To get pearls, one must dive deep!

Tag: Christian service

7 Steps in Christian Life :: Step 6 – Associate

Christian life begins with Christ and continues with Christ, but as we live for Christ, what are some of the steps one has to take.

The word ‘associate’, has several other words in the Thesaurus to describe it. Some of these words include accessory, accomplice, aid, ally, assistant, accompany, amalgamate, etc., all of which are reflective of “friendship”. To be an associate of someone is to be their friend. Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousness and he was called the friend of God (James 2:23). The Bible records that God spoke with Moses face to face as a man speaks with his friend (Exodus 33:11). Moses in faith believed God, esteeming the reproach of Christ to be greater than the treasures of Egypt, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God (Hebrews 11:24-26). He gave up his allegiance and friendship with the world (Egypt) in order to be associated with (be a friend of) God and God spoke with him as a friend.

Step 6 in Christian life is to Associate – be the friend of Jesus Christ. This means that in order to associate with Jesus Christ, we need to have faith in him and we need to be disassociated from the things of this world, for the friendship of the world is enmity with God (James 4:4). Jesus himself said, you are my friends, if you do as you are commanded (love God and love others) and I no longer call you my servants, because a servant does not know what the lord (master) does, but I call you friends, because you are in my Father’s business. From being servants of God, we need to graduate to be friends with God, as was Abraham by faith (believing) and Moses by forsaking (breaking worldly ties), so that God can speak with us and confide with us his matters (the only ones that matter).

Points to ponder:
The Bible says, that there is a friend who sticks closer than his brother (Proverbs 18:24) and this friend is Jesus Christ. Jesus said, greater love has no one than this, that a man lays down his life for his friends (John 15:13) and he demonstrated even greater love than what he expressed us to personify, by dying for us, while we were still sinners and enemies of God (Romans 5:8). We need to graduate from being mere servants to being friends with God, i.e.,be associated with him, having faith in him and forsaking the treasures of this world. In other words, as we mature in our Christian life, we need to be willing to give our life for Jesus, our friend, for there is no greater love than that. Can Jesus call you and me, his friend i.e., to say can he trust you and me to give our life for him as he did for us?

James 2:23 (KJV)
23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

Exodus 33:11 (KJV)
11 And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he turned again into the camp: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, departed not out of the tabernacle.

Hebrews 11:24-26 (KJV)
24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter;
25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;
26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.

John 15:12-14 (KJV)
12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

7 Steps in Christian Life :: Step 5 – Act

Christian life begins with Christ and continues with Christ, but as we live for Christ, what are some of the steps one has to take.

To abide in Christ and to be aligned with his will, falls short in the Christian life, when one does not act. God is very explicit about this as one of his disciples, James makes it clear that “Faith without action is dead.” (James 1:17; James 2:26) The founder of Jeet Kune Do, Lee Jun-fan (known to many as Bruce Lee) is attributed to have quoted “Knowing is not enough, we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do.” To will to do God’s will without doing is not enough. Jesus was not only known for the things he preached but also for the mighty acts he did (Luke 24:19). We must be ACTive for Jesus Christ.

Step 4 in Christian life is to Act – act in accordance to his will, in service to him. What kind of service are Christians called to? We are called to serve one another, but not merely as servants, but soldiers as well.

To be a servant of Christ Jesus does not necessarily mean, being a slave to him (although being called a bondservant (slave) of Christ would indeed be one of the highest accolades, active Christians can be honored with). It is not a sign of weakness but a sign of meekness and power, because as a servant of Christ, Christians are not called to be a doormat to be trampled upon, but they are called to bear the mighty weapons of God as soldiers for Christ. We are enlisted in God’s army and we serve behind enemy lines, fighting not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces, because the god of this world (the devil) has blinded the minds of many. The spirit of the antichrist is already in the world denying the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in flesh (1 John 4:3) and so when Christian act in service to Jesus Christ, claiming his birth, death and resurrection, it is diametrically contrary to what the devil uses his servants to proselytize, and only logical for the battle to get into full swing. As Christians, we need to be put on the full armor of God, so that we may be able to withstand and stand. We must fight without fighting against flesh (people), and fight without ceasing against spiritual forces, so that the casualties of warfare are not those who are under the bondage of the adversary (the devil), who used to have the power of death, but is now a lame duck (Hebrews 2:14). We must fight hate with love. We must fight by obeying and submitting to God for the battle and victory belongs to the Lord (1 Samuel 17:47; Proverbs 21:31) and our God shall fight for us (Nehemiah 4:20).

Points to ponder:
On one hand, as servants of Jesus, we need to do his work (serving him) and on the other hand, as soldiers of Jesus, we need to carry the mighty weapons of God to tear down strongholds (2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Nehemiah 4:17). We must Act to be in ACTive duty for the Lord so that when we face him face-to-face, he who sought to find faith in this world, would find our faith alive and not dead. Stand up for Christ Jesus and act by serving him as servant and soldier.

The first book after the gospels in the New Testament is appropriately named ‘Acts’ (of the followers of Jesus Christ). If one was to write your acts (not just your words/messages/preaching) for the Savior and Lord Jesus Christ, what would they write? There is a time for everything and we were made for such a time as this … this is the time to act!

Nehemiah 4:14-20 (KJV)
14 And I looked, and rose up, and said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not ye afraid of them: remember the Lord, which is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons, and your daughters, your wives, and your houses.
15 And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work.
16 And it came to pass from that time forth, that the half of my servants wrought in the work, and the other half of them held both the spears, the shields, and the bows, and the habergeons; and the rulers were behind all the house of Judah.
17 They which builded on the wall, and they that bare burdens, with those that laded, every one with one of his hands wrought in the work, and with the other hand held a weapon.
18 For the builders, every one had his sword girded by his side, and so builded. And he that sounded the trumpet was by me.
19 And I said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall, one far from another.
20 In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us.

James 1:17 (KJV)
17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

1 John 4:3 (KJV)
And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

Powered by WordPress & Theme by Anders Norén