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Encouragement for today
Encouragement for today…
“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 (NLT)
Am I safe?
Am I safe?
In Matthew 3, we find John the Baptist preaching and baptizing in the wilderness of Judea. The Bible describes John as something of a rough fellow – the outdoorsy type (to say the least). In vs. 4, we find “John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.” Further proof the Lord calls men from every walk of life! Physicians, fishermen and even John the Baptist!
What I like about John is that he knew who he was in the overall equation and how to get things done. Here’s what I mean. In vs. 11, he is quoted as saying, “I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals.” Yet in vs. 3, Isaiah describes him as “a voice shouting in the wilderness, [telling everyone to] ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’s coming! Clear the road for him!’” We can easily agree John was not afraid to do the Lord’s work and knew it was all about God! His life was simply not about coasting. He was not interested in just being “safe”.
John couldn’t stand the lukewarm. Those content to just “get by”. Additionally, I think he loathed self-righteousness. Why? For someone who had so clear an understanding of God’s purpose (vs. 12), mediocrity and self-righteousness were detestable.
“’You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee God’s coming wrath? Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don’t just say to each other, ‘We’re safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.'” Matthew 3:7b-10 (NLT)
As seen above, not even the Pharisees (keepers of the religious law) were safe from God’s judgement. In vs. 8, John calls them out and quickly exhorts them to “prove by the way [they] live that [they] have repented of [their] sins and turned to God.”
It was John’s message to them that there was no room in the kingdom of Heaven for those who claim to know God, but do not live and serve like those who are genuinely committed to God. He was telling them that their own self-righteousness would not save them.
Are we like the Pharisees? We are if we think because we’ve accepted Christ we can relax into a mindset that says “we’re safe”. That’s not the reality of the life of a Christian. We see in vs. 12 that the chaff (that which is useless for God) will be gathered up and burned with a never-ending fire.
So, how does this post relate to baseball? As followers of the living King, our lives are to be spent for Him. It’s not enough to say we’ve accepted Christ, go through the motions, and then casually stroll across the plate when He calls us home. For the believer, living for Christ is about taking risks. It means living on the edge for the Savior! It’s a compelling desire to run when others would wait to see when it’s safe to walk. It’s the workout of making the mad sprint around the bases (working for Christ) and then sliding into home, claiming the victory for Him! -It’s a willingness to get dirty for the gospel!
True contentment is the reward for pursuing Christlikeness and living to glorify God. John had a firm grasp on what was important, and thus spent his days winning souls for Christ.
Who are you living for, self or Christ? Are you strolling or sprinting around the bases? When the Lord calls you and you leave this field, will your uniform still be clean, or will it bear the stains of one who has worked hard for the sake of the gospel?
Who or what do I look like?
Who can number how many times the Word addresses the condition of the inner man?
The Pharisees were regarded as keepers of the religious law. No doubt, if you had a question about the law or religious practice, they could answer it.
But Jesus said they were missing the point. To the extent He referred to them as a brood of vipers and hypocrites! The Pharisees were too concerned with religious practices and the appearance of the outer man. So much so that Christ referred to them as whitewashed tombs. While they were striving to be beautiful on the outside, they were actually full of of everything unclean. It’s as though they had life backwards or directly opposite how Christ would call us to live.
One such example is fasting. The Pharisees would make themselves look miserable so others would know they were fasting. The Lord teaches the opposite. Christ taught to fast in secret. He wants to be our single motivation for doing everything! No glory should come to us. He wants and deserves all the glory for our lives.
Jesus rebuked them in Matthew 23 as neglecting “the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy, and faithfulness.”
So what’s more important, the outside appearances or the inner man? The reality of our Christian walk is that the condition of the inner man will dictate the appearance of the outer man. Christ is perfect from the inside out. He is the definition of holy. Our walk should be the daily pursuit of Christlikeness.
How to be blessed…
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” Psalm 1 (KJV)
If you’re in denial, DON’T READ THIS!
“I’m not as bad as other people I’ve met.” “Things could be a lot worse.”
Sin is sin. God doesn’t grade our sin from “bad” to “really bad”. When we miss the mark, (according to God’s standard), we sin. Our sin should heighten our awareness of our desperate need of His grace.
“We will all stand before God’s judgment seat. It is written: ‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God.’ So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.” Romans 14:10-12 (NIV)
The message of sin and accountability is not a popular one. Many people don’t like to hear how they fail God. Many are not pleased with the prospect of being accountable to anyone, let alone a holy God. It really doesn’t matter how we justify our sin, God is real, heaven and hell are real, and eternity is a long time. ALL of us will stand before God and give an account of our lives.
For the one in denial of sin, his master’s message is that of deceit and a continual lust for more. Lust cannot be satisfied. According to Galatians 6:7-8, if we sow to the flesh, we will reap the results…destruction.
It is sad to see the eyes of men, even those I have called brothers, grow blinded to the things of God. Unfortunately, it is not surprising. Our adversary fights relentlessly twenty-four hours a day for our destruction. If we call ourselves Christians, we should know we cannot serve two masters. Yet we continue in our sin. When we choose to sin, we are walking away from God.
Guard your hearts and minds. Many are falling prey to satan’s advances. We have to draw a line in the sand and actively take up a defensive posture. We must protect ourselves, our families, and our relationships with others and Christ. As the Scriptures say, we must be vigilant, lest we too become deceived.
“Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.” Ephesians 6:10-18 (NLT)