Thought for the Day We should be as springs of living water to people who are thirsting for God. A spring polluted by bacteria brings disease instead of life. It is unfit to drink from. If we yield to compromise, our Christian witness becomes muddied, thus allowing unbelievers to mock us. The Old Testament relates that the people of Judah became like polluted springs and were led away to exile in Babylon because of their sins. Jerusalem lay in ruins for many years and became a picture of a Christian whose life is wasted by the enemy. Nehemiah was a Jewish exile in Persia who became the kings cupbearer. This position enabled him to obtain permission to return to Jerusalem and rebuild it. Because of his uncompromised integrity, God chose him to lead in the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem. When he met with ridicule and threats of attack, he resorted to prayer. When he was confronted with discouragement, he leaned on God and overcame it. When he discovered corruption and greed in Jerusalems rulers, he confronted them in a godly manner. Through his example of unselfishness, during his 12-year term as governor, he rebuilt the moral, civil, and physical walls of Jerusalem. To rebuild the churchs reputation and morality of our nations, we must be people of integrity. Too many Christians have become polluted springs. How does this happen? Many fall into sin because they accept leadership too soon. Integrity takes time to establish. Early promotion leads to pride, which precedes a fall. One who has not learned to withstand Satans common attacks that come upon all believers cannot bear his crushing attacks that are aimed at leaders. Look carefully at the qualifications for leaders listed in 1 Timothy 3:2-7: An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not addicted to wine, or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money. He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?), and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil. And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil (NASB). Whether or not we become church leaders, we all must walk in integrity. A good place to begin that walk is by watching what we say (James 3:9-13). By allowing the Holy Spirit to convict us of any sin, we can keep our words and heart attitudes pure. By guarding our hearts, we can keep from becoming a polluted spring.
Posted on: Mon, 06 Oct 2014 20:59:24 +0000
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