Do
you have beautiful feet?
If
you have been sharing the goodness of God's Word with someone or if
you have shared the Good News of Christ with them, you have beautiful
feet!
If
you do not know how to get started with this wonderful foot
beautifying process then lets start right here...in His Word.
Clothe yourself with strength.
Put on your beautiful clothes, O holy city of Jerusalem,
for unclean and godless people will enter your gates no longer.
How
beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of the messenger who brings good news,the good news of peace and salvation,
the news that the God of Israel reigns! Isaiah 52:1,7
are the feet of the messenger who brings good news,the good news of peace and salvation,
the news that the God of Israel reigns! Isaiah 52:1,7
Get
started on the habit of reading the Word of God daily, praying daily
and then you will be ready to walk in the Word. It takes three times
to make a habit, but that does not mean you can't loose the habit of
doing what is right.
Do not be deceived: “Evil company corrupts good habits.”Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame. 1 Corinthians 15:33-34
In
order to walk in the Word, to walk in His path you must remember to
keep the right company. You need to remember that who ever you hang
with is who you will inevitably speak like, act like and even think
like to some extent.
Try
this and see that I am right here.
Take
note today of who you are around a lot and what some things about
them are, both good and bad; then take stock of what things you say,
or do that is just like them even without thinking. It may take some
time examining yourself before you realize you have become just like
someone else. This can be a good thing, not always bad. If you find
yourself among god-fearing loving people who speak kindly and full
of grace you will find yourself speaking so as well.
If
you find yourself among people with words you do not want to think
let alone speak you will find that even when you are away from them
those words will surface in your thoughts or from your mouth. When
this happens you will likely be surprised but it will be evident that
is what you have been around. We know that the Word of God says “be
sure your sins will find you out”so we know it is true. (Numbers
32:23)
Today you can make the first step; getting in His Word and prayer will put the right thoughts, and words in your mind and mouth.
Secondly
be careful who you hang with, but be sure and share what you received
when you read. You can associate with unbelievers, don't get me wrong
I am not telling you to become a snob. I just mean to be careful of
whom you are spending a lot of time with if you are not spending time
first in the Word and prayer. More of the good thing means less of
the bad.
Kids
know this, they would love to eat a pile of ice cream instead of the
little bit of broccoli that is so much better for them. They will
promise to eat the broccoli if you let them eat desert first; of
course if we are foolish enough to give in we will find the broccoli
still there and the tummy full in the end. It would be our own fault
for not using wisdom and mathematics. Why mathematics? There is only
so much room in a child's stomach. There is only so much room in your
brain from day to day. We reuse the same things a lot.
Sure
we can continue to learn more and more but the way God made us what
goes in comes out. If we want good to come out and have beautiful
feet we must put good inside in the first place.
Make
a choice to watch a Christian or Family oriented video or television
choice instead of a killer thriller or sit com with bad ethics.
Eventually we will start thinking good thoughts instead of the nasty,
violent or vulgar thoughts that will come from shows with those
plots.
The
same thing goes for what we listen to. If we hear the worship music
on the radio and change over to heavy metal we are not going to find
peace no matter how much a teen says so!
Once
we have filled our hearts and minds with Christ and His story, change
who we hang with and spend time in prayer then we will find it easier
to share the Gospel with those who we should not be hanging with, but
rather should be sharing with. It was told to me in my youth that it
is easier to be pulled down an incline than it is to be pulled up.
Try
it sometime, you will find that it is true.
Last
Fall I took a fall in Old Sacramento on a ramp. Looking up to grab a
hand the first thing I did was look at the person to see if they were
strong enough; I did not want to pull them down on top of me!
The
first person had a wrapped wrist so I declined his offer. I waited
for a young strong person to help me to my feet and had confidence
that I would be standing strong. Had a person lighter than I am, or
the gentleman with the wrapped arm tried to pull on me chances are I
would have pulled them down. Again its all in the math!
Just
as our weight can be a balance breaker so can weakness.
Sharing
the Gospel with those who are lose or living in sin is not to be done
with out the strength of the Word in our lives. The Word of God gives
our beautiful feet balance. The joy of the Lord gives them wings.
If
I tried to tell someone about Jesus and then cussed like a sailor I
don't think I would make much difference in the persons life. So if I
do not hang out with rude talkers then their words will not be in my
heart or mind, instead the Word will and so the Word will come out.
If
you listen to anyone speak a lot, Charles Stanley, Shari Rose
Sheppard, TD,Beth Moore, or any other famous preacher you will find
that you begin to speak like them. Try it and see, it is a fun
challenge!
Watch
or stream your favorite preacher several times for one week and see
if your responses do not match theirs.
They
have beautiful feet who bring Good news. I want my feet to be
beautiful without mud and grease from the road but clean and clear.
Just as I want the words of my mouth to come with sprinkles of the
Word of God.
The
Gospel is treasure that we speak, lets speak treasure today and show
off our beautiful feet!
Dear
Heavenly Father, fill our heart and mind with your knowledge, wisdom
and hope, then show us with whom to share it . In Jesus name, Amen.
Suggested
reading; Isaiah 52:1- 15 , 1 Corinthians 15: 1- 58, Matthew 9:1-38 and
Hebrews 12:1-29