An entire generation of Christians is claiming the name of Christ while having almost no idea of what He wills and commands. Jesus Christ is Lord and King, and He is not willing to be a small insurance policy for the end of an otherwise secular life. To ignore Christ in any area of life is to sin against Him. And if you’re not rooted and grounded in God’s Word, you are going to be taken captive by the philosophies of our day, calling good evil, and evil good. So I’d like to ask you three questions today. First, are you studying God’s Word? Second, are you evaluating all of life according to God’s Word? And finally, are you looking to see God’s hand in the events and circumstances of your everyday life? Whether you answered yes or no to any of those questions, we can find actual truth in God's Word. This short message is taken from a devotion written by Pastor Rob Pacienza
Jesus calls us as Christians to take up our cross and follow Him. How are we to faithfully be able do that if we do not know what He has done or what He desires us to do? In today's world to follow Christ can be a very challenging task, especially because of the way Christians are being targeted. The pressures to be part of this world and the mindset it promotes can be quite daunting, yet we are not on our own in this struggle. Jesus has blazed the trail before us when He lived in this earthly life. He endured the scorn, shame, physical persecution, and eventual death on a cross to claim victory over sin, death, the devil, and the evil that confronted Him. He did not succumb to the pressures, but overcame them and defeated them by rising to new life as Lord and King.
The Apostle Paul relied on the work of the Holy Spirit and the power of God's Word to overcome the attacks and assaults he incurred throughout his Gospel-centered ministry. Let us learn from the example Christ gave us as He interacted with the sin-filled world He was born into. May we live by the advice God gave us through His servant Paul, "Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58. And also hear these words, "Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them. Live in harmony with one another. Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to what is honorable in the sight of all." Romans 12:12-14, 17.
Then Jesus told His disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let Him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me." What a drastic call to faith this statement is! Yet, the blessings of being a faithful follower of Christ Jesus far outweigh any suffering we might be subjected to or worldly success we may gain while in the flesh. " For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Matthew 16:26 Pastor McCarty