Doing Worthy Deeds
Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
{Phil 4:9 NLT}
The true Christian life does not just involve thinking worthy thoughts that shape our destiny, but it also includes doing righteous deeds that are a byproduct of the godly virtues that we have imbibed from the scriptures. Our scriptural focus for today states – Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
Since the Philippan believers knew Apostle Paul very well, he could without any fear of contradiction tell them to follow the godly examples that he has manifested during his stay with them. He could say this to them because they saw that his words, thoughts and actions were totally in agreement with the scriptures. It is clear that as a believer, you cannot separate outward action from inward attitude.
Apostle Paul balances four very important activities that should characterise the life of both the leaders and the followers: Learned and Received and Heard and Seen. It is one thing to learn the truth of the scriptures, but it is another thing to receive that truth inwardly and make it a part of our inner man that will determine our actions and in actions.
In Apostle Paul’s ministry, he not only taught the word but he also lived the word so that his listeners could see the truth in his life. The experience of Apostle Paul ought to be the experience of every believer.
As leaders in the church of Jesus here on earth, we have a dual responsibility to our follower’s and the world at large:
1. To preach/teach the undiluted word of God with our mouth
2. To preach/teach the undiluted word of God through our lifestyle.
Bear in mind that people will truly follow good/godly examples that they have seen demonstrated through the character/lifestyle of believers over time.
The lifestyle of the messenger and the message must agree.
Have a Grace fill Month – Good Awaits you this Month.
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