Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen Hebrews 11: 20-21
In Christ, we are given all that we need to live free from anxiety, fear, guilt or shame. Yet, we go about our lives too often as though we are paupers spiritually. Oh, yes; I am well aware of the turmoil that surrounds us in this world. The news broadcasts are filled with the constant flow of anger, hatred, hypocrisy, terror, violence, chaos, and doom. We despair as our civil liberties to pray or to speak the name of Christ are being removed for fear that we might offend another while we are to listen with open ears to other religions in the name of religious freedom. All of this creating greater divide from the core truth of our faith which is proclaiming the name of Christ with love, honor, and kindness. We must remain fearless and uncompromising in standing firm to the truth that Jesus is the only way; while at the same time doing so with gentle compassion and true humility. How?
Beyond the turmoil that surrounds us, there are the battles we find ourselves in within our own hearts. We are bombarded by sorrows, pains, and disappointments in this fallen world. We become discouraged with our own attempts at being the Christians we should be. We were not taken out of this world at the point of salvation. We face illness, loss, financial ruin, heartbreak, and pain in our lives—our faith does not separate us from the truth of life within a fallen world. Where do we find the faith to be bold in the middle of so many trials? How can I proclaim that deep within me is a fountain of steadfast joy bubbling up to wash over the darkest sorrows?
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