by David Wilkerson
"You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:10).
That is a powerful statement to make—to call on God as a witness to your holiness! Yet, without flinching, Paul boasted to the believers in Thessalonica: “My co-workers and I lived blamelessly before you and before God. Our conduct was righteous and pure. God is witness to our holy behavior and you also are witnesses. You saw that we walked holy and blameless before God and men!”
Paul was an effective preacher and he knew the secret of his effectiveness in moving people toward God. He could stand boldly before every living soul, every principality and testify: “I live daily under the gaze of a holy God. I walk always as if His holy eyes are upon me. And you all are witnesses to my blameless life!”
The apostle desired every believer to have the same power he had in moving people toward God. He prayed night and day that all of God’s children would be established holy and unblamable before God: “So that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints” (1 Thessalonians 3:13).
The rich young ruler who came to Jesus had been good from his youth upward and that won him the love and respect of Jesus (see Matthew 19:16-20). But something was lacking and that one thing makes all the difference! Beloved, if you do not have this same purpose operating in all you say and do, you can never be blameless before God and man: “That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you” (2 Thessalonians 1:12).
This is what motivated Paul to live a blameless life: He was jealous for the glory and name of Jesus! He knew everything had to be built on that foundation—because all human goodness is as filthy rags! What distinguishes the blameless walk is a consuming desire to honor the name of Jesus before all men.
Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/14791?src=devo-email
"You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:10).
That is a powerful statement to make—to call on God as a witness to your holiness! Yet, without flinching, Paul boasted to the believers in Thessalonica: “My co-workers and I lived blamelessly before you and before God. Our conduct was righteous and pure. God is witness to our holy behavior and you also are witnesses. You saw that we walked holy and blameless before God and men!”
Paul was an effective preacher and he knew the secret of his effectiveness in moving people toward God. He could stand boldly before every living soul, every principality and testify: “I live daily under the gaze of a holy God. I walk always as if His holy eyes are upon me. And you all are witnesses to my blameless life!”
The apostle desired every believer to have the same power he had in moving people toward God. He prayed night and day that all of God’s children would be established holy and unblamable before God: “So that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints” (1 Thessalonians 3:13).
The rich young ruler who came to Jesus had been good from his youth upward and that won him the love and respect of Jesus (see Matthew 19:16-20). But something was lacking and that one thing makes all the difference! Beloved, if you do not have this same purpose operating in all you say and do, you can never be blameless before God and man: “That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you” (2 Thessalonians 1:12).
This is what motivated Paul to live a blameless life: He was jealous for the glory and name of Jesus! He knew everything had to be built on that foundation—because all human goodness is as filthy rags! What distinguishes the blameless walk is a consuming desire to honor the name of Jesus before all men.
Read this devotion online: http://www.worldchallenge.org/en/node/14791?src=devo-email
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