STEADFAST FAITH

STEADFAST FAITH

Sunday, December 1, 2013

2Corinthians [MKJV] 10:1-5 And I myself, Paul, beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ; I, who indeed to look upon am lowly among you, but being absent am bold toward you. 2 But I ask, not being present, that I may be bold with the confidence which I think to be daring against some, who thought of us as walking according to flesh. 3 For though walking about in flesh, we do not war according to flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, 5 pulling down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought into the obedience of Christ;

  The day to day bombardment on our faith cannot be denied. It is quite genuine.

  I have concluded that allowing our daily exposure to the roller coaster of events, reacting to them with a lack of enduring emotional constancy, is persistent problem for many Christians. How else has the Christian bookstores’ self-help aisle grown from nonexistent to sizeable in my brief 50 year Christian lifetime?

  In a single day, being loved and supported by people is wondrous and certainly delightful.

  But not a day goes by without hearing and reading sad local, national, and international news. And then there’s the several death notices of family, friends, and acquaintances received weekly. Just this past week I also received printout of dozens I didn’t know had passed away. Among them was old Baltimore coworker pal Charley Liesure, a man with exceptional personality that lightened every day.

  The Apostle Paul wrote some knowledgeable insider information on the matter. As recorded in 1Corinthians 15 he spoke to the mess we live in, and we are, and that after all of it we die. Then Paul said something overarching experiential life on earth: “But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. So that, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not without fruit in the Lord.” (verses 57-58)

  Trusting Lord Jesus Christ, physical redemption is assured (KJV “sealed). However, daily emotional salvation is not, for it is work that we individually must do . . . and do so in accord with God’s Word. (2Cor.10:1-5; Phil.2:12; 4:4-8)

  I’m not claiming for one moment that accomplishing and maintaining operational steadfast faith is easy. It is not. (Rom.7:1-25)

  Don’t we hear the word “warfare”? It is just that, something that requires labor including surrender of our natural work clothing. Let us “… be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Eph.6:10-11) 

  Properly clad, then and only then can we safely travel thru this world’s experiences.  EBB4