A Healthy Fear of God

"And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell" 

Matthew 10:28

Firstly, "Him" who destroys both the body and soul is not satan. It is actually referring to God.

We shouldn't be scared of anything because we have God on our side. However if we are not on the same side as God, then we shouldn't be fearing anyone or anything BUT Him because He is the God of the world! There is an immenseness of power in that. He can do anything! But He also has unbelievable grace and mercy as well.
Furthermore, even being on God's side, life isn't easy. Being on God's side means we have a lot of responsibility. We carry the image of Christ because we are part of the body. So the decisions we make should not be based on what others may think--because we are not reflecting their image--they should be based on what is pleasing to God. In the end, it won't be the world we answer to, it'll be God.
We need to be discerning about whether our choices will glorify God or taint the body of Christ.

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Significant Insignificance

Colossians 1:10
"That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;"

The words of Paul that stood out to me this morning from this verse are, "being fruitful in every good work"...
Notice how Paul doesn't give a measurement of how large or small the good works have to be? That's because there isn't one! Even the smallest thing that you do for others or for Christ can reap amazing results! Even if you're just washing dishes at an event or cleaning up after a dinner, without being asked to do so. Small or big, they can produce the same results if they're done for God's glory and out of the selflessness of your heart. A washer of dishes can produce more fruit than a pastor.

Joseph was able to accomplish more than most people of his day when he was living as a slave and a prisoner. He was able to greatly glorify God despite his position and circumstance.

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Comfort Found in Jesus

Colossians 1:11
"Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;"

Strengthened with all might...what does that mean? According to Matthew Henry's commentary, it's as if we're being furnished by God. God furnishes our earthly bodies with the character of Christ. When we are strengthened in that manner, we are given the ability to endure many things. We can now have miraculous patience during a time of turmoil and confusion and we can also endure suffering. We are given longsuffering--the ability to endure suffering and be patient for a long time. I have personally seen this at work many times: when it seems like believers endure a situation that is just tragic, they always seem so patient because God gives them the comfort they need.
He promises us that He will not leave our sides. He promises peace and comfort when we ask. He is not a God who likes to watch His children suffer. He sent HIS ONLY SON FOR US so that we won't have to suffer!

Don't you think then that He will care for those who go through tough times?

"And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Matthew 28:20

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We Spice the World

'You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.' 

Matthew 5 : 13 

I don't doubt that you have seen this verse before-- I have seen it many times-- but today it held more importance to me, thanks to the wisdom that God has shared with me. 

When I read that verse today, I thought "we spice up the world; we make it taste good". 

For the past few weeks, my family hosted a bible study on Daniel and partially revelation and the man who led it was talking about the rapture.  

He mentioned how as Christians, we bring the goodness of Christ to the world. However, when we get taken away, there will be no enforcers of good because Christ's people will be gone, therefore all that's left is those whom the devil has control of. There will be chaos and immorality. 

In the next verse, we are also called "the light" to the world. We are AMBASSADORS of Christ. 

Wow! Such a huge responsibility! We need to make the bitter world taste good! We're not asked to add to the bitterness, are we? So then, we need to resist the temptations that this world puts right in front of us. 

In order to spice this world with our salt we MUST strive to look like Christ. 

Of course to be the split image of Christ is an unattainable goal, however we must TRY. It is too easy to ignore Christ's commands and live comfortable lives when the world around us looks so welcoming.

However, we mustn't forget our mission. We ARE the body of Christ, so we need to resemble Him at least.

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Devoured By The Devil

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
1 Peter 5 : 8

Yesterday evening the speaker at our church talked about "problems in the church" and he was talking about how the devil can attack us in very obvious ways (ie. Persecution in the Middle East) and very subtle ways. He mentioned how the devil would obviously go for the more subtle way of breaking up the church and its purpose, however if that doesn't prove successful then he would go for the obvious. Then he said that if the subtle strategy works on God's people, there's no need for him to change strategies. Then he asked a rhetorical question: why is it that in North America we don't face severe persecution?

We must be lucky...or have the devil's subtle methods proven successful in distracting the Christian church from its purpose? What should the lack of opposition tell us? WE AREN'T TRYING HARD ENOUGH AS A CHURCH TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST AND MAKE DISCIPLES! Have our churches become corrupted? Have we lost sight of our purpose? Perhaps we've diverted from the ministry work and our churches became charities just like those non-christian charities around us. What's the point in helping the flesh if we're neglecting the spirit? Why can't we do both? Serve the needy and preach? What happened to us? Have we been devoured by the devil?

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