by David Brenneman
Nobody in Christ is in any kind of Spiritual retirement. When we have ran the race, finished the course, and step into eternity, then we shall say that our work on Earth is done.
We may change what that may look like at the Spirit’s direction, but nobody in Christ ever is to cease from the work in the Father’s fields doing the Father’s business.
“Therefore be on the alert, for you do not know which day your Lord is coming. But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will. Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master finds so doing when he comes. Truly I say to you that he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But if that evil slave says in his heart, ‘My master is not coming for a long time,’ and begins to beat his fellow slaves and eat and drink with drunkards; the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matthew 24:42-51.
“Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come. It is like a man away on a journey, who upon leaving his house and putting his slaves in charge, assigning to each one his task, also commanded the doorkeeper to stay on the alert. Therefore, be on the alert—for you do not know when the master of the house is coming, whether in the evening, at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—in case he should come suddenly and find you asleep. What I say to you I say to all, ‘Be on the alert!’ ” Mark 13:33-37.
Is it any plainer than from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself? We are His representatives at all times in all places for His plan and purpose for each of us.
"But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does." James 1:22-25.
"Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified." 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.
What are you doing to prepare for the rest of the race set before you?
In the movie "Overcomer" listen carefully to what the Dad says while she runs the race. The words are very applicable to how we are to go through life. Persistence, patience, attacking the hills before us.
Are you going to actually think to stand before Jesus one day thinking you accomplished all that He set out for you to have done and yet long before your race had finished you had stopped running?
"Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." Colossians 3:17.
"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve." Colossians 3:23-24.
The thing to remember is what we learned of the Pharisees and Sadducees. They had thought greatly of their status as Jews and the religious elite would give them a greater standing before God.
Do you press on towards the upward call for you in Christ Jesus? Do you persist in your prayer life?
Do you keep pace with Jesus or do you keep telling Him to go on ahead, you'll catch up?
None of the Apostles would ever be seen, known, have a reputation for not having given their all for their ministry in Christ. They didn't teach the new Disciples of Christ for 20 years based on the Old Testament and Jesus's teaching to give anything less than 100%.
It's a lie of Satan to go down the road of going for what we deserve after a long life.
Run as though you're looking to win is what the Bible says. Getting rid of whatever encumbrances are slowing you down or distracting you.
All Believers, everywhere, have a part to do, something to accomplish in Christ's plan for us. We have our growth in Christ to be about and we have our part in pointing people to Jesus to be about. Both are non-negotiable aspects of the Christian life.
Do you represent Christ well in your world? Do you watch what you say, how you act?
We can never do enough for what He's done to save us and to bring us into His family.
Get in the game, get back on the road, there's a race to be run.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation.
A corporation not for profit.
La Habra, CA All rights reserved
No comments:
Post a Comment