It has been said that actions speak louder than words. I wholeheartedly agree with that statement. I can think of several instances over the years where I have heard someone talk a good walk, but when the rubber met the road their lifestyle didn’t match what came out of their mouth. God desires and deserves so much more.
We live in a fallen world. The world we live in today is more sinful than it was ten years ago. There are so many temptations that cloud our vision every day. God has called us to holiness. Holiness means set apart, different. Just as God Himself is holy, so He desires us to be holy, striving to live a sinless life. So often believers can get caught in a rut of taking advantage of God’s grace. We can catch ourselves thinking, “God will forgive me and therefore I can continue sinning.” That’s the wrong mindset to have. The Bible says in Romans 6:1, “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase, by no means, we died to sin!” Our lives should not conform to the world around us. We should not desire to be camouflaged Christians. God calls us to stand out, to be salt and light!
As believers, God has given us absolute freedom. Scripture says in John 8:36, “If the Son has set you free, you are free indeed.” What a joy it is to be called children of God. We are loved with an everlasting love. We are able to love because He first loved us. This freedom we experience in Christ should cause our countenance to be different from the world. The inner freedom that we experience should cause our personality to overflow with the joy of the Lord. Our lives should be different.
Romans 12:1 says, “Therefore, I urge you brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” This is a great verse, and I have, over the years, debated in my mind about what that exactly means. I have concluded that as believers God has called us to worship Him with our lives. This happens 24-7-365. This is not just something we do on a given Sunday morning or simply during a Bile study experience. This is daily dying to ourselves and taking up our cross and putting Jesus first. It is complete surrender, saying, “Lord, not my will, but yours be done.” It is doing everything in life to the audience of One, for His praise and for His glory.
Several years ago, I took a group of middle school students to Night of Joy at the Magic Kingdom in Orlando FL. One of the featured bands at this event was Casting Crowns. They had previously released an album entitled Lifesong (lyrics below). The title song is featured first on the CD and has become one of my all-time favorite songs. This song speaks of this challenge we face as believers to allow what happens at church to be carried over into our daily lives. Our lives should reflect Christ’s work in us. A statement that lead singer Mark Hall made that Friday night, years ago and has stuck with me today is: “All of life is worship.” He hit the nail on the head. That statement has continued to resonate in my mind as I strive to worship Jesus no matter what I'm doing.
In conclusion, I want to ask you, what song is your life singing? When people observe your life and character, what do they see? Are you above reproach in every area? When you do mess up, are you quick to admit you were wrong? My challenge to you is to take a spiritual inventory and allow the Holy Spirit to empower you to live a life that is without compromise. A life that says, “I am in madly in love with Jesus.”
Lifesong by Casting Crowns
© Copyright 2005 Club Zoo Music (BMI)
Empty hands held high
Such small sacrifice
If not joined with my life
I sing in vain tonight
May the words that I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to you
Let my lifesong sing to You
Let my lifesong sing to You
I want to sing Your name to the end of this day
Knowing that my heart was true
Let my lifesong sing to You
Lord, I give my life
A living sacrifice
To reach a world in need
To be Your hands and feet
So may the words that I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to you
Hallelujah
Hallelujah
Let my lifesong sing to you
