vigilance | Daily Encouragement | Page 4

Tag Archives: vigilance

Leave a comment

Uncategorized

“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

Leave a comment

Uncategorized

“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. From the end of this short verse to its beginning — phrase by phrase — let us look at what Paul has said.

“Do everything in love”: Treat others as you would have others treat you. 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. Rely on this strength.

“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 it — then be it!

“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. Because you are a person of inestimable worth and value, there is a bounty on your life. Therefore, guard your heart, your thoughts, your motives, and your affections against theft and/or misuse by unworthy agents. – Luther

Tagged contending for the faith, discipleship, discipline, perseverance, the book of 1 Corinthians, vigilance

Leave a comment

Uncategorized Aside

“In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. So a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab.” (Ruth 1:1, NIV)

The great works of God — whether in us, with us, or through us — begin in the most humble and common of circumstances.

The story of Ruth and Naomi and their persistent faith, loyalty, and humility began with the compelling — but utterly common — circumstance of famine, and a humble family’s sojourn to a foreign land for the purpose of surviving the famine.

Be utterly faithful to Him in even the most boring of times; and look for Him in the commonplace. We often miss experiencing God because He appears to us in rags when we expect Him only in robes. Whether in rags or in robes, God is God. Be vigilant in all circumstances! – Luther

Tagged anticipating God, Naomi, the book of Ruth, vigilance