Each day we preach our own sermon, pen our own message and present our own testimony. And each day the prince of darkness works with great zeal to silence our voice, to make our pen squiggle and to discredit our presentation. Furthermore, every day our traitorous flesh willingly yields to the seductions of our enticing enemy. But we fight on in the confident knowledge that Jesus is victor over our foe, and the Spirit is lord of our flesh!

God wants me to be a witness of His truth. And I want to be a witness of His truth. Sounds like a winning, productive combination, doesn't it? But so often it seems there are "things" in my life that suffocate my witness, or at least leave it so winded that it is left in the dust of the race. Instead of being convincing, my testimony is discredited. By me.

As much as lies in us, we ought to cleanse our lives of those contaminants and distractions that impede the clear proclamation of our witness. Let me put down a few here; you pick up where I leave off.

ATTITUDES. Guard your inner responses to life. You don't like the food set before you. Time for another one of those grade-school-level bedtime devotionals. Your covering gets dented or you car scratched. The driver beside you pulls a fast maneuver on you or a fellow committee member (through carelessness?) leaves you in a lurch. You've just had it with having to do so much of the work at home. How come this person has to be your sibling, anyway?! Those characters didn't have to be so rude! And on. And on. And on! Face it, my friend, all kinds of situations and people are, sooner or later, going to get under your skin. Forget about changing them; just respond properly. Never excuse a lapse in proper attitudes. The minutest aberration from godliness will often be bump to the elbow of your writing hand as you pen your testimony for Jesus!

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS. Your countenance reflects your mind and mirrors your heart. So work on those muscles that lie within a three-inch radius of your nose! Look pleasant and cheerful. Beware of the set of your mouth. And whatever you do, don't let scorn, bitterness, anger, contempt, mockery and their kin flit across the landscape. For sure don't let them settle in to become part of your facial topography! Such expressions totally draw attention away from the beauty of Jesus.

VALUES. Remember your treasure determines the placement of your heart. So you can yak all you want about how wonderful it is to serve God and read the Bible, but if your values are temporal.... Well, you get it. Is it awfully important to you that your dress and hair and face be just so? Do your words often drool over the wood, hay and stubble of this life? Is your position in your community of great price to you? Oh, beware of your heart! And what about the heart of the beholder and the listener?

"Ah, yes. What I should be. What I want to be. What I have tried to be." Discouraging sometimes, isn't it. Oh, to be different, to be changed!

I point us again to "the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe" (1 Thessalonians 2:13). Daily exposure to It and frequent meditation on It will deluge us with godly attitudes, expressions and values. May It cleanse and restore and refine our witness of the truth!