Friday's Challenge

Hebrews 6:10-12, “For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. ¹¹ And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, ¹² that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (NKJV)

I continue to believe that God is calling each of us to draw closer to Him. I have sensed the Spirit reminding me of the need to strengthen my "love relationship" with God. I truly desire to serve Him from a heart that is filled with sincere and heartfelt love for my Savior. It is so easy to become captured in a cycle of "duty" when it comes to serving God. I refuse to become a "religious robot" that only responds to God because I have been "programmed" to respond to God. I desire for the Holy Spirit to take me, mold me, shape me and fill me with a renewed and fresh desire to serve God because I truly love Him. My love for Him must be based on the fact that God loved me first!!

We live in a world in which God seems to be pushed to the back burner until we can find the time to "work Him" into our schedule. We must be careful and not grow careless in the development of our relationship with God. I believe that the challenges of living in this period of history will require us to make sure that our walk with Christ is "secure." This is no time to be wavering in our faith and this is the time that God is calling each of us to "live out" our faith on a daily basis.

I would like to share some thoughts that Charles Stanley expressed concerning the passage of scripture that I shared today.

"Most of us are quick to declare our love for God, but at times our reluctance to serve Him tells a different story. Honestly consider whether you have ever found yourself saying or thinking, I love you, Lord, but don't call me to do that! Or perhaps you served Him, but with a flawed attitude: If no one else will do it, then I guess I will. What causes us to be reluctant servants?" (These are Dr. Stanley italics.)

Dr. Stanley goes on talk about some of the challenges that each of us face on a daily basis. We become a prisoner of "busyness." We fight for the time to serve and worship God yet find plenty of time to serve ourselves. We become a prisoner of "inadequacy." The enemy seeks to make us feel that we are either incapable or insecure when it comes to our walk with Christ. He will also throw in the feelings of unworthiness to add to your discouragement. It is also easy for each of us to live in a prison of "selfishness." We do live in a world in which many people are captured by a "me first" mentality. Aren't you glad that Jesus was not selfish? Aren't you glad that He willingly chose to go to the cross in my (your) place? 

Each of us face the daily choice of the direction of our lives. I am determined to follow Christ to the best of my ability but my success in my decision making process is connected to my LOVE FOR GOD!! I desire to love Him more and I desire to allow His Love for me lead me into the fullness of His promises for my life.