"Within and Without"

"Turn us again, O God of hosts, and cause thy face to shine; and we shall be saved." (Psalms 80:7) Yes, it's pretty much the same as verse 3, but a little different; but it is exactly the same as verse 19, except from a different perspective. As I was saying, there are people who are dependent upon you in more ways than you might realize; not that God could not work without you, but you do have a purpose in this life that has been determined by God, whether you know it or not. How you conduct yourself matters, because there are others who are watching your life. More than that, they are in need of something to be sure of, and it is our faith that will be the proof they are looking for. Don't think that it matters that much? well think again! It matters a lot! We don't know the half of what goes on outside of our little bubble; even though we think we don't matter all that much, we really do. Every encounter we have is another snapshot of our life presented to someone, whether good or bad, it's all about how we present ourselves to this world. This song just popped into my mind, "If you're saved and you know it, clap your hands." That's pretty much the point I believe God is making here in this verse; it's about something bigger than ourselves, bigger than just our little circle of life. The more of us that begin to let the love of God shine out of our lives, the more hope is presented to those around us that are lost. People need to see the proof, and our lives are the proof they are looking for! Are we going to represent Jesus or not? That's the real question being presented here today; because if we are saved people, then we need to start acting like we are saved people, and rejoice...
"I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ the continue for his body, the church. God has given me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming his entire message to you. This message was kept secret for centuries and generations past, but now it has been revealed in God's people. For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for the Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That's why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ's mighty power that works within me." (Colossians 1:24-29) NLT