Do our actions matter?

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad,” 2Cor 5:10,KJV.

 Do our actions really matter? Often we rationalize and assume that others know we are having a difficult day. Or that someone really irritated us. Or that because we’re with close friends and they know us, they will understand why we’re irritable.

I’d like to share a personal story … and one that has not only impacted but also shaped my life for the last 43 years. At the end of my junior year in college at the University of Texas, I was elected to a prestigious position. Following the announcement of the election winners, we all decided to go to a nearby coffee house and celebrate with a wine cooler.

I talked a friend into going with us and having a wine cooler. This person was not just “any” friend, she was someone who’d witnessed to me many times over the previous months. You see, I had not yet received the Lord in my life. As I recall neither she nor I drank more than ½ glass of a wine cooler. Because none of us in the group was much of a drinker, no one drank more than one wine cooler that evening.

In my unregenerate mind, I saw that she was drinking “like everyone else”.  (I never stopped to realize that it was “I” who’d coerced her into going with us.)

That evening, however, was pivotal in my life. Not because I’d won the election, but because my friend had joined us at the coffee house and had drunk ½ of a glass of a wine cooler. During the 6 months that followed that incident, I made many excuses to myself as to why I didn’t need to change and surrender myself to the Lord. After all, I went to church, and I didn’t date guys who didn’t believe in God. And, she had also drunk; so, why would I need to change.

Because of her actions, I rationalized not making a serious commitment to the Lord….I thank God that I didn’t die during those 6 months. Had I died, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have gone to heaven – that’s a sobering thought.

I encourage each of us to carefully evaluate our own daily actions. We need to constantly be aware that 24/7 we are representatives of the King of Kings, the Ancient of Days, that Saviour of our souls.

“If anyone causes one of these little ones–those who believe in me–to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea,” Mark 9:42, NIV.

(Imagine that  one of these milstones, as in the picture on the right, is hung around your neck and you are thrown into the sea. According to God’s Word, our careless actions merit exactly that, a millstone’s being around our neck and our being tossed into the sea.). Let us each carefully watch how we act. Are we allowing our liberty to cause another to stumble?

Prayer:

“Mighty God. Help us to place a hedge around our hearts and our actions. Help us to point others to You – help us not to cause others to stumble. Thank You for helping to be Your lights that shine in the dark world around us. We love You. Bless each of our families, those with whom we work, those whose paths cross ours. Help us to be sensitive to You that we might have a timely word for these people. We pray Your blessings and peace upon Jerusalem. Turn our country to You. In the holy Name of our soon-coming Messiah, Yeshua, we pray.”

IMMEDIATE Prayer Requests:  

1. Pray for Israel!
2. Protection of the persecuted church.
3. Pregnant daughter (Debbie in Houston): prayer that complications will absolve and that baby and mother will be healthy
4. Family gatherings during Thanksgiving
5. Ministers (Dawn’s daughter and son in law): encouragement, wisdom, and direction.
6. Eric [Connie’s and Vince’s son] & for Dawn’s family): transition to the changes in their lives will be an easy one – that this time will be a time that is filled with much love, peace, and the Lord’s presence.
7. Sarah (Tracy’s friend): protection, reconciliation, forgiveness, love
8. Nell (Tracy’s great aunt): peace
9. Chantell & Maggie (Les’a & Don’s daughter in law and sister in law): healing
10. PJ: total body healing.
11. John Evans: finances
12. Jobs: Pamela, Norman G., PJ, Natan and his new military assignment.
13. REVIVAL IN AMERICA!
14. REVIVAL in Arizona
15. FRIENDS: many of our friends are hurting physically and emotionally.
16. FAMILIES & MARRIAGES: strong, healthy and Christ-centered; spiritual, mental, and emotional healing. God will bring families together. Spirit of division will cease. Family relationships healed! Family members who are far off will return and serve God.
17. PRAYER FOR OUR SOLDIERS: spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally whole!
18. Protection of believers all over the world.
19. Encouragement for the heavy-hearted
20. Paul: total restoration including walking.
21. Dan & Sara (Art’s son and daughter in law): come together spiritually and emotionally – wisdom and favor for Art.
22. Bevin (Les’a’s friend’s husband): physical and emotional healing.
23. Jessica (Lori & Jim’s daughter): return to the God of her youth – the God of her parents.
24. John: health and vibrancy

Read all He is doing through prayer!

1. Eric arrived safely in AZ.
2. Joan and Natan had a great trip back to NM.
3. Connie came home from rehab!
4. Joan’s surgery was successful! She received a fantastic report from her surgeon.
5. Sally’s surgery was successful – she also received an excellent report!
6. Maxine’s surgery was successful!
7. God is exposing evil terror threats!
8. Lori: new position!
9. Travis (CFS webmaster): God answered his prayer!