A Week Ago, I Attended A Groundbreaking For The New Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in Mississippi. God Met Me There, The Same Weekend I Attended A Church Banquet Event & Satan Met Them There. Be Careful How You Wear God. Do not Make God Look Messy: Our Talk, Behavior & Attitude Look Anyway But Christlike. Who Are You Wearing, and What Are You Wearing? Father help us to wear you well and correctly; please help us to stop looking so much like the world that people are confused.
Let me share a story about my travels these past three weeks. A week ago, I attended a groundbreaking for the new Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame in Mississippi. A secular event where musicians, educators, politicians, and preachers were in attendance. It was a secular event, and God met me there. He met the people there. This is what happened. In a twist or turn of things, one of the organizers had invited a pastor from Memphis to be on the program; the Founder of the event was aware but not aware of what he was going to do. So, God flipped the script; he would present an award, but God placed it on his heart to give a message. A 30-minute massage. I was inspired by the message that I took some notes. People were looking around, asking if we did not know that we were going to have a sermon at this event, but God knew.
The tone and atmosphere changed. People were more attentive and focused on his message. Now, let me go back before he went on the platform; he and another gentleman were staring at me; I saw them from my peripheral vision. I could see them looking and talking, basically starring; I was close to them but could not hear what they were saying, so when they saw that I was looking back at them, I spoke to them, and they immediately started talking; I introduced myself, and each took turns talking, they said we were like asking who is she, she must be someone important, she is different, and I asked as in different how? They said we are both pastors. We can recognize one of God's chosen. Do you sing? I said yes, and I preach and teach the gospel as well; they high-five and say we knew it; it was something about you that stood out, that Christlike appearance and humility, and one of them said, those are the fruits, she is carrying the fruits of the Spirit. Did it make me feel good? Of course, it did. I know to whom I belong, and so did these two pastors; however, nonbelievers can also see something different, and they will act differently in your presence; they will respect what they say and what they do, and if they are out of order, I will say something and get respect as a woman of God.
Now let me go back and share that before I talked to them; I decided I wanted to sit near the back of the tent where the event took place; there was a non-African American gentleman in front of me. He seemed out of place because he did not know anyone or was the 2% in the crowd. Anyway, I said hello, and when he turned around, he was smiling, so all he needed was that one hello from someone. God just put on my heart to reach out to him; I thought, Lord, should I say something? I felt pressed to say something; would you know he was a pastor? He said when I saw you, I knew there was something different about you, He said I am a pastor, and I will be offering prayer this morning here at the event. I asked whether he was a pastor in the area; he said yes. I shared with him my ministry and that I was a singer. He said I just knew something about you, such a pleasant person, a godly person, I must say. We exchanged information, I gave him my card, and he gave me his information. We stayed in touch and prayed for each other while sitting under the tent in the back.
The audience was under a tent, and the platform was in the front of the tent. I got to know the young lady about 25 yrs. of age who helped facilitate the events, and for some reason, she was drawn to me, and we connected. She asked me to pray for her, and she said I could tell you are different; will you pray for me, I told my fiancé that there is something about her, she is nice to me, and she encourages me; and I just met her. She is a Christian, I know, so I want her to pray for me. So, I prayed for her on the grounds of the event and for her fiancé's salvation. So, you must be careful how you wear God around people. People notice you.
The second part is that the same weekend I went to another event, a church banquet at an elaborate hotel, and the Devil was all up there that I left early. People with nasty attitudes, rude, demanding, arrogant, vain, and nothing Christlike but a false façade when in their clicks. Two women got into a fighting cursing match in the lobby because of their sitting, and one kept giving her title as deserving to sit with the important people; those were her words. All of God's children are important. Yet, here were confessing Christians, who were rolling their eyes, saying things distastefully, and gossiping about someone else at the event. These were supposed to be God's people who claimed to be His followers. Yet, they displayed the world's behavior, and the secular people behaved mannerly and watched their words and behavior. As I left, and a few others, I said God bless each of you, and one yelled, God does not have anything to do with this. Father, help us to wear you well and correctly; please help us to stop looking so much like the world that people are confused.
We are to live in such a way that those outside the faith see our honorable deeds and our manner and know that there is something "different" about us. Unbelievably, some of our greatest blessings will occur at "other places" than where we're used to, accustomed to, or expected. As Christians, we are to be unlike the world in our behavior but squarely in it as He was. We must also understand that being in the world, but not of it, is necessary if we are to be a light to those who are in spiritual darkness. We are to live in such a way that those outside the faith see our good deeds and our manner and know that there is something "different" about us.
Father help us to wear you well and correctly; please help us to stop looking so much like the world that people are confused.
"Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don't let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires." Romans 13:14
In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul wrote, "Clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And do not let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires" (Romans 13:14 NLT).
The J. B. Phillips translation says, "Let us be Christ's men from head to foot and give no chances to the flesh to have its fling."
Paul was saying, in effect, that putting on the Lord Jesus is like putting on clothes. When we put on the Lord Jesus Christ, we make Christ a part of our lives daily.
When Jesus said to Matthew, the tax collector, "Follow me" (Mark 2:14 NLT), it also could be translated as "Follow with me," which speaks of companionship, relationship, and friendship. In other words, "Let's enter into a friendship. Let's enter a relationship together."
Yes, the Lord wants our obedience, but He also wants our companionship. So, Jesus said to Matthew, "I don't want you just to be one of my disciples; I want you to be one of my friends." And He offers that same invitation to us.
We often view God as harsh, austere, and angry, but nothing could be further from the truth. On the contrary, God is loving, God is compassionate, and God is caring. And He wants to enter into a friendship with us.
Jesus said, "I no longer call you slaves because a master doesn't confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends since I have told you everything the Father told me" (NLT). So, follow Jesus every day throughout your life until the end. And wherever you go, put on Jesus.
Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Colossians 3:12.
We all get up each morning and take a few minutes to decide what we will wear and how we want to present ourselves to the world. And yet, we give less thought to the things God says we should put on. How do I know? Because I make this mistake so often.
No matter where we go or who we will see, God wants us to clothe ourselves as Jesus would. Yet, in Proverbs 15:1tells us a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs anger. It would be easy to justify reacting to someone, except God gives us clear instructions on how to treat our enemies, Luke 6:27-28. God tells us to love our enemies, to do good to those who hate us, and to pray for those who mistreat us. We are not dressed in compassion, kindness, and humility when we treat others harshly. We are not being gentle and patient. But instead, we are wearing pride, acting entitled and demanding.
Put on Gentleness. In the past, if I should say recent history, if someone is acting coarsely with me, I am tempted to work in the same way. Put on Humility and Put on Patience.
Sometimes we must leave where fish ain’t biting and go into unfamiliar territories where they are biting. I attended a secular event where fish were biting. Did I go there and use the word ain't in the sentence? Yes, I did. Anyone who knows me well knows I am not good at fishing, or it is not on my top priority list of regular activities. However, I have a good friend; her parents always wanted me to fish with them at least once a year back in the day. He is a very thoughtful man. After climbing into his waders and boots and gathering up his gear, he sits on the tailgate of his truck and scans the river for fifteen minutes or more, looking for rising fish. "No use fishing where they ain't," biting he says.
This makes me think of another question: Do I fish for souls where they ain't? It was said of Jesus that He was "a friend of tax collectors and sinners"(Luke 7:34). As Christians, we are to be unlike the world in our behavior but squarely in it as He was. So, we must ask ourselves: Do I, like Jesus, have friends who are sinners? If I have only Christian friends, I may be fishing for souls "where they ain't."
Being with nonbelievers is the first step in "fishing," then comes love, a heart-kindness thus sees beneath the surface of their off-hand remarks and listens for the more resounding cry of the soul. It asks, "Can you tell me more about that? And follows up with compassion. "There is much preaching in this friendliness. "George Herbert (1593 -1633),
Pastor and poet said.
Believe it or not, some of our greatest blessings will occur at "other places" than where we're used to, accustomed to, or expected. The problem is we must learn how to be sensitive and obedient to the move of God in unfamiliar places. We hope to come to church and hear testimonies of the goodness of God. But do you know God works miracles outside the church's four walls?
Understand that your limited location cannot limit a limitless God! He can heal at the gas station, provide while you are in the beauty salon, make a way while you are stuck in traffic, and pay a bill while you are applying for unemployment. Your God Is Able! So, the next time you need a miracle from God, call on Him, no matter where you are!
As hard as it may be for you to grasp, God is saving souls behind prison walls, He's giving job opportunities to those with no degree, He's healing in the hospice, He's providing shelter for those who last night slept under the bridge, He's feeding those who just spent their last dollar. God is not restrained, restricted, limited, held captive, hostage, or bondage by our menial expectations of Him or His ability.
I hear people talk about the Muslims, the Mormons, the Buddhist, and The Jehovah Witnesses way of sharing their belief. Here is something that these groups know that we as believers are not going to do. We are not going to go into the prison to convert anyone with the fear that someone will see us. Now, do not get me wrong, I am not claiming that all Christians walk in fear and will not enter a prison to share Jesus, there are Christian ministries that offer prison ministry, however, there is a significant percentage of us as believers and ministries who will not think of entering the cesspool of what we see as sin or sinners. We will not go where the ladies of the night walk, where the dope dealers are spending time together and making a drug sell, where the alcoholics are on skid row, and some will not visit a homeless shelter or some secular event; but wait a minute, didn't Jesus walk among sinners during most of His journey on earth? The Muslims mission is to go into the prison and convert young men into Islam. Nine out of ten inmates convert monthly. Muslims push the Quran, and they make sure that the inmates receive a copy of the Quran and that the prison system offers it in the religious education program. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_to_Islam_in_U.S._prisons.
The Buddhist are now entering the prison to teach their belief. In Britain, Buddhism was the fastest growing religion in prisons between 1997 and 2008. They decided to “spread the Dharma” by forming a paper Sangha for inmates across the country and that Sangha quickly moved throughout the prison because it promotes peace through meditation. The prison system in the United States shares that Buddhism in prison has been beneficial in shifting habits of violence to attitudes and behaviors grounded in compassion and understanding. This approach has significantly improved the lives of inmates and the environment of prison life. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781118845387.wbeoc040.
https://www.baus.org/en/activities/prison-programs/
The Jehovah Witnesses are continuing to go door to door to promote the Watchtower and Mormons are continuing to collect data and census from their door-to-door mission to convert to Mormonism in inner city. Why as Christians and believers of Jesus Christ do we fear walking and talking with non-believers if they are outside of the walls of the church? Ain't no sense of us fishin where they ain't bitin. We may have to go in unfamiliar territories (often it will be outside of the walls). We catch them and Jesus will do the cleaning. We must also understand that being in the world, but not of it, is necessary if we are to be a light to those who are in spiritual darkness.
Do you know that you do not have to be in church, at the altar, or listening to the gospel to experience a move of God? He can hear you from the basketball court, in the hospital, at the Medicaid/Medicare office, at the mechanic shop, waiting for the bus, standing in line at the supermarket, waiting for customer service at the bank, or even sitting on a swing in the park! He Hears You, He Sees You, And He Will Meet Your Every Need…No Matter the Address, Your Need Shows Up At! Think about it: If He can show up and help the three Hebrew boys in a fire; Jonah in the belly of a fish; a bleeding woman in a crowd; and a paralytic coming down through the roof, indeed, He can show up anywhere you are. God Can Meet You ANYWHERE Simply Because He's EVERYWHERE! Cry out to Him for your every need. As representatives of God, be careful how you wear God.
Believers in Jesus Christ are simply in the world—physically present—but not of it, not part of its values (John 17:14-15). Therefore, as believers, we should be set apart from the world. This means being holy and living a righteous life—to be set apart. We are not to engage in the sinful activities the world promotes, nor are we to retain the insipid, corrupt mind that the world creates. Instead, we are to conform ourselves, and our minds, to that of Jesus Christ (Romans 12:1-2). This is a daily activity and commitment.
We must also understand that being in the world, but not of it, is necessary if we are to be a light to those who are in spiritual darkness. We are to live in such a way that those outside the faith see our good deeds and our manner and know that there is something "different" about us. Christians who make every effort to live, think and act like those who do not know Christ do Him a great disservice. Even the heathen knows that "by their fruits, you shall know them," and as Christians, we should exhibit the fruit of the Spirit within us.
Being "in" the world also means we can enjoy the things of the world, such as the beautiful creation God has given us, but we are not to immerse ourselves in what the world values, nor are we to chase after worldly pleasures. Pleasure is no longer our calling in life, as it once was, but rather the worship of God.
When many of us think about becoming a missionary, we see the known and unknown obstacles facing us. Move halfway around the world to live among people who might not want us there and might never care about the message we bring. That is a scary proposition! Unfortunately, we can let fear crowd out our faith.
The Great Commission is your commission.
Many of us look for confirmation in a "calling." But Jesus did not call some (or any) of His followers to His mission. Rather, He called them to himself and sent them on a mission. So, if you are walking with Jesus, this Great Commission command is incumbent on you. Every disciple must be a disciple-maker, whether God sends you down the street or to the other side of the world.
As you go — to school, work, grocery store, and gym — live and love like Jesus. Be confident in His authority. Teach His commands. Abide in His presence.
Being sanctified in Christ Jesus requires that we be mindful of who we are. Knowing who we are is an aid in helping us to avoid that which is of the world:
"But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light" (1 Peter 2:9).
This truth alone should catapult us to a place where we should say to the world, "I don't need your power, or your popularity, or your platitudes, to make me someone — look who I am!"
How Can We Put This into Practice?
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. Everything in the world — the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life — comes not from the Father but the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever" (1 John 2:15-17.
If all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, then, as Scripture states, what does it profit me if I should gain the whole world, but in the end lose my soul?
How do we maintain an "in the world, but not of the world" walk with the Lord?
First, we can follow the Lord close:
"My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me" (Psalm 63:8).
The psalmist says that he will be careful to follow the Lord closely. We must be mindful never of doing anything that would cause us to stray from Him. The world and its offerings can easily cause us to drift away from Him.
Daniel and his three friends in the Old Testament were taken from their homes and brought under Babylonian captivity. They were given new names to assimilate the four young men into Babylonian society. The world system seeks to do the same thing to us; not change our names literally but try to cause us to forget the God we serve through indoctrination—that was their plan.
But these four were devoted to God, and Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the food offered — he had standards. These young men serve as an example to every child of God who faces the forces of the world. Standing for what you believe may mean that you will stand alone, but that is fine when you have the favor of the Lord.
Be Careful Not to Drift. "Therefore, we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it" (Hebrews 2:1). Do you find yourself drifting away from the Lord and into the world? First, we need to remember who we are. This can give us the courage to stand on an evil day. Since Scripture clarifies that the world is our enemy, what is our defense against the world?
"For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith” (1 John 5:4).
This verse should cause a shout! When we place our faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross, we are victorious over the world, the flesh, and the Devil! But, of course, this does not mean we will never be tempted with evil or sin because there is no sinless perfection or graduating class in Christ.
It does mean that sin shall not have dominion over us. Therefore, when we make Christ the object of our faith, when we ensure that we will have the help of the Holy Spirit who will guide us away from that which is evil, we need only to be obedient.
As we walk through this world, it will beckon to us. So, as we engage in prayer (and the enemy will fight us there, too), let us be mindful of Christ's victory: Because He is victorious, so are we.
Our position is "in Christ" God knows where you fit best on His team. Unfortunately, most people do not know where they work!!! Religious people get upset when God uses people they deem unqualified.
Be Careful How You Wear God. We are His Mouthpieces, Representatives, Ambassadors, Harvest Hands, Vessels, and Messengers. Do not Make God Look Messy Because Our Talk, Behavior & Attitude Look Anyway but Christlike. Who Are You Wearing, and What Are You Wearing? People should look at us and say,” I know what family they belong to; their Father’s DNA is all over them. They walk like Him, Talk Like Him and act like Him. They are wearing the fruits of the Spirit.
You know how it goes, people can look at your relatives, children, or siblings and immediately say, " Oh my, you look just like your father, you talk just like your mother, you act just like your sibling, you all walk alike, and sound alike. Let me take it a little step further. I have traveled to nations and various locations in the states. I can hear a person's dialect/accent, and I can tell immediately if they are from the southern states, New England states, northern states, midwestern states, the various Caribbean islands, the UK, or Scotland. I remember being in New Zealand, and I walked past an outdoor restaurant; I heard the lady standing behind the cash register talking, I backed up and walked inside, and I said may I ask you a question and she said yes? I said I know you are from the United States, but what area may I ask? I know you are not a true Kiwi meaning New Zealander; she started laughing; she asked why you asked; I said because you talk like people in my area from the southern states; tell me, is it Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, Kentucky, or Tennessee? She laughed and said Tennessee? She asked what area of the states are you from, and I told her Tennessee? I said even your mannerism are like us Southerners—genuine southern hospitality. She could not blend with the New Zealanders even if she tried.
You see, we should sound like and act like Jesus so that people immediately hear or see something in us that represents or reminds them of Him, and nonbelievers who do not know Him should see something in us that will make them want to know Him. Father help us to wear you well and correctly; please help us to stop looking so much like the world that people are confused. We are not suppose to blend with the world.
Blessings
J.P. Olson
