Courageous

Never once in the Bible were we ever told to cower - flee fornication, yes - but in each story and parable Jesus told, and in the histories of the Bible and the early church, it was the just who stood strong against all oppression, even unto death. How can this be?

For we are mortal, and to all who do not believe, death is the end - be it conscious eternal darkness or the simple 'off' switch to the magnitude of their being. But that, in itself, answers the question. To all who do not believe, pain, death, and persecution are as curses. To the believer - to us - we are told to see them not as the end, but a test, one He has already passed in a war that has already been won. Death is nothing to fear then, if we know in our hearts that the Savior who came to this earth to redeem us is true to His promise that all who call upon His name shall be saved. Pain and persecution are the ill borne children of a fallen world, and they hold no more power over us than that which we give, because the One in us has already overcome the world. If we believe these things, beyond doubt, beyond what our "false human nature" tells us is rational, if we believe that the God who formed the endless universe, the planet we stand on flying through it at hundreds of thousands of miles per hour, and the very God that did this made us with even greater care and purpose, then NOTHING we face is too dark, evil, or overpowering to overcome. If we believe - if you believe - that God is in You, then there will never be anything you cannot stand against in His name and for His Will.

1 Chronicles 28:20 “And David said to Solomon his son, Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the LORD.”

Psalm 31:24 “Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.”

Isaiah 41:10-13 “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.Behold, all they that were incensed against thee shall be ashamed and confounded: they shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall perish. Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them, even them that contended with thee: they that war against thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought. For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.”

1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

1 Corinthians 16:13 “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.”

Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”

Keeping Christ

It will be another 11 months before the phrase "Keep CHRIST in Christmas" becomes a daily occurrence, and the fb pages, bumper stickers, tshirts, and billboards are going to be plastered with it. Articles about the "War on Christmas" will be shared, facebook pages will call for a "Rally", your friends and family will discuss just how crucial it is to refrain from saying "X-mas" even though X is the symbol of the Christ. We will all get up in airs over the day December 25th and what the old church chose to have it represent. 

Now, hear me out: That's great and all, but allow me to challenge you to do something better that debate the origins of the tree, the materialistic nature, the lack of charity. You see, Jesus didn't ask for Christmas. He didn't ask that we do all this, all He wanted done as remembrance among ourselves was communion. His outreach to the world, the showing of His grace to the masses, was supposed to be our daily lives. It was meant to be an every day occurrence, for those who loved Him to show His love to others, with their prayers, gifts, time, and above all, the way we treat people. He didn't say "Do all this around Easter and maybe at Thanksgiving and definitely at Christmas time."  He didn't ask for any of the hype we endure each winter. He asked for every day. Keeping Christ in Christmas is awesome, but the reality is that the true battle we are up against is keeping Him in our every day life. Outreach doesn't end Dec. 26. Charity doesn't. Giving love doesn't. The church made it, the world commercialized it, we falsely fight for it, but the truth is that it isn't as big a deal to God as what we think it is. He doesn't want a birthday party. He wants us to live in a constant state of joy, thanksgiving, and love. Christmas is nothing compared to what Jesus really asked of us, to follow and live as He did, every. single. day.

So if you really want to "keep Christ" do it as He asked you to, always.

Thrive

Go take a walk. Not right now, but tomorrow, or later today. Get outside, breathe deep, and just walk. No headphones. No distractions. Just you, the world around you, and God. We forget that we are our mind, body, and spirit, and even if you're a genius but never exercise, your body will crumble, and even if you're a gym-rat but never pray, your spirit will suffer. We have to take care of ourselves. YOU have to take care of yourself. Redbulls, poptarts, computer screens, and praying less than 30 seconds a day is not living. It's barely surviving when God wants you to THRIVE. Have you ever even felt that? Thriving? I have - and it didn't come from money, or ease of life, it came from seeking Him, taking care of my self, walking and praising every day, and just learning to be healthy in all I do. Thriving is possible. Pray, and your choices will be clearer and your faith stronger. Get out and move and your hormones will level and your sleep will be deeper. Eat well and your skin will shine. Eat the Word and your life will shine. It's all related. Start taking care of yourself. You're one of His most favored creations.

Whether in Word or Deed

Do everything as unto God. How you speak with the grocery bagger; how you speak to your child's teacher; how you talk to your husband, family; how you do your job; when you clock in vs when you actually start working; how you drive; how you spend your time, money, and talents; how you raise your kids; how you speak to your kids now that they are no longer kids; etc etc etc. Do EVERYTHING as unto God. In excellence. In kindness. In meekness. In confidence. In grace. In patience. In love. Do EVERYTHING as unto GOD.


Col. 3

1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.b 7You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

12Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.