THE LIFESTYLE
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God - this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will. (Romans 12:1-2)
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:9-11)
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. (John 15:16)
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:9-11)
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. (John 15:16)
The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:4-5)
We live in a very confusing age – an age where people pride themselves on being ‘connected’ to one another and where influence is measured like never before. We even have the name ‘Influencers’ given to people who have amassed a large social media following! Within the noisy and nosey backdrop of social media, there’s a sense in which it’s OK to put everything on display; and words and actions that are more noticeable and ‘clickable’ are somehow more valuable and significant.
In that environment, it is so easy for us to get sucked into attempting to meet our need for significance through performing and achieving – at work, in the home, in our studies, at church, in friendships, and in other relationships too. How much has wanting to be noticed or liked affected your words and your actions lately? It’s easy to think that that is just part of life, but there’s nothing innocent about it. It is a mindset invented the devil in order to manipulate and enslave us. We have an enemy who loves to trick us into thinking that if only we were noticed more, heard more, and clicked-on-like more, we would actually be more likeable and loveable. This simply isn’t true.
Without our realising it, this can often have an impact on our willingness to speak out truth and to share the Gospel with those around. Sometimes we can ‘unchristian’ our Christianity, because we are afraid that we will conform to the negative stereotypes that the world has created for Christians. We feel so concerned that the world we live in might reject us that we lose our concern for how Jesus feels about the way that we are following him.
It may be subtle, but it isn’t little. This is one of the primary ways in which the devil dupes people into living fruitless lives as followers of Jesus. When we care too much about what the people around us think of us, we fall into people-pleasing and sin. But the truth is, when we realise that we are accepted and beloved sons and daughters of God, it gives us courage to live out who we really are in front of people. We increase in our desire to remain in the world, but set apart as a citizen of another Kingdom. God wants us to stand out, not to blend into the world.
Ask God if there is any area of your life that he wants to challenge over this today. Are there things that you need to stop doing, or to do differently, or to do with a different motivation? Confess that to the Lord today.
In that environment, it is so easy for us to get sucked into attempting to meet our need for significance through performing and achieving – at work, in the home, in our studies, at church, in friendships, and in other relationships too. How much has wanting to be noticed or liked affected your words and your actions lately? It’s easy to think that that is just part of life, but there’s nothing innocent about it. It is a mindset invented the devil in order to manipulate and enslave us. We have an enemy who loves to trick us into thinking that if only we were noticed more, heard more, and clicked-on-like more, we would actually be more likeable and loveable. This simply isn’t true.
Without our realising it, this can often have an impact on our willingness to speak out truth and to share the Gospel with those around. Sometimes we can ‘unchristian’ our Christianity, because we are afraid that we will conform to the negative stereotypes that the world has created for Christians. We feel so concerned that the world we live in might reject us that we lose our concern for how Jesus feels about the way that we are following him.
It may be subtle, but it isn’t little. This is one of the primary ways in which the devil dupes people into living fruitless lives as followers of Jesus. When we care too much about what the people around us think of us, we fall into people-pleasing and sin. But the truth is, when we realise that we are accepted and beloved sons and daughters of God, it gives us courage to live out who we really are in front of people. We increase in our desire to remain in the world, but set apart as a citizen of another Kingdom. God wants us to stand out, not to blend into the world.
Ask God if there is any area of your life that he wants to challenge over this today. Are there things that you need to stop doing, or to do differently, or to do with a different motivation? Confess that to the Lord today.
- What Christlike characteristics do you think you’ve had the opportunity to demonstrate recently?
- How have you been tempted recently to please people, instead of pleasing God?
- What area of your life do you wish you could keep from God, just for a little bit longer? Why not have the courage to surrender that area of your life to God today? The only way to know true freedom is to give it all to God!
Father God, I thank you that Christ Jesus hung on the cross in my place so that I can stand before you now as a forgiven and accepted child of God. As I try and live for you, in the midst of a broken and hurting world, please help me today to see any aspects of my life that are on display but are not yet bringing you the glory you deserve. Amen.
If you have time, consider carrying on your conversation with God using one of our helpful Prayer Pathways.
Today’s Everyday Devotions have also inspired a devotional video that you can watch on our YouTube channel.
Join our online service at everyday.online
Today’s Everyday Devotions have also inspired a devotional video that you can watch on our YouTube channel.
Join our online service at everyday.online