I have been reading a book titled, The Last Enemy by Michael Wittmer. It isn’t very long but is sure is a thought-provoker. No, it isn’t a war novel or some non-fiction history book about soldiers and battle. Oh, it is about an enemy and battle. And it does stimulate thinking, even a re-thinking about how one is living life. Allow me to share what I mean. He titles chapter one “Shock” and opens with “You are going to die. Take a moment to let that sink in. You are going to die. One morning the sun will rise and you won’t see it.” Wittmer got my attention. I hope he did yours. Do we realize that today may very well be our last day on earth?
Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ
Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ
Ministries
Proverbs 1:2-7 – To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth —
Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
We will be faced with it from the moment we wake up till our heads are laid upon a pillow late at night. It will come in all forms. Here are just a few; lustful looks, ungodly speech, impulsive reactions of anger in tense moments, impatience with trying people, even family members, coveting eyes, and evil thoughts. The “it” I am referring to is temptation to sin. There will not be a moment this side of heaven free from temptation. It never rests, takes a vacation, or cuts us slack. It also will never just roll over in its intensity to draw us to commit sin. And when it comes to temptation, it only applies to the Christian. Unbelievers are dead in sin and are immune to temptation. All they do is sin, but not the believer.
We live in dangerous and scary times and that includes dangerous spiritual times. For the Christian, I am not referring primarily to persecution and the threat of being martyred. Granted, that is real and happening in our world today, but not in our neighborhoods or churches today – yet. We face a serious spiritual threat described by the Apostle Paul in a letter to a young pastor named Timothy (2 Timothy 3:1-5a). Pay attention to Paul’s list of the signs of end times. The first sign of end times is what causes Christians the greatest problem in their lives robbing them of the joy of walking with Jesus. It is the sin of selfishness; a focus on me, my, and mine. Paul calls it “people being lovers of self.” Then notice another characteristic in the middle of Paul’s list – “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.”
1 John 3:14, 18 – We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers and sisters. Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. THEME OF THE DAY: THE EVIDENCE OF BEING A CHILD OF GOD. All Christians experience seasons of doubt of whether or not they…
Luke 10:38-42 – Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care…
Every Christian wants to serve the Lord Jesus and leave an imprint of His Presence everywhere they go and upon everyone they encounter. However, not every Christian is willing to pay the cost to do so. Many Christians are eager to be used and bear fruit for the Lord, but few are willing to go through the only path do so. The path to being a fruitful servant of the Lord in His harvest involves taking up a cross daily (willingness to suffer), denying oneself (refuse to be self-centered), and following Him (radical obedience to His Word). But something must occur in the life of a servant of Jesus before these three necessary elements for fruitfulness will be lived out in our lives. We must be broken of self-will, self-sufficiency, and self-interests. And that brokenness only comes from walking the same path of servitude Jesus did; a path of suffering.