Let Your Word Show Up In My Actions!

 

Don't tell anyone what just happened.  Rather, go to the priest, show yourself to him, and give a wave offering as Moses commanded.  YOUR ACTIONS will tell the story of what happened here today. -- Matthew 8:4

This morning as I was relationally reading through Matthew 8 I stumbled across verse 4 and could tell the Lord was speaking to me personally. 

Oh how I love words! It's how HE made me.  But this morning I'm reminded to take careful inventory and make sure that my words are backed up by His fruit in my life.  Not perfect, but in process❤️

I have to remember that HIS Word has to come before my words.  

How can I talk about my love of Jesus and not show the transforming power of what He has done, is doing, will do within me?  Words without actions are want-to's.  It means I know about Jesus, but I don't know Him personally.  To know Him personally means that His Word is going down deep into my heart.  It's setting up shop.  It's transforming the way I think.  This morning I asked the Lord to show me His fingerprints on my life and He was faithful to remind me of His faithfulness!

• Finding true forgiveness for a father who walked away, who made promises he couldn't keep, who is all talk and no show.  He's a words without action kinda guy. (Do you know someone like that?). I remember that the mention of his name would cause my body to physically react in anger.  I would allow horrible thoughts of him to dominate my mind and then the fruit of the flesh...anger would well up.  Today his name brings sadness to my heart because he is lost, but my sadness is steeped in a deep and genuine love for him.  A love that could never have come from or originated within my human heart. He transformed the way I thought and then my behavior changed.
• Giving me FREEDOM from the bondage of smoking.  It's been so long ago and I cannot even imagine having a cigarette now.  But there was a time when the opposite was true.  I couldn't imagine going through a day without a cigarette.  He transformed the way I thought and then my behavior changed. 
• Having the discipline of consistent daily quiet times.  I remember wanting more of the Lord, but could not be consistent.  It's been so many years since my morning routine of having coffee with Jesus began that I cannot imagine NOT spending time with Him in the morning.   He transformed the way I thought and then my behavior changed. 

 

Lord, let my words AND MY ACTIONS reflect your transforming power in my life!