Spiritual Fitness:Preparing a People!

2 Thessalonians 1:3 "We are bound to thank God always for you,brethren,as it is meet,because that your faith groweth exceedingly,and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth";

Saints God is preparing a people for a prepared place,and difficult times for christians are a clear sign God is molding and making us fit for His Kingdom.Suffering is only for a short time,justice is on the way.When Jesus returns,He will be the judge of all who have hurt Christians.Those who refuse to listen to the Gospel and turn to Christ will be separated from God,forever.On the other hand, those who have followed Christ look forward to His appearing and will celebrate the day of his coming.

The Thessalonians had a vigorous life with God.They were spiritually fit because their trust in God grew stronger each day;their love for others increased as time passed;they persevered and trusted God in persecutions.They didn't trouble themselves over those who persecuted them but let God deal with their enemies.Some of their fitness was no doubt due to Pauls continuious prayers that God's power would help them fulfill their good purposes and actions prompted by their faith in God.

How do we become such fit followers of Christ?Well saints it starts with faith,trusting God moment by moment is where it all has to start.Our faith has to be more than" he is" , it has to also include," he will", and "he can", we must trust him to be God in every area of our life.We should ask God to show us how and where we need to Grow in sincerity, and trust that he knows what he is doing.This thing is a inside out thing so we must ask God to change us on the inside,trying to change outward actions won't last.So we must ask God for a new heart, a right heart to do the right things. We must in all things strive for the truth,remain faithful to sound teaching,and setting good examples for others to follow.Saints if I was to follow you ,would you lead me to Jesus?Let us devote ourselves to reading of the scriptures daily,proclaiming the good news at all times and teaching sound doctrine,this will not only keep us fit ,but it will prepare others that are following behind us.Saints it is all right to feel spiritually weak at times but it is not alright not to do something about it.God has given us everything we need to stay spiritually fit,but we often don't avail ourselves to what he provides.Let us quit putting off till tomorrow what God has put on our hearts and minds to do today.Let us get spiritually fit and walk worthy of the name which we lay claim to,that all in darkness might seek the marvelous light.

Conformed to Christ's Image

Ephesians 1:4 "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world,that we should be holy and without blame before him in love".

Sadly,some who claim to be God's servants today are really jockeying for position, power, or control in the church.Jesus modeled God's character when He laid aside His rights and assumed the position of a servant.Christ illustrated the principle of servanthood when He washed the feet of His disciples on the night before His death,right after His closest friends had been arguing about who would be the greatest among them.(Saints if you want to be the head, you must be willing to take care of the feet).Superficial humility can be groveling,abject demeanor that only hides ambitions.Many in roles appearing to be servants are actually pursuing selfish agendas.

On the other hand, Christ like humility means seeing ourselves as God sees us. This attitude involves reaching out to others,rather than trying to get ahead of others.How often are our acts of service really self serving?what is our attitude when we get no recognition for our good deeds?Do we write on social networking  sites to reach the lost or to convience those we know as to how smart we are.Are we using it to bring glory to God, or for self gratification,are you sure? Jesus came from a position of absolute power to serve us.To the world, success means advancement,for christians, success is putting the needs of others before our own,as we surrendering to the mind of Christ are willing to sacrifice for the good of the body.Those whom Jesus will commend at the final judgment did not realize that  in serving the lowest, they were really serving Him.Saints Jesus shed just as much blood for the least as he did the greatest,yet it seems that we sometimes are willing to give to the greatest,in lue of the least.How many have made large donations to mega churches and big name ministries,but nickle and dime the  poor and homeless shelters seeking high praise from people, and thinking God will bless you more,the bible says he that lendeth to the poor lends to the Lord.Jesus said "when I was hungry you fed me not".

Paul explains how Christians should live by describing Christ's sacrificial life. And we being chosen before the foundation of the world in him,fashioned after his likeness, being born again of his spirit fulfilling his will,our attitude and actions should model His, we should be Christ like.We do not seek to promote ourselves,but instead to minister to others, especially those that are in the greatest need.

Workers Approved Unto God

2 Timothy 2:15" study to shew thyself approved unto God,a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth".

Saints God is looking for believers to stand up for the gospel;Paul stood up for the Gospel,but when he proclaimed its truth, it landed him in jail to suffer like a common criminal.But Paul comforted himself and Timothy by saying "I'm imprisoned, but God's word isn't.I'll persevere, because of those who don't know Christ,and to help the people of God".

Paul encouraged Timothy to stand up for the Gospel and to stand firm on the foundation of his faith.He wanted his son in the ministry to release the dead things of this world(profit,pleasure)and walk in the living things of Christ.Paul desired for his disciples to be the select few who would reign with Christ in the last days,not just experience salvation.Christ is absolutely faithful and true.He refuses to give up on any human being.However,if the people on earth die steadfastly denying Him in front of men,Jesus has no choice.Saints did you know we sometimes deny our savior in front of men in our actions?Somethings we do, deny Jesus in our lives.Christ will deny those who deny Him, when standing before the Father.

Paul told Timothy to repeat basic Christian teaching to God's people.He must warn them against pious nitpicking,which chips away at the faith.This kind of practice serves no good use;it hurts people and wears them down.Everyone who claims to be a follower of Christ should be in the business of building others up not tearing them down.Now this don't mean not being truthful, it means handling everything with the love of God.As servants of God,we must concentrate on doing our best for God,being studious, diligent, and working hard at telling the truth.If we practice this kind of behavior,we will have no need to be ashamed.Approved workers Correctly handle the Word of truth.They know what God's Word says  and they handle it correctly.Handling means they don't make the word say something it does not,nor do they create their own personal interpretation of the word that better suits their purpose.They rightly divide (or use correctly)the Word of truth.

If you want to be one of God's approved workers, you need to faithfully follow God's word.This is accomplished by knowing what it says(studying it) and correctly appling it in your life.There comes a time when a person needs to stop talking about what is true and to start acting on it.Workman who are properly handling God's word know that only by living according to the word will they truly represent God's truth.Paul told Timothy not to be ashamed to proclaim the truth of the Gospel message or to live according to it,that it was worth dying for, and it would endure far beyond his life or that of Timothy. Living faithfully according to God's word is perhaps the biggest difference between a worker who is correctly handling the word of truth and one who is not.

Live in Faith,Hope and Love

1Thessalonians 5:8 "But Let us,who are of the day,be sober,putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet the hope of Salvation".



None of us know when this will occur, but Jesus is comming back.Jesus Himself said," No one knows except the Father". Like a thief coming in the night or a woman who goes into labor,we have no idea when these events will occur.So what shall we do in the meantime? Live in expectancy of Jesus' return. Live out your days in His light,not in the darkness.Jesus reminded believers to remember Noah.The people were partying, drinking, paying no attention to the message Noah was preaching,and all out side the Ark when the floods came parished.Paul warns us "Don't be like others,sleeping and getting drunk, having no awareness of  what's going on around you.Put on faith,love and the hope of salvaion". The point is, Jesus is coming back.Unbelievers laugh and mock,"where is this Jesus" (some believers live as though they don't believe he is coming back).Believers can lose faith and become discouraged,so Paul tells us to encourage one another and build each other up.

Paul instructed the Thessalonians to arm themselves with three virtues:faith and love as a breastplate, followed by the hope of salvation as a helmet. A Roman soilder's breastplate protected his vital organs from neck to waist.In spiritual warfare,it protects the heart from satan's attacks as the helmet of salvation protects the mind,reminding us that we are saved,thus children of the light.

The idea of faith ,hope, and love being armor may sound strange to us.Armor is a military image and faith ,hope, and love are not exactly military mottos.See these three virtues protect us from the root of most of our sin:selfishness.In selfishness,we think about what we want and how we can get more of what we want and control situations. But to welcome faith ,hope, and love in our lives(with the help of the Holy Spirit) is to move away from selfish craving,clutching,and fussing over things.Instead of trying to control situations, we choose to trust God, thus having faith he will work it out.Instead of being cynical about ourselves and our life, we choose to pray in times of trials and tribulations, holding on to the hope that lies within God and his word.Instead of putting ourselves first, we choose to do what is best for another,like Christ when His love for us put our needs above His own.

Let us live in the faith that Jesus has all power, the hope of our salvation and having love one for another the way Christ loved us.

Worthy Is The Lamb!

Revelations 5:12 "Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power,and riches,and wisdom,and strength,and honour,and glory, and blessing".

Worthy is the lamb,The Lamb of God,which taketh away the sin of the world, had to be spotless; concieved of the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth. Because He is holy, therefore He is worthy to be the Lamb Of God."For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins".By the which we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for all.Bulls and goats were offered annually for sin,but the precious blood of Christ was offered once for all who believed. Jesus did what no other living being could do: he gathered together in one the children of God that were scattered:"And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds,from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven".From a wordly perspective,the state of creation appears to be in choas. Things will go as they are written of them,but the lord knows those that are his: For He said,"Those that thou gavest me I have kept,and none of them is lost".

John said The Lamb was worthy, and the books were opened,and we shall all be judged,every man, according to his works.While there is time,worship the Lamb of God! For He is worthy.In heaven He is seen receiving all honor,glory,and praise,yet on earth He received almost none of these things.In fact, He was ridiculed while hanging on the cross,and he was made a curse for us by being crucified.The soilders may have mocked Him as a false king before His crucifixion, but now He is truly worshiped as a king in Heaven.( Do you mock him ,saying he is you King but not living as a subject in His Kingdom)The four living creatures "Amen" in agreement, and the elders do the only thing they could,they fall down and worship the Lamb who was slain, the Lamb who is worthy.

Saints let us remove the focus off of us, our titles, the churches we attend and the Pastors, Bishops and other we might sit under,and even the fact that we are saved,because none of that truly matters.What matters, is that there is a Savior, Jesus the Christ,the precious Lamb of God,For He is worthy. 

Christ!Our Noah's Ark

1 Thessalonians 5:9 "For God hath not appointed us to wrath,but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ".

Saints we should question ourselves so that we can make a careful examination of ourselves and our walk with Jesus Christ.Has Christ's love made any difference in our lives?Does being in a community led by the Holy spirit mean anything to you?Do you really have a caring heart?Saints let us agree with each other,love each other,be one in spirit, and focus on the same goals.Let us lay aside our fleshly desire to be the leader, and instead, let us help others get ahead. But how does one put self and ego aside?Well the apostle Paul paraded Jesus' life in front of all new believers as a guide to know how to move from selfishness to selflessness.Jesus had equal status with God, yet set aside all the devine priviledges,and he humbled himself and did everything His Father told him. He was obedient unto death, even the death on the cross.Christ is a model in living an obedient life, a life that puts others needs ahead of our own.

A Christan is someone who professes a belief that Jesus is the Son of God. In addition , he or she has made a commitment to be like Christ.To be united with Christ means to be one with Jesus, and is a statement of a Christian's partnership with Jesus in communicating to other in our walk and our talk, what he is like.The hearts and action of Christians are to be the same as that of Jesus Christ. Included in the attitude that should characterize the lives of christians, are tenderness,compassion,unity of spirit, love and a desire to serve others.What should be absent are selfish ambitions and vain conceit.God understands that doing these things will not be easy.But neither was Jesus' journey to the cross.Jesus was "obedient to death"knowing that his sacrifice would ultimately result in restoring man's broken relationship with God. God wants Christians to be obedient to the same degree, knowing that this will fulfill His purpose for our lives and work out or finish what was started when we first put our faith in Jesus.

Being one with Christ should result in a desire to be like Christ.This in turn should lead to a commitment to be obedient.The net result should be a life that reflects Christ character, one where our attitude and actions are a good reflection on God.Like Noah's ark, there is only one  door into salvation, and that door is Jesus ,and only those inside Christ spiritual body, His Church, will be saved when the flood of judgment comes. Jesus is our modern day Noah's Ark. Got Jesus? tell a friend save a life. 

Leadership Above Reproach!

1Timothy 3:2"Bishop then must be blameless,the husband of one wife, vigilant,sober,of good behaviour, given to hospitality,apt to teach";

Paul wrote straightforward requirements for church leaders,as this part of the ministry was extremely important.It was important that those in leadership positions were able to communicate God's word clearly.Needed to be blameless,faitful in marriage,sobber minded, watchful against satan,and good to the flock.The leadership was to serve the people not be served by the people.

In our desire to do things the right way,we can sometimes apply Scripture in a cold, loveless way.Or in our desire to make people feel good about themselves,we may skirt the difficult parts and compromise when it comes to honoring God's Word.We might be tempted to "fudge" on some of the biblical leadership qualifications, for example. Neither approach to applying the commands, instructions, and principles of scripture is good.Truth must be accompanied by love.Love cannot go forward without truth.So when selecting good leadership, it matters that we are true to scriptural instructions and yet loving as we apply them.To those who do not yet qualify for leadership but wish to serve in leadership capacity,we should encourage them to develope in their conduct and character,that they meet God's requirments.For those who do qualify, we must continue to hold them to the standard,yet in humility and love that recognizes our own failings.We can pray for them,encourage them, talk with them(rather than gossip about them) about concerns we might have. If truth and love are our rules,we cannot fail to do well in this area of church life.

Good leadership matters, and the people of God have seen the harm to the reputation of Christ and his church that comes when leaders are selected and upheld for wrong or insufficient reasons,such as a personal charisma, good business skills, exciting vision casting, or celebrity status.These cannot be the reason for choosing leadership for God's people.As you think about your own church leaders, how do they compare with the qualifications listed by Paul?How does your own life and leadership qualities measure up? A good leader cannot be one thing at home and something different at church,if one cannot take care of his own home ,how can he/she be qualified to take care of God's house.