1 Peter 3:15-16 “In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”
If I am serious about growing in faith I must continually set apart Christ as Lord in every area of my life. The outcome of obeying Jesus Christ is that I will surely change to be more like him; and his Spirit will radiate out from the center, affecting everything about my life. My resulting behaviors may even invite ridicule or slander from those who hate and fear any reminder that God is real and that he is active in this world. But when I face attacks, I must be prepared to provide reasons for my faith, gently and logically and rationally, showing respect for the person who opposes me as one created in God’s image.
Father, thank you for changing me, beginning with that first time I honestly set apart Christ as Lord at summer camp in July 1979. You have transformed me over the years – and continue to transform me. And I have experienced a far better, fuller, more joyful life than I could ever have imagined before I put my trust in you. Please continue to develop my thinking and the clarity of my witness so that I represent you with excellence when giving an answer to both seekers and skeptics.