Eternal Lens
February 12, 2024
As Christians, we are here for the reason that in the kingdom purpose that we are called to, by God, things would not be able to happen if we were not here in this place and this time and this circumstance. Whatever it may be.
We are called to ask and seek for what God wants for us. For what He desires in our lives. For what His will is for our lives. I am praying that we do this with boldness and that he answers with clarity. How does he want us to use the outlets of opportunity we are given for his glory?
Our success and what we do, in sports, in school, in hobbies, is not an outlet for pride and boasting for ourselves but it is created by God for access to the opportunity to show God and His goodness and His glory.
In the same way, our hurt and pain and struggle and failure and suffering all provide an outlet from desperation, to either seek the world or seek him wholeheartedly. And, by choosing the latter, to seek him wholeheartedly, and by the testimony of sharing in suffering with him and with others in Christ is yet another access to the opportunity to show God and his goodness and his glory.
Any relationship that we have is not ours but it is God’s that he uses as a vessel for his ultimate purpose of building His kingdom.
We have infinite passions, but we are all called to a universal purpose, and we are to lead this with a holy discontent, with spiritual urgency, and with the armor of God, with the constant, authoritative call to come against Satan and his schemes with the reigning power of the Holy Spirit inside of us because we are fighting a battle of eternal life and death.
We are to embody a fear-embracing mentality. Because eternity is bigger than this life that we live. And what we do here on earth effects the eternities of ourselves and of those around us.
We are not to get entangled in civilian pursuits, but we are to fix our gaze on the one who enlists us.
Now for the gospel message of Jesus Christ. We are here on Earth, as natural-born, continuous sinners, and we deserve an eternity of death and suffering. But, sent down on Earth by God the Father, Jesus Christ, embodied as both man and God, living a full and perfect life, died on the cross for our sins and bodily rose again, conquering death, so that we may have a gifted gateway to eternal, everlasting life, cleansed of our sins by the blood of Jesus!!!! Praise Him that if we simply accept Him into our hearts, believe that He was raised from the dead, and commit our ways to Him, we will step into the doorway of eternal life. And with this, we are called to live a life of simple faith and of plain truth. We are called to be devoted to God, and we are promised eternal victory. And we are called to make disciples who make disciples.
If this is true, if the gospel message is true, if the difference between salvation is eternal life and death, why not, if you don’t believe or if you doubt, ask some questions? Why not, if you believe, be fully invested in the ultimate purpose to build the kingdom full of people that we love enough to not hold back because of doubts or fear of being judged or not accepted?? We already have the acceptance of the One who matters, and do we not love someone enough to share with them the gift of eternal life when they could be open to receiving it??
We never know what could come from a loving, bold, truth-filled conversation - so let us be curious about where people are, in life, but also, and more importantly, in their walk of life with or without Christ.
Encourage and love, because God encourages and loves us. Speak truth in love.
