Are you DOING or BEING?

     I have come to realize that I have spent MANY years DOING and not being concerned about BEING.  Once I heard a preach scream out that he wanted his church members to start acting like Christians.  An old man at the back was heard to say under his breath, "I think it is time we stop ACTING and start BEING."
     The word, "Christian" has been greatly abused and misused in this day and age.  We have the habit of asking, "Are you a Christian?"  Or maybe, "Oh, I'm a Christian, too."  Actually, in Bible days people did not call themselves, Christians.  In fact, the word, CHRISTIAN is only found 3 times in the Scriptures: firstly, they were CALLED Christians. And it speaks about if anyone suffers as a Christian. Then, the magistrate that told Paul he had almost convinced him to be a Christian.
      The sad thing is, if we waited to be called CHRISTIAN, we might have to wait a LOOOOOOOOONG time. I once introduced a Jewish preacher as a converted Jew.  He stomped his foot and declared, with his heavy accent, "I am not a converted Jew!  I am a converted SINNER.  I am still so much of a Jew I could sell your widow a two-pants suit to bury you in!"  Instead of TRYING to be a Christian, why don't we just BE  a converted sinner saved by mercy and grace.
     Mercy is NOT getting what we deserve.  Grace is GETTING what we don't deserve.  See you next time.  Missionary Don Kiser
    
     
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