Good morning, Zane.
Once again, my day yesterday became so congested that I failed to get off a devo message to you. I hope, however, that you are on a personal devotional routine/discipline that allows you to find good spiritual food and inspiration from your own Biblical consumption. Please understand that to be a mark of Christian maturity—something the immature never or seldom take time for.
I also would encourage you to attend a solid Bible-believing church today—even if no one else around you does. I believe that practice not only sets you up to get in on the benefits of corporate worship and encouragement, but also sets you apart as a Christian leader.
Have a great day. Love and prayers. Tua/Ray.
WHO AM I LIVING TO PLEASE? That has to be near the top on a list of most important questions for anyone to ask. And a clear Biblical understanding of what it really means to be a CHRISTIAN is of major value in answering that question appropriately. To “receive Christ” is to personally accept His atoning sacrifice for my sinful condition and designates Him as my personal SAVIOR. But that’s not all there is to it. More is required. From that point on I am required to follow Him, obey Him, and SERVE Him—making Him my personal LORD.
My grandfather was an old-world machinist and craftsman. As a kid I marveled at his skills. Still do. I judged that he could make anything. I remember him having some fun with his abilities by slicing two copper pennies in half, then bonding the two head halves together to form a double-headed penny. That made for an amusing conversation piece—or a little deceitful trick that would win a coin toss every time if it was a “heads, I win—tails, you loose” arrangement. However, to be technical, both pennies have now lost their intrinsic value as negotiable pieces of currency. Two sides are required in order for it to be an authentic penny.
In like manner, the two sides of Christ must be embraced in order to identify and confirm an authentic CHRISTIAN. Christ must be both SAVIOR and LORD—or He is virtually NOTHING—and the so-called CHRISTIAN who misrepresents the authentic Christ is not an authentic CHRISTIAN.
This can only mean that if I allow my views, attitudes, and behavior to be shaped and driven by the world around me—my culture, peer pressure, “fake news,” or popular opinion—Christ is no longer my LORD in the truest sense—and my representation of Christ is skewed. It is, therefore, essential that I continually monitor and evaluate my thinking and “take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5)”—so as to maintain Christ as both SAVIOR and LORD—and me as His SERVANT. Please agree.