Has it ever dawned on you that you are responsible spiritually to God for other people?

For instance, if I allow any turning away from God in my private life, everyone around me suffers. We "sit together in the heavenly places..." ( Ephesians 2:6 ). "If one member suffers, all the members suffer with it..." ( 1 Corinthians 12:26 ). If you allow physical selfishness, mental carelessness, moral insensitivity, or spiritual weakness (lack of faith), everyone in contact with you will suffer 'because' of worldly choices and the enemies success in producing trials, damage.

It's a tough one, but I've seen spouses and children take families through hell - the shadow of death - and all were impacted by the one's wrong direction and choices. But you ask, "Who is sufficient to be able to live up to such a lofty standard?" "Our sufficiency is from God..." and God alone (2 Corinthians 3:5 ). It takes a "Kingdom attitude over a creation mindset" to keep focused in faith.

"You shall be witnesses to Me..." ( Acts 1:8 ). How many of us are willing to spend every bit of our nervous, mental, moral, and spiritual energy for Jesus Christ?

That is what God means when He uses the word witness. Beth Moore teaches that Father God wants to reveal Himself as the great 'I Am'; people will look at us, consider our sinfulness and make a statement that "it must be God, for nothing that good or miraculous can come from that person."   

Why has God left us on the earth? Is it simply to be saved and sanctified (Christianized)? No, it is to be at work in service to Him and to reveal faith in a higher life - kingdom. Am I willing to be broken bread and poured-out wine for Him? Am I willing to be of no value to this age or this life except for one purpose and one alone - to be used to disciple men and women to the Lord Jesus Christ. My life of service to God is the way I say "thank you" to Him for His inexpressibly wonderful salvation. Remember, it is quite possible for God to set any of us aside if we refuse to be of service to Him"...lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified" ( 1 Corinthians 9:27 ).

Oswald Chambers (and a little of Eric Hogue inserted)