This post first appeared on Heatherlindsey
This morning in my prayer time, I was studying Galatians. I came across a story and it made me ponder this question, “How are we living? And, what are we posting on social media?” Who are we silently influencing away from Christ with our example?’
Check this out:
Galatians 2:11-21
But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. 12
When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision.
Ok, let’s first look at that scripture. Peter just switched it up on the Gentiles! His goal was that he was SUPPOSED to show Gentiles AND Jews that we are all one through Jesus Christ now. But, because he was afraid of what his friends thought, he compromised and wouldn’t eat with them anymore. How many times are we compromising when certain friends come around? Maybe, you’re cussin’ a little bit more. Maybe, you’re talking about the guys you’re dating when you know good and well you are trying to be single and focused on God. Maybe you show a little extra cleavage when you are going out to dinner with certain friends because they always stay “turnt up.” Maybe you gossip and bash othe people that you really love, just to fit in. You do these things because you don’t want to seem “holier” than thou — and plus, you aren’t hanging out with your Pinky Promise small group. Those are a different type of friends. You gotta turn on the “Christian” language around those friends because YOU know that those friends will convict you to do the right thing. So, because Peter was AFRAID of what people THOUGHT of him, he adjusted his position. He didn’t want to deal with the criticism for doing the right thing. He was literally undoing his role in ministry in that moment. Which, takes us to the next scripture.
13 As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy.
Whoa.
AS a RESULT, other Jewish believers FOLLOWED after Peters BAD example. Did you know that what you post on social media and how you live is influencing people? You are literally showing people that “its ok” to show your boobs and your butt off. It’s ok to go on vacation with my boo and stay in the same hotel room. (which is another blog that I will do later). It’s ok for me to turn up. It’s ok for me to talk about gettin’ this money non-stop. It’s ok for me to sin openly. Not only is your sin hurting YOU but it is hurting all 5,242 followers that are watching you. You may be thinking, Heather – what does that have to do with me? We are all responsible for doing our own part, I cannot force them to follow what I’m doing.” But, love, some people may be BABIES in Christ. And, they may be looking at you as an example and they are confused by your scriptures one day and why you are posting photos in your t-shirt and your panties the next day. You are planting seeds.You are influencing people. We are ALL influencing someone.
Lets keep reading:
14 When I saw that they were not following the truth of the gospel message, I said to Peter in front of all the others, “Since you, a Jew by birth, have discarded the Jewish laws and are living like a Gentile, why are you now trying to make these Gentiles follow the Jewish traditions?
15 “You and I are Jews by birth, not ‘sinners’ like the Gentiles. 16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law.”
Ahh! What FREEDOM! We are made RIGHT by our faith in Jesus Christ. So, here, Paul is rebuking Peter by telling him that he can sit with the Gentiles because we are all made right by Jesus Christ and our faith in Him, not keeping the Jewish law. I LOVE that Paul lovingly called him out. Are you willing to pull your friends aside in LOVE and share the truth with them?
Now, you may be thinking – Heather, I have faith in Jesus! I do! But, why are you coming for my photos and my little boyfriend? Why are you coming for me? I can gossip here and there! It’s ok to bash people! I can create fake profiles on social media and tell people “how I really feel.” Heather, I can do what I want to do.
Love, Galatians 5:24 – “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed their passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there. You are not the lusts of your flesh. You are not the lusts of your past. You are not a money chaser. You are not led by your feelings. You are not who you used to be! You are a new creation in Christ Jesus! Praise GOD!!
Galatians 2:20 My old self has been crucified with Christ.It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.
You are not your past. You are not how you used to dress and the places that you used to go. Most times, we hold onto bad ways of thinking and we tag scriptures to our disobedience. Did you know that even demons believe in Jesus? It’s not enough to just KNOW, but it’s time to really LIVE this thing out. How you’re living RIGHT now, whether privately or publically, MATTERS. Peter influenced so many people in that ONE act. So, I challenge you today to look at who you follow on social media and who you are in relationship with in real life. Some of us will be quick to go on a unfollowing spree from bad examples but we will keep a man in our bed that ain’t supposed to be there. Or, we will sit in our marriage, complaining about everything that our spouse isn’t doing while exalt ourselves higher and higher. Unfollow those people on social media that are negatively influencing you. Turn off those hot mess TV shows that ONLY plant seeds of drama. Turn off that secular music. And, tune into Jesus. Grab your word and sit at His feet. A tree is idenified by it’s fruit and if you find that you don’t have any fruit of the spirit, it’s time to change that and start developing some fruit on your tree.
Social media has proven to us that we absolutely have time for Jesus, we just don’t have the desire. If you can scroll on social media for 2-3 hours a day – you can carve out an hour to sit at the feet of our Daddy. He longs to lead and guide you. He longs to help you to renew your mind concerning marriage, children, courtship, work, life and your purpose!
Stay focused. God is with you.
Just a few things:
1. Find my (5) books (including my NEW book, “The Purpose Room”), purity rings, shirts & all that good stuff via www.pinkypromiseboutiques.com!
2. We have developed an APP! Think: daily post notifications + weekly devotionals, recipes and so much more! It’s out NOW for iphones + Androids. Under: Heather & Cornelius Lindsey: Today With the Lindsey’s
3. If you live in Atlanta, I want to invite you to our church. Join us on Sundays at 10:30am. Our churches name is: “The Gathering Oasis” 215 W Wieuca Rd NW Atlanta, GA 30327 – The Galloway School in the Amiptheater
4. Register for the 2017 Pinky Promise in Atlanta, GA! It sold out last year so you don’t want to miss out! We are almost SOLD OUT! www.pinkypromiseconference.com
5. As always, you can join a Pinky Promise group locally! There’s about 50,000 ladies that have joined! Find a group near you by joining & checking out the intro page! Join here: www.PinkyPromiseMovement.com
6. We are headed on a Revival Tour to London and Capetown. Register here: www.lindseyevents.com
7. I have a TV Show on the Word Network! Make sure that you tune in every Saturday at 6:30pm EST! Also, download the (The Word Network App) You can stream it live there. You can find all of the playbacks of the show on my Youtube channel HERE.
God loves you like crazy,
Love always,
