“Would You Be Found Guilty?”

If you were convicted of “Being a Christian,” would there be enough evidence to find you GUILTY?

If someone hired a Private Investigator to follow your every move and to listen in on your thoughts, words and actions, what would they find?

Imagine: You are in court, defending yourself.  Would there be enough:

• Circumstantial Evidence?
• Testimony of Witnesses?
• Motive?
• DNA Evidence?

Circumstantial Evidence is necessary such as church attendance, prayer, and reading the Word. The Testimony of Witnesses is important as they share what they have seen and heard. And of course our Motives are vitally important. But it is the DNA - the blood (of Jesus Christ) - that will convict you ... and, ironically, will set you free! http://www.lavozeterna.org/estudios/guiltyornot.htm

We fail to remember that GOD has us all under 24-hour-a-day,"continuous surveillance." He knows our thoughts, hears our words, sees our actions, hears our sarcasm and knows our ulterior motives. He KNOWS it all!

We might be clever at fooling man…but there is no fooling God.

Social Media reveals more about people than was ever evident in the past. Racism, Hatred and Unkindness have come to the surface with the ease of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. People bravely say the meanest, ugliest things about others, especially celebrities, the President of the United States and athletes online that they would NEVER have the guts to say to their faces. Not only is this pure rudeness, meanness, evil and hatred, it reflects low self-esteem, insecurities and basic cowardice. People who love themselves and love GOD are kind and loving to others. Unfortunately people are revealing their true character.

I am reminded of a joke that goes something like this:

A police officer pulls a car over for speeding. The bumper of the car has stickers that said, “I Love Jesus,” “God is Love,” and one of a cross. As he asks the woman driver for her license and registration, she is uncooperative, rude and curses him aggressively. She yells at him, “How dare you pull me over! I have a committee meeting to get to at church!” He immediately demands that she step out of the car. He hand-cuffs her, puts her in the back of his squad car and takes her to the station. After being detained for about 2 hours, she is released. The police officer tells her, “I am sorry. With all of the “I Love Jesus” and “God is Love” stickers on the bumper, I was certain that this car was stolen.”

The Bible says:

Matthew 7:15-20 (NKJV): You Will Know Them by Their Fruits

15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

1 Corinthians 4:5 (NKJV): 5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.

Luke 16:15 (NIV): 15 He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.

Hebrews 4:13 (NIV): 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.

Psalm 33:13-15 (NIV): 13 From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; 14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth—15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.

Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV): 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew[a] you,     before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

Psalm 139:13-16 (NIV): 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. 6 Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book     before one of them came to be.

Galatians 6:7 (NIV): 7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

Powerful Quotes:

“Man sees your actions, but God sees your motives.”

“Being a Christian is more than just an instantaneous conversion, but a daily process whereby you grow to be more like Christ.” – Billy Graham

“No nation, institution or person can abandon God’s laws without abandoning his goodness.”

“We shouldn’t try to fit God’s presence into our schedule, but we should build our schedule around being in God’s presence.”

“You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips.”

“Remember, you may be the only BIBLE that others read.”

“Stop ACTING like a Christian and JUST BE ONE.” Christine Caine 

We should all strive to be the person, if accused of “Being a Christian,” our answer can be “Guilty As Charged.”

(If you enjoy my reflections, you can also read more from Lessons from a Bird at Amazon.com)