When Faith Becomes Reality

August 18, 2010 / exchangechurch.com / Devos and Riffs

My name is Emilee, I am 14 years old, and I have been coming to the Exchange Church for around four or five years.  I am about to enter my first year of high school, and there are a few things the Lord has laid upon my heart.  All my life I have been raised a Christian.  I believed in my heart that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Saviour, but I wasn’t living it out.  Believing is not all it takes to be a true Christian.  There is so much more to it.  If you’re like me, some changes need to be made.

A New Attitude
Life is tough. As humans, our first reaction is to take care of ourselves.  When making decisions we immediately think “How will this better benefit myself?”  This is all wrong.  It’s selfish.  Living for yourself is living for the world.  And that’s exactly what the Devil wants us to do.  We don’t want to live for the Devil, do we?  No.  We want to live for Christ.  So rather than think “What can I get from this?” we need to first think “Is this what God wants me to do?”  “Will this help someone in need?” and most importantly “Will this bring glory to God?”.  If we adopt this change of heart, God can start to work in us.

Die to self
The Bible says that in order to live for Christ, we must first die to our flesh.  It’s not as simple as saying “Lord, I have died to myself, Holy Spirit live in me.”  I mean, sure, that’s part of it, but it has to be a true commitment of the heart.  For it to be true, we need to be willing to do absolutely anything that God has called us to.  We need to put God and the need of others first, and worry about ourselves last (or not at all for that matter.)

Be born again
When we die to ourselves, the Holy Spirit can come live in us and through us.  When we are dead, we are not capable of doing anything for ourselves.  We need God to take control and use us as He sees fit.  As we go through the process of Rebirthing, we should see more of Him and less of us.  We will no longer be the ones in control, but we shall step aside and let Jesus take the wheel.

Live it out
When we feel the Holy Spirit in us, we get pumped!  We’re on fire – so excited to live for God!  But then we go right back to living our regular lives.  We go back to our old, worldly ways, and we don’t put forth the effort to act like Christ.  Trust me when I say this, because I’m there right now.  When I say we, I really mean we!  It’s easy to live for ourselves – we like to be lazy.  But in order to truly live our lives for Christ, we need to work hard.  It’s not as simple as saying “God, I give you my life. Use it.”  But in reality, we need be willing to fight, and then God can work through us.  He doesn’t work through those that sit around waiting for a miracle.  But don’t go crazy.  Our new lives won’t happen over night.  It takes time.  We need to start by doing little things.  Then, the more little things we do, the bigger those things will become.

I know you may be thinking “Hold up! What on earth are you talking about?!”  Well, here’s what I have to say.  I’m still growing in my faith.  In fact, it feels like I’m just getting started.  So I don’t have a whole lot of my own experience.  But I do know what I want to see happen in my life.  It may not be the exact same for you, but I know we can all relate.  Now I don’t expect any of us to be able to go just out and preach the gospel.  But it starts like this:

• Actions speak louder than words.  If you’re not real great at talking about the bible with others, don’t sweat it.  It will come.  We’re still called to do something.  All it takes is an act of kindness – that’s what can start a chain reaction of positive things, and before you know it, when it comes to the conversation of faith, you’ll be talking it up!
• Compliment a stranger on something.  Whether it be there hair, clothes, skills, doesn’t matter.  Just do it.  Who knows, it could change there entire attitude for the day.
• Open the door for someone.  It doesn’t seem like a big deal, right?  Then why not just do it.  It’s still doing for others.
• When someone drops there stuff all over the floor, stop what you’re doing and help them pick it up.
• Smile at the kid who looks sad all the time.
• Go talk to the person that’s excluded from the group.
• Ask someone why they’re sad, listen to someone’s problems, PRAY WITH SOMEONE!!!!

It’s things like this that will help save lives!!!

I know that this all seems like a huge burden to carry, but hey, Jesus died for you!!!! Does that change your mind at all?!  And remember it starts with the little things.  Sure, you’ll have to go out of your way to do it, plus you’re scared of what people might think of you, right?  Honestly, do you think that they will think wrongly of you for being nice?  I don’t think so.  That’s what people want!!!  We are the Church!  We are called to make a change!  Don’t be afraid to step out and do a nice thing.  Even if it’s just one small good deed a day, you will grow.  God will change you.  But you have to be the one to take the first step!

Scriptures to think about and memorize:

Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.  Let all that you do be done with love.
(1 Corinthians 16: 13-14)

If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
(Galatians 5: 25)

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.  Let each of you look out not only for his (or her) own interests, but also for the interests of others.
(Philippians 2: 3-4)

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.  For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.”
(Luke 9: 23-24)

When everything falls apart Your the only hope for this heart

When everything falls apart and my strength is gone

I find you mighty and strong, You keep holding on

You keep holding on

“Everything Falls” by Fee

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