Stand Up For Jesus

"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."  Ephesians 6:11.  In churches of Christ, we sing a hymn which is entitled, "Stand Up For Jesus."  When we stand, we are to let our light shine.  We are to let the world know where we stand on the issues that come about because of the wiles of the devil.  We are to promote a righteous lifestyle amidst the unrighteousness of our society.  We are to speak truth.  We are to be people of integrity and honor.  We are to proclaim a gospel that will save the souls of the obedient.  We are to follow God even if it brings persecution.  We are to stand for the principals of right and we are to oppose the evils of wrongdoing.  We are to separate ourselves from the evil about us, and not allow ourselves to be polluted.  We are to be blameless and harmless in this present world.  Our lifestyle is to be different from those who are corrupted by evil and enslaved by sin.  We are to be untouched by the devil.  Like Jesus, the devil must find nothing in us.  Standing up for Jesus requires commitment, devotion, and sacrifice.  Standing up for Jesus requires a love of the world to come and an understanding that we are just passing through this present world.  Standing up for Jesus means that we are willing to battle the enemy and win.

Watch And Pray

"Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."  Matthew 26:41.  Jesus has been praying in the garden of Gethsemane, and his disciples have gone to sleep while waiting for Him.  Jesus gives them warning about temptation.  The devil tempts everyone.  Satan seeks to detour us from the path that God wants us to walk.  Jesus emphasizes the power of temptation over the flesh.  The spirit of the disciple seeks to follow Jesus, but the flesh can easily succumb to temptation.  The devil attacks the flesh.  Jesus directs us to be cautious.  The devil lurks.  We must be watchful.  The devil can only be conquered if we are alert.  We must always be mindful of his cunning and aware of our own weakness.  As we watch, we are to pray. We seek the help of God.  We pray because we need God to help us and give us strength.  Even Jesus sought the help of God as he prayed.  Prayer is a mighty weapon in the arsenal of God's child.  Prayer enlists God to stand by our side in the time of temptation.  Watch and pray that ye might overcome.

Confidence In The Lord

"And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you."  II Thessalonians 3:4.  Most everything with which we are familiar is unstable.  Very few things deserve our confidence.  People are so changeable and not always dependable.  However, the Lord can be trusted.  We can place utmost confidence in Him.  God does not change.  God does not lie.  God has the power to perform all things.  God is faithful to all who place their confidence in Him.  God wills that we always do what is right.  Safe guidelines have been given to us.  God knows the past and God knows the future.  This is the reason that we should heed what He says and follow the directions that He has given unto us.  As His people, we are to follow Him and listen to Him.  We are to conform our lives to the directives which have been given unto us by Him.  These instructions for life will make our life worthwhile and will insure our eternity.  We can live with purpose and fulfillment.  We can take our steps into the uncertain future without fear and without regret.   

Love Not The World

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.  If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."  I John 2:15.  Life has a choice.  We either love the world with its pleasure and sin and vileness or we love God.  But, we cannot love both.  The world involves all of those allurements that are in contrast with the character of God.  The world is impure while God is pure.  The world is unrighteous while God is righteous.  While we must live in the midst of corruption and ugliness, we must not be a part of it.  Those who love God separate themselves from the world in which they live.  We seek Godliness and holiness.  We do not allow our character to be spotted by the world.  Purity is our pursuit even amidst impurity.  If we love God, we seek to become as God.  Sin has no appeal to those who love God.  The love for the world is lost in our desire to please God and to know Him.  We will not allow ourselves to be contaminated by the filth of this present world.  All that is in the world is temporary, while the things of God continue.  The world is but for a season, while God is unending.  The choice before us is truly a simple one.

Look On The Things Of Others

"Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others."  Philippians 2:4.  Unity is achieved when we have a care for others.  One who is self-centered will be unable to come together with others.  Jesus demanded self-sacrifice.  The gospel call demands that one be willing to lose his own life.  Self must be left if one is to follow Jesus and become His disciple.  We can not be only concerned with ourselves.  We must see others and their need.  When this admonition to look not on our own things, but look upon the things of others, we will have arrived at self-denial and we will have an understanding of what Jesus did for us.  Jesus looked not upon His own life, but He saw the life of others.  The world is much larger than me.  The church is much larger than me.  The Lord is mindful that only an unselfish attitude can accomplish His will.  As I look upon the things of others, may others look upon my things.  And, the needs of all within the body of Christ are met.  The admonition calls for sacrifice, humility, unselfishness, and compassion.  This is the glorious nature of God's realm.

Abstain From Fornication

"For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication."  I Thessalonians 4:3.  We are all very much aware of the sexual revolution.  Old customs and laws have been pushed aside, and many, very many, have decided to do as they please.  Marriage is becoming obsolete.  Couples have chosen to live together outside of the sacred vow of marriage.  Infidelity has destroyed countless marriages.  Multitudes of children have been born outside of wedlock.  Males have decided to become females, and females have decided to become males.  We witness same sex marriage.  And yet, still in place is the voice of the divine Creator and Lawgiver with a divine word from heaven that we are to abstain from fornication.  Fornication is sexual immorality.  The word implies all types of sexual perversion.  From such activity, we are to abstain because sexual immorality violates sanctification.  Fornication becomes whoredom.  Fornication pollutes the individual.  It uses a person for self-gratification.  God wants us to abstain from fornication because it is sinful.  God's will calls for purity of body.  Fornication cannot achieve such purity.  It defiles and pollutes.  Those who participate in fornication are unclean.  God says abstain.

Hold Fast Till I Come

"But that which ye have already hold fast till I come."  Revelation 2:25.  Difficulty was in place for the church at Thyatira.  The danger of losing their faith and commitment to Jesus Christ was a very real possibility.  Many do not fare well in the face of fire.  This was the threat for this particular body of believers.  What has been attained can be lost.  Did not Judas Iscariot lose his commitment to Jesus because of the desire for the thirty pieces of silver?  Did not Demas turn back because he loved this present world?  The devil wants us to be in tune with the present.  He would not have us believe that God is a present refuge and able to deliver us from the threat of evil men.  It is the wish of Satan that everything look hopeless unless we retreat.  The world provides a safe haven for her own.  Those who walk to a different lifestyle are the ones who must be concerned about persecution and suffering.  After all, the world can always blame God for every disaster.  God wants the church at Thyatira to hold fast because He is coming to help.  We must know that God can and will make a way for us to escape.  The fire of trial may burn bright, but ere long and the God of heaven will extinguish it for us.  When He comes, we will triumph.