In previous posts from “The Pastor’s greeting”, it has been said that
it is of great importance what attitude we face life with.
It matters what attitude we have to life, and how we react to the situations, challenges or people we meet.
Our attitude has a significant influence on how life will unfold.
Our attitude will have an impact on everything in this life.
Friends, family, work and career, leisure time, physical and mental condition.
It will also affect the spiritual life, our relationship with God and thus also our work in the kingdom of God.
We may face life with distrust and an feeling of always being cheated, but then we risk missing out on a significant part of all the good things that life offers.
Such an attitude is not a good starting point for living a life and bearing good fruit, neither as an individual nor as a congregation.
After all, we want to be a good testimony to those who are not of the same belief or share the same faith.
So what should be characteristic of us as Christians, what values should be at the top of our priority list? What would be the best testimony to show, that we are disciples of Jesus?
First, we must understand that Christianity is not based on philosophy, science, ideologies, humanism, traditions, or on physical and mathematical laws.
It’s about revelation, it’s about faith based on revelation and experience.
Mathew 16:13-20
We are meant to live our lives in faith and trust, a faith that rests, trusting that our Heavenly Father knows best.
(Hebrews 11: 1-40 and Luke 12: 22-31)
According to the scriptures, some of the things that should characterize us as Christians are faith and trust, joy, peace, boldness, gratitude, and love for one another.
(Romans 15:13, Hebrews 10: 19-25, Ephesians 5: 4, 1 Timothy 2: 1, and 1 John 4: 7-21)
Precisely these characteristics and values are so special when it comes to living the Christian life and show that it is Jesus who is Lord in our life and fellowship.
The proof that this is true is that the devil, who is the adversary of the church, is trying to hinder the progress of the kingdom of God. He does this by creating lack of peace, stealing the joy, and by working hard to make us lose our courage, so that we forget to be grateful for being part of a fellowship that is characterized by love for one another.
Therefore, remember to value and prioritize Christian values such as joy, peace, boldness, gratitude, and love.
Greetings from pastor Ruben