Strength in Unity (Ephesians 4:1-3)
Ephesians 4:1-3, “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Having told us what God expects of us, Paul now moves to tell us how to bring this to pass in our lives. He teaches us in these verses how to walk the worthy walk. He mentions “unity” in Ephesians 4:3, and again in Ephesians 4:13. The word means “agreement.” It simply means that we are to walk together as one in the Lord. Let me just pause here and say that unity is God’s goal for His church. If the Lord is that interested in unity is His church then we should be interested in it as well. The church has no greater testimony than when we are united in Jesus in spite of our differences. By the same rule, there is no greater slander against the cause of Christ than a church family in which the members are at odds with one another. God put in each of us a deep inner need for fellowship. The need for relationship is deeply rooted in all of us. According to Hebrews 10:24-25, Christian fellowship is designed to challenge us to unity and fellowship. God’s plan is that we will exhort one another and encourage one another. God, in His wisdom, didn’t give us everything we needed to follow Him successfully. Instead He chose to give us one another. God fills in the gaps (the areas of need) in the church. Have you ever noticed when God adds someone to the church body, He places them in a position that fills the gap that was needed? Let me illustrate: In some ways, men are like redwood trees. Redwoods grow for millennia—some are two thousand years old. They reach as high as 350 feet. Yet their roots generally run only 6-10 feet below the surface. How do these top-heavy monsters stand the tests of storms and high winds? The reason they are able to is they grow close together (NO GAPS), and they literally intermingle their roots. In essence, they stand strong because they stand together. In today’s world, men often have an independent “go-it-alone” mentality. Yet, like redwoods, we will find it’s easier to stand strong when we “stand together”. Rooted in the Word of God does 4 Things. 1. Roots are unseen: First, the important thing to do is to set aside time in privacy (underground). By doing this we immerse ourselves in God’s Word and grow in Him. 2. Roots are for taking in: Quiet time alone in God’s Word to feed upon it will ensure your spiritual growth. 3. Roots are for storage: As you daily study God’s Word, you’ll find a vast, deep reservoir of Divine hope and strength forming for the rough times ahead. 4. Roots are for support: A deep-rooted Bible study will help you to stand firm against the pressures of life. The routine care for your roots through exposure to God’s Word will cultivate you into a remarkable Christian of endurance.
Prayer, Father in Heaven, I am so thankful that You desired to have a personal relationship with me. I know that it was only possible through the shed blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ. I desire to have a deeper relationship with You. I understand that the closer I walk with You the stronger my relationship with You and with others will be, Amen. If this post has blessed you in any way please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com
0 Comments
Spiritual Blindness (Luke 18:11)
Luke 18:11, The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. The Pharisee assumed his acceptance with God was based on his own actions rather than his need of Christ righteousness. Today, we typically call these modern-day Pharisees the “self-righteous”. The self-righteous possess a pharisaical attitude. The root of their problem, as we so often find in our day, was in their pride. They are confident in their own righteousness and believe they can produce within themselves a righteousness that will be acceptable to God. All the while, they fail to realize how far short of His perfection they fall. The Pharisees only wanted to look at the surface issues. They never sought to go deeper to the heart of the matter. They suffered from spiritual blindness; particularly in the area of depth perception. Unfortunately, in spiritual matters, seeing falsely is worse than being blind. The blind at least know they cannot see. The Pharisees were quick to condemn others and justify themselves, even though they were guilty of the same sins that they were condemning in others. Before the seventeenth century, when people looked at a lake or a pond or a glass of water, they judged it clean if they could see through it. But in 1674 the Dutchman Leeuwenhoek filled a glass vial with water, began curiously looking at it through his newly acquired microscope lens, and saw, as he quaintly put it, "very many small animalcules." He then examined a drop of water and jotted down his findings: I now saw very plainly that these were little eels, or worms, lying all huddled up together and wriggling; just as if you saw, with the naked eye, a whole tubful of very little eels and water, with the eels a-squirming among one another: and the whole water seemed to be alive with these multifarious animalcules. When we turn the magnifying glass of God's Word onto what is inside us, we find a house full of squirming critters and realize our own unworthiness. Jeremiah 17:9, The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? The great problem concerning a pharisaical attitude is that they are strangers to themselves. They look at the errors of others through a microscope and see all the squirming animalcules, but they look at their own sins through the wrong end of a telescope and fail to spot the hideous sins lurking in their own soul. They live with an unpleasant unconsciousness of their own sin. Self-righteousness is a very difficult sin to get carnal people to see, and as a result, they tend to justify themselves by blaming others. No Biblically sound, Spirit-filled Christian should ever look self-righteously upon an unbeliever, because the believer understands his own humanity and heart—his proneness to wander. Any mature Christian would recognize the error of this knowing they too possess a sin nature. God’s remedy concerning sin is to get right and be real about sin. Come to Christ and confess your sins and turn from them and He will forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). PRAYER: Father, You are a loving God and so full of mercy! Thank You for accepting me as Your child. I ask that you erase my sense that I have to follow a set of rules to impress You. Cleanse my mind of all that would cause me to sin. Create in me such a love for You and Your Word that my thoughts remain pure and full of the things of You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com God’s Power is Greater than Our Problems (Revelation 19:6)
Revelation 19:6, And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the LORD God omnipotent reigneth. The problems that seem so overwhelming to you are not overwhelming to God. This is because God is omnipotent. The word "omni" means "all." The word "potent" means powerful and mighty. God has all power. According to Revelation 19:6, nothing that is taking place on the earth, no matter how difficult it may seem, is a challenge to God's mighty power. God always is in complete control, whether it appears that way or not. When you face problems that seem to have no solution, you should turn to the One Who can solve every problem, no matter how difficult it seems. God is so great that your limited human understanding cannot even begin to comprehend the magnitude of His majesty and power. Sometimes the problems we face are created by our wrong choices. Although we created them, we cannot control the outcome. But God can! God is not in Heaven wringing His hands, pacing back and forth before His throne, wondering how He can solve the seemingly difficult problems that you face. Psalm 147:5, Great is our LORD, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. God knows exactly what to do when you do not know what to do. The word "infinite" means without limits. There is no limit to the power and understanding of God. Job 23:13, But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth. Nothing can stop God from doing what He wants to do. Your Father instructs you to constantly turn to Him with deep, strong and unwavering faith. He wants you to turn to His Word with absolute faith, knowing that He will do exactly what He says He will do. The same God Whose mighty power created everyone and everything in Heaven and on Earth is never overwhelmed by anything that takes place on the earth that He created. Jeremiah 32:17, Ah LORD God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: Absolutely nothing is too difficult for God. Refuse to focus on the seemingly unsolvable problems you face. Focus continually on God Who can solve problems that seem to have no solution. God is so mighty and powerful that He was able to raise Jesus Christ from the dead and sit Jesus next to Him in Heaven. If God was able to do this, He certainly can solve whatever problems you face. When you face difficult problems that seem to have no solution, you must have absolute faith that your Father knows exactly what to do to solve these problems. Refuse to give up. When you cannot see any way out of the problems you face, your Father can see the way out. He will guide you out of these seemingly impossible problems if you trust Him completely. He will lead you down paths that you know nothing of. He will turn darkness into light. He will never forsake you or leave you. Meditate on these truths pertaining to God's mighty power. Refuse to allow any problems you face to seem greater than God. Nothing is greater than Almighty God. Place all of your trust in Him. PRAYER: Lord, I thank You that You are the God of the impossible. I have nothing to fear with You on my side. I want to trust in Your ability and not my own. Help me to focus on You and Your power. Help me to be strong and courageous even in the difficult times. I choose to have faith in Your ability to break through every obstacle in my life. In Jesus name, Amen! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Love That Knows No Measure (Ephesians 3:17-19)
Ephesians 3:18, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; Paul prayed that we may be able to comprehend Christ’s love. Comprehend means to grasp, or to take in. Paul wants us all to know and understand the breadth, length, depth and height of Christ’s love. How can finite man grasp the love of an infinite Christ? It is infinitely wide, long, deep, and high. Naturally, we will never be able to grasp Christ’s infinite love. Paul’s prayer is requesting that God’s infinity might fill man’s finiteness. We can never know the breadth, length, depth, and height of Christ’s love to the point of His understanding, but we can know it to the point of ours. He prayed that we might know the breadth of Gods love (how wide). There is nothing narrow about God’s love for people. Jesus loved the publicans and sinners. He loved the wayward prodigal and He loved his bitter older brother. He loved Judas as much as He loved John. He loved Pilate as much as Peter. Such is God’s love, It is wonderfully wide. God loves the world (John 3:16). Paul prayed that we might know the length of Gods love (how long). How long does God love us? When, for instance, did God start loving us? Was it when we were saved? Was it when we first responded to the Holy Spirit’s call? Was it when we were born? Was it when He made the world? No, He loved us long before that. His is an everlasting love, a love without a beginning, as eternal as He Himself is (Jeremiah 31:3). Paul prayed, too, that we might know the depth of Gods love (how deep). How deep is that love? Well, Jesus stepped off the throne of the universe and came to earth. That was a long way down. Finally, Paul prayed that God’s people might know the height of God’s love (how high). Jesus has now ascended on high and is seated in the highest heaven. His throne is high and lifted up. He reigns amidst scenes of splendor. Angel hosts bow down to Him. Bright, sinless beings rush to do His will. He basks in His Father’s love. Has He now forgotten us? Oh, no! He has seated us with Himself in the heavenlies. Such is His love. Concerning God’s love there is nothing greater. You can dig all day in one area and find nothing. In the Bible, it does not matter where you dig-you will find riches. Let’s take out our spiritual shovel and dig deep into God’s precious Word. PRAYER: LORD, I thank You for loving me unconditionally. The more I read Your love letter, the Bible, the more I come to know You more and understand how much You love me. I pray I never lose the desire to dig each day in Your Word and also, to share Your love letter, the Bible, with others. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Guided by Grace (Exodus 23:20)
Exodus 23:20, Behold, I send an Angel before thee, to keep thee in the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared. Jim Elliot was unsure what to do after graduating from Wheaton College in 1949. He spent the summer praying for guidance, and on October 29 received a letter about the need for workers in Ecuador. Jim felt a “simple urge” in that direction. On November 25, his diary records interest in Peru and India. On December 1, British Guiana entered the picture. Four days later he wrote, Stirred for work among the Ecuadorian Quichuas again. On December 17, his missionary plans narrowed to either India or Ecuador. On December 31, he wrote : O Lord, if you see anything in me holding back the revelation of Your will about Ecuador, uncover it. Had a letter from India today which ended, “I would rejoice to think the New Year would find you here.” Still I am waiting. Early in 1950, he received acceptance from Wycliffe Bible Translator’s study camp in Oklahoma. Feel as though the Lord would have me there, whether I go to India or South America. Elliot arrived at the camp, still torn between two nations. The tutor assigned him was a missionary from Ecuador, and from him Jim first learned of the savage Aucas. But India still burned within him. On July 4, Jim set aside ten days for prayer. On July 14 he wrote, I asked for some word from God ten days ago, which would encourage my going to Ecuador. It came this morning in an unexpected place. I was reading in Exodus 23 when verse 20 came out vividly. “Behold I send an angel before thee to keep thee by the way and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.” Coming as it did, with such preceding feelings and simple believing for some promise, I take this as leading … to Ecuador. This is the verse that sent Jim Elliot to his death, to his martyrdom, and to his glory—and that brought the Aucas, in God’s timing, to faith in Jesus Christ. In January of 1956, Jim Elliot and four other missionaries gave their lives in Ecuador in their effort to reach the Waodani (Auca) Indians. This fierce group was known to attack any outsiders, but the vision for reaching them with the gospel compelled these young men to take the risk. Not long after they set up camp near the Waodani village they were attacked by warriors. Refusing to defend their lives with force, the missionaries were killed. The news flashed around the world, and the story of courage and sacrifice challenged many to take up the missionary cause. Even today Elliot’s words live on: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Nothing of lasting significance and importance for God is ever accomplished without great sacrifice. Whether it is our time, our talent, our treasure, or even our lives, we must be willing to give up what is temporary for the sake of what is eternal. When we do, we are following the example and pattern of Christ and walking in His steps. PRAYER: Father in Heaven, You have been so good to me. You have placed godly people in my life. You have led me to many wonder people. To my precious godly wife, the sweetest church I know, and to the hearts of those who are in need of You. There is no need to turn back now. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Spirit-Filled Worker Series – Lesson 7
Glorifying God in the Workplace (Colossians 3:23-24) Colossians 3:23-24, And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. The Spirit filled worker is to work hard and to do their work for the Lord. This will make certain that the quality of the work is admirable which is vital if one is to have a good testimony for God. What we do is ultimately to the Lord and not unto men. This certainly is true in the work place as referred to above, but also in any other venue of life. As our earthly supervisors give compensation for our labor, keep in mind, we will also receive compensation from the Lord. The reward is called an "inheritance" which means payday is coming soon. Some people are recognized for their greatness in this life, while God honors others in the life to come. Henry C. Morrison was a faithful missionary who served the Lord in Africa for over 40 years. He recalls that emotional day when he and his wife boarded a ship on their way back to the United States. His mind flooded with memories of the wonderful experiences they had enjoyed on the mission field. He began wondering what it would be like to return to his Midwestern hometown, will anyone there still remember us? Aboard that same ship that day with Henry and his wife was the former President of the United States, Teddy Roosevelt. He was returning from a big game hunting trip in Africa. When the ship pulled into the New York harbor, there were thousands of people there to greet him. The crowds cheered and the bands played. There were signs, banners, and billboards everywhere saying, “Welcome Home!” As the dear missionary and his wife left the ship, they saw that no one had come to welcome them back home. Not a single person was there to welcome the missionaries. With a heavy heart, Henry Morrison went to his hotel room and told his wife, “Honey, it just doesn’t seem right, for 40 years we poured our lives into ministry and service. And yet we come back to America and not a single soul comes to welcome us home, it’s as if no one cares when we return. Yet the president goes over there for a few weeks to kill some animals and the whole world takes notice!” His wife came and sat down next to her husband. She put her hand on his shoulder, and said to him, “Henry, you have forgotten something. You’re not home yet!” If we forget that He is the one who rewards us, it is easy to become discouraged and apathetic. Although there is certainly a sense in which God rewards us on earth, as promotion and exaltation come from the Lord (Psalm 75:6-7), He will especially reward us in Heaven (I Corinthians 3:11-15; Matthew 25:21). PRAYER: Lord, I know that my labor in your harvest is not in vain. Strengthen my hands that I may not get weary in Your work. In Jesus' name. Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Spirit-Filled Worker Series – Lesson 6
Christians in the Workplace – Part 2 Ephesians 6:7-9, With good will doing service, as to the LORD, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the LORD, whether he be bond or free. And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him. Paul says that the Christian is to serve their employer as unto Christ, doing service, as to the Lord. The employee is to consider their service as being rendered directly to the Lord. Anyone who takes this passage seriously and demonstrates it will have a good work ethic. “With good will doing service” (Ephesians 6:7). With good will means being helpful in your service. The believer should be helpful to their supervisor by the way they perform their duties. Service obligations in the secular realm must be done by the believer as the will of God. This service must be done primarily as unto the Lord. This will help the service to be holy, not poor in performance. Christians can glorify Christ by working willingly. Paul encourages a cheerful and glad service. He says the believer should serve with a good attitude, not with a begrudging spirit. He tells them to put their heart and soul into their work because, after all, they are doing God's will. Christians can glorify Christ by working eagerly. "The same shall he receive of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:8). Paul reminds them that the ultimate reward is coming. No act goes unnoticed. Men may not always give you proper compensation for your work even though you are following the Lord's directions regarding doing the work. But whether man compensates you or not, God will compensate you. Believers will appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ and be rewarded based on present faithfulness (Matthew 16:27; Romans 2:6-11; II Corinthians 5:10). Think about how this perspective would change the way one could work. Employers also have an obligation to see to it that they treat their employees right. They, too, will answer to God for their actions and their respect of persons with him. In His time, God will reward you beyond anything you can imagine. Just remember, Spirit-filled employees respect their supervisors and do great work. God originally gave these commands to slaves who had no rights, no health insurance, no paid vacations, and no salary. So, think how much more binding they are today for us, who, in comparison, labor in a worker's market. However, maybe you work in a place where your good work and Christian attitudes go unappreciated. If so, you shouldn't get discouraged because of what promise found in Galatians 6:9? God records, remembers, and will reward you for your service for Him. Remember, your labor is not in vain (I Corinthians 15:58). Prayer: Lord, I want you to be glorified in my life and in this place of business that I may be a living witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Guide me with your wisdom and help me to work through every challenge and conflict. Let me be a beacon for you and a blessing to my coworkers. In Jesus' name. Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Spirit-Filled Worker Series – Lesson 5
Christians in the Workplace – Part 1 Ephesians 6:5-6, Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. This passage points out, in strong terms, what the world's problem really is. It is not an economic problem; it is a spiritual problem. Hunger and economic relationships between individuals and nations can only be solved when men turn to the Lord Jesus Christ. He is Lord, and when men serve Him as Lord, they serve Him in all they do. This means they work for Him; and in working for Him, they work not only to provide for themselves, but also to secure enough to give to others (Ephesians 4:29). A Spirit-filled worker is eager to do a good job. The conduct of a person’s service speaks of the quality of their service. God wants believers to be good employees; doing a good job that would glorify Him. A Christians influence in the workplace results in setting a high standard at work. We can glorify Christ by working reverently because we are working unto Christ. As employees, we are to serve with reverence and respect to our employers. This means we must respect authority in the workplace. Christians workers are to be loyal and obedient to their employers. We are to follow their instructions and put in a full day's work for a full day's pay. Laziness and shoddy workmanship are poor testimonies and clear signs a person is not filled with the Spirit. Singleness of heart means we have our minds focused, concentrated on our jobs, and work to the best of our ability. The role of the supervisor is to instruct the employee on what to do, not the other way around. One way we show respect is by not fussing, feuding, or fighting but by shining as lights. The Spirit-filled employee doesn’t only work hard when the employer is watching, but when the supervisor is away. We can glorify Christ by working wholeheartedly. This means the service will be diligent, not lackadaisical. It is not half-hearted service. It is service that does the job right. To glorify Christ, employees must obey without eye service. Those who serve with "eyeservice" (when someone is looking) or as "menpleasers" (to gain the applause of men) will not serve faithfully. They will only serve when someone is looking, or when someone will praise them. Let’s set the scene. Imagine gym class. While doing push-ups, the students stay in the up position while the gym teacher is not looking. Many are like that in the workplace. When the supervisor is around, they work diligently, but when the supervisor is not, they crack jokes, and play on social media, etc. Believers should endeavor to deliver sixty minutes of work for every hour of pay. The idea here is that we don't just work because the boss is watching. We don't serve to be seen of men, we serve because it is the will of God and we know He is watching. In a lifetime, the average employee is at work about 90,000 hours. This means the 90,000 hours, or an average of forty-five work years, we spend at work obeying this passage count as doing service as to the Lord. Do you work without eye service—delivering a day’s work whether your supervisor is around or not? PRAYER, Lord, may I bring Your presence with me to work today. Thank You for the gifts You have blessed me with. Work through me in the power of the Holy Spirit. Help me to serve with the singleness of heart that I might do Your will and glorify You. In Jesus' name. Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Spirit-Filled Worker Series – Lesson 4
The Value of a Building a Work Ethic (Ecclesiastes 9:10) Ecclesiastes 9:10, Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. In every endeavor of life, give it your all. We only have one life to live, therefore, whatever we do, we should do with all our might because when we go to the grave, there will be no working, planning, or wisdom. Work in Genesis 2 came before the curse in Genesis 3. Work was never a curse but a necessary, and important, part of life and service to God. One way we do that is to work hard, be loyal, and do our best to complete each task. Each of us should be such a good employee that our employers or customers would never consider getting anyone to replace us. The Bible is full with examples of hard workers: David, the shepherd; Amos, the fig farmer; Paul, the tent-maker; Lydia, seller of purple; Jesus, the carpenter. At the end of the day, it’s a good thing to exhaust yourself in meaningful work. Maybe God is motivating you to launch forward in a work of faith for Him. And perhaps the current landscape of today has discouraged you. Remember, when great works of God are accomplished in difficult times, God gets the glory. While even in his eighties, John Wesley complained in his diary that he struggled with being tempted to stay in bed until 5:30 each morning. John Wesley was one of the most faithful and fruitful evangelists of all time. Wesley traveled more than 250,00 miles on horseback, preaching over 4,000 sermons. It was undisputable that Wesley knew the value of hard work. With all the hardships throughout his life, Wesley remained steadfast and diligently did what God had called him to do. Our ultimate purpose for life is that everything we do should be done to honor the Lord. Our earthly work is to be done as though we are laboring for Christ Himself (Ephesians 6:5-7; Colossians 3:23-24). Especially in our day, we should take advantage of every opportunity to reach people for the Lord. You may feel incapable, however, you may be the only person who can reach them for the Lord. Do your part in the Lord’s work and everything you can do to help your church grow and reach your community for Christ. Prayer, Lord, thank You for the work You’ve given me to do. Help me to see it as a commission straight from You. Remind me to work with all my heart as if I’m working directly for Jesus. Forgive me for fixating too much on how I feel about my job, whether it fulfills me and makes me happy. Instead help me to embrace the dignity of my work. I want to work hard, on everything, for Your glory. In Jesus' name. Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Spirit-Filled Worker Series – Lesson 3
Lessons from the Ant - Part 3 Proverbs 6:6-8, Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. God, our Creator, taught many kinds of creatures to care for plants and even trees. For example, the South American Bull’s Horn Acacia Tree is protected by the ant. The ant doesn’t need the tree for its survival, however, they do feed from portions of the tree but never eat too mush from the tree to cause damage to the tree. The ants protect the tree by pruning off vines that come too close to the tree allowing plenty of growing room for the tree. These ants are aggressive enough to keep other harmful insects even birds away from the tree. In one experiment, entomologists removed the ants from a few of the trees. Ranging from three to twelve months the trees died without the ant’s care and protection. Without the care and protection of the ant’s, animals ate all the leaves and surrounding plants overtook the trees. Without the presence of these ants the tree will not survive. Who taught these ants to care for the trees? You can’t get around this fascinating fact. Not evolution, but the Creator, who taught these ants to care for the tree. The ant’s success is seen in their: Partnership. Ants help each other carry burdens; injured neighbors; rescue those buried (Galatians 6:2; Romans 15:1) Each ant has a job, but none are more important. We are all members of one body (I Corinthians 12:12-27). This thing isn’t about you or about me. It is all about Him! Productivity. Each ant works toward a common goal. Thousands of ants may dwell in one ant colony, but every one of them pulls their own weight! You are important to God's work. He will use you according to your ability. As you grow, your responsibility will grow (II Peter 3:18). God has especially gifted and equipped you for some type of work in the body of Christ. Persistence. Ant’s work continually. They never quit and they never go on strike! Ants are impossible to stop when food is found. They are motivated by hunger! Sprinkle a little sugar on the countertop and leave it there. When one finds it, it will return to the colony and bring hundreds with it! We are moving under the power of the Spirit (Romans 8:31). In our pursuit of doing God’s will, nothing should ever be able to stop us. No obstacle or critic can hinder us if we are in God's will. We who have tasted and found that the Lord is good need to go back into the colony of the world and tell the others about Him. After all, believers are merely one beggar telling other beggars where to find the Bread of life! Prayer: Lord, thank You for the work You’ve given me to do. Remind me to work with all my heart as if I’m working directly for the Lord Jesus Christ. Help me to embrace the dignity of my work. I want to work hard, on everything, for Your glory. In Jesus' name. Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com |
AuthorDr. Blackman is passionate about helping others grow in the grace of the Lord. His devotions are centered on how to grow closer to the Lord through a personal relationship with Christ. Archives
April 2024
Categories |