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“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:13, NIV)

In 17 words, Paul provides the Christian disciple with a challenge for every day, and a charge for each life.

“Do everything in love”: Act for others as one would act for self. Live to please our heavenly Father.

“Be strong”: If the Holy Spirit of God is your strength, you are strong indeed. His strength never flags. His power never fails.

“Be courageous”: Going against “conventional wisdom” with God’s wisdom; swimming upstream; standing alone in one’s convictions; or choosing the narrow gate requires moral, physical, and spiritual courage. Choose — then be!

“Stand firm in the faith”: Conventional wisdom, enlightened self-interest, and fashion are “currents and tides.” Faith is the disciple’s anchor, and the word of God is the anchor’s chain.

“Be on your guard”: Thieves do not steal things that have no value. As a person of inestimable worth and value, there is a bounty on your life. Guard your heart, your thoughts, your motives, and your affections against theft and/or misuse by unworthy agents. – Luther

Tagged discipleship, steadfastness, the book of 1 Corinthians, vigilance

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“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11, NIV)

For disciple of Jesus, walking the narrow path that leads to life (please see Matthew 7:13-14 for full scripture reference) is as natural as breathing; but it doesn’t begin that way.

It may take years for us to reach the place where we are naturally in stride with the will of God, and we will never arrive at that point without first subjecting our ambitions, habits, preferences, prejudices, and pastimes to the scrutiny God’s word — and modifying our actions accordingly.

To sin is to miss the mark. There are some deficiencies in our living that are the result of ignorance, but these instances are few — and become fewer and fewer with each year of life!

Most of the shortcomings in our relationship with God are the result of willful disobedience. We yield to our bad habits, craven ambitions, and prejudices because it is far more comfortable to continue living there than to change-up our lifestyle and come alive to God’s plan.

The key to staying in stride with our heavenly Father is to read His word; to heed His word; and to hide His word in your heart. – Luther

Tagged discipleship, God's word, sin, the book of Psalms

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“After proclaiming the Message in Derbe and establishing a strong core of disciples, they retraced their steps to Lystra, then Iconium, and then Antioch, putting muscle and sinew in the lives of the disciples, urging them to stick with what they had begun to believe and not quit, making it clear to them that it wouldn’t be easy: ‘Anyone signing up for the kingdom of God has to go through plenty of hard times.'” (Acts 14:21-22, The Message)

Expectations. Set forth clear expectations today, and you will avoid a great deal of misunderstanding and disappointment tomorrow.

As disciples of Jesus, we are told numerous times in the scriptures to expect hardship, resistance, and trial for the sake of the Good News. Difficulties come with being a citizen of heaven. Expect it.

We are also told numerous times in the scriptures to expect the presence of God’s Holy Spirit in every circumstance, to empower, to cheer, and to guide us.

Are our expectations as God’s people based on God’s word, or are our expectations based on something else? – Luther

Tagged discipleship, expectations, hardship, the book of Acts, trial