The Bible Speaks - The only God they see

[00:00:37] Welcome to The Bible Speaks with your host Elgin Carelock. The Bible Speaks is a daily

[00:00:44] podcast dedicated to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, rightly dividing the word

[00:00:50] of truth and learning how to apply it to our daily lives. You may contact Elgin at the address

[00:00:57] given at the end of the broadcast. And now here's Elgin.

[00:01:02] Brothers and sisters, I welcome you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

[00:01:08] to another edition of The Bible Speaks, where we explore how God's word impacts our everyday

[00:01:16] lives. And today, our conversation will be on the subject, The Only God They See. Our inspiration

[00:01:26] comes from 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 verses 11 through 12. And reading from the New International

[00:01:35] Version, it says,

[00:01:38] 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verses 12. Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life. You

[00:01:42] should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your

[00:01:49] daily life may win the respect of outsiders, and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

[00:01:57] The focus of our discussion is the fact that your life as a believer may be the only reflection

[00:02:04] of God that some people see. Whether people know you're a believer or not, they're watching your

[00:02:11] behavior, actions, and attitude. So it's essential that we live in a way that is consistent with God's

[00:02:18] will and character, demonstrating his love, grace, and truth. When Paul writes to the Thessalonians,

[00:02:29] he encourages them to lead peaceful, responsible lives, working with their hands and minding their

[00:02:36] own business. He isn't just giving them advice for personal growth. He's highlighting the importance

[00:02:43] of how their lives are perceived by those outside the faith. For many people in your life, your

[00:02:50] co-workers, your neighbors, or even family members, you may be the only Christian they truly know.

[00:02:58] They may have never read the Bible or stepped foot in a church, but they know you. And whether you

[00:03:05] realize it or not, they're observing you. They're looking to see if your faith is more than just words.

[00:03:13] They want to know if the God you say you believe really changes the way you live. Your actions, words,

[00:03:22] and character may be the only representation of God that they'll encounter. This reality can feel like a lot of

[00:03:32] pressure, but it also is an incredible opportunity to reflect Christ in a way that could change someone

[00:03:40] else's life. The phrase walk the walk means living out the beliefs you claim. As believers, we'll call to

[00:03:50] live in a way that is consistent with our faith, not just talking about it. It is easy to speak about love,

[00:03:58] forgiveness, and righteousness, but living those values every day can be much harder.

[00:04:06] 1 Thessalonians 4, 11, and 12 tells us to lead a quiet life, mind your own business, and work with your

[00:04:14] hands. Why? So that our daily lives will win respect from outsiders or non-believers.

[00:04:24] Paul understood that people are more impacted by how we live than what we say.

[00:04:30] When people see you being patient in difficult situations, showing kindness when it's not deserved,

[00:04:38] or acting with integrity when no one is watching. They're seeing the character of God in action.

[00:04:46] These are moments when your walk matches your talk, and they speak louder than words.

[00:04:54] Jesus emphasized this in Matthew 5 and 16. Reading from the NIV, it reads,

[00:05:00] Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

[00:05:09] Our lives are supposed to be living testimonies that reflect the goodness of God,

[00:05:16] and as believers, we must be mindful of how our actions align with God's will.

[00:05:23] Let's face it, we're all human, and we all fall short. But part of our calling is to avoid behavior

[00:05:31] that could damage our witness. This includes actions like gossip, dishonesty, anger, and selfishness.

[00:05:40] Things that do not reflect the character of Christ. The people around you are watching to see if your

[00:05:48] faith makes a difference in your life. If we claim to follow God, but consistently engage in behaviors

[00:05:55] that contradict his teachings, it can create confusion for those who are observing us.

[00:06:01] Worse yet, it can push them away from wanting to know more about Christ.

[00:06:07] In 1 Peter 2, verse 12, we're reminded,

[00:06:13] Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong,

[00:06:18] they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

[00:06:24] Even when people criticize us or misunderstand us, our behavior can still be a witness to God's grace and truth.

[00:06:34] One of the reasons Paul encourages us to live a quiet life, work diligently, and mind our own business,

[00:06:41] is that this kind of consistent, humble lifestyle earns respect.

[00:06:48] When we live with integrity, when our actions match our faith, it causes people to take notice,

[00:06:55] even if they don't share our beliefs.

[00:06:59] Living a life that reflects God's character means being consistent.

[00:07:04] It means showing love when it's hard, being patient when you feel frustrated,

[00:07:10] and being honest, even when it costs you something.

[00:07:14] It's through this consistency that people begin to respect not only you, but the God you serve.

[00:07:22] Proverbs 21 in 1 says,

[00:07:25] A good name is more desirable than great riches.

[00:07:28] To be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

[00:07:32] Your reputation, built on the foundation of godly character,

[00:07:36] has the power to influence others toward faith in Christ.

[00:07:40] As we focus on being the only God they see,

[00:07:45] we need to remember that our goal is to please God, not to gain approval from people.

[00:07:50] Our lives should reflect God's love and truth,

[00:07:54] but we shouldn't base our values on how people respond to us.

[00:07:59] Our motivation is to glorify God in everything we do,

[00:08:03] trusting that he will use our witness to draw others to him.

[00:08:10] Galatians 1 and 10 says,

[00:08:12] Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings or of God?

[00:08:17] Or am I trying to please people?

[00:08:21] If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.

[00:08:26] Our focus must remain on pleasing God,

[00:08:30] knowing that he is working through us to touch the lives of others.

[00:08:35] 1 Thessalonians 4, 11 and 12

[00:08:38] encourage us to live quietly, work diligently, and mind our business,

[00:08:45] not just for ourselves, but to win respect of others

[00:08:49] and to be a witness to God's transformative power.

[00:08:52] By living lives that reflect his character,

[00:08:56] we can impact the world around us and lead others toward him.

[00:09:02] I thank you for spending time with me on today,

[00:09:06] and I look forward to our conversation on tomorrow.

[00:09:09] Until then, God bless.

[00:09:11] The Bible Speaks is sponsored by C Squared Realty

[00:09:22] and New Gen Construction Group

[00:09:24] to help spread the gospel to the corners of the earth.

[00:09:29] If anything you've heard poured into your life,

[00:09:32] please share it with someone.

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[00:09:49] You may contact Elgin at P.O. Box 5582,

[00:09:55] Ocala, Florida 34478,

[00:09:59] or by email at thebiblespeaksonline at gmail.com.

[00:10:07] Thank you.

[00:10:07] People are up to the people here with us here and ask them to either