No matter if we agree, no matter if we try to not let it happen, no matter
if we think we don't do it to others, no matter if we think others can't
do it to us, the plain fact is that everytime we spend time with others we
have an influence upon their life. Be it ever so slightly, or be it a very
impactful thing, we tend to rub off on others for the negative or
positive, and they rub off on us as well, and that not only comes with
responsibility, but as in this devotional's point, an unbeliever married
to a believer is a good thing for the unbelieving one. It is also more
burdensome to the believer, but the cost is worth it if the spouse comes
to Christ.
Brad
on 11:44 AM 8/12/2005, Pat Ferguson said:
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Please give me your input on this one!
Thanks.
Love and Blessings,
Pat Ferguson
>Envelope-to: [log in to unmask]
>From: "PurposeDrivenLife.com" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: August 12, 2005 - Because of You - Daily Devotional
>Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 03:30:38 -0700
>Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
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>August 12, 2005
><http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/sendtoafrienddevo.aspx?articleid=3D1190>
>[]
>
>
>
>Because of You
>by John Fischer
>
>Your mission is to live your life.
>
>In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul the apostle addresses believers who are
married=20
>to unbelievers, and outlines a general rule that if the unbelieving
spouse=
=20
>chooses to stay in the marriage, it would be good for the believer to=20
>stay, too. He gives two reasons for this: one, the children will have
a=20
>godly influence through the believing parent, and two, the unbeliever
may=
=20
>be converted =93because of you=94 (1 Corinthians 7:16). (Exceptions to
this=
=20
>rule would of course be situations of abuse and endangerment of a
spouse=20
>or child.)
>
>Just what does he mean by =93because of you,=94 I wonder? Does it mean
you=
are=20
>on a personal crusade to save your spouse? Does it mean that you will=20
>preach the gospel to your spouse at every possible opportunity? Does
it=20
>mean you will turn your house into a religious institution that
coerces=20
>your spouse to either put up with Christianity or leave? No, it
doesn=92t=
=20
>mean any of these things.
>
>It means simply what it says: =93=85because of you=85=94 because of who
you=
are,=20
>because of how you live, because of the way your faith affects
everything=
=20
>you do, because of the way you carry on your life, because of the
reality=
=20
>of Christ in your life. That=92s it. No more; but certainly, no less.
Paul=
=20
>is suggesting that living your life with a sense of purpose that
comes=20
>from your faith in God is enough to convert someone.
>
>It occurs to me that this could be applied to all believers in relation
to=
=20
>life in the world among people with whom we work and associate who are
not=
=20
>believers. General rule: don=92t leave the world. (Where would you
go,=20
>anyway?) Stay in the world =96 in relationships with unbelievers =96
for=
the=20
>chance that someone may be converted =93because of you.=94
>
>We are not on a crusade; we are on a mission to live our lives
according=20
>to God=92s purposes. When we do that, we make possible an environment
of=20
>change where a person who does not have a meaningful relationship with
God=
=20
>might become curious about someone who does. =93Because of you=94 is
a=20
>statement of subtle influence, not coercion, and in the context of
Paul=92s=
=20
>advice in 1 Corinthians 7, it is a steady influence over time, as would
be=
=20
>implied by a marriage. There=92s nothing complex or even premeditated
about=
=20
>a =93because of you=94 influence. This is a believer going about the=
process=20
>of believing; and this is an unbeliever going over their life with a=20
>microscope, observing the good, the bad and the ugly. Doesn=92t matter
if=
=20
>God is there.
>
>Thought for the day: Don=92t ever sell short what God can do =93because
of=
you.=94
>
>[]
>
>John Fischer is the Senior Writer for Purpose Driven Life Daily=20
>Devotionals. He resides in Southern California with his wife, Marti
and=20
>son, Chandler. They also have two adult children, Christopher and
Anne.=20
>John is a published author and popular speaker.
>
>[]
>
>
>
>Click <http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/tblnlredirect.aspx>HERE to sign
up=
=20
>for The Better Life, an e-newsletter brought to you by=20
>PurposeDrivenLife.com, with articles by Rick Warren and other
insightful=20
>writers.
>To see a sample of The Better Life, click=20
><http://www.purposedrivenlife.com/betterlife/index.aspx>HERE.
>
>
>
>
>[]
>
>=A9 2005 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.
>[]
>
>[]
>
>Miss out on one of the Daily Devotionals? View the online archives at:
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ife.com/devarchive.aspx
>
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Please give me your input on this one!
Thanks.
Love and Blessings,
Pat Ferguson
Envelope-to: [log in to unmask]
From: "PurposeDrivenLife.com" <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: August 12, 2005 - Because of You - Daily Devotional
Date: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 03:30:38 -0700
Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
X-EN-OrigIP: 64.160.242.8
X-EN-OrigHost: post.purposedrivenlife.com
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August 12, 2005
Because of You
by John Fischer
Your mission is to live your life.
In 1 Corinthians 7, Paul the apostle addresses believers who are married
to= unbelievers, and outlines a general rule that if the unbelieving
spouse= chooses to stay in the marriage, it would be good for the believer
to stay,= too. He gives two reasons for this: one, the children will have
a godly= influence through the believing parent, and two, the unbeliever
may be= converted =93because of you=94 (1 Corinthians 7:16). (Exceptions
to this= rule would of course be situations of abuse and endangerment of a
spouse or= child.)
Just what does he mean by =93because of you,=94 I wonder? Does it mean
you= are on a personal crusade to save your spouse? Does it mean that you
will= preach the gospel to your spouse at every possible opportunity? Does
it= mean you will turn your house into a religious institution that
coerces= your spouse to either put up with Christianity or leave? No, it
doesn=92t= mean any of these things.
It means simply what it says: =93=85because of you=85=94 because of who
you= are, because of how you live, because of the way your faith affects=
everything you do, because of the way you carry on your life, because of=
the reality of Christ in your life. That=92s it. No more; but certainly,
no= less. Paul is suggesting that living your life with a sense of purpose
that= comes from your faith in God is enough to convert someone.
It occurs to me that this could be applied to all believers in relation
to= life in the world among people with whom we work and associate who are
not= believers. General rule: don=92t leave the world. (Where would you
go,= anyway?) Stay in the world =96 in relationships with unbelievers =96
for= the chance that someone may be converted =93because of you.=94
We are not on a crusade; we are on a mission to live our lives according
to= God=92s purposes. When we do that, we make possible an environment of=
change where a person who does not have a meaningful relationship with
God= might become curious about someone who does. =93Because of you=94 is
a= statement of subtle influence, not coercion, and in the context of
Paul=92s= advice in 1 Corinthians 7, it is a steady influence over time,
as would be= implied by a marriage. There=92s nothing complex or even
premeditated about= a =93because of you=94 influence. This is a believer
going about the= process of believing; and this is an unbeliever going
over their life with= a microscope, observing the good, the bad and the
ugly. Doesn=92t matter if= God is there.
Thought for the day: Don=92t ever sell short what God can do =93because
of= you.=94
John Fischer is the Senior Writer for Purpose Driven Life Daily
Devotionals.= He resides in Southern California with his wife, Marti and
son, Chandler.= They also have two adult children, Christopher and Anne.
John is a= published author and popular speaker.
Click HERE to sign up for The Better Life, an e-newsletter brought to you
by= PurposeDrivenLife.com, with articles by Rick Warren and other
insightful= writers.
To see a sample of The Better Life, click HERE.
=A9 2005 Purpose Driven Life. All rights reserved.
Miss out on one of the Daily Devotionals? View the online archives at:
http://www.purpos= edrivenlife.com/devarchive.aspx
Have questions regarding the Daily Devotionals? Browse our Frequently
Asked= Questions at:
http://w= ww.purposedrivenlife.com/absolutefm/afmtopics.asp
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
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THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE PLEASE DO NOT REPLY
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=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
You are receiving this daily email (Monday through= Friday) because you
requested a subscription to the Daily Devotional from=
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<= br> ________________________________________
PurposeDrivenLife.com
a division of Purpose Driven Ministries
20 Empire Drive
Lake Forest, CA 92630
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