Suppose I asked what the mission of the church is—how would you answer? Although the church accomplishes many tasks, the most important is to share the gospel of Christ. Everything else is merely an extension of that. Never outdated or in need of correction, the good news of Jesus Christ is sufficient to meet humanity’s greatest need: salvation from bondage to sin, through reconciliation with the Father.
The message has remained the same throughout the centuries, but there are many methods of making it known, including the spoken word, music, written material, and the media. But all these avenues of communication require the individual involvement of God’s people.
Some Christians think the role of sharing the message and making disciples, known as the Great Commission, belongs only to pastors or missionaries. But every one of us has the responsibility to be involved—we all can give, pray, and tell friends and family what the Lord has done for us.
When you’re truly committed to getting the gospel out, God will reveal what work He is calling you to do. He has a place for every one of His children—nobody is insignificant or without purpose. The limiting factor is not the Lord’s ability to use us but our availability to His call.
Have you discovered that your expectations do not match the realities of your existence? We sometimes have the mistaken idea that God is going to make life easier after salvation. In some ways, this certainly is true: As believers, we have the Holy Spirit, who transforms us into Christ’s likeness, enabling us to handle struggles with peace, contentment, and even joy. But being a Christian does not spare us from troubles and hardships. (See John 16:33.)
As Paul explains, our present sufferings cannot be compared to the glories we will one day know. So for now, we “groan within ourselves” (Rom. 8:23) while awaiting Christ’s coming kingdom and the redemption of our bodies. When Jesus died on the cross, He paid the price, redeemed us, and brought us into His kingdom. However, we are still in a fallen state—that’s why we continue to struggle with sin. Our full redemption will become reality upon Christ’s return, when our bodies will be resurrected into their glorified state.
Do you groan within yourself for that day, knowing that the world is not your home—or have you allowed your affections and interests to be dominated by this earthly life?
2 Thessalonians 2:13-17
A person of conviction feels certain that his beliefs are true. However, it’s often the case that the things people believe are based on the current conditions or situations of their life. Then, when circumstances change, their convictions do as well. In other words, it’s not uncommon to find someone go back and forth on issues that require a firm resolve.
Contrast this wishy-washy approach with the mindset of the devoted followers of God described in Scripture. Despite many years of unfair treatment, Joseph didn’t waver in his commitment to the Lord (Gen. 39:1-9). Daniel was a righteous man who earned the trust of foreign kings in an idolatrous land by standing firm in his beliefs (Dan. 6:8-28). His friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego also refused to compromise their beliefs despite the threat of death. As a result, their resolve caused the king to recognize the Lord as the one true God (Dan. 3:13-30).
The godly convictions of these biblical heroes withstood the changing winds of opinion and the persuasive arguments of opponents. Unshakeable trust in God and His Word is what grounded their beliefs. Today more than ever, we need men and women who stand firm against philosophies and ideas that threaten the church. Will you commit to be bold for the Lord?
Years ago I lived in Fruitland, North Carolina. It was apple country, and several of my parishioners were growers. When I stopped by to visit one of them, I found him mercilessly cutting branches from one of the trees. He told me that to produce an abundant crop of the best fruit, he had to prune the branches. It might look as if the tree was going to die, but new growth would spring from the wounds.
Our conversation helped me understand why the Lord sometimes acts as a pruning knife in our lives. To get a plentiful crop of spiritual fruit, He must remove anything that hinders us from becoming the person He designed us to be. The process is often painful as God cuts away fleshly habits and worldly attitudes, but His pruning results in us becoming a more accurate reflection of Jesus Christ.
Being loved by God doesn’t mean being coddled. Our comfort is not His primary interest. Just as a grower prunes an apple tree to get a bountiful harvest, so God must sometimes cause us pain in order to bring forth greater spiritual growth, Christlike character, and abundance.
To get the most out of this devotion, set aside time to read the Scripture referenced throughout.
Any good gardener will tell you the importance of staking new plants. The braces provide support and help plants grow straight and tall. In teaching us obedience, the Lord similarly redirects our natural inclinations so we can grow in a Godward direction.
As we mature in our faith, we see that the Lord is teaching us how to submit ourselves to Him in ways both big and small. And yet He never forces us to comply. That means obedience isn’t passive; it’s a decision we make again and again until we’ve completed our time on earth.
Remember that even Jesus practiced the discipline of submission, and—as always—He serves as our role model (Heb. 5:7-8). Like Him, we must choose to live obediently, even when what we’re being asked to do is hard or painful. This willingness to listen and follow, no matter what the cost, glorifies God and transforms us in ways we never imagined (2 Cor. 9:13).
Think about it
• Have you been fighting against the Lord’s guidance? How can you begin to make a better choice and grow in obedience to Him?
