Are we careful in our understanding of scripture? We are promised new heavens, and a righteous new world, but nothing we can concoct in our imagined interpretation of scripture, can bring it one second closer, nor delay it by the blink of an eye. No exuberant and stirring sermon, meant to convince us otherwise, or that attempts to use a single promise of God for worldly purpose or gain, is anything but false teaching, and brings with it the destruction of our spirits.
Are we double minded, approaching our faith in one manner, while leading a different life in the world? On the Sabbath do we praise God, and say that we will put no other God before Him, then walk back into our homes and businesses placing our possessions, and gold, above all else? Do we pray fervently when desperate, but mumble mindless prayers over our meals each day when there is plenty? If we live in such a way as this we are lost indeed.
How we begin our day is just as important as how we live it out; as a matter of fact it sets the tone for all that is to come. When we open our eyes in the morning, and immediately immerse ourselves in yesterday’s problems, then we can expect anxiety, and nothing more than to begin where we left off. However, if we open our eyes, and begin our day in the presence of the Lord, in prayer, and giving ourselves to him as a living sacrifice then we are at peace. In this way our day begins anew, and we watch for Him to move within it.
When we begin our day do we start it in prayer, or walk right back into yesterday’s problems without looking to God for His help and guidance? How about when calamity is upon us, those times when our world is collapsing around us, do we run blindly in whatever direction, or do we fall to our knees where we are, and pray? Our ability to trust in God, and pray without being distracted by the world, is a practiced gift, and some gifts we receive require us to put them together, or to learn how to use them... such is the gift of prayer.
Am I to live each day faithfully to serve Jesus Christ in this world, or to rise up, strap on my sandals, and prepare to depart this place right now with Him? Most believers are satisfied with worshipping Him here today, and serving our Lord by delivering His gospel each day until His return. Yet for a few, who have had a closer physical encounter with Him like Paul did, one that has placed them face to face with Christ, and surrounded them with His very real glory, joy, and presence, this choice between serving today, and choosing eternity, is real, and difficult to make.
Are you suffering today? Were you afflicted at birth, or have you become ill, or tortured during your lifetime? Do you face the torment of men, through beatings, or other worldly punishments; then as a Christian, rejoice in them, because we are meant to count these things as good. Our pain should only increase us in faith, and bring us closer to Jesus by sharing not only in the suffering of Christ, but in the promise of His glory.
Do we make good use of every hour and minute in our lives by doing the will of God as if we knew that in a short time we would be called away, and our task here might remain unfinished? Time is limited, and is evil towards us in this regard, but it also reveals how precious it is if we use it wisely. How diligent are we in doing the will of God, and how careful are we in the application of our time in His service, and towards His purpose?
Are we satisfied with our current circumstances? How about our day to day lives? As we consider these questions let’s ask ourselves one more... are we satisfied with our faith as it exists today? In his letter to the Philippians, Paul wrote of their meeting his physical needs, but were they meeting his physical needs alone, and would he have been happy with simply receiving money, food, and shelter? Like Paul we can learn to live in grand earthly mansions, or in cardboard boxes, but the sad thing is that we can also become comfortable with a mustard seed of faith when God wants us to have so much more.
In times of pandemic it is easy to feel confused, and not know how best to behave, or deal with the circumstances that confront us. We find ourselves unable to properly handle illness, suffering, and death, or to remain hopeful when we have lost our jobs, or even our homes. All of these things can bring on a feeling that we are lost, but In this moment of our greatest travail God calls us to come the closest.
God is our shield, and gives us every good reward when we trust in Him, and do as He instructs us, but are we faithful to God’s commandments in the process? Do we serve His will to receive what we are asking of Him, the reward of our having been faithful, or simply out of love and obedience? What is it that we ask God to help us with, or shield us from, but more than all else... what do we ask of Him once we have been faithful, and He wishes to bless us?
When we are discussing scripture with one another, and God makes a promise in the verse we are considering, we often hear one of the most disturbing words someone can say about a steadfast promise of God... “But!” At that moment an excuse for God not living up to His promise is about to be made. Someone is about to argue that God placed a hidden clause, or a back door, in his promise. Scripture is adamant, and the words straightforward, regarding God’s faithfulness to His Word.
We are meant to glorify God, but so often we don’t see ourselves as being very successful at it. However, that should remain our great desire, and ambition. Do we try to compensate for our feeling of failure by doing physical things in the world to make us appear glorious? If we strive to please God by boasting glory before others then we have lost sight of what He wants of us. Our actions aren’t meant to be for our own glory... but His alone. If we yield ourselves completely to His will, and do everything in our lives for His glory, then truly we have come to know God.
In this time of great world turmoil, and chaos, when the ungodly run rampant and hijack the good intentions of righteous men, we can easily become angry with all that is happening, and our anger is justified, but we must not allow it to boil over into sinfulness. Lions frighten and panic the herd before selecting their quarry, so it is with us and sin as Satan hunts in the world. Anger can cause us to lose our sense of righteousness, and in that moment when our good judgement falters, the lion with teeth of steely sin pounces. Beware of the raging lion that hunts in the midst of such a world as this.
Who do we confide in? We say we love our spouses and families, but there are things we think, or have done, that we hold back for fear of disappointing them. We say that our friends will stand by us through thick or thin, and yet we withhold things from them that we are afraid might cause us to lose their friendships. However, God already knows who we are, and what we are. We can trust in Him, and Jesus Christ, to hear our deepest thoughts, to know our innermost secrets, and never abandon us... to love us and help us despite our darkest revelations. They are our refuge in the midst of our humanity, and from our dark places they will lead us back into the light.
As creatures of a combined spirit, and body, we need to tend to the needs of both, and Jesus wasn’t negligent of that fact. When He taught He fed the spiritual side of those who had gathered about Him, and when they were physically Exhausted, and hungry, he fed their bodies. A good example was on the day He performed the miracle of the loaves and fishes. He kept a balance in His teaching, and in His own life as well... praying, eating, drinking, washing, and bathing; each in its own perfect measure.