The Weekly Word: Stand Strong
The weekly verse
“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes...”
—Jesus (Luke 12:35-37, ESV)
the weekly question
What does god desire to do?
Though there’s tremendous anticipation for God’s Kingdom to come, there’s also preparation & work to be done. This is why personal readiness is a vital point-of-emphasis made by Jesus & Scripture as a whole. The question is, what does it look like for followers of Christ to “remain ready”?
“And the Lord replied, “A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them. If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward.
But what if the servant thinks, ‘My master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant in pieces and banish him with the unfaithful.”
—Jesus (Luke 12:42-43, 45-46, NLT)
As Jesus’ disciples, we have a responsibility to tangibly demonstrate the love of Christ to those He brings across our path. This means there are certain needs that God has called us to meet, and there are holes that He’s uniquely designed us to fill. If we’re “checked out” then we’ll miss out. But if we’re locked-in, we can tap into the specific opportunities that God’s Spirit promises to empower us for.
At the end of the day, if we’re going to be ready for what The Lord has in store for tomorrow, we have to remain faithful to what He’s given us today. Ask God each day what He desires to do, and through the wisdom of His Spirit, He’ll reveal His will to you.
the weekly Consideration
“Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently, He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to?
The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage, but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”
—C.S. Lewis (Mere Christianity)
the weekly challenge
“Then I saw heaven opened, and a white horse was standing there. Its rider was named Faithful and True, for he judges fairly and wages a righteous war.”
Revelation 19:11 (NLT)
At the apex of the final age, Jesus is going to right every wrong in our world. And He won’t be alone when He does. As our Good God finalizes His conquest over the world, He’ll be accompanied by all those who faithfully followed His Son in righteousness (Revelation 19:14).
These are people who exchange their sinful & religious rags for Jesus’ white-washed robes of pure & holy deeds. Instead of indulging themselves, these people deny themselves in pursuit of God’s purposes. These people understand that God is responsible for revenge (Romans 12:19), and their responsibility is righteousness. Fundamentally, these Christ-followers:
“Refuse to allow evil to conquer them but choose to conquer evil by doing good.”
Romans 12:21
No matter how dark things appear, remain confident in knowing that nothing will overcome God’s Light (John 1:5). Stand strong in your faith in Jesus, and ask The Spirit to show you your place in this fight. Give thanks to God for who He's made you to be in Christ, and let the joy of salvation fill you with His indescribable delight.
“I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God! For he has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom dressed for his wedding or a bride with her jewels.”
Isaiah 61:10 (NLT)
we pray this week’s edition of “the weekly word” blesses you & the lives of those around you!
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