The Lord is God.

Father, we acknowledge that not only are You the only true God, but that You are our God. May You be lifted up and glorified in Your people today. Shine Your light through us into the darkness of this world.

Build Up and Keep Up

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Jude 1:20-21

These verses are the "to do" in response to scoffers during the end times. I'm struck that we are not told to argue for or defend our beliefs. We are instructed to build ourselves up in our most holy faith and keep ourselves in God's love. 

I don't want to get into a theological discussion of the end times. I do think the author was writing to a problem that, at least in some sense, was already occurring. Whether you believe we are in the end times or not, you know we live in a world that openly mocks and despises Christianity and all those who believe in Christ. You can have crazy hair and believe in ancient aliens but, not in the historical Christ. That's the world be live in.

What are we to do? Build yourself up, build each other up. Pray in the Spirit. Keep yourself in God's love. Wait for his mercy to bring you to eternal life. Our faith is built upon knowing Christ. We know Christ because of what we read about him in the Bible and how we trust him in our daily lives. Christ loved us first. We love first. He served. We serve. We don't serve and love just those who might love and serve us reciprocally.  We love and serve everyone. That's were faith really comes into action and becomes real and alive. By faith we wait upon his mercy and by faith we show mercy and the love of God builds us up in our most holy faith. Be build up and keep up brothers and sisters in Christ!

Enlighten Your Eyes

Advantage, Servant

Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

1 Timothy 3:13 NIV

When I first moved to the area I live in now I started to attend a church a friend of mine was attending. I got involved right away and started serving. I met people and began to develop some friendships with some of them. After about three or four months my friend said, "How is it that you have only been going here for a few months and you already know so many people and I hardly know anyone even though I have been coming for a few years?" 

If you want to get connected you have to get involved. It is very difficult to get to know people at your church if all you do is show up for church on Sunday and maybe a mid-week study. The larger the church the more so this holds true. Serving breaks the solitude. Being part of the church is different than just going to church. It is a matter of involvement and connection. 

The other "advantage" to serving is that your faith gets tested. If you start to serve, you will encounter trials you may not experience if you just go to church. Some of these trials can be a bit shocking if you are not prepared for it. Remember, God's plan is to strengthen you through the test and the enemy's desire is to destroy your faith by any means necessary. Maybe you will learn that God provides what you need. Perhaps you will see that God is faithful, even when you aren't as faithful as you think you should be. Or you may just learn that God chooses the weak and foolish to confound the wise. Whatever it is, the grace of serving results in great assurance for those who serve. 

LONGING AHEAD

"Instead, they were longing for a better country - a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them." Hebrews 11:16

What are you longing for? What is preoccupying your thinking? 

As Christians we live in the here and now, but, with an eye to eternity. Our faith does not just save us from sins death on judgement day. Christ saves us even now. The Spirit of God is ever changing us into the likeness of Jesus Christ our Lord. There is abundant life right now, and there is eternity in His Presences in the future. 

We can live the abundant life, facing it's every challenge and opportunity, by faith because we know that God is Sovereign and he has unfailing love for us. Heaven awaits us...

Father, give us the faith and strength to live each day in light of you love and faithfulness to us. Praise be to you in us today! 

CHRIST REIGNS IRREGARDLESS OF PERCEPTION

""...and put everything under his feet."

 In putting everything under him, God left nothing that is not  subject to him. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to him." Hebrews 2:8

Well, this is reality isn't it? We know Jesus is Lord, we just can't see it all the time. I think this is where faith truly comes into our lives. 

You may think there is some magic prayer of faith that will induce God to act quickly. But, his time is not our time. 

You may have heard that there is an exalted state of personal faith where your belief in the greatness, faithfulness and power of God will open the blessings of heaven upon your life. But, God's often tends to dispense his blessings in ways we can't imagine. 

You may think that your faithfulness to Christ warrants some kind of tangible evidence of the reign of Christ in and around you life. But, our righteousness is but filthy rags in God's sight. The truth is that it is never about our goodness but it is always about his faithfulness. Although I do believe that living by faith helps us see God working, our works can never force God to act. 

God acts when he sees fit. His ways our not our ways (yes, I find that frustrating sometimes).  But, his love in unfailing and everlasting. His promise is to work all things for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purposes (Romans 8:28). God reigns. God will and does act when he sees fit and he will not be persuaded to move until he knows in his perfect wisdom, the time is right. 

Father, help us to be still and know that you are God. Open our eyes to see you in our lives today! Praise be to you in us today!