November 17
Ezekiel 41-42
Psalm 123
Proverbs 27:19-20
James 5:13-20
The Man in the Mirror
“As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.” Proverbs 27:19
“Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it, not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it, they will be blessed in what they do.”
James 1: 23-25
You will notice that I went back and borrowed a reading from a few days ago in James because it fits so perfectly with our verse today in Psalm. It is necessary to examine our lives frequently to determine if we are living in a way that is pleasing to God. Do our actions match our words? Are we authentic? Is what we say we believe evident in our lives? I think most of us just go through life getting by day to day. We go to church and over the years have formed beliefs consistent with the things we have been taught and experienced. If asked what we believe about most topics we can give the good Sunday School answer, but does our life reflect that answer. Can others tell what we believe without asking?
Do I really believe that the Bible is God’s Word? Do I believe that it is my manual for life, that I can find the answers to my questions in its pages, and that God will speak to me through it? If I really believe that, then am I utilizing it? Am I following it, searching it, and doing what it says? Do I trust that God really loves me, He knows best, and He is working all things out for my good? If I believe that, am I putting my complete trust in Him or do I spend most of my time worrying about things I don’t have control over and trying to fix them myself? Do I trust Him with my finances, relationships, health, career, etc.? Do I believe that there is a real heaven and a real hell and that everyone is destined to spend eternity in one or the other? If I really believe that, have I done everything I can to tell my friends and family about Jesus so that they will not experience eternal damnation? Am I more concerned about being liked and accepted and afraid of being labeled as intolerant or narrowminded, or concerned about the eternal welfare of those I love? I know this is difficult because you don’t want to say so much that you turn them away, but it is important that we pray daily for them and ask God to give us opportunities to share with them. Time is short. Speaking the truth in love is hard, but it is possible with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Let’s take this opportunity to look in the mirror and ask God to reveal to us any areas where our lives are not reflecting our faith and then ask Him to help us be authentic.
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