An Encouraging Word……A Devotional
© 2001 Steve Lattier and Men's Help MinistriesNope I am not going to speak about our home on the range! But I feel compelled to speak to the events that are happening now and the events that could well happen in the near future. I have heard entirely too many people, who call themselves Christians, continually mourning and fearing for the future. Let me assure you that if you have been saved then there is nothing to worry about. Many Christians lately fear that Christ will return soon. Is that something to fear? I can't read anywhere in the Bible that if you are saved on the day of his return that it could be construed as a bad thing!! Let us realign ourselves with God's plan and God's will. To do that we must search God's word to see what is there for us. We may well be on the very threshold of Christ's return I don't know, nor does anyone. The Bible tells us that the hour of his coming is not to be known by man and that he will come like a thief in the night. Our focus should never be on his return, ever. Our focus as told by scripture should be on God and our relationship with Him after our conversion/salvation. No, I am not a calloused man, I do believe that there was a time to mourn those that were lost. Even a special time to mourn those that were lost to hell forever, to be eternally separate from God. Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that there is a time for everything under the sun and it is true. But as Christians, we are the ONLY ones on the planet that have hope, we should not mourn and lament forever, but show the world that peace that passes understanding. (Phillipians 4:7) We ARE different and it is high time we show the world our true colors. Do not fret over military action, pray for wisdom and leadership. Do not worry about more terrorism, get right with God. Do not complain about the loss of life, evangelize those that remain! Do not fret and fear what you cannot control! Give those things to God and then do something Christian about those things you can effect! Most of all God wants you to stop worrying!
The Word:Matthew 6:28 "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. [29] Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. [30] If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? [31] So do not worry, saying, `What shall we eat?' or `What shall we drink?' or `What shall we wear?' [32] For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. [33] But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. [34] Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. There was an very important gem of a revelation deep in that passage, did you catch it? It says “seek first his kingdom.” If we make ourselves busy seeking God's kingdom here on earth then we will too busy being constructive to mutter and quake. I have seen too many news stories and far too many emails that show that Christianity has not risen to the occasion that has been offered. God is using this tragedy to grow His kingdom by the thousands. Churches are full to bursting, people who thought that the roof might fall in on them are willing to test that theory and God is there for them. Christianity is missing some very fertile ground! Let us be about evangelizing the living! I don't want to put on airs that we should ignore the world and the things that are happening, certainly not. We should, however, not get so involved that we forget the great commission! You know, you really are different, whether you allow the world to see it or not. If you have received Christ as your Savior and confessed with your mouth that he is Lord, then fear should not be part of your daily life. I mean, sure, things that are scary will happen. But living in and with fear is far from Christian. You are a son of God and have all the rights, privileges and expectations that any son should have!
The Word:Romans 8:14 because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. [15] For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship.* And by him we cry, "Abba,* Father." [16] The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. [17] Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.Wow! An heir of God! What kind of inheritance we have! The simple knowledge of that fact should erase a lot of fear in and of itself. Christian don't get so hung up on the earth that you forget that it is purely temporal, it just won't last. This life, that we hang all our hopes and dreams on, will be a veritable flash in the pan of our existence. Remember we are eternal creations that will live on after our bodies die. We must clarify our focus and retrain our eye to what is needful on this earth. Loss is painful, there is no doubt. Loss should not stop us from doing our duty. Loss should not slow the pace of people coming into the kingdom, contrarily it should awaken us to the opportunity to show the world the Christ that lives in us! We just lose our perspective when hurtful or tragic things happen to us. No matter what it is that you are going through real or vicariously it is nothing in God's economy! Remember Jesus said that the suffering he went through would be worth it just to get his inheritance! There in nothing we can go through, no catastrophe, no loss, no calamity that can compare to how our Lord suffered, yet He knew it was worth it! How much easier is our cross to bear!
The Word:Romans 8:18 I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. [19] The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. [20] For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope [21] that* the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.That should about sum it up! It's just worth it, that's all. I like the next couple of verses. All of creation is eagerly waiting for the sons of God to be revealed. (remember you are one!) Then when they are revealed they will liberate a decaying world! While that is not a prophecy that was directed at us across the ages to the exclusion of all else, the spirit of that speaks volumes to us in this hour! Can you imagine what would happen if the sons of God in this age started acting like the sons of God? What would happen if you stopped worrying about things you cannot change and started wielding the power of your birthright, your inheritance? Believe God at His word and start behaving like a true child of the King! The world has a very valid reason to fear. The world serves many gods, but not THE God. The ONLY real God, the one that spoke and creation was. A portion of that power is your inheritance Christian, now, why do you fear anything on this earth?
The Word:Romans 8:22 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. [23] Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. [24] For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? [25] But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. That is what we have, that is what the world can see anyway, hope! We actually have something to look forward to. The world has nothing but fear. It is painfully evident after recent events that the world realizes that is precisely what their future holds and they are madly seeking a way out! This is your hour Christian cast your net! It is an hour in a season of harvest for the kingdom. Show the world your hope. Use your inheritance to reshape a dying world. You have every right to pray for someone and expect something to happen. You have the right and authority to lay hands on and pray for someone's healing and fully expect it to be so. You have the right to tell someone the saving news of the Gospel and expect them to turn their life over to Christ! Just believe! It is your hour Christian, rise up and show the world God's grace, His redeeming love, His glory and your hope in the things that you cannot see. It is time to reverse a little decay son of God, creation is waiting on you!
Pray with me: Father I am sorry for all my sin. Those sins that I know and even those that I have forgotten. I am guilty, Lord, of fear. I am guilty of worry. Lord, I even lie awake at night and worry about what tomorrow has in store. Show me again what you have in store for me, teach me again the glory it will be to be at your feet! Help me Father to keep this earth and everything in it in your perspective. Lord give me the boldness to evangelize, the faith to pray and the strength to rest in you. In those times of trials keep me filled with that indescribable peace that comes from knowing your son. It is a season of harvest prepare me to cast my net for your glory. I ask this humbly in Jesus name. Amen!Download the MS Word version of this Devotion
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