Day 177: Reality Ever After
Read: 2 Timothy 4:1 - 5
I used to just love fairy tails. The white knight in shining armor
versus the foreboding black night on a black majestic stallion. Locked
in combat for the beautiful Princess. It is always the dark knight that
gets unhorsed, the Princess that gets rescued from the dank dungeon or
the tallest tower. It occurred to me after reading today's Scripture, We sometimes portray the Christian faith like a fairy tale from
childhood, all of the best and most exciting action takes place before
we “get saved” and then live happily ever after riding into the sunset.
Salvation is not the end of the story. It is not the end of the action or the end of the struggle. In truth, it is the beginning of the real battle from within and without.
One of the major reasons given for this departure is the fairy tale
version of our own Christianity being presented through many of our own
personal Christian walks. At a time in life when there are those
struggling with finding a real purpose, real meaning, real direction and real social issues to become passionate about, the fairy tale version of our personal journey screams irrelevance, it shouts "I am out of
touch", Cries that "I am too this or that in my ways to change." (3,4)
'For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but
according to their own desires, .... They will turn away from hearing
the truth and will turn aside to myths.' What will we, realistically, here and now, do about this?
Get in touch with reality! (1,2) 'I solemnly charge you before God and
Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and because
of His appearing and His kingdom: Proclaim the message; persist in it
whether it is convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with
great patience and teaching.' We have to draw the line between cultural
relevance and absolute truth. Yes we need to love and demonstrate the
grace and long patience of the Lord when dealing with those who are
outside the knowledge of Christ; no we cannot say that there is a good
behavior plan for eternal salvation. What we can say we is that what we
say and we do come from our hearts. We've nothing to hide about God
(5) 'But as for you, be
serious about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist,
fulfill your ministry.' As Christians we all have the call to preach
and teach God's word to all corners of the world (Acts 1:8). Basically,
anywhere we happen to be standing is always considered to be fertile
ground to testify to the work of Father, Son, Holy Spirit in our lives.
However silly you might want to get about defining where 'anywhere' is, it does not change the call on our lives to go anywhere and everywhere we feel we are called to go. Because wherever that compass point is, God knows that
there is a life being hidden there that needs to know and experience love only our God can provide.
Let Us Pray: Heavenly Father!Thank You for using me in Your ministry!
Thank You for guiding me thus far and granting me Your grace! Even now
Lord You know well the purpose for which I have come to You.O Lord! The
Scripture says that You were with Your great servants like Moses and
Joshua and used them to bring Your children out of bondage. Today Lord!
fill me with the same grace, anointing and power so that I can preach
Your word boldly and with authority for the deliverance of those who are
in living in darkness, in need of the Light of thy life found, revealed, through
faith, hope and love.
http://www.youtube.com/
Read: 2 Timothy 4:1 - 5
I used to just love fairy tails. The white knight in shining armor versus the foreboding black night on a black majestic stallion. Locked in combat for the beautiful Princess. It is always the dark knight that gets unhorsed, the Princess that gets rescued from the dank dungeon or the tallest tower. It occurred to me after reading today's Scripture, We sometimes portray the Christian faith like a fairy tale from childhood, all of the best and most exciting action takes place before we “get saved” and then live happily ever after riding into the sunset. Salvation is not the end of the story. It is not the end of the action or the end of the struggle. In truth, it is the beginning of the real battle from within and without.
One of the major reasons given for this departure is the fairy tale version of our own Christianity being presented through many of our own personal Christian walks. At a time in life when there are those struggling with finding a real purpose, real meaning, real direction and real social issues to become passionate about, the fairy tale version of our personal journey screams irrelevance, it shouts "I am out of touch", Cries that "I am too this or that in my ways to change." (3,4) 'For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, .... They will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths.' What will we, realistically, here and now, do about this?
Get in touch with reality! (1,2) 'I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus, who is going to judge the living and the dead, and because of His appearing and His kingdom: Proclaim the message; persist in it whether it is convenient or not; rebuke, correct, and encourage with great patience and teaching.' We have to draw the line between cultural relevance and absolute truth. Yes we need to love and demonstrate the grace and long patience of the Lord when dealing with those who are outside the knowledge of Christ; no we cannot say that there is a good behavior plan for eternal salvation. What we can say we is that what we say and we do come from our hearts. We've nothing to hide about God
(5) 'But as for you, be serious about everything, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.' As Christians we all have the call to preach and teach God's word to all corners of the world (Acts 1:8). Basically, anywhere we happen to be standing is always considered to be fertile ground to testify to the work of Father, Son, Holy Spirit in our lives. However silly you might want to get about defining where 'anywhere' is, it does not change the call on our lives to go anywhere and everywhere we feel we are called to go. Because wherever that compass point is, God knows that
there is a life being hidden there that needs to know and experience love only our God can provide.
Let Us Pray: Heavenly Father!Thank You for using me in Your ministry! Thank You for guiding me thus far and granting me Your grace! Even now Lord You know well the purpose for which I have come to You.O Lord! The Scripture says that You were with Your great servants like Moses and Joshua and used them to bring Your children out of bondage. Today Lord! fill me with the same grace, anointing and power so that I can preach Your word boldly and with authority for the deliverance of those who are in living in darkness, in need of the Light of thy life found, revealed, through faith, hope and love.
http://www.youtube.com/
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