Verse of the day: 1 Corinthians 15:58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
If you have been a born again believer for some time, can I ask you a question? Are you as excited today in your salvation, and your service to the Lord, as when you first began your walk with Him? Are you still serving Him faithfully or have you allowed life and its challenges, disappointments, and testing, to wear you down? It is easy to run out of steam in our relationship with the Lord if we are not careful to maintain it in prayer, study, and active obedience of His Word. Today we are reminded to stand firm, persistent, and consistently excel in our service to our Lord and Savior. The Apostle Paul reminds us why we are not to grow weary in service (Gal 6:9). First he reminds us that our faith is real. He reminded the readers of his letter to Corinth that there were still witnesses alive, at that time, which saw, with their own eyes, the Risen Christ. No matter how many years have passed, this fact still remains today. Jesus is alive, is our Living Hope (1 Peter 1:3), and our salvation is real. He goes on to explain that if Jesus has not risen, then our faith is in vain and we are wasting our life. However, we know that this is not true, and the fact that Jesus did rise from the dead is the hope that we have that we, and those in the faith that have gone on before us, will also be resurrected. The Apostle is clear that we have the final victory as death has been defeated and we are alive in Christ. For these reason, we are encouraged to continue in faithful service to our God. The fact of the matter is that none of us knows the exact time of our Savior’s return, but this one thing we do know, He will return. Far too many of us have lost sight of Heaven, and allowed our fervor for God’s service to be whittled away by earthly worries and concerns. The discouragement of failures, both on our part and the part of others who have failed us, can cause us to grow faint in our service. However, we must remember that the One whom we serve never fails us and provides the forgiveness, grace, and strength we need to continue in our daily service to Him (Gal 6:10-13). The greatest encouragement that we can receive in serving Christ, besides the fact that we are Heaven-bound is the fact that whatever we do, in Christ, in His service, for the sake of the Gospel, will not go unrewarded. There is the rewards here on earth when we lead someone to Him, and they accept His salvation, knowing that another one is starting their journey home. The greater reward will be that of hearing those words we all long to hear when we finally stand before Him, “Well done good and faithful servant” (Matt 25:21). Regardless of what each of us is called to do in service to our God, first and foremost we are called to be faithful (1 Cor 4:1-2). There are many ways in which we can serve God. Some of us have been called to serve in ways that may not put us in the limelight, but our service is important nonetheless. Others have been called to serve in a way that puts them in the limelight; but the bottom line is that whatever we are called to, we are to do it with God’s glory as our aim (John 3:30), and we are to do it until He returns or calls us home. Our faithful service will not go unnoticed or unrewarded by our Lord God. Let us remain faithful for the sake of the lost, the furtherance of the Gospel, and the glory of God!
If you have not yet found your purpose in life, it begins with an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ. Call upon Him today, repenting and confessing your sins (Rom 3:23), and accepting, by faith, eternal life that can only be obtained thru Him (Rom 6:23; 10:13).
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