STAY FOCUSED ON CHRIST

STAY FOCUSED ON CHRIST

Phil. 3:15-16 I hope all of you who are mature Christians will agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must be sure to obey the truth we have learned already.  NLT

      Paul's emphasis has been on our setting our hearts and minds on Christ who is before us and letting go and forgetting all those things which are behind us. Our priority as Christians is living in Christ alone. He should consume us to the point where we no longer have the time or desire to live in the past. We must learn that the more time we spend in the past takes away from the time we spend in Christ in the present. Living in the past drains us and robs us of the joy of our salvation today and the anticipation of our completed salvation in the future.

      We must strive to always live in the truth of God's Word as He reveals it to us. We shouldn't get caught up in what we don't know and understand. We just must be sure to obey that which we do know already. And what we do know is that Jesus has washed away our past sins from His memory. He has shown us how we can overcome our sinfulness today. And, He is in heaven waiting to embrace us after we have run the good race and fought the good fight of faith.

      These basic truths of the faith bind us together. Let us not let ourselves become distracted by other things. Let us agree to move forward together for the glory of Christ and not our own. If we do these things, we will not get bogged down by our sinful behavior and all that distracts us. We will move forward as one for the glory of Christ on earth. Together we will make a difference for Christ, divided we will make little impact.

       God has made it very plain; our rallying point is at the foot of the cross. He unites us together in Christ. We must not forget that this is the central truth of the Gospel. Everything else is the fine print. We must always strive to obey the simple truth of the Gospel, Jesus is Savior and Lord of all.

BE A PATTERN MAKER

BE A PATTERN MAKER

Phil. 3:17 Dear brothers and sisters, pattern your lives after mine, and learn from those who follow our example.  NLT

      Can you honestly encourage others to pattern their lives after yours?  Are you confident enough in the righteousness of your heart that you would recommend to people you love and know that they become like you? 

      I believe that every believer in Christ should be able to encourage others to follow in their footsteps.  I believe that we should be pursuing the things of God in such a way that we are examples of how it is done.  I believe that our lives in public, as well as in private, should be worthy of being imitated.   We should have no secrets to hide from the public eye.  We should be consistently faithful to the Lord and always striving to please Him.  Our conduct and conversation should back up what we proclaim.

     We teach others by the way we live about faith, good or bad.  Those who observe us will draw conclusions about faith based on what they see and hear.  Our lives will either inspire others to take seriously faith or to consider it not worth doing.  Some souls will make eternal decisions for Christ based on how we live.  It’s a sobering thought that we must take seriously.  We never know who is watching us. 

      Learn from those who are living godly lives and teach others by your godly living.  Be a pattern maker.  Show others how it is done.  Let Christ always be seen in and through you. 

BE YOUR BEST

BE YOUR BEST

Phil. 3:13-14 No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.  NLT

      We need to be honest with ourselves.  We need to admit that we are not yet all that we should be in Christ.  No one has reached the point where he cannot be a better person in Him.  The Lord is never done with us.  We will never be finished projects while on earth. 

       Instead of focusing on who we might already be in Christ, we should focus on becoming more like Christ.  It doesn’t matter how far we have come, it only matters how far we are yet going.  We slow up our progress when we dwell on our past growth.  All of our energies need to be put into reaching our goal, which is to finish well the race of life in Christ.  Our goal should always be to be more holy today than we were yesterday.  We should always put our best efforts into being faithful and true to our calling in Christ.  We will be rewarded for our faithfulness, not our past achievements. 

      The more we let go of our past, the less trouble we will have moving forward.  Whatever was in your past needs to stay there.  Christ forgives us for our past and it is wiped from the memory of God.  We would be wise to do the same.  We are not who we were; we are who we are in Christ.  Let us keep our eyes focused on our future in Christ and do our very best to become all that we can be in Christ.

      We should take an honest look at ourselves and identify those areas where we need to continue to grow.  We all have them.  Ask the Lord to help you work on them.  You can grow and become a better child of faith if you will let the Lord help you.

      If you have a hard time identifying what you need to work on, ask a trusted friend to tell you.  It may be awkward, but if he is a true friend, He will tell you in a loving way what you can do to be a better servant of the Lord.  A true friend won’t judge you, he will lovingly encourage you as you grow in Christ. 

      And, if you are a true friend, you will return the favor.  You will lovingly help another to know what they need to work on without being judgmental of them.  No one has it all together without areas to work on in their walk with the Lord.

      It takes all the effort we can muster to stay true to Christ and grow in Him.  Let us not slack off but work hard so that we will be ready when the Lord comes to call us home.

STRAIN TO GROW

STRAIN TO GROW

Phil. 3:12-14 I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be. No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I strain to reach the end of the race and receive the prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us up to heaven.  NLT

      I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you are not where God wants you to be in Christ. You have some growing up to do yet. There are flaws in your character that the Lord needs to change. There are problems yet with the way you think about things. But guess what, the same thing is true of me and every other child of God. We will always come up short while we are living in the flesh. There is coming a day in which we will no longer need to grow and change, but now is not that time. Our response to this truth is to not give up trying. We must determine in our hearts to press on with all the effort we can muster to be better than we are today, with a clear vision of Christ before us.

     Strain to grow.  It is not an easy process.  Growing in Christ takes much persistence, perseverance, and patience.  It doesn’t happen overnight.  The journey has many twists and turns, ups and downs.  There are many victories along the way as well as battle scars.  If it were easy, everyone who professes to be a child of God would become mature and be easy to get along with.

     Forget the past and all that is there; press on. As long as you are looking behind you, you are not moving forward. You can't press on when you are strapped down with your past. You cannot keep your eyes fixed on what lies before you when they are fixed on what is behind you. What is under the blood stays there. When Christ forgives us of our past and lets it go, we must do the same.

     There is a wonderful day ahead of us in which we will be with our Lord. Keep your eyes focused on that day and live for it with all the energy and determination you can muster. The Lord is ahead of you, waiting for you. He's got your back covered so give Him all you've got.

KEEP ON BECOMING

KEEP ON BECOMING

Phil.. 3:12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working toward that day when I will be all that Christ Jesus saved me for and wants me to be.  NLT

      Whenever Paul came down hard on holy living, he saw himself in light of his teachings.  He was honest about his own struggles to live rightly before God.  He knew what kind of a man he needed to be before God and understood that it is a process of growth.  He knew that in order to be the person God wanted him to be he had to put much work into it.  His goal was to become that person, no matter if it took him the rest of his life to get there. 

      We need to see ourselves in the same light.  No one on earth will ever obtain perfection in their spiritual walk.  We are made perfect in Christ in that He is our perfection, but for us to be able to claim that we no longer need to be worked on is just not going to happen.  There is much work that the Lord needs to do in all of us.  We cannot coast our way to holy living.  We must constantly be at work striving to improve the quality of our faith walk. 

      The more work we do, the more we come to realize that our need for Christ is so much more than we already have of Him.  There is a constant warfare with Satan going on within us.  Satan is doing all that he can do to hinder our progress.  He constantly is devising new ways of attacking our souls to derail us. 

      Let us keep striving for that day in which our salvation will be complete and we will be all that Christ saved us for and wants us to be.  Don’t be satisfied with the status quo.  Keep on becoming the person you can be and God wants you to be in Christ.  Stay the course; never give up.  With the Holy Spirit’s guidance and help, you can be a person God is well-pleased with.

JESUS DID I!

JESUS DID IT!

Phil. 3:7-9 I once thought all these things were so very important, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own goodness or my ability to obey God's law, but I trust Christ to save me. For God's way of making us right with himself depends on faith.   NLT

      Take a moment and think about those things in life that you value the most. What makes life worth the living for you? What do you work for? What in life do you deem to be important enough for you that you are willing to make whatever sacrifices you need to make in order to have it? Do you have a list in mind? It may be a very short list, or it could be a long one, but everyone has something in life they deem important enough to live for. When we lose sight of life's purpose, what is the point of living?

     In our text today we are challenged to rethink our list. The Apostle Paul had climbed the ladder of success. He had achieved what his heart had longed for. He had the respect of his peers and was looked to for getting done what was deemed to be the most important task on earth, getting rid of the Christians. Paul was good at it. He was feared wherever he went. And then, he met Jesus. His encounter forever changed his life and all that he deemed worth living for. Paul quickly learned that everything was worthless when seen in the light of Jesus. It was all garbage---all the fame, fortune, respect of his peers, everything.

     There is nothing in life worth more of our time, energy, or ambitions than Jesus. He alone is worth living for. In Jesus alone, do we find hope and a reason to live. He alone fills the empty void of the heart. He alone saves us from sin's death grip. He alone is worth giving up our lives for.

     If Jesus is not on the top of your list, your life is out of balance. You need to get your priorities straight today. What value is there in having everything you want in life if you don't have Jesus? He will not play second fiddle in your life. He either is your purpose for living or He isn't. You can't value anything else more than the Lord and still be in good standing with Him. He will not share His place in your heart with anyone or anything else.

      Jesus did it!  He alone paid the price for our salvation.  He alone made it possible for us to be accepted by God.  He alone has the authority to forgive sins.  He alone will get us into heaven.  Jesus is worth giving your life to and for.  He is far more valuable than anything else in all of the world.

      Is Jesus more important to you than anything else in life? If not, you need to seriously get your priorities straight right now while you can.

STRIVE FOR PEACE

STRIVE FOR PEACE

Phil. 2:14-15 In everything you do, stay away from complaining and arguing, so that no one can speak a word of blame against you. You are to live clean, innocent lives as children of God in a dark world full of crooked and perverse people. Let your light shine brightly before them.  NLT

      When I was young, I liked to argue with those who did not see things as I did. I just knew I was right and was convinced I could prove others wrong. In fact, I felt like I had to help them "see the light."  Fortunately, I grew up. I learned how futile and fruitless arguing was. I discovered that rarely does anyone win an argument. We dig our heels in and refuse to be persuaded by words. Rarely does anyone listen to what is being said or why it's being said. I learned that it is far more profitable for relationships if I'd stay away from arguments. In good relationships, you agree to disagree agreeably and not let your differences in understanding interfere in your peace and rob you of your common good.

       It does no one any good to be a complainer. No one likes to keep company with complainers. Constant complaining wears thin quickly. If you have an ax to grind, don't bore others with it. It is far better to go to the source of your problem and seek to resolve things personally. Complaining is never productive. It robs the complainer of the peace and joy of living.

      It is far better to just keep your nose clean and stay away from complaining and arguing. It is far better to be known as a person of peace.  Arguing drives a wedge between people; complaining drives them away. 

     Mind your own business. Strive to live a blameless life before God and let Him take care of that which is not yours to deal with. You are not responsible for changing others to your way of thinking.  If they are wrong, pray for them and let the Lord handle it.  Don't waste your time and energy on those things you can't fix or control. People need to see and know Christ, not hear and know your opinions.

GOD WORKING IN US

GOD WORKING IN US

Phil. 2:13 For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.  NLT

      If your heart is right with God, there will be no doubt as to where your heart is.  You will want to obey the Lord and you will have within you the power to get it done.  The Lord never stops working to help you live a life pleasing and acceptable to Him.  Isn’t that unbelievably good news?

      Your desire to obey the Lord is directly tied to your desire for Him.  If you are struggling with obedience and applying His Word to your life, you need to re-examine your heart before Him.  It is easy to allow sin to creep in or to become complacent towards Him.  The Lord will not force His way into our lives or make us obey Him.  We must allow Him to work in us and then willfully cooperate with Him in what He is doing.

      We can live according to Biblical standards.  We can please God in the way we live out our lives.  Anyone can do it if they have the desire to do so because God has the power to enable them to do it.  God never takes up residence in the heart and sits there, doing nothing.  He is always working to make us holy.  He is always at work to change us and make us one with Him in purpose.  He is always at work to change our attitudes and behavior to be more in line with the Word.

      If you are not aware of the working of God in your heart, you need to humble yourself before Him and renew your commitment to Him.  You should see obvious changes in the way you live and think.  You cannot go on living in Christ without Him making significant changes in you.  Do not be satisfied with being who you are.  Ask the Lord to continuously change you into the person He has created you to be, a humble and holy servant of God.

       Christ in me makes all the difference in the world!

BE CAREFUL HOW YOU LIVE

BE CAREFUL HOW YOU LIVE

Phil. 2:12-13 Dearest friends, you were always so careful to follow my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away you must be even more careful to put into action God's saving work in your lives, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.  NLT

      We should be striving to obey the Lord regardless if we are surrounded by a crowd of people or are all alone. We should not seek to obey the Lord only when we are noticed. Obeying the Lord is the natural response of those who are His children. Obedience is an act of love and respect. It is normal behavior for those who are saved. Obeying God is a joy and not a drudgery. It is the delight of our heart and not a pain in our neck. Obedience is nothing more than putting into action saving grace.

      Obedience comes out of the heart with deep reverence and fear for God. We grasp the eternal meaning of our salvation and what the Lord has done to make it possible. We value His love that devised the plan, became the plan, and carried the plan through to completion. We worship Him out of our deep gratitude for saving us and all that means for us.

      We fear Him who holds the keys to life and death. We grasp the fact that He is holy and will not tolerate sin in His presence. Our fear of Him compels us to live holy lives before Him. We understand the importance of saying no to sin and striving with determination to stay strong in Him so that we can say no.

       Dear child of God, He is at work in you to help you! He knows that you can't live in Him without His help and so He is working to help increase your desire for Him and to give you all the power you can handle to get it done, so be careful how you live before Him.

      Praise the Lord from whom all blessings flow upon and through us!

THINK ABOUT OTHERS

THINK ABOUT OTHERS

Phil. 2:3-4 Don't be selfish; don't live to make a good impression on others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourself. Don't think only about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and what they are doing.  NLT

      It is so hard to not look out for ourselves first. It is the natural thing for us to do. We are self-conscious and self-centered. There is nothing wrong with taking responsibility for our care and protecting ourselves from harm, but we so often let our need for well-being go to our heads. We tend to want to impress others because it draws attention to us. We like to be thought well of; it strokes our egos. Some of us like it so well that it becomes all we live for.

      Instead of being so conscious of ourselves, we ought to think of others and their needs in life. If we are focused on others, we are less interested in ourselves. When we put the needs of others before our own, we are living humbly before God.

     We will always need to take care of our personal needs, but we need to balance it with an involvement in the needs of others. Jesus exemplified it best when He refused to not go to the cross for us. He understood that it was His right as God to bypass the cross and go straight home to heaven, but He didn't do that because He knew we needed a Savior and the cross was the only way it was going to happen.

     You may very well be the person someone needs to see them through some rough time in their life. You may be the one to give them hope and help. You can't save them, but you can perhaps be used by the Lord to rescue them. It will only happen if you get involved in others' lives and not just your own.

      Who needs your loving care today?  Someone needs a thoughtful word, an act of kindness, some encouragement from you today.  You could very well make all the difference in the world in someone’s life today.  Will you do it? 

THE DYSFUNCTIONAL CHURCH

THE DYSFUNCTIONAL CHURCH

Phil. 2:1-2 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and sympathetic? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose.  NLT

      Would anything be different in your church if these verses were to actually be put into practice? If everyone were to strive to wholeheartedly get along and love each other, would changes need to be made? If everyone were to work together as one in heart and purpose, would anything be different?

      We call the Church the family of God, but from what I have seen, I would have to call her a dysfunctional family. There is little real love and kinship amongst church members, both locally and beyond. The Church is more of a divided church than she is one Church. We often look with suspicion upon one another and let our differences in understandings keep us away from each other. We give lip service to our togetherness in Christ. We are quick to criticize and slow to encourage. We get into our own little holy huddles and think that we are justified in doing so. There will be no labels to separate us in heaven, yet we think it is so necessary here on earth.

      Let us take to heart Paul's admonishment. Let us strive to act like we are a healthy family instead of a dysfunctional one. Let us not be quick to shun others just because they may think and express themselves differently than we do. Let us strive to live in harmony with other believers for the sake of Christ. Let us work together wholeheartedly to the glory of Christ. Let us learn the valuable lesson of life; it's all about Jesus and not about us.

UNITY IN HEART

UNITY IN HEART

Phil. 2:1-2 Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and sympathetic? Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one heart and purpose.  NLT

     Paul was very strong on Christian unity.  He made it very clear that believers need to strive always to get along with each other.  He did not let the church get by with proclaiming brotherly love and not showing it.

      Our relationship with Christ should affect all of our relationships.  If we are right with God, we will live righteously with each other.  We don’t have to agree with each other on all things in order to live harmoniously with each other and to work together for God’s glory.

      The Lord has but one agenda, to reach out to the world in love that souls may be saved and sanctified in Him.  We who are His children should likewise have the same goal.  If we have any other agenda, we are not living in the will of God for His Church.

      The love of God binds us together as one that we may be one in heart and purpose.  Sin is the root cause of all dissensions and divisions in the Church.  It is imperative that as much as it is possible to do, that we set aside our differences and come together in love so that we can be an effective witness for Christ in the world.  As long as each church fellowship has her own agenda, the cause of Christ suffers.  We are not competitors; we are co-laborers with Christ in the world. 

       If you find yourself having a hard time working together with other believers in the harvest field, ask the Lord to change your heart towards them.  Ask the Lord to give you a focus on the harvest field instead of your personal agenda. 

      Let’s be blunt and honest; we want OUR church to grow and be the best in town.  We want people to come to our church.  We think we have the best message and program around.  We think we are right on doctrinal issues and others are wrong.  We would prefer that people we invite to church come to our church. 

     Yet, our church may not be the best church for a seeking soul.  The programs and ministries we offer may not be what someone needs.  Another church may have more social opportunities for someone than our church does. 

     What is more important, padding our church roll or seeing someone in a church where they can be nurtured and grow in Christ?  Why don’t we suggest to others that they may find a better fit in another church?

      Be an example for others to follow and be one with Christ in His efforts to reach the world with the Gospel message that as many souls as possible might be saved.  Seek to bring others to Christ and send them to a church where they can become holy in Christ. 

ARE YOU WORTHY?

ARE YOU WORTHY?

Phil. 1:27 But whatever happens to me, you must live in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ, as citizens of heaven.  NLT

      The Apostle Paul had a very deep concern for people. He knew the importance of living a life that reflected well Christ in the world. He strove to live it himself and then he strove to motivate others to live it. All of his writings pointed to a deeper, godlier life in Christ. Paul insisted that life in Christ was more than mere words we proclaim, it is a life that was similar to Christ's in purity and holiness. Paul was not ashamed to be counted amongst those who lived a godly life. He never apologized for his godliness, nor did he try to hide it. He valued it so highly that he took whatever others could dish out to him and counted it an honor to do so for the sake of Christ.

      Are you living in a manner worthy of the life of Christ in you? Are you living like a citizen of heaven, earth, or maybe something in-between? Only those who live like citizens of heaven will qualify for heaven.

     Any life that brings shame to Christ is not worthy to be called by His name. There is no greater honor or privilege on earth than to live a godly life. So, why is it that so many of us seemingly aren't too concerned with how well we live godly lives? I don't think God is too amused by how many of us live.

      Be honest.  Are you living a life worthy of Christ’s name?  You bring dishonor to Him if you call yourself His child and don’t live like His child.  It is a great disservice to the cause of Christ when professing believers act and talk like non-believers do.

      Let us strive to live each day in a manner worthy of Christ in us. Let us strive to raise the bar of holiness in us. Let us endeavor to never let the Lord be ashamed to call us His own.

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT?

Phil. 1:20 For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that causes me shame, but that I will always be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past, and that my life will always honor Christ, whether I live or I die.  NLT

      I don’t believe most of us can make a statement like this.  Most of us do not expect to never do anything that would cause us to be ashamed.  We are not confident enough in our righteousness to believe that we could ever do it.  From experience, we know that we mess up, that we sin.  We seldom get to the point where we actually believe that we will be strong enough to not sin.  Yet, Paul believed it was possible and he was not afraid to go out on a limb and proclaim it. 

      Paul expected to always be a bold witness for Christ.  He based his hope on the fact that it was true of him in the past and he saw no reason why it would change.  His passion for Christ was so strong that he simply couldn’t hold it in.  He had to be a witness for Him.  We should strive to be like Paul.  Our love for Christ should compel us to be bold witnesses for Him.  If we are not witnesses for Him, then perhaps we better re-evaluate our standing before God.  We are bold witnesses for those things which excite us.

     Paul’s passion was to always honor Christ, whether in life or death.  It should be the passion of every believer’s heart.  Do you honor Christ in your living?  If you do, you certainly will honor Him in your death.  Our expectation should always be that we would live honorable lives before God in Christ.  Let us leave no doubt as to whom we are living for by the way we live our lives.  In all things, honor the Lord in word and deed.

SALVATION FRUIT

SALVATION FRUIT

Phil. 1:11  May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation--those good things that are produced in your life by Jesus Christ--for this will bring much glory and praise to God.  NLT

      What a great way to pray for one another!  We all should be filled with the fruit of our salvation.  We should all be growing and becoming like Christ in His righteousness and holiness.  We should be growing in our ability to love others with godly love.  We should be more gracious and forgiving towards others.  Goodness should characterize our lives, all for the glory and praise of God.

      The good things that are produced in us when Jesus is our Lord are those things that flow from the heart and character of God.  It is good when we get rid of our sinful characteristics and put on godly characteristics.  Instead of letting ourselves be dragged down by sin, we let Christ lift us up by His righteousness.  We treat others with love, mercy, and grace.  We are quick to forgive and slow to harbor bitter or ill feelings towards others.  We act in ways that will bring Christ glory and honor.  We do our best to honor the Lord in what we do and how we do it.

      Wouldn't it be wonderful if all of us would pray for each other in this way and mean it?  It would resolve a lot of dissension in the Church.  We need to pray this prayer over one another.  There is no reason for us to not want each other to be more like Christ in what we do and say.  If you care about those whom the Lord cares about, you will join me in praying this prayer over the body of Christ in general and the church family you are a part of.

      “ May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation--those good things that are produced in your life by Jesus Christ--for this will bring much glory and praise to God.’  Lord, we pray this prayer for the Church worldwide and for the church we are a part of.  In Jesus’ name.  Amen.”

THINKING OF OTHERS

THINKING OF OTHERS

Phil. 1:3-4 Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. I always pray for you, and I make my requests with a heart full of joy,…..NLT

     When was the last time you thought of someone and gave thanks for them, especially believers?  Do you think of fellow believers with a grateful heart or a critical spirit?  We may not be in agreement with the thinking of other believers or even how they are living out their faith, but we ought to thank the Lord for them.  Everyone who is serving the Lord in the world is doing good for the glory of Christ.  Thank the Lord for what good they are able to do.  And if they are not serving out of loyalty to Christ, thank Him for them anyways because the Word of God that goes forth from them because it does not return to God empty-handed.

      When was the last time you actually prayed for other believers besides those who you know or like?  We should pray for each other that we will live out faith in an honorable way.  We should be praying that all of us will have a positive impact on the world for Christ.  We should be praying for each other that we might grow into greater faith and holiness of heart.  

      The wonder of praying for each other is that the more we pray for each other the more we grow to love each other in the Lord.  And, the more we love each other, the more joy fills our hearts as we pray.  It’s a win-win situation. 

      Whenever the Lord brings to your mind someone to pray for, pray with thanksgiving for them and what they are doing for the Lord.  Let the Lord fill your heart with joy as you remember those for whom Jesus died and are now serving Him.

PRAY AT ALL TIMES

PRAY AT ALL TIMES

Eph. 6:18 Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere.  NLT

       Let’s admit it; we don’t pray at all times and on every occasion.  Most of us are quite the opposite.  We crowd praying into our lives the best we can, but we don’t do a very good job of it.  Some of us sometimes feel guilty about not praying when we think about it, but many of us don’t. 

      Most of us know what prayer is, but I would like to suggest some other thoughts for you to consider.  Prayer is our reaching up to God.  It is our embracing God in our lives.  It is the desire of our heart for God.  It is the soul crying out in need for God.  It is a time in which we align our will up with God’s.  It is a time in which we become broken and humble before God knowing we cannot do anything apart from Him.  It is what we do in life to honor Christ. 

     Prayer is an attitude of the heart seeking to live a godly life.  It is an attitude of praise and thanksgiving before God.  All that we do in and through Christ ought to be an act of worship, a sweet aroma ascending to the throne of God.

     Prayer is done through the workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  It is the Spirit that guides our prayer life.  It is the Spirit that puts our thoughts and words into words that move God to act.  It is the Spirit who empowers us and enables us to labor in prayer for others.

     We must never let down our guard when it comes to prayer.  Satan will do all he can do to keep us from praying.  He tries his best to discourage or distract us from praying.  His greatest fear is that we would pray and not give up.  He knows that prayer is our life connection to God.  He knows that when we pray persistently God’s work in us and in the world will be done. 

     Prayer should be a major part of our lives, not an add-on.  It should characterize who we are. 

PUT IT ALL ON

PUT IT ALL ON

Eph. 6:14-17  Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth and the body armor of righteousness.  For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News, so that you will be fully prepared.  In every battle, you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan.  Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.  NLT

      Sermons have been preached on this text.  I cannot break it down here and dwell on the wonderful nuggets of truth that we find here.  What I want us to focus on is the role that we must play if we are going to effectively live in victory over sin.  The Lord provides us with all the resources we need to overcome our sinful nature, but we must take advantage of them.  We must put on the full armor of God before we can be confident enough to stand up to Satan.

      If we neglect to put on any part of our spiritual armor, we become vulnerable to Satan’s attack.  Satan is a master archer and he will exploit our weaknesses.  It is only when we are standing watch over our souls and are fully equipped that we will cause Satan to flee from us. 

      We need to always be inspecting our armor to be sure we have not left anything off or have allowed any part of it to fall into disrepair.  We need to take our soul’s protection very seriously.  We are at war with Satan.  We may lose a few battles along the way, but if we remain in Christ and allow Him to help us, we will win the war.  Satan is on the prowl looking for ways to penetrate your armor.  Victorious are those who stay strong and fit in Christ.  From head to toe, keep your full armor on at all times for Satan is like a roaring lion, roaming around seeking whom he may devour.  Keep your armor on and you will be able to ward off his fiery darts. 

BE FULLY ARMED

BE FULLY ARMED

Eph. 6:13 Use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm.  NLT

       If we don’t use every piece of God’s armor to resist Satan, we don’t have anyone to blame when we stumble and fall.  God has provided for us ample resources to ward off all of Satan’s blows.  The ability of God to help us is not the problem, we are the problem.  We simply do not utilize the resources God has provided for us. 

      We don’t spend the time in the Word we need.  We don’t pray earnestly before God in repentance and need.  We don’t believe that God can or will help us.  We don’t spend time in fellowship with other believers who can encourage us and help us.  We pay little heed to those who have already been through our battles and have come through them victoriously.

      It doesn’t take much intelligence to know that if we refuse the help God provides for us we are not going to be able to stand firmly on righteous ground.  We are going to grow weak and sin against God.  We cannot resist Satan on our own power.  The forces of evil are way too strong for us to withstand. 

     We are constantly engaged in a spiritual war.  We cannot escape it.  The world is Satan’s playground.  If we are not in the war to win, we will lose.  Our only hope is to stay close to the heart of God, feasting on the riches of grace, putting on every piece of the armor of He has provided for us. 

      Without a determined commitment to overcoming the evil all around us and that which creeps into our hearts, we will never know the victory that is ours in Christ.  Instead, if we even stand at all, it will be on wobbly knees and we will be battered and bruised.

      The Lord will help us to stand, but we must help ourselves and use every piece of the armor He has provided for us to wear.

BE STRONG IN THE LORD

BE STRONG IN THE LORD

Eph. 6:10-12 A final word: Be strong with the Lord's mighty power. Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.  NLT

      It is so easy to minimize the warfare that is going on in our souls and in the world. Just because we can't physically see it happen, we tend to ignore it. It is not easy to live in victory in Satan's world! There is never a time on earth in which there is a ceasefire. Satan does not need sleep like we do. He is always on the prowl seeking whom he may devour. We immediately become easy prey when we let down our guard and try to live within our power and strength.

      Only the Lord has the power to overcome Satan. Only the Lord can send Satan away in defeat. We must put on all of God's armor if we are going to prevail. We dare not leave any of what God provides for us behind. We need His righteousness, Word, fellowship, wisdom, and purity of heart. We need to stay continuously immersed in Christ and never leave His protective care.

      The forces of evil are everywhere and they are way more than we can handle on our own. Don't ever underestimate the power and evilness of Satan, and never overestimate your power and strength to fight him. You will fall into sin every time you encounter temptation on your own. Don't underestimate the power of the Lord to help you. He is able to deliver you from whatever Satan throws at you. In Christ, you will overcome your temptations to sin every time. In Christ, Satan cannot harm you.