In our lives as Christ followers, we can sometimes experience periods of spiritual drought. During such times, God’s Word encourages us to recall the joy of our salvation we felt when we first came to know the LORD Jesus, and to return to the love we felt for Him when we first realized that He loves us. The church in Ephesus is a vivid example of this falling away and Jesus’ stern warning to repent and remember our first love.
Storms, whether natural or those which are spiritual, are never easy to deal with. God, however, is always there for us. He is our refuge and strength. He is sufficient, secure, and supreme.
Now that we understand the Christian life is not lived on a playground but is instead carried out on a battleground where attacks from the enemy are ever present, we can now begin investigating what it takes to defend ourselves. What does it take? The full armor of God! Paul, in Ephesians 6 informs us about the armor we GET to put on each day.
This passage concludes the so-called “Olivet Discourse” in which Jesus answered His disciples questions about the end of days. At the end of this discourse, Jesus promised to return at that time to rule and reign. But Jesus was careful to point out that no one knows exactly when He will return, so we must be continually ready for His return which we await eagerly.
From the very beginning, God wanted every person to become more than what we ended up as. God wants us to be more than sinners. More than self-centered. More than simply good people, doing good things. Therefore, the plan was always Jesus. He wants every believer to embrace this idea of being made for more. Made for more than just this life here on Earth. Made for more than just your job. Made for more than just your hobbies. Made for more than just your struggles.
Today, more than ever in history, Christians need to understand the significance of the Holy Spirit’s presence in their heart. Once understood, the believer will begin to truly experience, not just His presence, but also His powerful work. There is nothing more reassuring and peaceful in life than experiencing the powerful presence of God’s Spirit as He works in our daily lives.
In this passage, Jesus continues to pronounce His seven “woes” upon the Jewish leaders of the day whom He repeatedly calls “blind guides,” “serpent,” and “hypocrites.” Toward the end of the passage, we find Jesus almost breaking down under the burden of His sorrow over His chosen people who just don’t understand the nature of His Gospel and failed to recognize their long-awaited Messiah in the hour of their visitation.
It’s more than just a name… Everything is in that name: reality, eternity, life, magnificence, glory, and it all can be had when you have a genuine relationship to the living God. To know the names of God is to know God as revealed in His Word.
As Christ followers we must honestly examine our motivations for our service to the Gospel. If we find we are not following the Lord for the right reasons, we must confess this sin before God, and seek His strength and guidance to bring us back into truly godly fellowship.
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Mt. Freedom Baptist Church
