GOD not only initiates our salvation but He sustains us in it so we could fulfill His perfect plan and destiny for us. It is a gift of eternal love. Ephesians 2:8-10, Jonah 2:9.
From that day forward we are committed and there is absolutely no turning back.
So how is it that some have made confessions of faith but exhibit
no visible evidence that we are thriving in our new life with CHRIST? We go to
church and maybe attend a program here and there but months or even years later
nothing about our day to day lives is different.
You may have heard this before (but prayerfully not said it)
– “I have too much going on in my life right now but as soon as thingsC get
better I will become more involved/begin to contribute/begin to witness, host a
home group, etc.”
Also, some believers have a mistaken expectation that all our
earthly problems disappear the instant we are saved. Not true!
Years later we are still waiting for things to get better
and problems to go away before we can start living a proper Christian life. In
the meanwhile we are just happy to be saved and satisfied that at least we will
go to heaven if we die.
Well, GOD did not
save us just so we could go to heaven, and it was never part of His plan that we
delay the work He called us to do for His Kingdom because life is a bit messy
and isn’t perfect, by our flawed standards.
Christianity is not a lifestyle of ease.
Regrettably, there are a few preachers who promote a Christian
lifestyle of ease – one that shows us as having social prestige by or material
abundance and financial prosperity, with no illnesses, no trials, or troubles ever.
This teaching is false and dangerous, especially for new believers with insufficient knowledge and exposure to the truth of GOD’s WORD.
It is natural then for believers who buy into this lie to
focus all their energies on making these things happen. But we live in
a fallen and sin-sick world and we are going to lose jobs and get bad medical news.
Children are going to rebel, spouses are going to be unfaithful and best
friends are going to disappoint.
Believers who accept as Biblical the false promise of an easy Christian life
will soon be disillusioned when their lives don’t match up. It is easy then for them to think of themselves as flawed spiritually, question their faith and the genuineness of their salvation. Some may even doubt GOD's existence to the point of dropping out entirely.
When we are being exposed to false teaching that stress a
worldly Christian lifestyle of ease and prosperity we must to run for our
lives and find another church that is Biblical in its teaching.
Having an inaccurate concept of GOD’s true plan and destiny
for our lives does not change GOD’s mind about what He wants from us.
GOD’s written WORD is the only truth and it tells us that
obsession with worldly goods and pleasure is not of the Father: “…the world offers only a craving for physical
pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and
possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. 1 John 2:16
JESUS gives us a commandment to “Seek first the kingdom of GOD and His righteousness, and all these
things will be provided for you.” Matthew
6:33, and He is also quite specific that here on earth we will have
“many trials and sorrows.” John
16:33
Scripture also tells us in many places that GOD in His
Sovereignty, created us and saved us by His grace to build His
Kingdom according to His eternal and perfect plan for each of us.
“For we are GOD's masterpiece. He has created us anew in CHRIST JESUS,
so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10
“We must do the works
of Him who sent Me…” John 9:4
For it is better to
suffer for doing good, if that should be GOD’s will, than for doing evil. 1 Peter 3:17
Christians must be focused on doing GOD’s work, despite trials and sorrows.
To be continued…
Prayer and Thanksgiving: Holy Father, YOU are Creator and GOD, YOU
are the Sovereign ruler over all the earth and everything in it. Thank you Father, for grace that
saved us and remind us that YOU chose us to do good works for the building of
YOUR kingdom and for YOUR glory. Thank YOU for desiring so much more for us
than we can ever imagine for ourselves and forgive us for focusing on worldly pleasures
that do not last. Help us not to be so excessively concerned with the
future but to focus our energies on YOUR Kingdom and YOUR righteousness with confidence that
YOU will supply all our needs, according to YOUR riches. To you Father belong all
dominion, all power and all glory, for ever and ever.
We pray and ask all
things in the precious Name of CHRIST JESUS our LORD.
Amen!
Always by God’s Word and prayer,
Cecile
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