Tag Archives: hold fast

Serve the Lord Without Distraction

Posted on February 28, 2016 by expressyourself4him

The apostle Paul refers to a time in the future where peril will reign.  An era when the world will be influenced by sinful pleasures.  Whether today is that time, only God knows.  Nonetheless, its essential for Christians to hold fast by serving the Lord without being distracted.

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days, 2 Timothy 3:1.

Despite this great dilemma, an Old Testament prophet provides a source of hope.  To prevent the love of Christ from being extinguished, the Holy Spirit will fill people of faith.  While the form in which the Spirit is poured out remains a topic of debate, this invisible force is essential to keep in step with God, Galatians 5:25.  If you try this alone, distractions will lure you away, halting your service for a season or more.

“And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions, Joel 2:28.

In reason years, the times I felt like I was on the right track, something got in my way.  Usually, pride lures me into a false sense of security.  A day, week or month later, all the spiritual momentum that I built up was gone.  Thus, I learned the hard way about the importance of a consistent witness.  Therefore, don’t allow distractions to linger.  Rather, lean on God’s grace and mercy to begin again to serve the Lord without distraction.

by Jay Mankus

 

 

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Clinging to an Invisible God

Posted on February 14, 2015 by expressyourself4him

Last week, a high school teacher in Florida gave an assignment to students, attempting to sway their worldview.  Using the newly developed Common Core curriculum, students had to explain why conservatives would believe giving to the poor is a waste of time.  This ploy to indoctrinate the minds of the next generation, outraged one parent who stood her ground.  However, as liberal ideology continues to highjack public education, parents who hold fast to Judeo-Christian values must cling to an invisible God.

I lift up my eyes to you, to you who sit enthroned in heaven, Psalm 123:1.

Sometimes, the practice of prayer can become mundane, stale for those who run out of words to say.  However, David reminds those who cling to an invisible God that prayer is a serious matter.  When you cry out to the heavens, you aren’t just talking to yourself.  Rather, you are entering the presence of a divine being, waiting for those whose hearts are right and appeal is filled with specific details.

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures, James 4:3.

In recent world history, church leaders in Scotland developed the concept called a “Concert of Prayer” in 1744.  Presbyterian Pastor John Erskine, a Scot, published a Memorial, pleading with other denominations to join him in a prayer for revival.  When this plea reached Jonathon Edwards in New England, he responded with a book entitled A Humble Attempt to Promote Explicit Agreement and Visible Union of All God’s People in Extraordinary Prayer for the Revival of Religion and the Advancement of Christ’s Kingdom on earth pursuant to Scripture Promises and Prophecies concerning the Last Time.  While modern English teachers would consider this a run on sentence, this piece laid the foundation for America’s first revival.  Instead of watching a nation stray from God, stand up like this courageous mother in Florida by clinging to an invisible God with a heart expecting miracles to revive a dead and dying land.

by Jay Mankus

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