Our relationship with God requires tending. If we actually love God and want to go to heaven, we will always be on the lookout for changes we need to make in our attitude and conduct so that we can be more fully pleasing to the Father.
The good things we can acquire and the good activities we can engage in are nothing compared to the good things of the life to come. And if we don’t give priority to our eternal blessings, our temporal blessings will give us grief in the long run.
When Jesus died for us, He freed us from the sentence of death. “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed” (Isa. 53:5).
The Lord’s work is a collaborative work, a group effort. We are stronger, and the work prospers more greatly, when we work together, and each of us needs to see the extent to which our own part of the work is important to the overall effort.
When we have set our minds on things above, we will truly look forward to any occasion when God’s word is going to be discussed. We will have a keen interest in sermons about God when we have acquired a deep thirst for God Himself.
With commitment and hard work, there is nothing that can hinder our evangelism. Paul said, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” And Peter exhorted us to work “as by the strength that God supplies.”
It helps to remember that the whole universe was created by a God who is eternal. The comforting thing about God’s eternal nature is not merely that He exists eternally, but that His character is eternal: God is changelessly faithful to us!
A seemingly little thing like our listening habits during the worship service can be a significant indicator of what is in our hearts. If the sermon seems dry and unappealing, it may be because we have no thirst for righteousness.
There is a real danger that we will neglect the cross because it is so familiar to us. At least once a week — when we observe the Lord’s Supper — we are invited to remember that our salvation would have been impossible without Christ’s death.
Deacons are a vital part of what has been provided to make the church strong and effective in its work. We cannot neglect this office or diminish its importance without hurting ourselves in regard to the work of the gospel.
