Who's watching you?

You know how we lived among you for your sake. You became imitators of us and of the Lord. 1 Thessalonians 1:5-6

Working with young children you quickly become aware of how much they watch you and copy. Pick something quickly off your plate to taste with your fingers? - they'll take that as permission to forgo cutlery all together. If I don't like a behaviour I see I'll often sit down with the child and say "Oh Dear, that makes me very sad." only to have my exact words echoed around the playground.

It is a great reminder to keep my words loving, and my actions kind, not matter what I may be feeling (smile).

But it's not just children who are watching and copying, younger Christians around you (both spiritually and in age) tend to watch Christians they admire and imitate their behaviour. You have probably done it in the past (I know I have).

If we want others to imitate Christ, it's just another reason that we should be modeling Him to them. So look hard at your behaviour. Does it match the words you profess? Would you be happy for others to imitate you?

The King of Christmas

Let the Christmas Tree remind you of the one who trusts the Lord,
who walks the path of Godliness and loves to hear God's word.
Pray that as you grow up that just how you will be;
Standing tall for Jesus like a Christmas tree.

Let the fairy lights remind you of that bright and shining star,
followed by the wise men who travelled from afar.
They can Jesus all their presents and they worshiped him that night;
Let your worship of King Jesus shine like fairy lights!

May the candy cane remind of God's amazing grace;
Red the blood of Jesus as He suffered in our place,
White the full forgiveness won as Jesus rose again.
You can tell your friends the gospel with a Candy cane!

May all the gifts at Christmas time fill your heart with praise.
God for all his goodness shown in all so many ways;
that every day in every way we'll be completely his.
Give your life to Jesus as a Christmas gift!

Let your love grow
Let your faith show
That everyone will know - Christ the King of Christmas!

- Colin Buchanan

Give God your best

"You place defiled food on my altar. "But you ask, 'How have we defiled you?' "By saying that the LORD's table is contemptible. When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?" says the LORD Almighty.
Malachi 1:7-8

How true it is that we sometimes give God less than our best because we think he won't mind that much. We plan to make it up later. We say 'God will understand'.

When I read this verse I am challenged especially about how much time I give to things. If I have an essay due and am also teaching Sunday School I will give much more time to my essay and hardly do any preparation on my lesson. I am concerned about the immediate response that my essay will get, and feel that the response to my lesson is so far away. My perspective is so limited, instead of being eternal.

I forget that if others will not be pleased with what I have done/not done, then how can I expect that God will think differently? God deserves the best of me, not my left overs.

We have already won the victory

"Hear, O Israel, today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not be terrified or give way to panic before them. For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory."
Deuteronomy 20:3-4

Today our battles are not against armies of armed men in chariots, but we are still battling against our enemies.
Whether it's doubts, illness, persecution, indifference, watering down of the gospel, the worlds acceptance of sin, greed or so many other things we can be secure in knowing we do not fight alone. In fact the battle has already been won and we are guaranteed of victory (though we may not see the results til the next life).