| Before We Get Gathered
Number 122: August 14, 2007 A noted man once put the past and the future into perspective. He wrote: If we forget those who have gone before us down the path of faith, then we will rob our own future. If, on the other hand, we try to live in their past, then we will rob our own present. I try diligently to remember those who have gone before me down the path of faith and also to live by faith as I walk the path from the present into the future. Daily we need to remember that it is about Christ. He is whom we preach, not ourselves, nor any man or social program. II Corinthians 4:5: For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. II Corinthians 5:16: Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. We need to promote Christ and his accomplishments not our own. We should not concentrate on flamboyant style but rather on substance. We present Biblical teaching of substance, based on God’s Word, not on sensationalism. They should be a consistent presentation of God’s Word in an understandable fashion. We should choose to expend our efforts to make known God, His Word, His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and our standing as children of God. I Corinthians 3:7-9: So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. When inspiration ebbs, then one needs to take up the slack with dedication, discipline, and commitment. Have you ever considered how many scriptures exhort Christians to inspiration compared with how many scriptures exhort to things like being steadfast, being unmovable, watching, enduring, or standing? The former are few and the latter abundant. We need to reach a level of maturity where we act because of what God’s Word says rather than because of feelings. Inspiration is difficult to guarantee, to gender and to maintain. The qualities which can be maintained are those like being steadfast, being unmovable, watching, enduring, standing. This will be a life time endeavor. Return to main page |