Utar Cf kampar

Few days back as I was doing my daily devotion, I came across the book of Titus. It is a very simple book talking about the letter apostle Paul wrote to Titus. As i was reading, there were 2 verses that particularly caught my attention and i felt that God was speaking to me through this verse. Titus 1:15-16 says " To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. They claim to know God, but their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good."

Somehow i felt that God was telling me that even though I say i love him, even though i say i will follow Him, still my actions, the way i live my life denies God. I realise that it doesn’t have to be the typical conventional sins like stealing or killing. To not live a Godly life can be referred to the many small things which seem almost mundane like not being a caring friend, coming late for class, or even talking nonsense which I always do. “Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly.” (2 Timothy 2:16)

Our theme is Christian In Action, which I believe is to live a life that helps build God’s kingdom, a forward progression. Sometimes when I see my friends in need at a particular moment, I find myself lacking in my spiritual life, resulting in me being unable to help them. I will think this way, If I myself am not right before God, who am I to help that guy/girl? As a result, I become ineffective. I believe this is the case for many Christians that are currently not in action.

Many times I find myself stuck, unable to be an effectively progressing Christian. In the verse Titus 1:16 it was mention about being unfit for doing anything good. Are we stuck? Are we coped up in trying to have fun or maybe to expand our circle of influence? Let us all do a self-reflection, what have we done for God that we can say we are obedient children. Where are our priorities? Are other things the centre and God being around it?

It is understandable that at that particular divine moment we feel all holy and we tell God, oh God I will follow you and take up the cross! But after this holy moment is over we go back to do the same thing. Did we mean it when we say we’ll follow God? I’m sure we did. So was it fake? I’m pretty sure it wasn’t. To be in action for Christ is to pick up the cross daily. We might succeed that day when we made that decision, but we must keep making that decision every single day because if we do not people looking from a far will observe and say that those Christians are a bunch of hypocrites.

I often appreciate friends that try their best to rebuke me of my wrongs and to encourage me to find back my purpose of being a Christian and to remind me that my salvation was through someone’s sacrifice. Let us all learn to be teachable people, and accept rebuke. Friends rebuke one another only out of love. How can Christians grow together in maturity if when one does something wrong, the other just pretends he did not see it? Are we too afraid to hurt our friends? Let us all learn to be humble and teachable not being afraid of what the other might think of the rebuke. Lastly, let us all make a decision to be serious for God day by day, every morning =)

No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (1 Corinthians 9:27)

Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him." (John 14:21)

Shujian