Time With God ===> A service of Gospel Communications.

"Be careful how you live among your unbelieving neighbors. Even if they
accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and
they will believe and give honor to God when he comes to judge the
world." I Peter 2:12

Many people, at one time or another, deal with gossiping friends,
neighbors, and associates. Peacefully co-existing with such individuals who
like to spread rumor or malicious lies can be a challenge, as the above
Bible verse suggests. Even if you are wrongly accused and the topic of
a hurtful falsehood, let your focus be on God so that your behavior
continues to be an honor and blessing to Him.

This makes great sense since, after all, if we are expending precious
time and energy needlessly worrying about silly whispers behind our
backs by those who may have issues of their own, then our focus is being
taken off God. It is satan and those who are against or anti-Christ that
want us to waiver in and neglect our faith.

The other reason why God reminds us to continue in honorable behavior
is that our lifestyles can be great  tools in reaching those who most
need to witness Gods peace, love and wisdom. We can lead by example.

It is easy to be good when everything is going our way, but it is not
so simple a task when one is being unfairly treated. While your first
inclination may be to return negative jab for negative jab, God calls us
to rise to a higher standard.

No, you should not worry about what others may be maliciously
whispering, but please DO be concerned that godly living and behaving is what
you continually strive for.

"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall opened." matthew 7:7-8 (KJV)

The man lived in an old mobile home in a very old mobile home park with his wife and two step sons. Recently his wife had lost her job and was having difficulty finding another job. The man had accepted Jesus when he was eleven years old. After graduating from high school, he occasionally attended church, but never regularly. For some reason, whenever he found himself in church, it was only during a hard time in his life. Usually it was because he experienced financial, marital, emotional, or spiritual problems.

Problems are what drove him to church and drove him
to pray. well, this was one of those times. The problem was financial, it was emotional, it was marital, and it was spiritual. As usual, he prayed (begged) God to help him and as usual, he felt like it did not help. A few days later, God responded, "Why are you praying?" The man thought about this for several days. He realized that God was answering his prayers. The rent was paid, he had electricity, water, a car, and food. So, the man prayed again: "Lord, I have realized that I only pray or go to church when I am having problems. Please forgive me for this. I give you thanks for my dad who led me to you, I thank you for my wife, my stepsons, my job, my home, and my car. All I will ask is that you will fill me with your Holy Spriit and make me the man, husband, stepfather, son, and Christian that you want me to be. In Jesus’ name, Amen."

The very next day, the man awoke with a new view on life. He felt the presence of the Holy Spirit in his life. He was inspired to pray for other people and to give his problems to God. He went to church even after most of his problems were solved. From time to time he would fall away. He would lose the feeling and inspiration. However, every time that he asked for God to fill him with the Holy Spirit, God would answer.

Over the next several months, he prayed this more and more often until

labeling him as a "Christian". His marriage became wonderful and his relationship with his stepsons became very friendly. He moved into a better home, bought a better vehicle, and began a new job that paid all of his family’s medical benefits. People began to notice the changes in his life, and he remembered to thank God for these gifts.

"What the wicked dreads will overtake him; what the righteous desire
will be granted" Proverbs 10:24

Recently I went to the hospital to have several tests run. This was a
new experience for me, and I was a little overwhelmed with the
technology of it all. For the stress test, I was hooked up to a machine via
electrodes attached to my body. A lot of information about the beat of my
heart was logged as the test proceeded. The next test was an echogram.
it was explained to me that it was an ultrasound of this vital organ. I
could see my heart beating and the blood pulsing through as the
technician moved the instrument from one part of my heart to another. The
doctors will review the tests and tell me the results in a few days.

There is one fact the tests will not show, however. It is the reality
that I have a heart that beats for Jesus. This is one fact which will
not show up on any monitor, but it will show up in my lifestyle, by my
actions and my words. Only God can read the printout of this most vital
aspect of my heart. He is the only one who knows my motives, desires and
inner truths. I pray that the desires of my heart and the life I lead
will always be pleasing to God, and will bring glory to His name.

Who does your heart beat for?

Do you have a friend who looks good in absolutely everything she puts
on? Argh! The girl could drape herself in the cover of her car and look
classy enough for the fashion runway. If I draped myself in a car
cover, I guarantee that I would look more like a Buick. And I’ll just go
ahead and admit that I need to drop a few pounds off these fenders.

What’s really important to you?

In New Testament times, after the coming of Christ, God no longer has a
single temple in Jerusalem where He meets with His people. God now has
churches scattered throughout the world. Every church, every group of
people meeting for worship, is a temple. These people are gathered to
meet with God, to talk with God and to listen to God. If you attend such
a church, you too can expect to meet with the living God. Do you see
why going to church is so important?