Day 280: Keeping The Faith, Sharing The Faith .... Um, Okay?
Read: 1 Corinthians 15:50 - 58
Be steadfast and immovable, Paul writes to us all. Always abound in the
work of the Lord (there is that word again 'always'!). Here we go again
with this 'keep the train moving' stuff. Yes there is the victory of
Jesus Christ on the cross to uphold our effort. You may think you’ve
got some good reasons to hold back your faith from others. But really,
how airtight are your excuses? If you take a minute to really analyze
the fears you have regarding evangelizing, you might find that the
reasons to share your faith are far more compelling than any fear you
may have! Fear keeps us from sharing the love of God, but God does not
give us a spirit of fear, so go boldly in the grace of God!
God
places a very high premium on the overall quality of our faithfulness.
He says to us by way of Paul again in 1 Corinthians 4:1 - 2 'Let a man
regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the
mysteries of God. 2 In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards
that one be found trustworthy. Moreover, it is required of stewards that
they be found trustworthy.' Consider this my friends, consider it very
well we are all stewards of the grace of God. Beloved, we are all
required to be good stewards of that grace of God. Cherished brothers
and sisters of the faith, are we as one with The One who gives to us that grace that His and only His work may abound?
If there is anything at all we need in our churches today, it is for
each of us to enrich the overall quality of our faithfulness, not just
to God, but perhaps more importantly, to those whom only but by the Grace of God have been placed in our paths by God to be our neighbors. And I so urge you to look around you right now to see just who but by the Grace of Almighty God has just become your neighbor - your
family, friend, or yes even your enemy. This higher standard of
faithfulness, I sometimes call 'fidelity' can also not so sometimes be
referred to, even preferably defined as 'steadfastness'. It always means the resolute determination to 'keeping the faith', 'sharing the faith'.
How we need the quality of faithfulness in our world today. Contracts
mean zilch. So called written commitments mean just as much - zilch,
zero, nothing. Too often we do not mean what we say. Sooner or later,
like everything else, we find a way to so cleverly back away. Find
excuses convenient only to ourselves and which in the end do not benefit
anyone. The more these creeps into we who are supposedly, allegedly called to be the Body of Christ, the more we will lose the 'saltiness'
of our supposed to be highest quality of faithfulness. And when we lose
our 'saltiness' what happens then to the growth factor of God's Kingdom?
Keep the faith! Share the Faith! So be it!
Let Us Pray: "Great Is The Faithfulness" Lyrics: Thomas Obediah Chisholm (1866-1960)
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!“
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside.
http://www.youtube.com/
Read: 1 Corinthians 15:50 - 58
Be steadfast and immovable, Paul writes to us all. Always abound in the work of the Lord (there is that word again 'always'!). Here we go again with this 'keep the train moving' stuff. Yes there is the victory of Jesus Christ on the cross to uphold our effort. You may think you’ve got some good reasons to hold back your faith from others. But really, how airtight are your excuses? If you take a minute to really analyze the fears you have regarding evangelizing, you might find that the reasons to share your faith are far more compelling than any fear you may have! Fear keeps us from sharing the love of God, but God does not give us a spirit of fear, so go boldly in the grace of God!
God places a very high premium on the overall quality of our faithfulness. He says to us by way of Paul again in 1 Corinthians 4:1 - 2 'Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.' Consider this my friends, consider it very well we are all stewards of the grace of God. Beloved, we are all required to be good stewards of that grace of God. Cherished brothers and sisters of the faith, are we as one with The One who gives to us that grace that His and only His work may abound?
If there is anything at all we need in our churches today, it is for each of us to enrich the overall quality of our faithfulness, not just to God, but perhaps more importantly, to those whom only but by the Grace of God have been placed in our paths by God to be our neighbors. And I so urge you to look around you right now to see just who but by the Grace of Almighty God has just become your neighbor - your family, friend, or yes even your enemy. This higher standard of faithfulness, I sometimes call 'fidelity' can also not so sometimes be referred to, even preferably defined as 'steadfastness'. It always means the resolute determination to 'keeping the faith', 'sharing the faith'.
How we need the quality of faithfulness in our world today. Contracts mean zilch. So called written commitments mean just as much - zilch, zero, nothing. Too often we do not mean what we say. Sooner or later, like everything else, we find a way to so cleverly back away. Find excuses convenient only to ourselves and which in the end do not benefit anyone. The more these creeps into we who are supposedly, allegedly called to be the Body of Christ, the more we will lose the 'saltiness' of our supposed to be highest quality of faithfulness. And when we lose our 'saltiness' what happens then to the growth factor of God's Kingdom? Keep the faith! Share the Faith! So be it!
Let Us Pray: "Great Is The Faithfulness" Lyrics: Thomas Obediah Chisholm (1866-1960)
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.
“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!“
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!
Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.
Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside.
http://www.youtube.com/
8 Reasons I Don't Share My Faith
www.youtube.com
A
humorous look at excuses as to why we don't tell people about Jesus.
Once you see this video visit our website at www.repentandtrust.org to
find out
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