The Framework of My Worldview
A worldview is the lens by which one looks through to see, understand, and interpret the world around them and their place in the world. For the believer, a worldview must flow from who each one is in Christ and must be defined by the truth of the Lord. A believer’s worldview must be wrapped in the truth of the Lord because a follower of Christ must be surrendered and committed to the Lord in every aspect of life. The believer fights against the threat of viewing the world in a compartmentalized manner that attempts to separate God and following the Lord in a compartment and other portions of the world in a separate compartment. Ultimately, the believer must commit to seeing, understanding, and interpreting the world through the lens of God’s Word and needs to find their place in this world through the grand narrative that flows from a relationship with Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul spoke to the reality of such a truth concerning a believer’s worldview in Romans 8:5–8. In this passage, he wrote to the church in Rome: “For those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have their minds set on the things of the Spirit. Now the mindset of the flesh is death, but the mindset of the Spirit is life and peace. The mindset of the flesh is hostile to God because it does not submit to God’s law. Indeed, it is unable to do so. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Let us examine the importance of a biblical worldview as outlined by the apostle Paul
First, the believer needs to recognize that one’s worldview reveals where one’s mind is set. The apostle spoke to the setting of the course of one’s mind, demonstrates the desired purpose and goal of one’s life. Paul’s mentioning of “their minds set” depicts the image of setting a destination and planning a course to reach that destination. Thus, the worldview becomes driven by the desired endpoint. To recognize how one journeys on the course, one must ask themselves what their life goal is set for. Paul provided two different destinations for the individual that determines their course. One of the courses sets a path toward the fulfillment of the flesh. This path desires to obtain treasure and status in the world. It is overly concerned by the opinions and ideas of the world. Such a worldview is motivated by the flesh and the self and ultimately ignores the worldview set forth by the Lord’s control in one’s life. A second course that one may travel seeks to live for Christ and live for His kingdom. Such an approach does not desire to obtain treasure but instead store heavenly treasure through obedience and following the Lord. This course is traveled in a manner that reflects the Lord because of His presence in one’s life and is controlled by the truth of God’s Word. Thus, the believer’s mind battles against being set on the things of the flesh and sets their mind on the things of Christ.
Second, the believer must understand that one’s worldview reveals what governs one’s mind. The worldview one claims identifies what controls the individual’s mind and life. The manner in which one thinks points to the amount of one’s life is surrendered to the Lord. The follower of Christ needs to assess their lives to discover where the mind battles with being set on the things of this world instead of the things of the Lord. To aid in the assessment, the believer ought to ask questions like:
• Do I use excuses to justify the activities in my life or the life of others that God calls sin?
• Do I misuse love to ignore the reality of wrath?
• Do the things that I choose and support reflect Jesus or the world?
Third, the believer must grasp the truth that one’s worldview reveals one’s relationship with the Lord. The competing worldviews (Flesh or Biblical) depict one’s faithfulness or disobedience to the Lord. When living in the worldview of the flesh, one is living in a manner that is hostile to God, refuses to submit to the Lord, does not please the Lord, and ends with eternal death. Such a life dishonors the Lord and does not mirror a life of one who follows Christ. The believer following a biblical worldview reflects a life that pleases the Lord, lives in peace, is submitted to the Lord, and lives in the promise and reality of eternal life. Thus, one’s worldview identifies the reality of one’s relationship with the Lord. As one continues to navigate a very different time in the world, it is important that believers recognize that the way in which one looks at the world is directly related to who Christ is in one’s life. As believers engage the world, may they compete to live according to the ways of the Word and battle against living according to the ways of the world. May the mind be set on Christ.
Rejoice in Salvation
Recently, I heard a story of a church where an individual became a new believer. The excitement of the decision overtook the new follower of Christ and the individual shared Jesus with everyone he came in contact with. After a couple of weeks of this behavior, a Sunday School class discussed the boastful nature of this new believer. During the conversation, an individual who had been a member of the church for many years simply said, “Just give it a few weeks until he gets over his salvation.”
What a terrible thought. The thought that we could get over our salvation. Yet, so many times we find followers of Christ living in a way that they have gotten over his or her salvation. The first love of redemption has given way to the pressures of life. This was the warning that was given to the church in Ephesus in the book of Revelation, they had lost their first love. They had gotten over their salvation.
To guard against getting over our salvation, we must constantly remember and rejoice in our salvation. First, we need to be thankful that we are saved. We do not deserve the gift of eternal life that is offered to us. In fact, our sinful life deserves the death penalty that is eternal in nature. But God desired to reconcile us to himself through Christ’s work on the cross and in the resurrection and offered us reconciliation through a relationship with Jesus. Paul wrote to the church in Rome, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23). We must never get over this gift but must be rejoicing and thankful daily that God made a way that a sinner could become a saint. May we never get over this salvation.
Second, we ought to be thankful that we can be sure that we are saved. Not only can we live joyful of our salvation, but the Bible tells us that we can be sure of our salvation. The Apostle John wrote, “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.” (1 John 5:13). Part of rejoicing in salvation grounds itself in the reality that we can know that we have eternal life. We must never get over our salvation because we can know that we have received life when we deserved death. This means that we are not hopeful of eternity as wishful thinking, but we are hopeful with certainty. This is worth rejoicing in daily.
Third, we ought to be thankful that we are saved, sure of our salvation, and eternally secure. The Bible is clear that when one is genuinely redeemed, the individual is not only sure in his or her salvation, but the believer can live in the certainty that he or she is eternally secure. Jesus said, “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29). We should never get over our salvation because it is eternally secure.
What a great salvation. May we never get over our salvation. May we rejoice always in being saved, being sure of our salvation, and being eternally secure.
Be Wise with Your Time
Time limits every individual. All of us live within a twenty-four-hour day and most days you probably feel rushed or like too many items have gone unmet. Part of handling this issue centers on our stewardship of time. In Ephesians 5:15-16 the Apostle Paul wrote, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”
The use of our time reflects the walk of our life. Where we spend most our time depicts what controls our heart. If our hearts are truly in tune with the leading of the Lord, then the activities that occupy our time will bring glory and honor to the Lord. If our hearts are clouded by the idols and things of this world, then our time will not be centered on accomplishing the leading and commands of the Lord. Instead, our life will be controlled by worldly activities. So, take a moment and see what dominates the time of your life. Are you living and walking in the ways of the Lord or in the activities and things of this world?
Without intentional activity, time will be wasted. Being a good steward of time does not occur naturally. Left to ourselves, we will find a way to fill our calendar and days with activity that does not truly matter in the end. We often procrastinate what we are being led to do and ultimately asking where the time has gone. Being intentional with our time means that we are strategically staying engaged with the Lord and his leading in our lives. We are making sure that we are seeking to fulfill our allotted time by fulfilling His will. So how intentional are you with your time? Are you intentional about carrying out the leading and commands of the Lord?
Living for good things today could keep us from living for the great things of God. There are many good activities in the world. Unfortunately, there are times in life when we simply choose to surrender the great activities of God for the good things of this world. When this occurs, we will find ourselves not guarding the time the Lord has given us to live for Him. We will surrender the leading of the Lord at the altar of what is good and neglect that which is great. Thus, managing our activities and time is important. As you look at the stewardship of your time, is it filled with a lot of good things or is it filled with the great things of God?
To work on becoming a better steward of time first give the Lord control of your time. Second, seek the Lord daily for guidance. Third, seek to live for the great things and battle against simply doing the good things. All of us are limited in time, I pray that you will seek to not waste the brevity of your time.
The End is Just the Beginning
The month of May marks the end of an era for many students. During this month, students from high school to various higher education institutions will graduate. Graduation marks a moment of transition in the life of an individual.
This event celebrates the ending of a journey and opens the door to new horizons and opportunities. The moment of transition brings joy, excitement, nervousness, and anxiety as the changing of chapters in one’s life occurs.
In 2 Timothy 1:7, the apostle Paul wrote words of encouragement to a young minister named Timothy.
These words continue today to speak truth into people’s lives as they navigate life. Paul wrote, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and sound judgment.”
In celebrating this moment in our graduates’ lives, may four truths from this passage be claimed for the journey ahead.
First, do not journey with a spirit of fear. Paul used a word for fear that meant “cowardice or timidity.”
The overarching truth indicates that the Lord does not lead one to a place that the individual is unequipped for the task. Thus, the Lord does not give one the spirit of timidity. Instead, the believer receives the call to boldness.
The boldness is not based in one’s own giftedness or ability, but instead rest in who God is. Thus, followers of Christ face new journeys with the truth that the Lord does not give us a spirit of timidity.
When Paul writes concerning cowardice, it should remind the believer of the importance of trusting in the Lord. Cowardice is marked by the surrendering to the unknown or worst-case scenario that paralyzes one from taking the step of obedience.
Since God does not give us a spirit of cowardice, such a feeling manifests from the ways of the flesh and the uncertainty that the unknown brings. Thus, as a believer, one faces the ending of one moment in life and the opening of another with certainty and not cowardice.
Second, journey with a spirit of power.
The spirit of power responds to the spirit of fear by providing the needed resource to overcome the temptation of fear and the ability to live in faithfulness.
The spirit of power means that the Lord provides a believer the strength needed to follow his leading.
During the times of transition, the Lord gives the believer the needed strength to endure. Likewise, the spirit of power enables followers of Christ to carry out the will of God no matter how large or terrifying the task may seem.
The Lord provides His children with the ability to speak in boldness the truth of who he is and to service Him faithfully even in the difficulty. The strength of the Lord is unlike the strength of humanity. God’s power never fails or weakens. Thus, believers face the end and the new beginning with the certainty of God’s power.
Third, journey with a spirit of love. The counter to love is selfishness. If one seeks to live with a selfish mentality, the focus in life will center on the loss of prestige, power, and money.
The intention of serving the Lord will be driven by what one receives out of it and not out of genuine service.
But the Lord provides the availability for the journey ahead to engage the journey with a spirit of love. The spirit of love has genuine passion for the salvation of the lost and for the serving of the Lord.
The love the Lord gives does not flow from opinion or perspective but comes from the Lord and His presence in one’s life.
Fourth, journey with a spirit of sound judgment. Graduation brings moments of decisions. Decisions of what is next in one’s life often dominate the narrative upon one’s graduation.
The ability to discern authentically comes from the Lord alone and not through the ways of humanity.
The term used means sober minded. Such a term means that one can discern the leading of the Lord and to identify the temptations that may exists.
Thus, the spirit of sound judgment allows one to remain calm and collected no matter what is faced in the journey.
To our graduates, congratulations. What lies ahead is a bright future. But in the words of the apostle Paul let me encourage you to engage the next adventure with a spirit of power, a spirit of love, and a spirit of sound judgment. These promises come as an extension of the presence of Christ in one’s life. So face the future by living in Christ, trusting in Christ, and relying on Christ.
May We Be Filled By The Spirit
The Apostle Paul challenged the church in Ephesus to walk according to the Holy Spirit. This calling challenged believers to live in a manner that was controlled by the Holy Spirit instead of being under the control of the ways and influences of the world. In Ephesians 5:18 the Apostle Paul spoke to this truth when he penned, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled by the Spirit.” In light of this passage, how can we be faithful in walking by the Spirit?
First, the Bible does and does not prohibit drinking, but always prohibits drunkenness. This truth stands as a background to Ephesians 5:18. In Judges 13:4; Leviticus 10:9; Numbers 6:3; and Luke 1:15, the Bible speaks to the necessity of abstaining from the fruit of the vine for the purpose of remaining pure. This prohibition extended to the religious leaders in the Old Testament and then to John the Baptist in Luke. Thus, abstaining from alcohol served as a marker of being set apart for the service of the Lord.
At the same time, the Apostle Paul told Timothy to “use a little wine for the sake of your stomach and your frequent ailments.” (1 Timothy 5:23) Note that the Apostle never gave Timothy the right to drink wine as part of his lifestyle, in a social setting, or because of his personal desire, but rather the wine was meant to only be a small portion and was to be used for medicinal purposes. In fact, drinking in a social arena would have approved of pagan worship that abused alcohol in worship.
The Bible never condones being under the influence of alcohol. In fact, drunkenness is listed as a marker of an individual outside a relationship with Christ. The Bible says, “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit.” (Ephesians 5:18). Debauchery here indicates the nature of unsavedness, lack of restraint, and driven by lust and desire of pleasure. Thus, the term points to a life that is under the control of the flesh and the world. In fact, the Bible defines alcohol in this manner. “Wine is a mocker and strong drink a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.” (Proverbs 20:1).
Second, the Bible clearly states that though an activity may be permissible it does not mean one should participate in it. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, “All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful, but not all things build up.” (1 Corinthians 10:23). Thus, in freedom does one have the right to participate in any activity ? The Apostle Paul would say yes. But that is only half the answer because the Apostle asks two bigger questions. Is it helpful? Does it build up?
As a follower of Christ, the answer to these questions is no. No amount of monetary gain, worldly growth, or personal desire is worth the sacrifice of not reaching someone for Christ. Many activities are not helpful in reaching people for Christ, rather they often stand in the way by devastating one’s witness. Such activities do not build up people but rather harms because these activities become agents that control people.
Third, the Bible defines that a person ought to be under the control of the Holy Spirit and not the control of the things of the world. As mentioned earlier, believers must live by being filled by the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). This means that the life of the follower of Christ must be under the influence of the Holy Spirit that dwells in one’s life. As a result, a believer must seek to abstain from other items that control one’s life. The Bible is clear that one cannot serve two masters. You are either serving the Lord or serving the self by being under the influence of anything other than the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 6:24).
Fourth, the Bible calls believers to be in the world and not of the world. As a follower of Christ, one must guard against conforming to the ways of the world and abandoning the ways of God. Just because the world okays an activity does not mean that God has given the go ahead. Rather, the Bible calls us to live according to God’s ways. This is living in a manner of transformation and not conformity (Romans 12:1-2). Thus, when believers approach issues, one must ask if his or her personal perspective is biblically, Spirit driven or fleshly and conformity driven.
As we seek to live filled by the Holy Spirit, it is imperative that we seek each decision in life by:
1. Seeking the Lord’s desire.
2. Affirming that it is God’s desire by testing it according to the Bible.
3. Loving those who disagree with you and live peaceably with them.
4. Asking the Lord that you will respond out of the filling of the Holy Spirit and not out of the desires of the flesh
Faithful Living in Such a Time as This
When believers gaze at the world around them, they notice that the world appears to be out of control. People seek to understand how to engage the world in a manner that is proper according to the Word of God. In 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 the Apostle Paul wrote, “Be alert, stand firm in the faith, be courageous, be strong. Do everything in love.” This passage encourages believers to faithful living in such a time as this.
First, believers must be alert. Paul’s declaration served to remind believers that they need to be watchful regarding the enemy. The call to watchfulness expects the believer to look out for the tools of deception of the evil one that would cause stumbling. It is an awareness of the schemes that the evil one brings against the followers of Christ.
At the same time, Paul encouraged believers to remain on guard. The ability to stand on guard rests in the truth that the believer needs to be sober minded and remain alert. Thus, the believer needs to stay level headed and fight the urge to slumber through the journey and remain ever watchful ready to guard their life. How do they defend? With the armor of God.
Second, believers must stand firm. The Apostle Paul called believers to stand firm in their relationship with the Lord. The basis of the relationship comes from a relationship with Christ and everyone’s identity must rest in Christ. The solid foundation is Christ alone as any other foundation fails the pressures of this world and the reality of eternity. At the same time, the call from the Apostle means that the believer must stand firm in the truth. The truth of the Lord is not relative but absolute. It is not truth based on our opinion, but eternal, definite truth.
Elsewhere, the Apostle would encourage holding firm to the Gospel, the reality of one true God, and the truth of sound doctrine. The same is needed in the lives of believers today for a time like this.
Third, believers must be strong and courageous. Believers remain engaged in a spiritual battle.
This battle is an attempt to persuade believers to walk away from the truth they know. The Apostle wrote to a church that was open to tolerance and tended to neglect standing for God’s truth. Paul reminds them that they need to rest not on the ways of the world, but in conviction of truth. The same is true in a culture of tolerance today. There is a difference between loving someone and tolerance. You can love and stand on truth where tolerance expects an abandonment of truth. Thus to living faithfully as such a time as this, believers must stand on biblical truth in love.
Fourth, believers must love in everything. Paul noted that love must remain present through it all. This is because love is the healing balm. When we love God properly (heart, mind, soul, and strength) and love others as ourselves while standing on truth then the ability to speak into people’s lives occurs. Love must move beyond words and become the action of our lives. To the issue of separation, the answer is love. To the issue of disagreements, the answer is love. To the issue of mistreatments, the answer is love. To the issue of selfishness, the answer is love. Love is the mechanism that allows the believer to engage the world properly in truth. But note that love does not rewrite truth, but love speaks truth in a manner that flows from passion.
As believers face trying and different times, each needs to ask themselves important questions.
As a believer, how are you being watchful and standing guard against the attacks of the evil one? What is your life standing on? Where does your foundation rest? Are you living in a manner that is strong and courageous? These questions help in the movement toward living in a faithful manner in such a time as this.
The Expectations of a Kingdom Citizen
A follower of Christ belongs to another kingdom. This kingdom is the Kingdom of God. As a citizen of this kingdom, the believer holds the responsibility to live in faithfulness and identify with the ways and expectations of this kingdom. This reality means that the believer must surrender entirely to the leading of the Lord in his or her life and fight the urge to lessen the importance of following Christ.
In Philippians 1:27-30, the Apostle Paul wrote, “Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.”
The Apostle Paul distinguished five truths about the life of the believer in this passage. First, the believer
needs to understand their identity. Paul identified believers as “citizens of heaven.” One enters the kingdom of God through a relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. This relationship moves the redeemed individual from an outcast to a citizen. One amazing part of an entrance into the kingdom of God is the responsibility that accompanies it. This responsibility is that a citizen of God’s kingdom assumes the role of ambassador of the kingdom upon entry. Thus, the follower of Christ is a citizen and ambassador in the kingdom of God.
Second, the Christian needs to fulfill their expectation. The Lord expects His citizens to live a life “worthy of the gospel.” This gospel worthy life honors Christ in every aspect and pursuit. This honoring of Christ allows the believer to illuminate who Christ is in their life while obeying the Lord. Obedience shows Christ as the Christian lives out the traits and ways that the Lord has called them to even when they counter humanity’s ideas and practices. The Apostle Paul challenges believers here to live out life in a way that fulfills the expectation to honor and show Christ in one’s life.
Third, the follower of Christ must participate in the proclamation of the kingdom. The child of God receives the command to contend for the faith. Believers accomplish this mission when they join with other believers. This working together means that Christians support one another throughout life and serve one another in the name of Christ. At the same time, believers join together to battle for the truth and ensure that the truth is declared. Followers of Christ battle for the lost to hear the gospel’s saving message so that redemption may occur in one’s life.
Fourth, the believer stands in boldness because of their kingdom citizenship. The follower of Christ faces many obstacles throughout his or her life. These obstacles occur in various forms of persecution or challenges that attempt to hinder their witness. As a result, the Apostle Paul challenges believers to stand in boldness and not be intimidated by this world’s people and things. Instead, the foundation of Christ must lead to a boldness that declares the truth of God’s wrath and God’s love. The message of destruction to those against the Lord and for redemption for those who respond to the Lord.
Fifth, the Christian lives a life of faithfulness. Faithfulness models obedience to the Lord. It allows the believer to show trust in the Lord throughout the complete journey of life. As a result, the Apostle Paul challenges Christians to live faithfully in the best of times and, in the worst of times, as an opportunity to honor Christ and declare His faithfulness. The life of faithfulness provides the example that solidifies the verbal declaration of the hope found in Christ. Thus, the believer must live in faithfulness.
The Apostle Paul’s message to the church in Philippi is still the believers’ message in the twenty-first century. As followers of Christ, one must live as a citizen and ambassador of God’s kingdom with the intent of sharing the gospel and living out the gospel before individuals. The hope for humanity rests in the church awakening and living out a genuine life of faithfulness as a citizen of God’s kingdom, to which the Apostle challenges the church.
The Attitude of the Believer
Webster dictionary defines attitude as the “mental position with regard to a fact or state and as the feeling or emotion toward a fact or state.” As a result, the word often depicts the emotional state and approach to life of an individual. The word attitude often finds use in describing the response of an individual to another in both a negative and positive mentality. For the believer, his or her attitude ought to reflect the attitude of Christ. The Apostle Peter aids believers in identifying the believers attitude in 1 Peter 3:8. Peter wrote, “Finally all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.”
First, the believer’s attitude centers on unity of mind. The idea of having an attitude of a unity of mind points to the oneness that is found in the body of Christ due to the rule of Christ in the believers’ lives. The Apostle Paul mentioned this attitude in Romans 15:5 and Philippians 2:12 as the church having one mind. This indicates that the attitude found in the fellowship of believers finds oneness in opinions, outlook, and disposition because all are seeking obedience and leading from the Lord.
Second, the attitude of the believer demonstrates sympathy. Sympathy shows appropriate feelings toward and with others. In Romans 12:15, the Apostle Paul challenged believers to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice. At other places, the Apostle Paul discussed suffering and rejoicing with one member of the church (1 Corinthians 12:26). Thus, the product of the Christian life is to have an attitude of sympathy that comes alongside other believers in an appropriate manner.
Third, the believers attitude shows brotherly love. The idea of brotherly love does not find basis in a competitive nature as seen in many relationships, but rather a love that creates a bond that is inseparable. It is a love that walks with one another through the good and difficult moments in life. To love one another as a brother is to love one another as a family and be there for one another. This approach to love should separate the church from other worldly social gatherings.
Fourth, a tender heart flows from the proper attitude. A tender heart refers to the idea of being kind. In the original language, the concept comes from the image of one’s internal organs. Thus, kindness flows from the very foundational level of the individual. For the believer, the most foundational element in life must be Christ.
Thus, kindness flows from that which life is resting on. For the believer, an attitude of kindness demonstrates the reality of Christ.
Fifth, the attitude of a believer is defined by a humble mind. The humble mind is a mind that is controlled by the rule of Christ in life. Ultimately, the humble mind is a mind that has been surrendered to the way, will, and desires of Jesus and pushes away the ways, will, and desires of the flesh. A mind of humility keeps a proper perspective of who one really is in light of who Christ is. Thus, the attitude of the mind for the believer needs to center on nothing else but Christ.
May we seek to surrender the fleshly attitudes that want us to live differently than the ways of the Lord. May we seek to have the believer’s attitude as defined by the Lord through the writing of the Apostle Peter.
Living with a Grateful Heart!
In 1621, the original colonist with the Wanpanoag Indians celebrated what many consider to be the first thanksgiving. Of the 102 original colonists, only 54 had survived to this point. Though the colonists had been plagued with pain, suffering, disease, and death, they were still grateful for the harvest. Even with the issues, the colonists found reason to rejoice and be thankful.
For followers of Christ, one’s gratitude should overflow from the redemptive work of Christ. Through pain, suffering, disease, and even death, the Christian has a reason to be grateful and to be thankful. The New Testament gives us several key areas for which to be grateful.
First, believers should be grateful for grace. Grace is a dimension of God’s activity by which He confronted the rebellion of man. Without God’s grace, individuals would receive the wrath of God because of their sinful disobedience. In grace, God offered reconciliation to those who do not deserve reconciliation. So like the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:4, it is important that believers remember to be thankful for grace this Thanksgiving.
Second, Christians should be grateful for the task of declaring the gospel. Each believer has been given the task of sharing the gospel with those separated from the love of God. This task should be an activity that each believer is grateful to participate in. Though called, such an activity should not be considered a burden, but rather a blessing. Thus, to be used by the Lord for the sake of expanding the Kingdom is a reason to be thankful to the Lord. As the Apostle Paul stated in 2Corinthians 2:14, believers should be thankful that the Lord wants to use them for his purpose.
Third, followers of Christ should be thankful for the gifts of the Spirit. When one becomes a follower of Christ, the Holy Spirit takes up residence in his or her heart and gifts them. These gifts are not to be used for selfish gain, but rather for the purpose of fulfilling the will of God. In 1 Corinthians 14:8, the Apostle Paul gives thanks to the Lord for his giftedness. Likewise, this Thanksgiving, followers of Christ should be grateful and thankful for the gifts that the Spirit has given.
Fourth, believers should be thankful for the love that exists within the body of Christ. Like coming together as a family for Thanksgiving, believers should rejoice and be thankful that they have two families. Fellow believers make up the family of God. This is a family that should support one another and love one another. Believers in this season should be thankful for other believers and how we are united in Christ.
A grateful heart should identify a believer. Not just at Thanksgiving, but every day of the year. We have so much to rejoice in and be thankful for. Take time this Thanksgiving to rejoice and be thankful to the Lord for all that He has done, is doing, and will do.
Turn the World Upside Down
The world around us appears to spin out of control. In the last several months, we have faced an ongoing pandemic, protests, riots, murder hornets, cicadas, zombie fires, and an early active hurricane season. The tension, fear, and frustration that plague our society is real and seems to have no end or solution in sight. Though the struggle exists within society, the door opens for the church to participate in the ministry.
In Acts 17:1-9, the Apostle Paul and Silas enter Thessalonica. The Bible says that Paul entered and went to the synagogue for three separate Sabbaths and reasoned with the people from the Scriptures and declared the message of the gospel and that Jesus was and is the Messiah. We find that some of the people responded to the message while others rejected it. Those that rejected the message became angry and formed a mob that searched for Paul and Silas. The mob approached the home of Jason and eventually took him captive and arrested him as they were looking for the men that “turned the world upside down.” The story ends with the release of Jason as he made bail.
This passage identifies four key reminders for believers today and the need to be understood as people turning the world upside down. First, believers need to engage the world with the gospel. The Apostle Paul demonstrated how to approach the culture with the gospel. The Apostle began by approaching people where they were. He started by reaching people who would have been familiar with the message of the prophets concerning the coming Messiah; thus, he went to the synagogue. At the same time, Paul engaged the people in the marketplace between Sabbaths and attempted to reach them for Jesus. Today, we need to seek to meet people daily where they are and engage them with the message of the gospel.
Paul’s engagement did not come from a personal perspective but was based on the proper authority of Scripture. The Bible said that the Apostle reasoned with the Scripture. As a result, the Apostle modeled how we are to engage people. We must engage with the Bible and its truth and not with the thoughts and opinions of man. Likewise, Paul showed that the engagement needs to be centered on the work and necessity of Christ. Paul identified notably the death, resurrection, and messiahship of Christ.
Second, believers need to engage the world, knowing that people will respond in various ways. The people that received the message from Paul responded differently from one another. The Bible declares that “some” responded to the message and followed Jesus. The passage indicates that some were persuaded, meaning that the hearts were penetrated, and people said yes to Jesus.
Others that heard the message of the gospel rejected the message. If “some” responded, then “some” did not respond. In fact, the rejection is noticed not just in this terminology but in the response of hatred toward Paul, Silas, and other believers. The base understanding is that they were not persuaded to respond to the message of the gospel.
Third, believers need to engage the world, knowing that suffering for Christ is a reality. The mob approached Jason’s home due to his faith and support of the work of the Kingdom of God. Luke defined the people as Jews who were jealous and a mob of wicked people. These individuals set a course to stop the movement by creating a riot and attacking Jason’s home. When faithful to share the gospel’s message, the reality occurs that suffering will come. The desire to stop the movement of God brings pain to believers who seek to live for God’s Kingdom. The believer must remember that we suffer in serving Jesus as Jesus suffered in serving the Father.
Fourth, believers need to engage in turning the world upside down. The mob’s charge against believers is that the world was getting changed by the message of the gospel. The world becomes turned upside down when the truth is declared based on God’s authority and not the authority of the world. When believers declare the truth, the world gets turned upside down. The believer’s ways are counter to the ways of the world because of the presence of God in their life. The call to us is to be agents of truth who are turning the world upside down.
The world before us is in desperate need of a great movement of the Lord. As believers, we have been commanded to be the instrument by which God’s message of hope is declared. The world wants to identify the message as old fashion and old-fashioned. Still, the reality is that these terms are false as the message is a timeless, eternal message. Will you seek truth to define your life and engage the world with truth and be the agent of turning the world upsidedown.
Standing Tall in the Shipwreck
Shipwrecks occur in life. Often the shipwreck happens when we set sail on our own path and refuse to listen to the leading of the Lord in our life. Often, in the midst of the shipwreck we become disheartened, frustrated, and feel defeated. But the Bible encourages us to engage the shipwreck in life much like the Apostle Paul dealt with the shipwreck in Acts 27.
The Apostle Paul had told the mariners not to set sail for Crete. Refusing to listen to Paul, the ship set sail and faced a storm at sea that ultimately led to great loss and destruction. Surrounded by the wreckage, the Apostle Paul speaks truth into the situation and faces the circumstance with courage, confidence, and compassion as we find in Acts 27:21-26.
First, Paul faced the shipwreck with courage. Those voyaging on the ship faced the reality of the wreckage with fear and pain. The fear of losing everything including life must have existed within their minds. In countering this, the Apostle Paul spoke with courage about the situation. The courage for the Apostle Paul did not depend on his own fleshly strength, but on his assurance in the Lord.
The Apostle stood in courage because of the God he worshipped and the God to whom he belonged. This meant that Paul’s strength rested in the strength of the Lord and as a result he could stand in boldness and faith. Paul knew that the shipwreck was not bigger than the Lord.
In the same way, when we truly worship the Lord and authentically belong to the Lord, we can stand in courage when life contains a shipwreck. This courage does not rest on our own ability, but our belonging to the Lord and reliance on the Lord’s strength.
Second, Paul stood in confidence. Paul confidently declared that the Lord told Him that there would not be a loss of life or injury. Paul’s confidence rested in the complete trusting in the Lord. He knew that the Lord would not go against His word and rested in the confidence that the will and plans of the Lord would come to reality.
When facing disaster, believers should stand in confidence that the Lord is at work. This means that the Lord who gives us courage is the Lord that we can have confidence in. As His children, the Lord ultimately has promised us eternity and as a result, we rest in the hope that has been offered to us through a relationship with Christ. It is in this confidence of God’s promise that we rest in the midst of struggle.
Third, Paul shared with compassion. The Apostle Paul shared the news of the Lord with those who needed comfort. As believers, we have the needed comfort for those who do not know the Lord. Within us, there ought to be a compassion for others that desires for them to know the truth, promise, and word of the Lord. Like Paul, we ought to share the Good News of Christ with those in a shipwrecked life that they may experience the confidence and courage that comes from a personal relationship with Christ.
As a believer, we must face shipwreck with a godly perspective. In doing so, an avenue is open to share with others the greatness and gift of the Lord. If you are facing a shipwrecked life there is a God in heaven who desires to give you the courage and confidence to see it through.