Hello . What are you in for?
Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ. Colossians 3:24, NLT.
What are you in for'?
One can imagine that question being asked of a fellow inmate. But, not in this case. I'm referring to what we signed up for as Christians. Hopefully, we have grown past the point of thinking being a Christian means everything is all nice and rosy. Indeed, claiming Jesus can be a challenging thing fraught with dark valleys, some danger, perhaps persecution, and rejection by the world. That being said, there are many joys in following Christ and our reward for doing so is out-of-this-world!
But, we don't claim Jesus for worldly reasons. Right?
Unbelievable, but many claim Christ for those very reasons. Some think "joining" a congregation of Christ's followers enhances their business, social or financial position. Truth is, following Jesus is an all-or-nothing proposition. The Lord counsels us to consider the cost, Luke 14:25-33. When we commit to Jesus, we must commit completely, Luke 9:62, and that means everything!
So, what are we in for'?
If we claim Jesus as our own, we are in for serving. We serve Jesus, of course, and that can be personally challenging. What my behavior once was is not now the aim of my life. Any claiming Jesus will change their moral behavior. Claiming Jesus also means endeavoring to do His will, even if it's difficult. It may not be easy to spread the gospel to others, but that's what Christians do; our Lord commands it. We have to do all of His will to the best of our ability, in constant measure. To do less is a measure of our faithfulness to a Faithful Lord.Tip: Jesus gave all for us. Can we not give Him the same?Father, You are so faithful. Every time we ask forgiveness You are ready to do so. You are always for us, lifting us up and guiding us through life's journey. What glory awaits us, O Lord. How beautiful heaven must be. And Your magnificence? We ask, Father, the ability to stand before You in Your majesty in our heavenly home. Praise You Father. Glorify Your name for it is Your Son's name we pray. Amen.
This message is from Garland Van Dyke at Bible Points!Matthews St. church of ChristPO Box 1522, Bay City, TX 774141915 Matthews Street, Bay City, TX 77414(979) 318-2463Contact me at [email protected]www.matthewsstreetchurchofchrist.com facebook.com/matthewsstreetchurchofchristWant your own copy of our devotional in your inbox? biblepoints.org/bible-points(It's twice weekly and we don't bombard you with stuff!)
