Reputation...What is Yours?

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 14:5-18 ~~~ Psalm 115 ~~~ John 14:21-26 ~~~

Henry Ford once said,
"You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do."

Here we have a similar, but different situation.
The disciples were able to perform miracles,
 not by their own ability
 but because of God.
They did not want to have the reputation of being gods.
The people, however, were looking for their own explanation.
In a way they were self medicating their minds and hearts.
They could not deny the miracles they were witnessing.
How were they to make sense of them?

They chose the most logical explanation...
“The gods have come down to us in human form.” 

Of course the disciples were distraught over this assumption.
They never intended to present themselves
 as anyone other than persons
who were doing the work of God.
By themselves they had no power...they were not acting alone.
They were actually cooperating with the Spirit.

We are of the same nature as you, human beings. 

Does your reputation make you who you are?
Does your reputation even matter?
Is it possible to change a false reputation?

...Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to your name give glory
because of your mercy, because of your truth.

Whatever good we do in our life
 let it be solely to give glory
 to our Father in heaven.
Without God we are nothing...we have no reputation.

We live in a society where a person's good reputation
 can be flipped in just a few seconds via social media.

The disciples had to rely on word of mouth.
They had to set the record straight...
they were NOT gods.
They had to change the public opinion of their works.
This must have been a daunting undertaking.

All things are possible with God...
the disciples found this to be true first hand.

Blessings flow to us through our actions
 allowing God to work through us.
All things are possible...Believe it!

~~~Peace~~~