, ‘Whenever we face any calamity such as war, plague, or famine, we can come to stand in your presence before this Temple where we honor your name. We can cry out to you to save us, and you will hear us and rescue us” 2 Chronicles 20:3-9).

God did answer Jehoshaphat’s prayer. His soldiers did not have to lift a finger. The enemies started fighting against themselves. The Bible says; there were dead bodies lying on the ground as far as the eye could see. Not a single one of the enemy had escaped.

And here is the kicker according to verse 30: “So Jehoshaphat’s kingdom was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side”.