“And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” (Matt. 25:40 ESV)

Whatever you do

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters…” (Col. 3:23 NIV)

What to do for Him

“I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’” (Matt. 25:36 ESV)

It’s pleasing to God

“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.” (Heb. 13:16 ESV)

Bear one another’s burdens

“Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal. 6:2 ESV)

How to lend to God

“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” (Prov. 19:17 ESV)

It’s more blessed to give than to receive

“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 29:35 ESV)

“So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.” (Rom. 6:11 NLT)

Dead to sin but alive to righteousness

“…and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)

You died with Him and will live with Him

“It is a trustworthy statement: For if we died with Him, we will also live with Him…” (2 Tim. 2:11)

“Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Gal. 5:24)

We no longer live but Christ lives in us

“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” (Gal. 2:20)

Your life is hidden with Christ

“For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.” (Col. 3:3)

Therefore…

“Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.” (Rom. 7:4)

“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” (Mal. 3:6 ESV)

Un-changing: not changing, constant, immovable, regular, same, set, static, uniform, changeless, consistent, fixed, immutable, inalterable, inflexible, monotonous, perpetual, rigid, unalterable, unchangeable, unchanging, undiversified, unfailing, unmodifiable, unrelieved, unvarying, and unwavering.

He is the Alpha and the Omega

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Rev. 1:8 ESV)

He is from everlasting to everlasting

“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” (Psalm 90:2 ESV)

Yesterday, today and forever

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Heb. 13:8 ESV)

Who’s years endures throughout all generations

“O my God,” I say, “take me not away in the midst of my days— you whose years endure throughout all generations!” Of old you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you will remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away, but you are the same, and your years have no end.” (Psalms 102:24-27 ESV)

With whom there is no variation or shadow due to change

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” (James 1:17 ESV)

The Word of the Lord remains forever

“For “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” And this word is the good news that was preached to you.” (1 Peter 1:24-25 ESV)

Therefore…

“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Num. 23:19 ESV)

And know…

“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations…” (Deut. 7:9 ESV)

“He has shown all you people what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8 ESV)

The above passage says God requires three things of us: 1) do justly. 2) love mercy, and 3) walk humbly with your God.

Act Justly

“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.” (Isaiah 1:17 ESV)

Love Mercy

“Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.” (Luke 6:36 ESV)

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” (Matt. 5:7 ESV)

Walk Humbly with your God

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.” (1 Peter 5:6 NIV)

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chron. 7:14 NIV)

Therefore…

“Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” (Col. 3:12 NIV)

“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins.” (1 Peter 4:8 NLT)

To illustrate how God’s love covers sin, my pastor brought a bag of garbage onto the stage and put a red cloth over it to cover it completely up. He explained that Jesus had shed His blood on the cross to completely cover all our garbage (sin).

What Jesus did for us was an act of deep love for us!

The above passage says “deep love covers a multitude of sins.” Jesus’ love for us, demonstrated by His shed blood on the cross, is the deep kind of love. And we are supposed to show that same kind of deep love towards others. He said He was giving us a new commandment to love others as He has loved us.

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” (John 13:13 NLT)

Love others deeply

“You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.” (1 Peter 1:22 NLT)

Put on love as a perfect bond of unity

“Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” (Col. 3:14 NASB)

Love each other as brothers and sisters

“Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude.” (1 Peter 3:8 NLT)

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus…” (Phil. 2:5 ESV)

Sometimes, I remember something I did or said negatively to someone and then say to myself, “What was I thinking!” Of course, you usually can’t go back and fix poorly spoken words. But, you can seek forgiveness and determine not to make the same mistake in the future. I think the best solution, however, is to not make the mistake in the first place by having the mind of Christ on matters. The Bible has a lot to say on the subject.

To have the “mind of Christ” is to have Christ in your mind

The Bible says that Christ is the Word (John 1:1), so when you put His Words into your mind (memorize Scripture), you can transform your mind to His. This will help you understand His perfect will on things.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Rom. 12:2 ESV)

Set your mind on the right things

“For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” (Rom. 8:6 ESV)

“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus…” (Phil 2:5 ESV)

The spiritual person has the mind of Christ

“The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Cor. 2:14-16 ESV)

Prepare your mind for action

“Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13 ESV)

And…

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Phil. 4:8 ESV

“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3-4 NIV)

Fellowship: The condition of sharing similar interests, ideals, or experiences, as by reason of profession, religion, or nationality.

My favorite definition of fellowship is: “Two or more fellows in the same ship.” You can have “fellowship” with anyone you share similar interests or experiences with. I watch fellowship going on continuously at the coffeehouse I visit each morning. People of all ages are sitting together, drinking their favorite beverages and engaged in every kind of conversation; hobbies, politics, sports, their family and God. The passage above says, “We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us.” Fellowship is very  meaningful and exciting when it’s about proclaiming to each other what you’ve personally experienced in your relationship with God.

Walking in the light together

“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1John 1:7 ESV)

You were called into fellowship

“God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Cor. 1:9 ESV)

“When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” At that, Paul left the Council. Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed.”  (Acts 17:32-34 NIV)

The more people you tell, the more success you will have

I own a company that sells products and services to the automotive industry. To make sales I attend automotive trade shows from coast to coast. I’ve discovered that the biggest secret to my selling success is this: “The more people I tell to, the more people I sell to!” Therefore, I work hard to speak to as many attendees as I can in order to make some successful sales to a few of them. Not everybody I speak to is Interested in what I have to offer, but some are! I don’t worry about the negatives. I just talk to everybody I see at the trade shows about what I have to offer and I always find a few who do respond positively. It’s the same way with sharing about Jesus. The more people you share Him with the more people you are able to reach successfully. Of course, not everyone will be interested and respond positively, but that’s to be expected. In the scripture passage at top, the Apostle Paul got three types of responses from sharing the gospel with the folks in Athens: 1) some sneered, 2) some said they wanted to hear more about it later, and 3) some believed and became followers. The point is to just share with everyone and leave the results up to God.

roclaim the gospel  to everyone

“And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.” (Mark 16:15 ESV)

“Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.’” (John 29:21 ESV)

“My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” (2 Cor. 12:9 NLT)

Are you hesitant to do anything for God because you have a few flaws or personal issues?  Someone has said, “If God only used perfect people without problems and faults, He wouldn’t have anyone to use.” Throughout scripture we see God using imperfect people for the sake of his mission.

If you feel like God couldn’t possibly use you? Remember:

• Noah was a drunk
• Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
• Abraham and Sarah were too old
• Isaac was a daydreamer
• Jacob was a liar
• Leah was ugly
• Joseph was abused
• Moses stuttered
• Gideon was afraid
• Samson was a womanizer
• Rehab was a prostitute
• David was an adulterer and a murderer
• Elijah was suicidal
• Isaiah preached naked
• Jonah ran from God
• Naomi was a widow
• Job went bankrupt
• Peter denied Christ
• John the Baptist ate bugs  
• The disciples fell asleep while praying
• Martha worried about everything
• The Samaritan woman was divorced (more than once)
• Zacchaeus was very small
• Paul was a Pharisee who persecuted Christians
• Lazarus was dead!

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.” (1 Peter 4:10 NIV)