I Corinthians 16: 13-14 ” Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.”

As a Christian, are you a leader or a follower?   If your group of friends are doing something that you don’t agree with, do you stand up for your faith, or do you just remain quiet and compromise?  This scripture tells us to be cautious on how we conduct ourselves and lead our lives.  In any questionable situation we should be asking ourselves…would Jesus do this?

Matthew 9: 6-7 ” Then He said to the paralytic, ‘Get up, take your mat and go home.’ And the man got up and went home.”

A group of friends brought a paralyzed man to the Lord and Jesus  gave him a three-stage command.  “Stand up on your once useless legs,  pick up and carry the mat you were brought here on, and go home and witness.   Jesus was asking the paralytic to do something he couldn’t do before …”Stand to your feet.”  Jesus then commanded him to pick up his only means of transportation and carry what had carried him in the past.  And finally, He said, ” Go home and testify of your  healing to everyone that  has only known you as a paralytic…and take the mat as a remembrance. “

John 6: 28-29 ” Then they asked Him, ‘What must we do to do the works God requires?’ Jesus answered, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent.’ “

God’s not asking for our toil and labor.  He’s not looking for elaborate and great achievements we can do in His name.  No, He’s quite simply asking us to believe…to believe that He sent His Son into the world to save it and give us eternal life.  But for many, it’s hard to just trust…for we think we have to “do something” to gain this pardon.  But it’s very true, the only thing God asks of us… is to believe.

Philippians 3:9 ” …that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ – the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.”

There’s the Law of works and the Law of faith.  The Law of works tell you that if you’re perfect and do enough good works down here on earth, you can somehow “work” your way into heaven.  But in the end,  the only thing you’ll  see is depression, anxiety, and discouragement…for no one can live a perfect life, and despite  how many good works you do, it’ll never be enough.  On the other hand the Law of faith frees us from that condemnation  and  self-loathing  that loves to torture us when we fail.  Within the Law of faith there is not only that freedom,  but saving grace and mercy… all in the name of Jesus.

John 14:2 ” In My Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.”

We all long for a place to call our own.  A safe, quiet place,  full of peace and security, where we can feel loved.  That’s what your Heavenly Father is making ready for you right now.  A place for you to dwell and remain in,  not like anything else you’ve ever lived in before.  It is beyond anything you can imagine…but it will be perfect for you in every way.

James 1: 2-3 ” Consider it pure joy my Brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.”

Trials and temptations…we don’t like them.  We would  rather live  blissfully  in some kind of bubble insulated from the world and all bad stuff, but this scripture tells us otherwise.  It says as Believers we need to look upon trials and temptations with happiness…  because  by them we are refined in the crucible of Christ …becoming more like Him everyday.

Acts 26: 16 ” Now get up and stand to your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of Me and what I will show you.”

Jesus was speaking to Saul, but He could well be speaking to any of us.  “Get up out of the gutter I’ve found you in and stand to your feet.  You’ve been called out of the muck and the mire to follow Me.   My plan for you in this  journey will be a lifetime of  Me revealing Myself to you…of you experiencing  revelations  and being changed by them.”

Mark 13: 21-22 ” At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, there he is!’ do not believe it. For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform signs and miracles to deceive the elect – if that were possible.”

Jesus warns us of people who will try to seduce us away from the truth.  Pseudo-christs  acknowledge Jesus…but then claim to actually  be Him, while  anti-Christs  oppose the true Jesus Christ and His power.  Both will amaze the multitudes with wonders…both come in sheep’s clothing to deceive the nations.  But the very last phrase of this scripture gives all Christians confidence.  “…to deceive the elect – if that were possible.”  The elect are us…chosen by God, and we won’t be deceived, for  with the prompting of the Holy Spirit we will be able to discern good from evil…a testing of the spirits if you will, to know deep down when something just doesn’t look or sound right.

Psalm 41:12 ” In my integrity You uphold me and set me in Your presence forever.”

If you’ve asked Jesus Christ into your life…if you call yourself a Believer…if you love the Lord with all your heart, soul, and mind – nothing can or will ever take you from Him.  Your destiny and eternal life is securely established in Him forever.

Romans 1:17 ” For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’ “

Our Christianity  hinges on one little word…faith.  We believe what we can not see.  We put our trust in someone we’ve never physically  met.  We have confidence that when we die we’ll have eternal life.  Our spiritual walk from beginning to end is entirely based on  assurances we’ve  read in an ancient book.  Yes, Christians are a curious lot…a group of people who stand on faith alone and live by it daily.