JACKS DAILY DEVOTIONAL THOUGHTS
(2nd Corinthians 13:5) “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves”.
The Apostle Paul was asking one of the most critical questions a Christian can ask another Christian… “are you in the faith”?
How do you know?
(2nd Corinthians 13:5) “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves… do you not realize this about yourselves… that Jesus Christ is in you?
As Pastor Paul was concluding his final encouragement in his letters to the Corinthian believers… he was asking them to test themselves to see if they were in the faith.
He was laying out a challenge for spiritual self-examination.
And I think this is good for all of us to do.
Especially living in this age of “half hearted commitment” and broken relationships in just about every category of life.
There used to be a time when a man’s word was His bond.
Unfortunately in much of our society such is not the case anymore, especially in the matter of faith and servant hood towards God.
I most certainly want my friends to challenge me to see whether I’m in the faith.
I try to discern, as much as one can without judgment…to see whether those I counsel… are in the faith.
I spend part of every day of my life thinking about whether my children are in the faith.
My wife and I talk regularly about the realities of our faith and ask ourselves, “is it real?”
On many occasions, people have taken Paul’s challenge out of context.
Paul was talking to Christians, not unbelievers.
On other occasions this text has been used for “guilt-motivated teaching” an attempt at “behavioral modification.”
If not explained correctly, the listener of such messages would be tempted to think about a “to-do list”, or a “sin list”, “gift list”, or their personally “specified spiritual criteria list”… to see if God did save them or to see if they were “worthy” to be saved.
I am not trying to curb people’s behaviour, to get them to be nice or good.
That is not the issue here.
I want them to have “genuine affection” for Jesus Christ and out of that insatiable and ever-growing affection… good works will follow.
Works are not the test… but “love for Christ” who is living in them is.
Yesterday I asked the question “where is your confidence”?
Our confidence must be in Christ alone.
Our faith is not in what we do, but the One we trust.
One of the best tests you can give yourself is to ask yourself “to what level are you trusting in the Saviour.
How meaningful and powerful and beautiful is Christ to you?
To examine yourself as to whether you’re in the faith… you have to question “where your heart is” as it pertains to Christ.
What are your affection levels for Christ?
How would you describe your trust in Christ?
The second indicator of where your faith is truly being placed or the level of where it is at… is in “determining your passion for Christ”.
(1st Corinthians 1:2) “… to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, “called to be saints together”, with all those who in every place, call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours.
Paul says over and over that he is “not living for himself”… but he is living for Christ and others.
He knew who called him (1st Corinthians 1:1)
This perspective gives us another excellent test question.
Has Christ called you? Are you living per His calling on your life?
Who are you living for… when you think about your life?
Is your primary goal in life to make God’s name “tremendous”… or your own?
Whose “identity” means the most to you?
How meaningful and powerful and beautiful is Christ to you?
To examine yourself as to whether you’re in the faith… you have to question “where your heart is” as it pertains to Christ.
What are your affection levels for Christ?
How would you describe your trust in Christ?
The second indicator of where your faith is truly being placed or the level of where it is at… is in “determining your passion for Christ”.
(1st Corinthians 1:2) “… to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, “called to be saints together”, with all those who in every place, call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours.
Paul says over and over that he is “not living for himself”… but he is living for Christ and others.
He knew who called him (1st Corinthians 1:1)
This perspective gives us another excellent test question.
Has Christ called you? Are you living per His calling on your life?
Who are you living for… when you think about your life?
Is your primary goal in life to make God’s name “tremendous”… or your own?
Whose “identity” means the most to you?
Who you are as a man in this world or who you are in Christ Jesus?
What is your purpose or passion in living… or for living?
Are you a slave to your job… or does your vocation serve you so that you can make God’s name the most important focus in your daily lively hood?
Do you see your marriage more as an opportunity to give to your spouse… or are you more concerned about what you are not getting?
Are you standing in the gap for others?
Are you willing to spend… and be spent for others… because of the compelling call to be like Jesus? (Mark 10:45)
Are you living for Christ or your pleasure, your stuff, your way, your life?
While your behaviors can be an indicator of who you are as a person,
The “real test” that examines whether you’re in the faith, is rooted in your “relationship” with Christ alone.
Do you live for Christ, or do you live for yourself?
That will help you examine yourself to see if your truly in the faith of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
Good Day!
(2nd Corinthians 13:5) “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith”
As a pastor and as a spokesman for the Kingdom of God, it is my intense desire to see people motivated to love and to walk with God.
The Apostle Paul was asking one of the most critical questions a Christian can ask another Christian… “are you in the faith”?
How do you know?
The real issue here is… what does it mean to test yourself or to examine yourself… and how do you do it?
The preacher was preaching on how to “be right with God.”
His message was not a lot different from the last ten messages he taught.
He loves his people and desires to see them walk in righteousness and holiness.
Like any good shepherd, he carries his sheep in his heart.
Each week he looks out over the congregation and is reminded of the waywardness of some of his people.
His heart yearns for them to walk forsaking the world… and to walk closer with Christ.
This passion for the flock is why he begins to go through a list of sinful activities, some of the things they are doing.
The Bible is clear about holiness, and he is too.
By the time he finishes, he has developed quite the sin list.
Gossiping, slander, judgmentalism, adultery, pornography, anger, and materialism.
The more he talks, the louder he becomes until he finally says, “If you want to be right with God, you’ve got to stop this behavior and start living for Christ.”
On the surface, this sounds good and right.
It has a biblical ring to it but the problem is… if you follow his logic… you’ll soon end up in the thick weeds of “legalism”.
This preacher is unwittingly preaching “another gospel”... one the Bible scorns.
Paul writes “though we or an angel preach any other or different gospel than that which we at first brought you, let him be accursed! (Galatians 1:6-9)
The true gospel is that w"e are saved by faith in Christ"... and nothing else.
(Ephesians 2:8) “for by grace are we saved thru faith and that not of yourselves it is the gift of God”
An examination of whether “you’re in the faith”… cannot be merely in an evaluation of a person’s good or bad works.
Anybody can have good or bad behaviours, and neither one of those gives you a clear indication of the person’s faith.
This concept is what some call “behavioral modification” in the counseling world.
The biblical language would be “legalism”.
Swapping works from “bad to good”… does not change the heart.
The preacher’s intentions, though kind and caring, were ultimately damaging.
The road to hell is paved with good intentions.
Isn’t this a natural temptation for all of us to fall into at times?
Aren’t you tempted to measure or examine your Christian walk based on the things you do?
Which is better?
A behaviorally “holy” church that is filled with good works but has no “affection” for Christ… or a behaviorally “unholy church” that has no “passion” for Christ?
There is little value between supposedly “holy” and unholy churches who have no affection for Christ.
Both mock the gospel… have no spiritual power… no valid or sustaining witness to the world… and no ability to export the gospel to the next generation.
We’re talking about the difference between “good works” and passion for Christ”.
It is easier to follow the rules of “cultural” expectations and etiquette… than to have “vibrant affection” for Jesus Christ.
It is easier to be a “principle-driven” individual than a “Christ-affected” person.
It is my desire to see people walk with God from a sense of affection, love, and adoration for God.
Not out of fear, not out of a greed for His blessing… but because of the loving Heavenly Father that He His.
When you are examining your faith you want to be careful about observing “behaviors” only.
Honestly, there are people in our culture who act nicer than some Christians, but the Christians are going to heaven because they are born from above thru passion for God… and the nice good intentioned culture is not.
“All have sinned and fallen short of the Gospel”… or the expectations of God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
Anybody can be nice.
Our preacher friend is in danger of misleading his people down a false path.
While he may be able to persuade them to be nicer... this is not a “good test” when it comes to “faith examination.”
I do not want my children only to be nice.
I want them to have genuine affection for Jesus Christ... and out of that insatiable and ever-growing affection, good works will follow as they grow in Christ... as they learn to walk in step with Him.
Its called having a relationship with Him.
Motivated by passion for the Master.
Works are not the test, but love for Christ who is living in them is.
“For by grace are ye saved thru faith, (love and passion for Christ) and that not of your selves… it is the gift of God… not of works lest any one should boast” (Ephesians 2:8)
Good Day!
(Luke 6:38) “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
One of the lessons Jesus taught in the parable of the Prodigal Son is this…
Don’t give up on someone no matter how bad things may be in their lives.
As “finite” human beings whom cannot see the future… we tend to give up on people too soon because we can only see their conduct.
The problem is though… we don’t know the experiences they have gone through, or are going through… that may have made them what they are.
Sometimes people “act out” from the pain of unhealed wounds and unresolved issues they carry deep inside them.
Sometimes their anger is masking deep fear.
Other times they act like the “dysfunctional” parents who raised them, because those were the only tools/examples they were given to work with…
And until someone shows them a new and better way to handle life… they’ll remain “stuck in the rut” of the only experiences/examples and instruction they were given to work with.
In other words they just don’t know any better.
We just don’t know what people are struggling with deep inside.
Don’t let their facade of success… plastic smiles and faces fool you.
Someone can live in a nice home and drive a nice car to a nice job… yet their marriage is falling apart, their children are in rebellion, and their mind is going crazy.
They need your compassion!
Instead of writing them off as a lost cause… ask God for words of wisdom to give to them, to share with them, to help them.
Isaiah said, “The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed” (Isaiah 50:4).
If you’ll keep praying for them… trying to help them… God will make you a paramedic of His mercy and grace.
As you walk thru this day… there are going to be people cross your path that need a kind word.
They need a helping hand and a listening ear… someone whom will be more concerned about them… than they are about themselves.
Are you one of those people?
Are you willing to be Gods hand of mercy and compassion extended to them?
Don’t give up on them… because God hasn’t!
And it is quite likely that He is ordering your steps today, to be that answered prayer for someone whom has been praying desperately to God for help.
(1st Corinthians 6:19-20), “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit who is in you… and whom you have received from God? You are not your own… you were bought at a price...
therefore honor God with your bodies”.
So today be obedient to your Master and let Him use you to reveal His love to the world around you!
You might be the only bible another man will ever read!
Your writing a gospel a chapter each day… by deeds you do and words that you say. Men read what your writing whether faithless or true… what’s the Gospel according to you!
It’s up to you to be obedient to the direction of your Heavenly Father.
Today… be aware of those around you that God has placed in your path… so that you can be their answered prayer.
Love them… listen to them… and give what you can to them… your time, your words of comfort, a strong arm of help and support… yes even your money if that is what they need.
And what you do for them… the bible promises God will do it for you in return.
(Luke 6:38) “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Good Day!
(Ephesians 6:18) “…praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
In his word, God commands believers to pray for one another.
Many people have prayed for me over the years.
People have texted and emailed me telling me they are praying for me.
And I as well pray for others.
Praying for one another is part and parcel of the Christian life.
Paul told the Ephesians to pray for one another and asked them to pray for him.
(Ephesians 6:18 – 19) “…praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.
To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel”
Think about it for a second.
Paul, the great Apostle, who led thousands to the Lord, who had been caught up to the third heaven, appealed to his fellow believers to pray for him.
He didn’t think he was so strong in the Lord that he didn’t need others to pray for him.
He asked them to strive in prayer to God for him.
He asked them to pray for his safety.
He asked them to pray his service would be acceptable to the saints in Jerusalem.
What humility Paul had!
He knew he needed the prayers of others and he asked for them.
As I look at these scriptures I’m freshly motivated to humble myself and seek the prayers of others
as well.
I need your prayers, prayers for safety, prayers for health, prayers for financial abundance so that I can have the funds to do this ministry.
Prayers for humility that I don't ever get to big for my britches thinking I am something special just because I am in the public eye.
Prayers for strength to overcome the many temptations that the enemy of our soul continually puts in front of me to tempt me and cause me to stumble in my faith, integrity and morality.
Paul also prayed constantly for others.
He told the Colossians that he prayed for them:
(Colossians 1:9). “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding… “
Paul didn’t assume the Colossian believers would automatically keep growing in their spiritual knowledge and wisdom.
He prayed for them.
And there is a desperate need for all of us to pray for each other.
Paul’s example demonstrates how incredibly important it is for us to pray for one another.
We desperately need each other.
Jesus never intended for us to live the Christian life alone.
Daily I am reminded just how much I need others.
I need to live my life in close fellowship with other believers and I need others to pray for me.
God tells us to lift one another up.
We need one another to get through this life.
To get through afflictions,
To get through temptation.
To be an encouragement when we are discouraged.
God tells us to pray for one another.
God never tells us to do anything he doesn’t intend to respond to.
He would not tell us to pray for one another if he didn’t intend to answer those prayers.
(Matthew 18:19) “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven
God tells us here that He will answer the prayers of just two believers who pray for “anything” in agreement together.
This is absolutely breathtaking.
When two believers pray together in unity, God will do anything they ask.
Nothing is impossible for God, and He responds in uniquely powerful ways when believers join together to pray.
Each morning as I wrote these little devotions, I pray for all of you reading them.
Paul also prayed constantly for others.
He told the Colossians that he prayed for them:
(Colossians 1:9). “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding… “
Paul didn’t assume the Colossian believers would automatically keep growing in their spiritual knowledge and wisdom.
He prayed for them.
And there is a desperate need for all of us to pray for each other.
Paul’s example demonstrates how incredibly important it is for us to pray for one another.
We desperately need each other.
Jesus never intended for us to live the Christian life alone.
Daily I am reminded just how much I need others.
I need to live my life in close fellowship with other believers and I need others to pray for me.
God tells us to lift one another up.
We need one another to get through this life.
To get through afflictions,
To get through temptation.
To be an encouragement when we are discouraged.
God tells us to pray for one another.
God never tells us to do anything he doesn’t intend to respond to.
He would not tell us to pray for one another if he didn’t intend to answer those prayers.
(Matthew 18:19) “Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven
God tells us here that He will answer the prayers of just two believers who pray for “anything” in agreement together.
This is absolutely breathtaking.
When two believers pray together in unity, God will do anything they ask.
Nothing is impossible for God, and He responds in uniquely powerful ways when believers join together to pray.
Each morning as I wrote these little devotions, I pray for all of you reading them.
I pray that God will reveal to you His great love for you.
I pray that He will meet your financial needs.
That He will meet your physical needs of and for healing in your bodies.
Above all I pray that you would know His peace… and that you would allow Him to come into your heart and life and let Him be your God and Savior… meeting you in every aspect of life, to bring you His saving grace and salvation.
Good Day!
(Joshua 1:11) "Take possession of the land... God is giving you."
God told Joshua, “You will cross the Jordan here to go in and take possession of the land the Lord your God is giving you.”
As far as God was concerned, the “Promised Land” already belonged to His people.
But when He told them to “take possession”, that meant they would have to fight for it.
There were thirty-one kings living there… warlords, each with their own tribal armies.
There were seven major cities to conquer and giants to overcome.
So here are two questions we each need to answer this morning!
(1) Do you believe God has given you the gifting, resources, and strength to fulfill your destiny?
(2) Are you willing to fight for it? You won’t win in your own strength, but the good news is, you don’t have to.
God said, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you” (Joshua 1:9)
Whatever God calls you to do, He will give you the ability to do, but you must work to develop that ability.
Sometimes He will answer your prayer immediately and give you what you’re asking for.
Other times, the onus is on you to pursue what He promised.
I call it the three “P’s” of faith, “passion”, “patience”, and “persistence”.
There are three stories told about people whom pursued Jesus to receive an answer to their needs.
The woman with the issue of blood pushed thru the crowd following Jesus and said “if I can just touch Him I can be healed”.
When she finally broke thru the crowd and reached around that last person whom was standing in the way, she was able to touch just the hem of His garment, and the bible says she was made whole from that hour.
Jesus perceived that power had gone out from Him and said “who touched me”?
Then seeing the woman standing there He said to her, “Daughter, be of good comfort… thy faith hath made thee whole.”
Note the words that He used “Thy faith has made thee whole”!
She had “passion”, “patience”, and “persistence”.
In (Matthew 8:5-13) A Centurion soldier came to Christ saying “My son is sick and is dying, will you speak the word only and I know he will live!”
The bible says “Jesus marveled at this mans faith” (Matthew 8:10) He had “passion”, “patience”, and “persistence”.
In (Matthew 9:27-29) Two blind men, stumbled their way to where Jesus was, pursuing him in the darkness of their way.
When they finally were able to find where he was staying… they pushed and stumbled their way into the house where He was staying and cried out to Him,
“have mercy on us Son of David.
Jesus said to them, ‘do you really believe I can do this’?
‘Yes’ they replied”
And Jesus then said these words that challenge me every day as I live out my faith before Him.
“Then he touched their eyes and said, ‘According to your faith… let it be done to you’… and their sight was restored.”
“According to your faith”… they had “passion”, “patience”, and “persistence”.
Jesus said to the crowd following Him one day, “all things are possible to them that believe” (Matthew 19:26)
Has it occurred to you that you may be waiting for God to bring you something, and He’s waiting for you to just take it “according to your faith?
He doesn’t respond to our wishes or even to our pleading… He responds to faith in action!
So the word for you today is this.
It’s yours, if you’re willing to fight for it… and receive it… and take it.
Do you have the “the passion”, “the patience”, and “the persistence”.
Good Day!
Note the words that He used “Thy faith has made thee whole”!
She had “passion”, “patience”, and “persistence”.
In (Matthew 8:5-13) A Centurion soldier came to Christ saying “My son is sick and is dying, will you speak the word only and I know he will live!”
The bible says “Jesus marveled at this mans faith” (Matthew 8:10) He had “passion”, “patience”, and “persistence”.
In (Matthew 9:27-29) Two blind men, stumbled their way to where Jesus was, pursuing him in the darkness of their way.
When they finally were able to find where he was staying… they pushed and stumbled their way into the house where He was staying and cried out to Him,
“have mercy on us Son of David.
Jesus said to them, ‘do you really believe I can do this’?
‘Yes’ they replied”
And Jesus then said these words that challenge me every day as I live out my faith before Him.
“Then he touched their eyes and said, ‘According to your faith… let it be done to you’… and their sight was restored.”
“According to your faith”… they had “passion”, “patience”, and “persistence”.
Jesus said to the crowd following Him one day, “all things are possible to them that believe” (Matthew 19:26)
Has it occurred to you that you may be waiting for God to bring you something, and He’s waiting for you to just take it “according to your faith?
He doesn’t respond to our wishes or even to our pleading… He responds to faith in action!
So the word for you today is this.
It’s yours, if you’re willing to fight for it… and receive it… and take it.
Do you have the “the passion”, “the patience”, and “the persistence”.
Good Day!
(Genesis 16:9) “Where have you come from and where are you
going”?
You have no doubt at some time in the past heard the story of Hagar, the servant of Abrahams wife Sara.
Prior to this story… Abraham had been promised a son by the Angel of the Lord and when it did not happen immediately… (as we often think the promise of God should happen)… the Bible says, “Sara sent her servant into Abraham to sleep with him so that they could have an heir”
When Hagar conceived and bore a child because of that rash decision, Sarah became very jealous of Hagar and treated her very badly and as a result, Hagar fled with the child.
Now there were several bad decisions made and entered into by all parties here… but the fact of the matter is that “bad choices” by all parties … led to events that caused Hagar much pain and sorrow… and so Hagar fled.
The angel of the Lord found Hagar in the desert, and he said... Hagar,
“where have you come from, and where are you going”?
When Hagra told the Angel what was happening with Sarah back at Abrahams camp… the angel told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.”
The angel then told her, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count’” (Genesis 16:6-10)
In other words God promised Sarah “blessing beyond her wildest dreams and hopes” if she would surrender her rights and simply obey and allow Him to work on her behalf.
Hagar obeyed and God said, “I have heard you. I will surely bless your son and make him fruitful and greatly increase his numbers.
He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation” (Genesis 17:20)
Now from this story of history past… there is a powerful lesson to be understood.
Most of us don’t relish the idea of submission.
That is acquiescing, deferring to, or surrendering… and it’s true that God sent Hagar back to a hard place that day.
But when she obeyed, He blessed her… and her obedience unlocked the door to Gods intervention in her life!
Note the question the angel asked her, because it may be one God’s asking you today as well… “Where have you come from, and where are you going?”
If He is, stop and consider your answer.
God, who knows the end from the beginning, and who brings good things out of bad, has your best interests at heart!
Even though it’s hard to do, if you’ll obey Him, He will bless you.
He will give you grace to endure and strength for the struggle… and He will do things in your life that can’t be accomplished any other way.
By trying to escape your present situation, you may be running from the lesson God wants to teach you and the rewards that lie beyond it.
So today, lets ask ourselves, “Lord what is it you want me to learn in this situation”.
Remember that God says “My thoughts are higher then your thoughts and my ways are higher than your way’s.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)
God knows the beginning from the end.
He knows the things that we are going to face tomorrow and in the future, and He is always preparing us to be able to face them.
By facing “tough times” and trusting Him to lead us thru them, that’s when we become “more than conquerors thru Him that loves us.” (Romans 8:31-39)
That’s why we must not run.
That’s why we need to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord.
That’s why we need to give thanks in everything and trust God to move the mountain.
Trust God to lead us thru the valley.
He has a plan and a future for each of us.
But if we run, we don’t learn our lessons.
If we run, it takes longer to come back.
So like the angel told Hagar, “go back and submit” to the leading of Gods hand.
It may not be comfortable right now, but He knows the future, and He is preparing you for it, so that you can experience His full blessing.
Joseph wasn’t comfortable being sold as a slave by his brothers, nor was he comfortable in prison because of trumped up charges of rape.
He wasn’t comfortable as a slave in Pharaohs house.
But He kept a right attitude in the midst of his situation and his trials, and God rewarded him for it.
Joseph said of his trials and abuse at the hands of his brothers… “you meant it for evil but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:15-21)
Understand today that God has a plan for your good (Jeremiah 29:11) “for I know the plans I have for you say’s the Lord, plan’s to prosper you and give you a future, not plans for evil”!
He knows the beginning from the end.
He knows what you need to arrive at the end of this journey and He promises His strength and grace to carry you through to the end.
Today stop your running!
Turn around and face the issues that are troubling you!
Surrender to God and let Him bring a new beginning in the midst of this terrible run of bad decisions.
He alone knows your future… and He alone can change the circumstances that have brought you to where you are today.
The Bible says in (Psalm 37:3) “trust in the Lord and do good… in all your ways acknowledge Him… trust Him, surrender to Him, desire Him and His will… and He will direct your paths”,
Good Day!
(1st Timothy 4:15) "Be diligent in these matters… give yourself wholly to them so that everyone may see your progress."
Chuck Swindoll is one of my favorite theologians/preachers.
He is a man of God whom I believe “rightly” divides the word of God.
I have come to trust his teaching and spiritual example over the last 40 years of my life.
Chuck tells a story how that one day, a friend of His stopped by his study to “speak the truth in love”
to him according to (Ephesians 4:15)
The man said, “Chuck, what worries me is that you could be tempted to let your time with God and your time in the study of the Scriptures become less and less important to you. I want to urge you, do not let that happen.”
Swindoll took his words to heart and wrote down these five promises to himself.
Friend if you’re serious about being a follower of Christ, devoted to God, and determined to be an influence in the world around you… then I challenge you to make these same promises to yourself also.
1) I promise to keep doing original and hard work in my study.
(2nd Timothy 2:15) “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Those to whom I am called, deserve my best efforts.
2) I promise to maintain a heart for God.
That means I will pray frequently and fervently and stay devoted to Him and to my calling.
(Colossians 4:2) “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. ... Be persistent in prayer giving thanks to God.”
3) I promise to remain accountable.
Living the life of a religious lone ranger is not only unbiblical… it’s dangerous.
(Hebrews 10:25) “Forsake not, the assembling of your selves together as some do”
Serving God is serving others.
The man said, “Chuck, what worries me is that you could be tempted to let your time with God and your time in the study of the Scriptures become less and less important to you. I want to urge you, do not let that happen.”
Swindoll took his words to heart and wrote down these five promises to himself.
Friend if you’re serious about being a follower of Christ, devoted to God, and determined to be an influence in the world around you… then I challenge you to make these same promises to yourself also.
1) I promise to keep doing original and hard work in my study.
(2nd Timothy 2:15) “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Those to whom I am called, deserve my best efforts.
2) I promise to maintain a heart for God.
That means I will pray frequently and fervently and stay devoted to Him and to my calling.
(Colossians 4:2) “Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. ... Be persistent in prayer giving thanks to God.”
3) I promise to remain accountable.
Living the life of a religious lone ranger is not only unbiblical… it’s dangerous.
(Hebrews 10:25) “Forsake not, the assembling of your selves together as some do”
Serving God is serving others.
Serving God can be a very happy experience... real happiness comes from serving others.
Certainly, there should be no thought that our salvation depends on our faithfulness in "church attendance," or for that matter, any kind of work program we may invent.
The purpose for wanting to meet with our brethren is plainly stated in (Hebrews 10:24)...
Certainly, there should be no thought that our salvation depends on our faithfulness in "church attendance," or for that matter, any kind of work program we may invent.
The purpose for wanting to meet with our brethren is plainly stated in (Hebrews 10:24)...
"Let us think about how we may cause one another to love and to do good things."
We can accomplish this in a chance meeting with one person, or meeting periodically with a group of people.
Either way, we should not forsake the principle of getting together with others for mutual edification to encourage one another, and to inspire one another in our walk with God.
(4) I promise to stay faithful to my family.
My wife deserves my time, affection, and undivided attention... our now-grown children deserve the same.
(5) I promise to be who I am… just me.
To keep laughing and saying things a little off-the-wall.
We can accomplish this in a chance meeting with one person, or meeting periodically with a group of people.
Either way, we should not forsake the principle of getting together with others for mutual edification to encourage one another, and to inspire one another in our walk with God.
(4) I promise to stay faithful to my family.
My wife deserves my time, affection, and undivided attention... our now-grown children deserve the same.
(5) I promise to be who I am… just me.
To keep laughing and saying things a little off-the-wall.
To not wear plastic masks and put on the air of having it all together.
To be a friend and make a few mistakes each month.
Too often our religious activities as leaders, preachers, teachers can become a performance.
I want people to see me for who I am… just a simple man whom loves and serves Jesus.
As Country Singer John Conlee wrote and sang, “ I’m just a common man who drives a common van, my dog ain’t got a pedigree”,
On that… being devoted to Christ doesn’t make you weird, judgmental, antisocial, or isolated from the world.
No, it makes you the best version of yourself you can be… and the one God wants you to be.
Never forget that you were created for a purpose.
That purpose was to be one with God, and a “sweet savor” to the world around you.
God wants you to live in the midst of this world as a light for others to find Him.
The only way you can do that is to stay plugged into the power source.
Stay plugged into Jesus… not religion!
Good Day!
To be a friend and make a few mistakes each month.
Too often our religious activities as leaders, preachers, teachers can become a performance.
I want people to see me for who I am… just a simple man whom loves and serves Jesus.
As Country Singer John Conlee wrote and sang, “ I’m just a common man who drives a common van, my dog ain’t got a pedigree”,
On that… being devoted to Christ doesn’t make you weird, judgmental, antisocial, or isolated from the world.
No, it makes you the best version of yourself you can be… and the one God wants you to be.
Never forget that you were created for a purpose.
That purpose was to be one with God, and a “sweet savor” to the world around you.
God wants you to live in the midst of this world as a light for others to find Him.
The only way you can do that is to stay plugged into the power source.
Stay plugged into Jesus… not religion!
Good Day!