I'm finally getting Chapter Twelve notes up for this week. It's been a little crazy lately!
Rewind
What are some ways you can do better at investing the resources God has given you for His purposes?
Just like Paul, I want Jesus to say to me "Well done, good and faithful slave!" This is motivation to "stay in the race". I think we can do better by keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus. It's so easy to give up or do something more pleasurable in the short term, but keeping our eyes on Him will be that constant reminder that our actions now are choosing our eternity. Of course we'll still be saved if we've accepted Him, but the extent of our rewards will be determined by how we've served and are serving Him now.
Rethink
Philippians 2:10-11
One day everyone will confess Jesus as Lord. That is a fact. But, if you wait until judgement to confess, it's too late for you. you will not be able at that point to enter into eternity with God the Father. That's why it's so important to receive Him now by faith. Faith is trusting and believing in something you can't see. Even though there is so much evidence all around us that points straight to Jesus people will still reject and doubt Him.
Whew! These next few questions are really challenging! You really have to go in and get knee deep and evaluate exactly where you are.
The only thing that matters is Jesus and what you do with Him and for Him. So many people do "good" things, but those things are really worthless if they aren't done in Jesus' name. Everything we do is filth without Jesus. But. Once we've received Him as our Lord and Savior, all we do in His name will reap eternal reward. All the service, the mercy, the love, the sacrifice- he will keep an account of , and we will receive back reward from Him.
So am I ready for His return?
I think that there's always room for "better" that we could have done. Hindsight is always 20/20, right? But, at this point in my life, I almost beg Jesus to go ahead and come back. I am just tired of all the junk this world has to offer, and I just long for the day when I don't have to deal with all this junk anymore.
And, today is a knew day. It's never to late to commit to wholly serving Jesus even if you have never really committed to wholly serving Him before.
Reflect
By what standard are you measuring success?
By the world's standards, my life wouldn't be successful. I don't have a career outside of my home. I didn't graduate from college. I don't have a wardrobe full of designer clothes. I don't have a Coach purse. I don't have a magazine perfect home. I don't have the standard and convienent two kids. I have ten. That alone keeps me out of the "successful" catagory into the "crazy" catagory.
But God's idea of success is different. I have a career inside my home taking care of my husband and children (Titus 2). I didn't graduate from college, but I've homeschooled all of my children and am graduating one from high school next month. (Deuteronomy 6: 7-9) I don't have a wardrobe full of designer clothes, but I wear second hand to make sure the budget stretches so that my husband and children have what they need. (Proverbs 31) I have ten children and the oldest seven, so far, have received Jesus and been baptized. I've reaised up warriors for God and aimed my arrows toward Him (Psalm 127:4) My oldest arrows are heading off to mission's trips this summer. I don't say this to be arrogant or brag, because only, only, only by the GRACE of God in my life have these things been possible. If you knew me before I got married and had children you'd know what a mess my life was. And, even after receiving Jesus there are so many times when I should have and could have done better for Him. Trust me, there have been plenty of times where I've wanted that Coach purse and that picture perfect home.
It leads right into the next few questions-we have to be citizens of heaven, not the world. There, the things the world deems successful don't matter. (Although, God knows what we women like, so who knows what rewards He'll have for us, LOL!)
React
What does it mean to "walk in a manner worthy of God" ? ( 1 Thessalonians 2:12)
While we do have to wait to physically enjoy all the benefits of being a citizen of heaven, we are still already citizens right now. We are already fellows heirs with Christ. He has already defeated death. It is already finished. We are just waiting for the day when we can go to our earthy home. But, our time here isn't up. God still has still set tasks before us in this life. He still wants us to fully and completely use the opportunity of this life to fulfill his tasks and purposes. We still need to fully serve Him with the time we have left in this life and do it with joy knowing what waits for us.
What are your thoughts?
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