How to stand out as a follower of Jesus

This morning I had an interesting experience and God showed me something about myself.A very nice gentleman I work with at my company just told me that "God was big in his life" and that he went to a "bible believeing" church and that he has been a born again Christian for many years. What came to my mind first was, How was it for almost 2 years I never knew he was a Christian and also that He didn't know that I was a Christian. I have met many people who I have known that didn't know that I was a Christian or vice versa... How can this be? In the early church, people knew who were the "followers of Jesus" but today it's very hard to tell... why?A also very sobering story was here in Rochester a very large Christian concert called Kingdom Bound that happens at Darien Lake Six Flags amusement park has the worst reputation of trash, stealing of property, immodesty and has given Christ a very bad name to those who are watchingHow can this be?For me I want to know how I can stand out as a Christian to others so that they know that I'm not "just a nice guy" but a follower of Jesus. I have heard of this phrase, "Tell others about Christ, if necessary, use words.." I'm not sure where I have heard this, but I'm not sure if this is Biblical. Let's talk about how we can stand out in the world as followers of Jesus.a Jesus freak,Doug Renzajesusfreak@frontiernet.net

after reading your post, it made me think of romans 10:17. it says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. i believe that people DO come to faith by the word of God. i also believe that we find out whether others are believers (or not) through hearing the word of God from US. it all begins with opening our mouth! the tongue is a powerful weapon isn't it? i like to wear christian t-shirts too to stand out as a follower of Christ. i dare anyone to ask me about my shirt because i will gladly share with them who Jesus is and what he means to me!

haha denim7 christian shirts are now found in k-mart! one whith a couple of psalm references on it and all sorts of awesome stuff written on it. and dougkristen, i went to tafe a little while ago, i ended up being the only girl in my class, but because it was a pre-apprentiship course people thought it automatically gave them a license to swear, and act like pigs but people could see how i refused to swear, listened to authority and i kept my standards, there are friends that i have made through that course because words that came from my mouth made them feel like there was such a promise and hope over their lives. others showed a disregard and it got out of hand. i slapped one guy in the face for calling me all sorts of names and making me out to be something used for nothing but a man's pleasure and so i knew that because i retaliated i couldnt call it persecution. many of my guy-friends were honestly telling me i should kick one of them where the sun doesnt shine for what they were saying and doing to me, im not repeating it here, but unless you're prepared to face the rejection when you travel against the current, i dont mean rebel, but by all means refuse to submit to authority when its in conflict with God. he'll vindicate that. but when the world is headed to the slaughter you're expected to turn and head for God regardless of teh sweeping tide around you, then jumping on to God's road, which sometimes lands you in the middle of the traffic of lost souls..., what im getting at is, you need to live it before you'll be recognised by it, there's a time and a place for everything, whats done in secret is for God but what's done in the open is for lost men. i love it when i've found another christian, whether it was obvious or not, it usually means a potential brother/sister to love and challenge or a life waiting to really experience the full measure of God's restoring nature. such a thing really excites me. be glad you found another born again christian!

Dorcas wrote:"the standards of the sermon on the mount are notionally enshrined in legal systems and people who don't adhere to them are subject to prosecution." Where on the earth do you live??? I live in America and it is totally the opposite!!In the eyes of people here, it is definatly not a blessing to be poor, meek, mourning, etc...My family and I are certainly not rich and my daughter gets harrased at school for not having all the "in" stuff.I think people have gotten the blessings and the woes mixed up and anytime you try to tell people what Jesus really said you get slammed!Just a couple of weeks ago, I tried to tell my uncle that Jesus said we are not supposed to build up treasure here on earth- he told me Jesus said he could put his $ in real estate! and that somebody else was taking care of the lost and dying- he could tie up all his $ in real estate.Lord- please have mercy on us- I personally know of many native missionaries that are not being sent out because of all the "christians" money and resources are tied up in real estate and the like.no, it is definatly not seen as a blessing from the Lord to be poor, meek, mourning etc.. in the eyes of most Americans. Whatever happened to Kingdom teaching? In the age of prosperity teaching and everybody wanting to out do the "Jones'" it is hard to get people to love the truth of our blessed Lord anymore. what a shame.Let's look at Luke 6:24-26What sorrows await you who are rich, for you have your only happiness now.What sorrows await you who are satisfied and prosperous now, for a time of hunger is before you.What sorrows await you who laugh carelessly, for your laughing will turn to mourning and sorrow.What sorrows await you who are praised by the crowds, for their ancestors also praised false prophets."How do the prosperity teachers make this fly??I think by actually following the commands of Jesus will make us stand out as followers of Him.Jn 14:23 "all those who love me will do what I say"mary0418

I heard this story before:Spurgeon once was heading down a road when he overheard two people talking in an alley, saying:Person 1: "You're a Christian?"Person 2: "Yes, I am."Person 1: "Well I am a Christian too! And all this time we've been working in the same place, 14 years, and we never even knew it!"Spurgeon stepped in and said,Sprugeon: "Neither of you are Christians, you both need to repent."This just came to mind. It's quite challenging, and I believe the message is that we need to be fires, lamps, for the Lord that all may see. Remember what Jesus said?"You are the light of the world. I city on a hill cannot be hidden, neither does someone light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Rather, he sets it on a lampstand and it gives light to the whole house. In the same way, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."Hope this helps.In Christ,-Eli

Good afternoon brothers and sisters.Do what Paul advised Timothy.1 Timothy 4:12 "Let no man despise your youth; but be an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in faith, in purity."Our words have to be backed up by our actions.We have to be examples.Obedience will identify you as a Chrsitian.By their fruits you shall know them.Titus 2:7-8 "In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: In doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity,8- sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is on the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you."

Doug,Reading your post reminded of of somethig that happened 18 years ago.At that point in time I was a tester for MS DHIA where we would go to dairy barns and collect data to be sent ot a lab for evaluation. For the most part it was a boring job and to make the time go fast, I would take an old Christianity Today magazine along to read. At this point in time we likely had an 8 year stash of them. Anyhow, as I was looking through it I can to a pic of a famous 'Christian' rock group. Something about their pic fascinated me: they looked so ungodly, so worldly. On impulse I asked a milk hand "do you think these people look like Christians?" He looked, shook his head no and asked "are they?" I told him they say they are. And he just kept shaking his head...later the owner came to the barn and I repeated the question. He asked me one in turn: "What are Christians supposed to look like?" I was taken back. Here was a upstanding man in his church and community and asked this question. So I told him what they should not look like: sad, depressed, etc. Then he replied: "sounds like the church choir!" The fascinating thing about this story is that the milk hand smoked a lot vs his employer who was a clean man, no filthy habits. Personally, I think if we walk in the power of the Spirit, we will look and act like Christians. Others will notice it. We sell tomatoes retail and meet the public a lot. We can often tell who is a Christian and definately who is not. . Some radiate a brightness which is so outstanding. And they do not know it. This has also been the testimony of another person who is involved in retail sales.This has been my opinion and experience.ginnyrose

John 13:35 - "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."That love is a two-sided coin. Here are some pointed questions Leonard Ravenhill asks:"And there's no room for Him in the inn.He got a bit older, there was no room in His family, His family turned on Him.He went to the temple, no room in the temple, the temple turned on Him.And when He died there was no room to bury Him, He died outside of the city.""Well why in God's Name do you expect to be accepted everywhere? How is it that the world couldn't get on with the holiest Man that ever lived and can get on with you and me?""Are we compromised? Are we compromised?""Have we no spiritual stature?""Have we no righteousness that reflects on their corruption?"I am often disbediant, don't misunderstand me. But if people don't even know you are a Christian, what kind of witness are you. I say this out of love: (remember, I'm putting this on myself, too) He hung battered on a cross for you, you could at least let people know, somehow, that you appreciate what He did by showing others your FAITH (What DID Jesus do?).The next step is doing what Jesus would do (HOLINESS).The next step is to tell people what Jesus is going to do -JUDGEMENT-Acts 17:30-31 "God...now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead."

Really that is an interesting point about the difference between the Apostles in the New Testament and christians today. People knew who the followers of Jesus Christ were not because they went around saying we are followers, but because of the extraordinary change in their lives and their discussions. Whenever Jesus Christ called them to be his followers, it was a revolution in their life... everything was changed. Their lives were literally born again in the sense that no longer was anything the same. They sacrificed everything that their life was composed of... They left friends, families, relationships, jobs, riches, lifestyles..... Today we as christians want to make God fit into our lifestyle or into the current life that we have. There is no revolutionary change. Evenin christians where there is a drastic change there is almost always something that we hold onto that we are not willing to let go. Let's take a moment and look at this from a biblical standpoint:Something even as honest as one's love for their child can not become between a person and their love for God. God tested Abraham in the fact that he commanded Abraham to offer his only son Isaac for a burnt offering. The Lord wants total committment and total devotion. Abraham had full confidence in the wisdom and love of God and even though Abraham did not understand or comprehend what the Lord was doing. Abraham through faith and devotion to God was able to turn everything over not analyzing or reasoning anything within his own mind.Christians today are raised in a society that is devoted to pride, independence, and freedom. but true freedom in God only comes from being willing to sacrifice it all to God, lay it all upon the alter. To make a revolutionary change in our life. Where we are no longer just a Christian, but rather we are living the walk with Jesus Christ as did the apostles in the New Testament. Yes we may be led into businesses or occupations... but we are to share the word not only through our voice but through the spirit of God that dwells within us. We are to walk in the presence of God constantly, and sinners can feel that presence. They can feel the witness of the spirit. We as christians today do not live in utter defiance of sin as did the apostles of old. That in itself, the lack of conviction of sin, is why christians today are not known as the apostles were. I am not pointing any fingers, I am just stating the church as a whole today is preaching acceptance, whenever what the church needs is defiance. The church preaches all about accepting Christ as your personal Savior, and accepting Christ's call for your life, and accepting others into the Christian faith... There is not enough said about defiance of sin, and the lifestyles of others around you. So many are scared of basically scared of pushing people away from Christ whenever many times we are sacrificing the conviction of the Lord to be evident in our lives.

shouldnt the fruit of the spirit be evident enough in our lives for others to see and say, 'hey there's something different about you, i dont know what but i want to live like that' the Joy of the spirit should be evident... i dont want to blow my own horn here but people are always telling me 'you're so cute, you're so bubbly, you're so peachy' well, not so much the last one, but same diff, when you're joyful you attract people, when you're a joy you're fun to be around, when you make people feel good about themselves 'its like a breath of fresh air', as my beautiful friend says, she's a really precious bundle of joy aswell. but like job said, 'am i not to accept the good with the bad?' when we go through the hard times... so much easier said than done but praise him through your circumstance, sing he is great, sing he is majestic, because surely the devil will flee from any praise you offer up! its a win win situation. we ahve a song that goes: 'This is for you, for all you've done for me and i wanted to show you how much you mean my God, My God'mind you, inasmuch as joy is contagious, so to is sorrow, and it's more tempting sometimes to allow this harsh mood over you no matter how much it hurts. but being a generally bubbly person, when i'm joyous everyone around me tends to feel it too, but when im down i bring everyone with me. all im saying is, have an infectious not unnatural but 'pleased to be in the world but not of it making angels jealous' outlook! oh you precious people!haha its so true, the angels are just itching to have a crack at earth but it's our task, so get cracking, plus the tribulation wont come till the word of the Lord has hit every soul, so get out there and live life and live it to the full infecting those around you who will become curious with the compelling spirit of joy on your life- the draw of the Lord! how else do you get ppl to love you without affecting free will?!ohh have an incredible day you lot!love Arbustum.