Daily Devotional for Sunday September 9, 2018

How you act affects those around you!!!

(1 Thessalonians 5:22)

***DAILY PERSONAL PRAYER: Lord, USE ME in these perilous, last days, as a messenger of your hope in Jesus. Father, make me aware of the people you have put in my life each day, many who will die and burn in hell for all eternity for rejecting Christ, and use me as a vessel of your love and hope. I thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins that I might know the free gift of everlasting life, and I ask today that you help me to lead others to that wonderful eternal relationship with Christ. For it is in HIS name I pray...AMEN!

One of the more troubling things for me in this media culture we live in are the mixed signals many of the most famous athletes and entertainers send out in regard to their faith. Let me say up front, I am not judging anyone's salvation. Only God knows a person's heart so we should never, ever try to say a person is saved or lost. However, a person's actions often give an indication of where they are at spiritually. Beyonce is one of pop music's top performers.

It is well publicized that she is a Christian and reads her Bible daily. There is a great contradiction though in Beyonce’s professed faith in Christ, and the image she portrays in her professional career. From the lyrics in the songs she sings, to the clothing she wears, to the choreographed dance routines...all are based on sex and look like a woman working in a strip club!

She has become a stumbling block to many men young and old, and is a horrible role model for so many young women who idolize her. It is a shame that a woman with the great gifts that God has obviously given to her, has sold out her life for the temporary fame and fortune of this world, rather than using it for the glory of God.

Beyonce is not alone though. Many pop stars several ministers in their family, many of the superstars in music and film profess a faith in Christ, yet their professional careers are built around marketing sex to the masses. We also have famous athletes. Very visible and bold about proclaiming their faith in Christ, yet living lives that would call into question their level of commitment.

The purpose today is not to question the salvation of these people. It is not to humiliate them for the sins in their life, for we ALL have sinned and fallen short of God's glory. Most of us are fortunate that our sins aren't printed in the National Enquirer or on the news. No, my friend, the purpose is to highlight the mixed signals many of these high profile people send out.

The Bible says clearly that we are to avoid the appearance of evil. This is a powerful verse. Why? Because there is a world, a lost world, watching. Never forget that your most powerful witness, your loudest witness for Christ is NOT what you say, but how you live. People watch you, they notice how you live day to day. Having Christ in your life, living for Him daily, makes you different, and people notice that difference.

Again, I am not here to judge Beyonce or any other celebrity that professes to be a Christian. I have enough shortcomings in my own life. However, due to the fact these people are so visible, have so many people that idolize them and imitate them, what they portray, even though it may not be who they really are, influences many people. THAT is why the Bible says to "Avoid the appearance of evil." How you act influences others!!!

I love you and care about you so much. I will be praying today that you will be aware that as you are living your life day to day, people are watching you. As you make it known that you are a Christian, people will be looking to see what is different about your life. It has been said that we are the only Bible some will ever see.

Of course, in your own strength, it is not possible. But when you are living in the power of the Holy Spirit, everything is possible. We possess a power greater than anything known in the universe. The key is tapping into that power each day. We do that in our time of prayer. We do that in our time reading the Word each morning. We do that by dying to self each day and letting His will, not our will, be done each day.

It is what Jesus said when He told us, "We are the salt of this earth", and that we are to "Let our light shine!!!"

In His love and service,

Your friend and brother in Christ,

Bill Keller