Live Fully in Christ

How do you go through your days? Does it feel as though you are meandering through them? Do you sometimes feel like you are walking through a fog that is unrelenting? Do you have times of clarity and times of confusion? Would you prefer to walk in the light?

We can get so wrapped up in the busyness of our daily lives that it seems like we are walking through a dense fog. We trudge from one task to the next. We only see the next thing on our schedule. In our stupor, we miss the larger picture, we cannot see with clarity.

The Apostle Paul tells the church in Thessalonica that they are children of light. They are to remain in the light, walking in the day rather than the darkness of night. He warns them not to go back to walking around in a stupor, not to go back to the fog. As we might interpret Paul’s encouragement, the light is walking in Christ while the darkness is walking without Him. He uses the metaphor of putting on protective armor to shield themselves from their culture’s attacks.

We can, and should, apply Paul’s encouragement and advice ourselves. Rather than allowing our culture to overwhelm us with the fog of busyness, falseness, and distractions, we should remain awake, alert, and live with clarity. Living our lives in Christ is more than attending worship services on Sunday morning. It is reading, studying, and understanding the truth of God. It is with his truth that provides us the steady foundation and sheds the light so we can walk with confidence and clarity.

I pray we all understand and believe we are children of light. I pray we step out of darkness and fog to walk in the light. I pray each one of us puts on the armor of God to shield us from cultural attacks. You are a child of light. Step out of the darkness. Put on the armor of God. Live fully in Christ.

1 Thessalonians 5:6-8 So, then, let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober, for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober and put on the breastplate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

Remain Vigilant

Are you a planner? Do you plan out your day or week? Do you plan months in advance? Do you pay attention to times and seasons? Have you noticed you go through different seasons in life? What season are you going through now? Do you understand the time our culture is in?

Some of us like to plan. We plan our day, our week, and maybe months ahead. When that plan goes awry, we can be thrown off kilter, our day can go downhill in a hurry. On the other hand, when everything falls into place, we can have one of the best days of our lives.

It is the seasons we go through that can cause us the most joy and most struggle. When the season we are in is full of happiness, we can feel as though we are on cloud nine. When things are going badly, we struggle just to get up in the morning. But many of us do not pay attention to the times. Our culture goes through varying times. There are evil times and good times. There are times of great growth and times of scarcity. These times influence all of us.

When the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Thessalonica, he states he doesn’t write to them about the times or seasons. Why would he say that? First, they already there was no need to inquire about when Christ would return. Second, the focus should not be on when He will return but to be prepared every day. Paul’s encouragement was to remain vigilant. We, too, should not concern ourselves with when Christ will return but remain vigilant.

I pray give up worrying about the times. I pray we put our trust in God. I pray each one of us determines to be ready for Christ’s return every day. Do not worry about the times. Trust in God. Remain vigilant. Determine to remain ready every day. Know that Christ will return.

1 Thessalonians 5:1-2 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

Trust God to Lead

How do you view judges? Are they someone to avoid? What if you lived under one? How would you feel if you were ruled by a judge? It would be considerably different than we are used to, wouldn’t it? Do you think you could get used to it? What if the judge was a woman?

No one lives under a judge in today’s world. The Israelites were the only nation to do so. Today, nations have dictatorships, democracies, republics, and socialist governments in varying degrees. Some are ruled by men, some by women. Every nation is different.

After Moses died, Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land and as they took possession of it. When Joshua died, the Israelites turned back to their old ways and worshiped other gods. So, God set judges up to rule over them. After a handful of judges, Deborah is appointed judge. She was also a prophet, speaking God’s message to the people and turning them back to God. Deborah was leading Israel in military campaigns, settling disputes, and punishing criminals.

Though the Israelites lived in a patriarchal society, God chose the right person for the job, regardless of gender. We often think God chose these leaders and announced them with a booming voice. Though that may happen in some cases, it was not always the case. God also worked through other people to select leaders, guiding them through the Holy Spirit to choose the leader God wanted. He can and does the same today, if we are praying for his guidance. In some cases, the people cried out to God to intercede. We can cry out to God for his intercession and guidance today.

I pray we all know that God is in control. I pray we cry out to God for his guidance continually. I pray each one of us trust God to guide us and our nation on the path we would have us follow. God is in control. Cry out for God’s guidance. Trust God to guide you. Follow the path God leads you on.

Judges 4:4 At that time Deborah, a prophet, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel.

Give Thanks to the Father

How have you changed over the course of your life? Have you become less self-centered and more selfless? Have you begun to see how God has blessed and have a desire to bless others? Do you regularly thank God the Father through Jesus Christ for your blessings?

There is no doubt we change over time. Some become greedier while others become more giving. Some work harder to satisfy themselves while others seek to serve others. One is being self-centered and the other is being selfless. One toots their own horn while the other thanks God.

The Apostle Paul warns us to be careful, to be wise, rather than being foolish and unwise. It is in wisdom that we recognize God at work in our lives. Foolishness believes we are doing it all on our own and puffs us up. It is in wisdom that we understand God has blessed us. We display our wisdom by thanking God for him working in our lives. It is in his blessings that we are able to work for him and serve others.

Our thanksgiving is not a holiday. It is to be every day of our lives. We are to continually give thanks to God the Father through Jesus the Son. For everything we see and touch belongs to the Father. We have it for a time and we are to be good stewards with it. But all our blessings come through Son, even as they come from the Father.

Not only are we to thank the Father through the Son but we are to subject ourselves to one another. In other words, we are to serve one another, which is demonstrating reverence for Jesus Christ.

I pray we all know that everything belongs to God the Father. I pray we give thanks to the Father through the Son, Jesus Christ. I pray each one of us desires to serve one another with the blessings we have received. Everything belongs to the Father. Give thanks to the Father. Serve one another. Bless one another.

Ephesians 5:20-21 giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, being subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Remain Alert

Are you alert? Do you stay alert at all times? Do you slip up? Are there times when you fail to be aware of what is important? Are there times when you are asleep at the wheel? Do you wake yourself up and focus again? Does it wear you down by staying alert?

Remaining alert at all times can wear us down, especially if we are not trained to do so. But we can train ourselves to remain alert. We can make being alert second nature for us. It is not easy. It doesn’t happen quickly. It is a process we must undertake and be disciplined enough to follow through.

I learned to remain alert while in the Marines. The use of peripheral vision became second nature. Being aware of the situation, who was within my sight, listening for anomalous sounds, and being ready to act was drilled into me. I am even more aware when traveling to places I am unfamiliar with. Yet, even with years of training, I can become complacent when being in familiar places. It is a constant battle and requires continuous discipline to remain alert.

Jesus says we are to remain alert. We are to continually keep our focus on Him. We must not allow our guard to come down when it comes to straying away from Him. Why? We do not know when He will return. We do not know when He will call us home to be with Him. Jesus even stated that He does not know when He will return (Matthew 24:36). Therefore, we are to remain alert, focused on Jesus, rather than focusing on this world.

I pray we all train ourselves to remain alert. I pray we remain aware of what is happening around us. I pray each one of us choose to focus on Jesus rather than on this world. Remain alert. Be aware. Focus on Jesus. Discipline yourself to be alert. Ask the Spirit to help you focus.

Matthew 25:13 “Keep awake, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”

Wisely Prepare

What is the difference between being foolish and being wise? Where do you think you fall? Are you sometimes foolish and sometimes wise? Do you desire to be wise all the time? How are you learning to be wise? Do you equate being wise to following God’s commands?

We see people do foolish things from time-to-time. We may do a foolish thing ourselves. Some of the foolish things are funny, and some are not. There is one foolish thing we may do that is very serious. That foolish thing is to choose to ignore and disobey God’s commands.

Human wisdom can be acquired through experience, study, and listening to wise advice. However, human wisdom will only get us so far. True wisdom comes only from God and can only be acquired through obedience to God. As we see in today’s passage we see there were both foolish and wise young women. The foolish were unprepared while the wise were prepared. We may try to write this off as simple planning. Yet it goes far deeper than that. It includes a desire to welcome the bridegroom and participate in the wedding banquet. It meant not taking shortcuts.

If we are to be wise, we must prepare for Jesus’ return. Even if we do not believe He will return today or tomorrow, that is irrelevant. For none of us are guaranteed tomorrow. If we to have a fatal accident or a fatal health incident, we need to be ready to meet Jesus. This is not to drive us to fear but to drive us to act positively. Our wise actions are driven by our love for Jesus.

I pray we all choose to be wise rather than foolish. I pray we choose to obey God’s commands. I pray each one of us love Jesus and wisely prepare to meet Him every day. Be wise. Give up being foolish. Obey God’s commands. Love Jesus. Prepare to meet Him.

Matthew 25:1-2 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten young women took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.”

Death Conquered

What do you believe happens when you die? Have you thought about it? Do you avoid thinking about it? Death is both something that will happen to all of us and a topic we avoid talking about. We do not want to think about what life will be like without our parents or grandparents.

The truth is that we will all die. At some point, we will breathe our last breath and leave this world. The same will happen to every one of our loved ones, friends, and everyone we know. Not that we look forward to it with joyful anticipation, but we cannot avoid the reality.

For those of us who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, we have the promise that we will be raised again. Jesus conquered death on the cross and in His resurrection. His fulfillment of the prophecy of dying for our sins and rising again gives us confidence in His promises. Therefore, we can believe in our resurrection as well.

With the promise of God that we will be resurrected, that we will be taken to be with Jesus for all eternity, we no longer need to fear death. Our death does not mean the end of us but a transforming of us to be with God. We will no longer experience pain, sadness, hate, frustration, discrimination, or injustice. Instead, we will experience joy, peace, elation, love, and acceptance by God. Jesus guaranteed our resurrection with His resurrection.

I pray we all accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. I pray we know that Jesus conquered death with His resurrection. I pray each one of us trust God’s promise that we will be resurrected to spend eternity with him. Accept Jesus as Lord. Accept Jesus as Savior. Jesus conquered death. Trust God’s promises. You will be resurrected.

1 Thessalonians 4:14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have died.

Hope In Christ

Do you like to be “in the know”? Do you want to be informed about what is going on or what is being planned? Do you like to seek out information, dig into all you can find on a specific topic? Do you want to be the expert? Are you continually seeking to learn?

Some of us like to snoop and gossip and hear gossip. Others want to understand the plan for today, this week, and as far into the future as we can reasonably plan. Still others dig into every piece of knowledge they can find on a specific topic seeking to be an expert in it.

There are different levels of understanding and different topics we might desire to know about. The Apostle Paul, in his writing to the church of Thessalonica, tells them he doesn’t want them to be uninformed. Paul is saying he is passing on to them important knowledge. The knowledge was so important, Paul was emphasizing it. He wanted to ensure they had hope. He wanted them to know there was something beyond amazing waiting for them. He wanted them to know that death was not the end, for Christ had defeated death.

It is important, very important, for us to have that same hope. We are to be informed, educated, and understand that we have something beyond amazing waiting for us, if we are in Christ. Death is not the end. Death has been defeated. Our hope is not put in something temporary but in a promise made by Jesus. We will follow Him in overcoming death because He has defeated death for us.

I pray we all understand Paul’s message of hope. I pray we know deep in our heart that Jesus has overcome death. I pray each one of us believes that we will overcome death in Christ. Hold onto your hope in Christ. Jesus has overcome death. You will overcome death in Christ.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who have died, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

Recommit to Jesus

Do you know your family history? Do you have a family history of following Jesus? Or do you have a family history of putting other gods ahead of Jesus? Have you personally struggled with making Jesus your priority? Do you know that you are not alone?

Many families have a checkered history. Nearly every family has someone who has done something wrong, perhaps criminal. But it is a dire situation when our family history has not made Jesus a priority. It makes it more difficult for us to change our ways.

Joshua was dealing with an important issue. The Israelites had become accustomed to worshiping the Egyptian gods while in captivity. Perhaps they were forced. Perhaps they willingly worshiped other gods. Regardless, Joshua is telling them to set those gods aside and worship only God. The Israelites were going to have to set aside generations of wrongful worship. They were being required to take a one-hundred-eighty-degree turn.

If our family history does not include worshiping God, following Jesus, we can find it extremely difficult to change our ways. It requires us to give up worshiping the gods we previously worshiped. Those gods often include money, possessions, prestige, and popularity. It may require us to give up old friends and make new friends. Our entire life may change. We must desire the change. We must desire to know and follow Jesus more than anything else. It cannot be a half-hearted effort. This can apply to those of us who think we have been following Jesus. We may need to reassess our commitment.

I pray we all choose to follow Jesus. I pray we are willing to give up the other gods we have been worshiping. I pray each one of us reassesses our lives and recommit ourselves to Jesus. Choose to follow Jesus. Give up other gods. Reassess your commitment. Recommit to Jesus.

Joshua 24:14 “Now, therefore, revere the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt and serve the Lord.”

Prepare for Change

Where do you go for guidance? Do you seek someone you consider to be wise? Do you seek out your friends? Do you look to a mentor? How do you make decisions within your household? How do you make decisions in the workplace? How do you make decisions in the church?

Seeking guidance is an important task for all of us. Who we seek guidance from is as an important as seeking guidance. How we make decisions is also important. Making decisions rashly often ends badly. Our decisions should be well thought out and with guidance.

Joshua got all the leaders of Israel together and brought them into God’s presence. They spent time seeking God’s wisdom prior to making a decision. They were facing a monumental decision. They were about to face a significant change. Joshua was going to die soon and he wanted the leaders to know what it meant to come into God’s presence, seeking his guidance. Joshua knew they would need to continue to rely on God as they expanded their inhabitance in the promised land.

As we seek to make significant decisions, we, too, should come into the presence of God. We do this in prayer. We can spend that time in prayer in a church sanctuary, a quiet place at home, or a quiet place in nature. Regardless of the location, the important thing is it allows us to focus solely on God, asking him to guide us in our decision. This is especially important for the leaders of the church. Continually seeking God’s guidance, both in committee meetings and outside of them, is the way in which wise church leaders lead the church well.

I pray we all seek to be in the presence of God. I pray we spend quiet time in prayer, especially when we are leaders. I pray each one of us will ask God to guide us in all our decisions. Enter into God’s presence. Spend time in prayer. Ask God for guidance. Seek God in all decisions.

Joshua 24:1 Then Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and summoned the elders, the heads, the judges, and the officers of Israel, and they presented themselves before God.