Are we living—“intent on one purpose”?
JESUS CHRIST, the SAVIOR of the world said—
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.”
(The Gospel According to Matthew 24: 35 NASB)
Jesus’ return is near—nearer this morning than yesterday morning!
If we are a believer, a follower of Jesus Christ—
- Do we believe the above statement?
- Did we live yesterday as if we believed this statement?
- Do we closely guard our Christian influence, living so that our actions & words do NOT look just like the rest of the world?
- Do we find joy & strength in congregating with other believers?
- Do we set aside each day for Bible study, for worship, for prayer?
- Is our walk with God—a priority within each day we live?
The apostle Paul knew what it was to BE RELIGIOUS. He was a RELIGIOUS man before he came to accept Jesus Christ as his Savior. As his former self (Saul), he kept the law, as required by the Jewish community; he studied the law; he was a Roman and a Jew, and as such, he was welcome to come and go within the Temple complex. Saul, the persecutor of the early Christians, was in fact—a holy-terror!
THEN HE MET JESUS & THAT DAY—EVERYTHING CHANGED!
From the day Saul became a child of God, the Holy Spirit began the Lord’s sanctification work within him. It was the changed man, the apostle Paul, the missionary sent by God to the Gentile nation (to lead people like you and me to Christ) who recorded these words of God—
“Therefore
(The Letter of Paul to the Philippians 2: 1-2 NASB)
if there is any encouragement in Christ,
if there is any consolation of love,
if there is any fellowship of the Spirit,
if any affection and compassion,
make my joy complete by being of the same mind,
maintaining the same love,
united in spirit,
intent on one purpose.”
FAITH in JESUS demands a response—both as an unbeliever & also after we give our hearts to Jesus to become a believer in Christ Jesus. Once a person comes to Jesus, it is HE who changes our desires and behaviors. It is Jesus who is able to make those who were once our enemies to now become our friends. It is Jesus who is able to make those who were once strangers to us to now become our brothers and sisters-in-Christ, to become ‘our family.’
Think about that.
Consider just what God’s Salvation does within in our lives.
- Not only does God take us from LOST and headed to hell, but God also changes us from LOST to FOUND in HIM and headed to heaven!
- Not only does God make us brothers and sisters through Him to others, but God also changes us from aliens & strangers & enemies to the FAMILY of GOD!
Truly, this is the GOSPEL message!
Matthew West & Jon Reddick sing the melody “You Changed My Name” that speaks through song the way God changes us. Pause to listen & dwell there in this TRUTH.
Truly, the GOSPEL message confounds Satan’s demons!
The ‘mystery of Christ’ is just that—a mystery—until the moment it is not!
At that moment, the moment when the Gospel message is revealed, it no longer remains a mystery but becomes known to the one who is lost, who is an unbeliever.
If you are like me, then you know many who have not yet discovered the mystery of Christ.
- ARE WE PRAYING FOR THEM TO COME TO KNOW CHRIST?
- ARE WE PRAYING FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT TO OPEN DOORS OF GOSPEL OPPORTUNITIES FOR US?
- ARE WE PRAYING FOR COURAGE & FOR BOLDNESS TO SPEAK WHEN HE DOES?
Read the Word of God with me, seeing what this ‘changed man—Paul’ recorded for us.
“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens,
(The Letter of Paul to the Ephesians 2: 19-21 & 3: 1-7 NASB)
but you are fellow citizens with the saints,
and are of God’s household,
having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,
Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone,
in whom the whole building,
being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord,
in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.
For this reason I, Paul,
the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—
if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was given to me for you;
that by revelation there was made known to me the mystery,
as I wrote before in brief.
By referring to this,
when you read you can understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men,
as it has now been revealed to His holy apostles and prophets in the Spirit;
to be specific,
that the Gentiles are fellow heirs and fellow members of the body,
and fellow partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel,
of which I was made a minister,
according to the gift of God’s grace which was given to me according to the working of His power.”
Years ago, when my father-in-law was still alive, he was great in encouraging me to try new foods and in trying new ways to taste the common foods I already ate. One particular day, I was at his house visiting with my in-laws (something I dearly miss today). On that day, Carmel was eating an apple, something I had enjoyed my entire life. I noticed he had his saltshaker with him as he sat in his Ranger. See me standing near him, beside the driver’s side, watching the way he was eating his apple.
“Do you want a piece of the apple?” he asked.
“Sure,” I replied.
At my response, Carmel used his pocketknife to cut off a slice of apple for me, and then he did the most unexpected thing—he lightly salted my intended apple slice.
“You keep that slice,” I voiced. “I don’t like salt on my apple.”
“Have you tried it?” my father-in-law asked, looking at me in a way that I realized he knew I had NEVER TRIED MY APPLE WITH SALT.
“No, I haven’t,” I responded.
“Then, why don’t you try it today?” he asked, and so I did.
TO THIS DAY, I ALWAYS EAT MY APPLE—WITH SALT!
- If we are a believer in Jesus Christ, a Christian, then there are those who are within your circle of influence.
You are to be ‘salty’ for Christ as you walk within this day.
For “You are the salt of the earth; . . .” (The Gospel According to Matthew 5: 13)
- If we are “fellow citizens with the saints,” then we have received the promise, the right to walk with God, separate from the world.
- If we are an heir to God’s throne, then we are NOT to walk with the world, similar in fashion, separate from the way Jesus would have us walk, looking like those who do not yet believe,
BUT WE ARE TO WALK WITH JESUS!
- If we are part of God’s family, then we should be on-mission for Jesus—today, tomorrow, and the tomorrow after that tomorrow—until Jesus brings us home.
- If we are GOD’S child, then the future generation of believers depends on us to share the Gospel message.
- If we are a brother or a sister-in-Christ, then we must live in a way that our testimony, our witness for Christ—IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF US!
Are we living—“intent on one purpose”?
So, in closing, if you are currently an unbeliever—
There is a sense of urgency. Christ Jesus’ return is near!
- What are you waiting for?
- Why will you not allow Jesus to turn your unbelief into belief?
Will you believe Jesus at His word—today before it is truly too late?