Watch

"Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love." 1st Corinthians 16:13-14 ESV 

As I was reading my Bible this morning I came across the ending of Paul's letter to the church at Corinth. And they are just as refreshing to me today as the first time I ever read them and they show me how I am to live out my faith in Christ. 

• Watch 

As I sit back and watch the events that are going on in our world today, I have seen a persistent drift away from God's Word as the ultimate guide for our decisions, the decisions of our government, the companies we work for, and us as individuals. Don't agree? Just scan around social media and I promise that you will see all sorts of situations where we need to dig into God's word and prayer for the answers we seek. And what I find saddest is that some of these that are drifting away call Jesus their Lord and Savior. 

• Stand Firm

If we claim to be followers of Christ then we are called to obedience to Him. We are not to compromise biblical beliefs in order to accommodate the world and its views. Every person must decide who or what will be the ranking authority over their life. Will it be the culture of the day, ever-changing like the tides that roll into the shore, or will it be the Bible with a truth that is everlasting and that has been proven for thousands of years? 

• Be Strong

Always remember that as a believer in Christ you never stand alone. Even at a moment when you feel totally abandoned by everyone and everything in your life, Christ is still standing there with you. To say it a little more clearly, when we make a stand for Christ, He makes a stand for us. His power, not ours, enables us to share His grace and love even when we feel oppressed, threatened, or abused for our faith in Christ.  

Throughout history, many followers such as Stephen, Martin Luther, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Jim Elliot, and countless others throughout history stood strong in their commitment to follow Christ and proclaim God's word. When I stand apart from Christ I know that I don't have the power to stand up to much of anything. It is only when I remember the words of Paul and the sacrifice of Christ that I find my faith and show my obedience.