Greetings sisters!
How's today in the Lord for you?
It does help to remember often our purpose here and who we are living for. We are God's creations and He owns us and we are bought with a price. We're not to be living to please ourselves and have an easy life. We are promised a hard life of trials in fact. What a lie it is to tell people that God will give you your best life and that He will help you fulfill your hopes and desires. He is such a worthy God to be served and we sisters forsake self in order to follow Him. We can have great peace and joy, and even if there are times of sorrow...we still cling to Him trusting in Him and He strengthens us!
I was reading and saw this verse of what the godly overseeing men in the body are to do for those not in truth...
This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
Titus 1:13
It really is a stark warning to all of us to fear God and be sure we are in His ways.
This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.
Titus 3:8
I like that phrase....'careful to maintain good works'.
In fact we often do see many such phrases indicating anything other than carelessness in this life in Christ after all He has done for us!
There are words such as these...
Diligent
Vigilant
Zealous
Spotless
Blameless
Fruitful
Unrebukeable
Fervent
Unfeigned
Definitely all ones we would be striving to live up to...and if we fail we repent and get going again. Spending time in the Word...helps get our priorities straight and also the brethren, if we're blessed with some, do help keep provoking us to love and good works as it says in Hebrews 10:24.
Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?James 2:21
Our actions of losing all for Christ shows our true faith in this glorious Saviour who said to forsake all...even our life...to follow Him. He is worthy of it all!
And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Luke 9:23-24
And thank you faithful sister for this scripture picture...
Let's keep on shining our light before men so God is glorified! We want Him to get all the glory through our actions!
OK sisters...hope that was edifying and encouraging for your day in the Lord! Stand strong...and stedfast, going about your good serving works as unto the Lord. This life is fleeting and temporal and the hope to come is to be so much more glorious that no trial down here is to be compared to it.
Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.
Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.
2 Peter 3:13-14
Love in Christ,
Sister Michaela
Find the gospel explained here.