by Pastor Daniel

Introduction
The above are the lyrics of an old song.  “Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.  All His wonderful passion and purity.  Oh, Thou Spirit divine, all my nature refine.  Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me”

That is also the theme for the new year.  As we begin to embark on another new beginning, may the lyrics of this chorus ring in our minds, hearts and spirits.  May that turn into a prayer and finally a portrayal of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Why a theme like this?  I believe as we pray as leaders of the church, the concern of FCC is that we become relevant in this world and relevant to our Lord Jesus Christ.  The One great concern of God and the church is to preach the good news of Jesus Christ.  That is found in the great commission.  We are called to go and preach the gospel.

Proclaiming
“Go, and preach the gospel to all nations......”  has the element of proclamation.  Yes, that is what all of us are commissioned to do.  His last command must be our first concern.  We have just celebrated Christmas last month.  It was a month of opportunities to bring the gospel message to those whom we are connected by divine intervention, whether they be family members, relatives, friends, colleagues, neighbours or even strangers.  If God has granted us that commission, it simply means that we are now called to be obedient to his calling.

However, while proclaiming the gospel is an important and most possible way of making known the gospel, it is important to remember that the way we live and conduct our daily lives do play an important role. Be a role model. It is true that faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of the Lord.  Yes, we must not stop proclaiming, telling people of the love of God Driver De Cartier Replica .  Yet the evidence of the message of good news is also a life that is living the good news.

Many people have the notion, “I don’t believe until I see it!”. They are simply saying this, “If you say it is the good news, I must also see in your life that you mean it by the way you live.”

Portraying
The next element is portraying a life of witness.  Jesus said, “You are the light of the world, salt of the earth”, meaning the influence by just being who you are.  In other words, we are also the good news. He further preached from the sermon on the Mount saying, “So let your light so shine before men, so that when they see your good work, they will glorify your Father in heaven.”

That has to do with living a life that honors and glorifies God.  Is portraying more important than proclaiming?  Well, they are equally important.  One cannot exist without the other.  When we live a life so captivating to those around us, they will ask, “Who is this God in whom you believe?” and we must invariably respond proclaiming the good news.

Conclusion
As such, let us work on this theme, not just in 2017 but in 2017 and beyond, everyday of our lives.  Let us pray, speak, work, meditate, think, that in our lives may the beauty of Jesus be seen in us.  In 2 Corinthians 2:14-15, it says that “... through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.  For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.”

May we walk around with this “perfume”, THE AROMA OF CHRIST, that others cannot help but “smell” the fragrance within us.  May the beauty of Jesus be seen in us in FCC - both among our brothers and sisters in Christ as well as those who have yet to come to know Christ.

Blessed 2017 Seamaster Replica !!!