Knock-Offs

I had the opportunity to witness God's plan of salvation this past weekend. I have no idea how my words impacted the person I was talking to, but my prayers are that my lifestyle does. I cannot remember who this quote is by, but I love it. "What someone sees in your life holds much more weight than what they hear in your words."

I feel so inadequate to teach someone else of why/how Jesus is our salvation...a gift from God to enable us to reach God. I believe it, and I profess it~~ but I am weak in teaching it. This is something I am working on and praying about. I do have faith that God will equip me as need be for each situation I encounter, but I also know that the more I learn and am familiar with~ the better my teaching will be.
The person I talked with believes in God, but is struggling with the concept of Jesus as God in the flesh..and yet our saviour as well. She is a sweetheart, she would do anything for anyone..I love her to pieces! I think I failed her though in explaining this. I want so much for her to experience what I am... but not because it makes me feel good or because it works for me. I have great desire for her to know this because I love her and I care about her, and she deserves it. I want her to fully know the truth, not what anyone preaches to her, or tells her. But what the bible says, what God's very own words explain to us. I think it is so important that no matter the source, you research it all on your own.

She made a good point to me about how people take scripture and make it say what they want it to. It makes it hard to trust these people, and their lifestyles speak nothing of true Christianity. Some of their lifestyles boldly tell us that ... if that is what Christianity is, I want no part of it! She is exactly right. Unfortunately these are the people who are out witnessing and making a bad name for "Christians". Anyone can claim to be anything. There are many fakes and many "knock offs' in the world. This is true of most everything. Purses come to mind for me (which is odd, since I don't carry one). People steal names, looks, and labels every day. They impersonate. There is always something about the item though that cannot be copied, cannot be faked.

Some people know they have a fake...but they figure no one else knows. They think it is okay. They think they are getting away with it. The purse looks like it, feels like it, smells like it...... but it is not the original. The person knows it, God knows it. It is totally from the inside that our truthfulness is made known. The bible says "they (my true followers) will be known by their fruits". The fruits of the Spirit of God are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness gentleness, self-control (Galatians 5). You cannot fake these things, and if you try....you will be revealed.. If you live by the Spirit, you walk by the Spirit.
If someone is preaching to you or claiming to be a true follower of Christ, I encourage you to examine them, their lifestyle. Ask God to give you the ability to discern the true from the untrue. Ask God to open your mind and let it be willing to receive His truths. Examine what people tell you. Examine yourself.

Yeah, it is true, many are deceitful...even under the name of Christ... but please realize that is not true of all. And to my friend that I spoke with this weekend, I love you dearly... and regardless of anything you believe, whatever faith you practice.. that will NEVER stop me from embracing in our friendship, and embracing you. Thanks for the good time we had together!