Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 119

April 29;    I Peter 2:12;    119/260(II);    ‘The Day of Visitation’

1 Peter 2:12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.

It has been said that the unsaved do not reject Jesus, they reject those who represent Him.  In a sense this is true.  It is very hard for us to share the Lord with those who do not know Him, if we live our lives in a manner that is contrary to a Christ-like character.  Honorable means admirable or praiseworthy.  We are to live in such a way that even if the unsaved do not know the Bible, we reflect a lifestyle that they would attribute to a Christian.  Since the devil deceives the lost and causes them to misunderstand and bad mouth believers, the love of God and His kindness through us towards them will gradually change their opinion about us.  As the unsaved receive a kind word from you when they are unkind to you and when they watch how you treat others with courtesy, when no one else does, it makes a tremendous impact, even if they never admit this. As Christians, God’s joy is our strength.  Our value and worth come from Jesus not others.  The Lord said if they hated Him they will hate you.  We can rise above whatever they say against us or do to us, because the love the Lord put into our spirit and the decision we have made to exhibit a Christ like nature at all times, is having an effect on those not yet saved.  By living a consistent Christ-like lifestyle, one day because your life has been a powerful witness to them that Jesus is real, the Holy Spirit will ‘visit’ them and deal with their heart concerning Jesus and their mockery will turn into praise for the Lord Jesus Christ.  Your decision to live in a manner that brings glory to Jesus, will open the door for the lost who watch you, to make Him their Lord.