S. "As Paul discoursed on righteousness, selfcontrol and the judgment to come, Felix was afraid and said, "That's enough for now! You may leave. When I find it convenient, I will send for you." (Acts 24: 25, NIV)
O. I think it is interesting that Felix says that he has had enough of Paul testimony. Paul speaks on righteousness, what is means to life a holy, blameless life that is not lived apart from our relationship with God. He speak about self-control…the discipline of doing what is right and pure. And he speaks about the judgment to come…what will happen as a result to your righteous and self-controlled living. Felix stops Paul. Paul is speaking all the right things, but Felix stops him. We might say that Paul's words placed Felix under conviction. He began to see his life in comparison to the holiness of Jesus Christ and the righteousness of God and it scared him. The only problem, his fear caused him to shut off the very hope that he had…a relationship with Jesus Christ.
I find that many people pull away from church and from a relationship with God because them "feel" uneasy…they seem to think that their lives will never measure up to God's righteousness and they pull way. What we need to do is love them and encouragement them. We all have a choice to make with our lives. We will spend eternity with God in heaven or in hell. We need to help people see the need to turn to God and accept his forgiveness and love. God is the only one who can offer forgiveness and the only one who can complete us and make us righteous and holy.
A. It is time to stop being judgmental and negative toward people for sin and wrong choices…we need to be found as accepting and loving just as Jesus was with so many people.
P. Lord, thank you for making me righteous…I am complete in you and only you. Help me to daily accept and live in your righteousness alone. Amen
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