When the clouds roll in and obedience is the last thing on our minds, we need to hear the Lord say, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10). We must want to obey God even when the circumstances are difficult.
Whatever the opposition, whatever the dangers that must be faced, we can steel our wills to act obediently unto our Heavenly Father — and when we do, we can be assured that He is willing and able to give us all the help and protection we need.
Let’s strengthen our faith, so that when God sees our hearts, He will know that we, like Job, can be counted on. Let’s be a steadfast people, a people who would not blink if the devil himself looked us in the eye and tempted us to deny God.
In evangelism, many things are beyond our control, but it’s always possible for us to sow the seed of the kingdom. We can’t make decisions for other people, but we can see that they have a chance to decide for or against God. That’s our job.
Since the Christian has been born twice (once physically and once spiritually), he has but one death to anticipate. Because he has been reborn spiritually, he need not fear the “second death” that would otherwise follow his physical death.
God is eager to accept our repentance and clear us completely of our wrongdoing. But we must have the courage to admit that the command to repent applies to us. As we go through this week, let’s consider this often-neglected command of God.
The future will not be what it should be if we fall prey to discouragement about our defeats or to pride about our privileges. Whatever has gone before, the Lord wants us to press ahead to the better tomorrow that He has in store for us.
We celebrate birthdays, but do we do anything with our sons and daughters each year to mark the anniversary of their baptism into Christ? And do we talk with our younger children about how important that day will be in their lives when it arrives?
Let’s not take for granted the blessing of having a Creator who cares for us — a gracious Father who is ready and able to supply our every personal need. We can live each day in the confidence that we are supported by a power greater than ourselves.
People we come in contact with each day need to hear the gospel, and they may not know anyone else who will share it with them. We have an obligation to talk with others about the Lord, but it is far more than a mere duty — it is a privilege.
