”For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” -1 Corinthians 6:20
“Redemption is our chief blessing—nothing better can be said of you than this, “Ye are bought with a price.”…To every man of whom this may be said, it is the best news he ever heard. An angel sent from heaven could not bring to any man or woman here a more delightful message than this, “Thou art bought with a price, even with the precious blood of Christ.”… -Spurgeon
“The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.” -Proverbs 10:3
“To those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.” 1 Peter 1:1-2
I read these verses during my devotional time a few days ago, and – at first – these verses appear to be just another of Peter’s opening greetings; but if you take a closer look – and really read what Peter is saying – you’ll learn so much about God’s sovereignty over our lives and our trials.
This letter was written to the “elect exiles.” That almost seems to be a contradiction. The exiles were Jews who had been persecuted out of their homes and countries and chased all over the known world. They probably thought that God didn’t know or care about their plight. However, the word elect means “chosen specially by God”. How does that work?
Read further. Peter says that these Jews were exiled “according to the foreknowledge of God the Father.” God knew about His people, cared about His people and planned this for His people.
The verse also says that God was working through these struggling Jews to accomplish their sanctification. James 2:2-4 tells us that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness!
Finally, Paul encourages the exiles that through their trials they were identified with Christ. Christ told His disciples, “If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” (John 15:20) When we are identified with Christ in our trials, we bring glory to God!
When I’m struggling to understand ‘Why?’, I need to remember this: God chose this specific trial just for me! He has put something in my life to sanctify me and to make me more like Him.
-Janaya Richards, Editor
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What does the reflection of your heart look like? Do others see Christ in you?
We call ourselves Christians but are we really reflecting the way of Jesus Christ in our lives?
This is a question that we should constantly be asking ourselves- Do we look like Christ? Do we act like Him?
“17This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,
18Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
19Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
20But ye have not so learned Christ;
21If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:
22That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;
23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
24And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” -Ephesians 4:17-24
This verse is saying that we ought not live like the Gentiles, in other words… that we are not to live like the unsaved! We have been taught about Christ’s righteousness and His holiness by our parents and teachers… Are we reflecting these attributes in our lives?
Verse 22 says, “ put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires” and instead live for Christ!
Desire His goodness and grace and let Jesus Christ shine through you!
-Mitchell Silvius, Administrator
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As Christians it is absolutely vital that we fear and respect God for who He is. This an important step in our growth. . .
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.” -Proverbs 9:10
If we are truly striving for wisdom from God we must first learn how to respect God.
We can do this by respecting our parents, brothers, and sisters, and serving and worshiping God with true reverence.
Once we have accomplished this we will become far more effective for Christ and our precious relationship with Him will grow tremendously.
-Mitchell Silvius, Administrator
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Why are we scared of men? What can they do to us? What can any human do to us that our God doesn’t know about and plan in advance?
Fear of man keeps us from so many of God’s blessings!
Fear of man uses all our strength to try to please someone other than God.
Fear of man keeps us from sharing God’s love.
Fear of man holds us in bondage to our selfishness and self love.
Psalm 9:20 says “Let the nations know that they are but men.”
Let’s pray that back to God: “God, help me to know that they are only men. In YOU I trust; I shall not be afraid. The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
(Psalms 9:20, 56:11, 118:6; Hebrews 13:6)
-Janaya Richards, Editor
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“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
Can people tell you’re a Christian? This is a question that I often forget to ask myself, but I can’t run away from it; it needs to constantly be in my mind. CAN people tell?
Earlier this year, when I had an eye appointment, the assistant took me in to get my basic eye-checkup stuff done before seeing the optometrist. We made small talk for a few minutes, and then out of the blue, she said, “You’re a Christian, aren’t you?” My heart leaped. “Yes!” She said, “I could tell by your demeanor.” Well, you can imagine, when someone tells you that, you feel like jumping up and down, screaming, laughing, crying, and everything else. She later told my mom that my face radiated Christ. She was a Christian too.
So, can NON-Christians tell I’m a Christian, or at least that something’s different about me? Sometimes, I don’t feel like setting my light on a stand; I feel like putting it under a basket so I can “fit in”. But that’s not what God has called us to do. We have SUCH a privilege to be called His children, and we need to show others that they can share in that same, awesome privilege. That means, be like a city on a hill, be a LIGHT, live worthy of the walk (Eph.4:1) and set your mind on things above (Col. 3:2-4). Someone just might be watching.
-Bethany Andrews, Editor
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“The devil is a better theologian than any of us and is a devil still.” – A.W. Tozer
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” – Hebrews 4:12
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. – James 1:5
“We must preach the full-orbed doctrine leaving nothing out: conviction of sin, the reality of judgment and hell, free grace, justification, sanctification, glorification.” - D. Martyn-Lloyd Jones
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Welcome to LiveSharp.org™
This is a blog for those of us who have been called by God to get down and get dirty to glorify our Lord through every action we make. Yes, it’s a tough job. Some of you might have heard the slogan the US Marines commonly use – “The Few, the Proud, the Marines” – this is kind of the way it is for us. However, there is one huge difference to this example; yes, we should be proud of our God and express that by our actions. However, we didn’t choose or even have an option to be chosen by Him. He chose us, and our reaction to this should be a heart of humble thanksgiving and praise to Him. We are very blessed, and to put it into literal terms, “lucky”, to be part of this group of people chosen by God. We did nothing for God to choose us, but he chose us none the less! So we ought to praise His mighty and glorious Name forever and ever! But why? Why would He choose us? To glorify Him! 1 Corinthians 10:31 – “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” This is our mission and our mandate given to us by God. We are a special group of like-minded individuals learning how to live out our faith in a Sharp manner and our goal is to the take the Rebelutionary mindset to a whole new level. If you haven’t read the Harris brothers’ book, “Do Hard Things”, we urge you to read it before you start following this blog, because what the book stands for is exactly what this blog is going to be about except, like I said, we’re bringing it to a whole new level of Sharpness. This is a blog not for people who want to serve God, but for people who are serving God.
“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” -Hebrews 4:12
We are just the messengers.
This blog is about serving God Sharply.
-Mitchell Silvius, Administrator
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