What kind of a plate, are you serving from?

"Has God ever said to you, let go?" also known to some "Is it time?" was so well received and several reminded me that they have walked through this, or are finding themselves in the midst of it right at this very moment. Two words that came up time and again from this particular writing was "setting boundaries". I honestly believe that this writing is along those very same lines. As Brothers and Sisters, walking with Jesus Christ, we come to a point in our lives that we have to set boundaries.

"WHAT KIND OF A PLATE ARE YOU SERVING FROM?"

Sunday, our Pastor taught about reaching the lost and He asked of us, "What are we doing to reach them?"

One of the last statements he made to us, his congregation, touched me deeply. "Are you serving the Gospel from a dirty plate?"

Now my mind went a thousand miles an hour on this one, at the close of his sermon. Why you may ask? It is something that I have had a heart for, for some time now. Remember the woman that had to wear a letter "A" for being caught in adultery? Are you and I wearing the letter "H"? The "H" standing for "HYPOCRITE". I even cry to the Lord of MY life, Father, I want others to see YOU, not me. I no longer want myself or others wearing the Capital H!

Colossians 4:5-6 "Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

A few key points from Galatians 5:

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." Verse 1.

"The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." Verse 6b

"You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 'A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.'" Verse 7-9.

You and I, if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and we allow Him to be the Lord of our everything....we should become more like Him. Sanctification begins and never ends until He takes us home to be with Him. We will be walking in the freedom of Jesus Christ no longer riding the fence. We should be steering away from the worlds way of thinking and doing, becoming Christ like. That happens when our faith is expressing itself through love. Running a good race, obeying the truth. Not being persuaded by the world with our language, our actions or our thoughts.

My own convictions in the past 8 years of walking with Jesus: the language I use, the programs and movies I watch, places that I dine at, the jokes I listen to (I'm not much of a joke teller), down to even the music I listen to and the books I read. Please remember, these are my own convictions that I welcomed once I was spending time in God's word and He was showing me what I must allow Him to cleanse me of. Nothing I did on my own, for if I had, they would have never been lasting. With joy, I say, thank YOU Jesus.

James 4:4 "You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God."

The question that Pastor asked us was "Am I serving the Gospel from a dirty plate?"

1 Thessalonians 4 is titled Living to Please God. "Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on any body." Verse 11-12 You and I are to be dependent only on God the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

I want to challenge and encourage you with one last scripture: "In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted" 2 Timothy 3:12

You and I will be persecuted due to the sanctification process, walking out our own convictions and not placing condemnation on others. Stand firm, walking in love, serving the Gospel from a clean plate.

Father, thank You for giving us the cleansing agent of Your Word to cleanse us, that we are no longer just rinsing The Plate. We are applying Your Word to cause us to serve the Gospel from a clean plate. We no longer to desire being an enemy of God, but rather of the world and it's ways. Thank YOU Jesus! Amen.

***The only two statements coming from our sermon yesterday: What are you doing to reach the lost? Are you serving the Gospel from a dirty plate? All other thoughts come from God and I.***