Faith at Work 130217

Romans 14:20-23, Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

Paul sums up this section with, “Don't destroy the work of God for anything so commonplace as food.” A brother or sister in Christ is “the work of God” and, as such, should be treated with respect. We have a responsibility to live our lives close to the Lord and out of that we can love others. It is so easy for Christians to form opinions loosely based on the Bible and somebody's sermon. It is equally easy to let those opinions determine how we treat other people. Paul was seeing firsthand in Corinth, and by report, from Rome that Christians were condemning one another based on a strict adherence to avoiding meat sacrificed to idols and honoring certain days as holy. This was causing division that was unnecessary. Sometimes division cannot be avoided but usually division is based on personal preferences and petty ideas.

All of this really boils down to what we place our faith in and how we work our faith out on a day-to-day basis. The church needs to focus on our relationship to God and out of that should grow our relationship to other people. We need to remember that we are…

Bound by love.

Christ's command. We have the command of Jesus found in John 13:34-35, A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

This new commandment Jesus gives is a variation on loving one's neighbor which is part of the Old Testament law. However Jesus goes further than this. It is not just a matter of "loving one another". Jesus gives us not only the concept of love but the quantity and quality of love as well.

We are to love as he loved us meaning we are to die for one another. I have often wondered how easy it would be to give up life as a martyr. That would certainly separate the men from the boys so to speak. However, the kind of death we can do every day is a death to personal ambition or desires. To put the other person first when we really want to do something for ourselves is a kind of death. Jesus loved us enough to leave heaven's glory for earth's gloom! He loved us enough to become a man and live among us. It's amazing to think that the glorious Creator of the universe was born in a human manner and went through infancy and childhood only to be rejected, condemned and crucified. He walked on this earth as a man and limited himself to human experience. He once said that foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. He was so poor that when he died they had to roll dice for his garments.

Jesus places a high opinion upon our needing to imitate his love. In fact, our love for one another is the evidence the world needs that we are his disciples. No wonder the world has so little respect for the church! The lack of love among Christians is a disgrace. The love he had for us needs to be imitated by the church today. That kind of love has a quality that holds us together rather than pushing us apart. In fact love is…

God's glue. Listen while I read, Colossians 3:12-14, Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

"Put on" is an interesting way of saying how we should act. We are to put on compassionate hearts! We are to put on kindness! We are to put on humility! We are to put on meekness and patience! We are to bear with one another and when someone has a complaint — forgive as the Lord has forgiven us. That's quite a list and should cause us to stop and consider, how do we do this? And then the apostle adds, "above all these" put on love it causes everything to be bound together in perfect harmony. What else could we ask for? "Perfect harmony" should be a common goal for every believer. In fact, that was…

Jesus' prayer. Did you know that Jesus prayed for you? If you're a believer, he certainly did. Listen while I read, John 17:20-23, I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me.

In the presence of his disciples Jesus prayed for those who would believe in him through their word – and folks, that's us! He prayed that we would be one as completely as he and the Father are one. Again he says that his desire is that the world know that he and the Father completely loved us. I rejoice in the love of God. About 100 years ago Frederick Lehman penned these words and wrote this tune:

The love of God is greater far than tongue or pen can ever tell;

it goes beyond the highest star, and reaches to the lowest hell;

the guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave his son to win;

his erring child he reconciled, and pardoned from his sin.

O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure the saints' and angels' song!

When years of time shall pass away and earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,

When men who here refuse to pray, on rocks and hills and mountains call,

God's love so sure shall still endure, all measureless and strong;

redeeming grace to Adam's race the saints' and the angels' song.

O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure the saints' and angels' song!

The words of the song certainly speak to the love that God has for us. Jesus' love for us caused him to come to earth and die for the sins of those who would come to him in faith. His love is shared by the Godhead in every way. Father, Son and Spirit share a mutual love that flows out to those who put their faith in God through Jesus Christ. That love is the glue that holds us together and gives us compassion like Jesus had when he walked on earth. That compassion will encourage us to…

Avoid hurting others. We need to be careful how we use the freedom we have. Because…

Our freedom can harm others. Listen while I read what Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, 1 Corinthians 8:7-13, However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

It is easy to take the position that Christ makes all things pure and we are free to participate in matters that are questionable. Now there is not a modern problem of eating food that has been sacrificed to an Idol. At least not most places I know of! Such a problem might exist in some primitive cultures. We can have a problem in the matter of consuming alcohol. I do not believe the Bible teaches total abstinence but some people do. If Paul would forgo eating meat so as to avoid making his brother stumble I believe we can an equally avoid consuming alcohol for the same reason. Our freedom should not be allowed to hurt a weaker brother or sister in the Lord. I don't speak this as a command but as sound counsel from the word of God. We are to avoid hurting others and part of that process is to…

Avoid controversy. Listen to what Paul wrote to Timothy, 2 Timothy 2:22-26, So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord's servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

Timothy was Paul's son in the faith. Paul had been his mentor, pastor and friend. Timothy was serving as a minister under Paul's appointment. Paul is giving wise counsel to Timothy. He could see that youthful passions could lead to all kind of controversy. So he encouraged Timothy to pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace. He encouraged Timothy to associate with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. We need to take these encouragements seriously in today's church. It's so easy to get caught up in foolish, ignorant controversies. The Lord's servant needs to be gentle and patient. He is to be able to teach and that's a gift from God! He is to patiently endure evil and be gentle when he corrects. You see, we are not to just win the argument we are to win our opponent to a correct understanding of Scripture and to a correct faith in Christ. I discovered many years ago that I could win arguments but lose friends and I decided that friends are more important than arguments. So I just determined to let others be wrong if they insist on doing so and turned them over to the Lord in prayer. After all, he is their master not me. We are to…

Be gentle. Even when someone is caught in the wrong we need to be gentle with them. Listen while I read, Galatians 6:1, Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.

Anytime we set out to correct another person there are traps and snares along the way that are easy to fall into. Spiritual pride is a tremendous danger for those who set out to correct others. Satan loves to see Christians decide that they are more righteous than others and have been appointed "keeper of the rules" for those who just haven't "got it" yet. We need to be careful not to correct others in such a way that we damage their relationship to the Lord.

Everything we do should be based on faith. Whatever does not proceed from faith is sin. Everything that we do should be done to the glory of God. We must…

Act from faith.

Faith is evidence. The book of Hebrews has a whole chapter dedicated to faith and those who practiced it. Listen while I read, Hebrews 11:1-3, Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

& Verse 6, And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Words like "assurance" and "conviction" place faith at a higher level than most people do today. Generally speaking, faith is considered a position we hold that we cannot prove. And that may be true among many religions. I believe that interpretation of faith could be applied to the Mormons. By faith they believe that North America was once populated by many cities filled with descendents of escaped Israelites. Nothing could be further from the truth! But this is not the place to go into detail on that subject.

Christian faith assures us of what we hope for and grows out of a conviction of the reality of the unseen world. Again and again archaeology has proven the Bible is true. The things we study are evidenced again and again in written material as well as the ruins of ancient cities. Our faith is based on real physical evidence. Faith, like love, is not a feeling. Christian faith has survived the test of time and is…

Not a leap in the dark. Listen while I read from, 2 Peter 1:16-21, For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Here we have the eyewitness testimony of a person who was present at the time. There are enough items in the New Testament, as well as the old, that are verifiable by looking at contemporary documents to prove that what is recorded there is accurate.

The Bible is not just the opinion of some men in the past it is an accurate record of God's movement in history and can be relied on in every way concerning anything it speaks of. The Bible doesn't tell us everything that can be known but it does tell us everything we need to know about our faith relationship to God.

Faith is personal commitment. Listen while I read, John 6:37, All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. & Galatians 2:20, I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

The strongest evidence, in my opinion, for the accuracy of the Bible, and its reliability in building our faith, is the record throughout history of changed lives in those who have come into contact with the Bible and the God of the Bible. From the thief on the cross to the last person who ever lives by faith they all were changed by their encounter with Jesus Christ. They were not made perfect but, instead, are being perfected day by day by the challenges they face.

Without faith it is impossible to please God. With faith we can do all things through Christ who gives us the strength.

When a person comes to faith in Jesus Christ he or she may not know much. In fact, the new believer is often like the man who was born blind recorded in John's Gospel. When he was challenged by the religious authorities he said, "One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." Later he learned more about who this Jesus was and put his faith completely in him. We are intended to grow in grace and the knowledge of the Lord. We are to add to our faith day by day through study of the word of God and prayer. We're all born separated from God and must come to him through faith. I pray that you have done so. If not, do so now! If you desire to come to him he will not turn you away.

All scripture quotes from:The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

Righteousness, Peace and Joy 130210

Romans 14:13-19, Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

During the latter days of his ministry Jesus was asked a question, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" He called a child to himself and said, "Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me, but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea." Now Paul tells us that we should decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. I believe Paul's teaching grew out of Jesus' illustration.

To be like a little child is to be trusting and accepting rather than doubtful and rejecting. Sadly, we live in a world that causes children to no longer be childlike. Between the abuse of some parents, TV and movie plots, and violent video games, children are often brought up with a twisted view of what the world is like. Or rather, what their world should be like!

Paul calls on the church in Rome, and us, to not be judgmental but rather to be trusting and accepting. Obviously there are times when we have to make a judgment call but it should be a serious matter not a matter of personal preference. We need to remember who the Master is and that nothing is unclean of itself.

We are to…

Never pass judgment.

In a matter of personal preference. Listen while I read 1 Corinthians 8:8-13, Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

The example Paul uses for the Corinthian church is more detailed than his statement to Rome. Christians were surrounded by a pagan world represented by idols and idol worship. Possibly the best meat to be found in that day was meat from a sacrifice to an idol. It may also be some of the best meal prices could be found in the idol's temple. I don't know because I don't have available to me a menu with prices from either Rome or Corinth. A believer who had become convinced that the idol was meaningless because the god did not exist might feel free to go into the idol's temple and take advantage of good meat at a good price and, by the way, maybe this would be an opportunity to witness to people in the idol' s temple. I recall a college student many years ago who told me about her experience of going out partying with friends. I was amazed when I heard her justify her actions by saying that she would be able to witness at the bar but only if she participated. I assured her that we are not to be in the world's parties and then try to witness. We must not be like the world even though we are in the world. The Christian lifestyle should reflect a higher quality of life. We're not to pass judgment in matters of personal preference but we are to take a stand that will clearly point out who our Master really is. And all of our life we are to…

Remember who the Master is. Look at what Paul had said a little earlier in Romans 14:1-4, As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

While we are not to pass judgment in matters of personal preference we are to remember that we do have a Lord and Master, the Lord Jesus Christ! We are to accept those who are weak in the faith. We are not to despise another person because they disagree with us as to what we should eat. We have a responsibility to love one another and gently deal with any matters of disagreement. The head of the church is Jesus Christ not the pastor, nor the leadership, nor any self-appointed individual or group. The one who eats does so to the glory of God. The one who abstains the does so to the glory of God. Fellow Christians can only be judged by God through Jesus Christ. Let's be sure that our disagreements do not lead to division because…

Nothing is unclean of itself. Listen to what Paul wrote to Timothy 1 Timothy 4:4-5, For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

Everything created by God is good. Everything serves a purpose for God in our lives. Why do we give thanks when we eat? Or, do we give thanks when we eat? We recognize that God is the provider of all things and we glorify him by expressing our appreciation before we eat. It is so easy for a church or individual members of the church to get caught up in some kind of rulemaking. Whether it's about meat versus vegetables or honoring one day about another or how we dress when we come to church the same rule should apply. Whatever we do we should do it for the glory of God and in relation to one another we should…

Walk in love.

We must be open to all. After having dealt with the divisiveness caused by honoring one person over another or eating meat sacrificed idols Paul came to the heart of the issue with regard to how we treat others. Listen while I read 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

What was Paul's goal? Was it that more people will agree with him with regard to matters of eating or honoring a day? No! Paul's goal was the same as Jesus' goal when he said that he had come to seek and to save that which was lost. Paul said that he became all things to all people, that by all means he might save some. He lived his life for the sake of the gospel.

When I first came into this area I set out to find all the closed church buildings and try to determine what had happened to them. There were a lot of different stories and they were all sad. One in particular sticks in my mind. I was told about a farm family who decided they would begin to attend church. The church nearby was on its last legs and could have been blessed by this family's attendance. Certainly the family could have been blessed by hearing the gospel and coming to faith in Christ. The family it had no experience with church and I suspect the church had little experience with new people showing up. This particular farm family were not noted for cleanliness and in order to be at church on time they had to rush through their morning chores then they arrived in church smelling of the barn. Now I don't advocate coming to church dirty but I do advocate coming to church. To make a long story short, they were soon made to understand that they were not welcome.

In the early days of this church we had a fairly well attended Sunday evening service. A young lady came to know the Lord and became a part of our congregation. She was part of a group who met at the gym on Sunday afternoon and wanted to attend church as well. So, she showed up at church in her shorts and halter top. I wanted her to be at church and I also did not want her to be offended. Not knowing what else to do I simply said to those who ask, "Pray for her and see what God does." Very quickly she changed her way of dressing as she observed those around her. We could have offended her and ran her off while feeling pretty good about ourselves but we would have been wrong. The goal of our instruction must be love from a pure heart and a desire that everyone have the opportunity to come to faith in Christ. In order to do that…

The strong must support the weak. Listen while I read Galatians 6:1-2, Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

There are several things to watch for in dealing with disagreement, or transgressions. The "spiritual" person is the one who sees the transgression in another. And many times, because they think of themselves as being better than the other, they exhort the offender sternly rather than seeking to restore gently. When we think of someone else as less than us we need to guard ourselves that we don't fall in the same trap as the other has. Gentle caution will allow us to encourage and strengthen others. We need to bear one another's burdens not through condemnation and judgment but instead in obedience to the law of Christ. We are to…

Fulfill the law of Christ. Remember the words of the Lord Jesus found in John 13:34-35, A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

I have no doubt in my mind that when Paul referred to "the law of Christ" he was talking about these words that Jesus had given his disciples towards the end of his ministry. He gave it as "A new commandment" when in reality at first glance it appears to be the "old commandment" from Leviticus, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." What's new about it? Simply this, we are not just to love our neighbor as ourself we are to love one another as Christ has loved us. How much did he love us? He loved us enough to leave heaven's glory and come to earth's gloom. He loved us enough to walk on earth as a man. Think of it! The creator of the universe became a man and experienced hunger, thirst, tiredness, rejection, abuse, and above all else — he who knew no sin became sin for us so that we could become the righteousness of God in him.

Edward Mote wrote these words nearly 200 years ago:

My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness; I do not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name.

On Christ, the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness veils his lovely face, I rest on his unchanging grace; in every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil. On Christ, the solid rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand.

Jesus became our righteousness. All our personal righteousness is as filthy rags. He became our righteousness in order that we might be righteous in him. Self-righteousness is judgmental, harsh and angry! His righteousness is gentle, compassionate and willing to die for those he loves. That is the kind of love we are to have for one another. Love that bears burdens, avoids judgment and goes the second mile in order that another person might come to faith in Christ.

We are to never pass judgment. We are to walk in love and in so doing fulfill the law of Christ. You see,…

The kingdom of God is…

Righteousness. Remember what Paul wrote the Corinthians? 2 Corinthians 5:21, For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Miss Bertha Smith, a lady missionary that I came to admire greatly, used to say that this verse was the "dirtiest" verse in her Bible. During her long career as a missionary in China she had come to follow the Chinese pattern of running your finger along the passage you are reading. As she did this the oil and dust on her finger transferred to the paper. She simply meant that this was the most read verse in her Bible. We have no righteousness of our own that has any value at all in the spiritual realm. But Jesus is the righteousness of God expressed in human flesh. He became sin for us so we could become righteousness in him. So the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. And he is our…

Peace. Listen while I read Philippians 4:5-7, Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

We live in an increasingly unsettled, violent time. Division is on every hand and people are driven increasingly by hatred and anger. Church, it is not supposed to be that way with us we are to be known to be reasonable by everyone around us. We are not to be anxious about anything. In the sermon on the Mount Jesus said the same words and gave us a reason: our Heavenly Father takes care of us. We use the example of God feeding the birds so we should not worry about what to eat. He gave the example of the beautiful flowers that God clothes so we should not worry about what to wear. Instead, we should seek first his kingdom and his righteousness and all these things would be added unto us. Paul gives us a way of accepting this peace that comes from God. By prayer and supplication with thanksgiving we are to let our requests be made known to God. Then, and only then, the peace of God that passes all understanding will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus. The kingdom of God's righteousness, peace and…

Joy. Righteousness is a gift from God not from our good works and peace and joy are part of the fruit of the Spirit. Listen while I read Galatians 5:22-23, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Joy in the Holy Spirit is something we have because we belong to him. It's not a happiness based on our feelings it is instead a confidence based on our relationship to the living God. The fruit of the Spirit is manifested in the life of the believer. And yet we still need to appropriate what we have. We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ and we have the peace of God indwelling us. Now we need to rest in him. Listen while I read Romans 15:13, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

The Christian believer has the presence of the Holy Spirit in their life. Part of the fruit of joy and peace in our life is the presence of the Holy Spirit allowing us to abound in hope. Because, you see, it is the God of hope that fills us with all joy and peace in believing. We must remember that the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. We must walk in love in our day-to-day life. We must be open to all that by all means some may be won. We must support and encourage the weak and fulfill the law of Christ. We must never pass judgment because others answer to God not to us. Remember, there is another who passes judgment.

The Accuser, Satan, is a roaring lion roaming the earth looking for those people he can devour. He is the accuser of Christians and he usually uses other Christians to do the accusing. We need to remember that we have been chosen by God for his reasons not ours. None of us lives to himself and none of us dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, remember, Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord of the dead and the living.

Is he your Lord? If not, if you feel any desire to be saved from your sins, call on the Lord while he's near. If he is your Lord, make a new commitment today to never put a stumbling block before another believer.

All scripture quotes from:The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001. Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.