~ "It's now or never..."

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be you steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, for as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (1 Cor 15:58)

Not everything that the Lord calls us to do is easy. Sometimes the work can be frustrating and may seem unrewarding. When your voice is not heard, or it is misinterpreted, people become angry and hurt. Most people don't want to know what God really thinks of what they are doing. They wander around on the earth doing and saying what they please and figure that it won't matter because they are going to heaven anyway. Just believing in God and knowing that Jesus is your Savior is not enough. There's a feeling of joy in your soul that comes with the acceptance of Christ. The Holy Spirit fills you will a desire to drop immediately to your knees and worship him! It is evidenced in the way you live your life. The changes that take place almost immediately let people know that you have changed. Your desire to know more about he who created you and he who died for you become overwhelming. The want to change everything that is not pleasing to him becomes almost an obsession. The desire to please him supersedes everything in your life.

When we become comfortable in our salvation, we forget the little things he asks us to do - like be a witness to others, no matter what. Sure, we can temper our witnessing with love most of the times, but there are certain times when we feel we must draw the line in the sand and plant our feet firmly in Christ. Taking a "stand" against what is not of God generally doesn't cause too many problems; people look at you and figure you're just a little "off". It's those bigger, more controversial issues that test your faith. Those are the issues that may cause your friends and family to storm off in a huff or just "delete" you and never want to hear from you again. Sometimes people just don't want to believe what they are doing is wrong and that God does not approve because they somehow got the mistaken impression that they were promised joy and happiness while on earth. If you read the Old Testament, you will find that there was not a lot of joy and happiness for the Jews. They spend much of their time in bondage or traveling and serving others. Those who obeyed God's law, saw the fruits of their obedience, those who did not were ultimately destroyed. God is not above destroying nations, especially when they blatantly go against his law. With all the immorality and sinful lusts of this world, there are the few who struggle to do the right thing, to be the Christian they are instructed to be and to take a stand against the enemy. He will make every effort to destroy that which is good and bring about an abomination of disease and pain in order to further his cause. The results of our actions (or inactions) will be legacy left to our children.

What we do for the Lord is never a work in vain, so long as we do it with his blessing. He gives us the ability and the means to spread his word so that when he returns there will be no doubt that others have been told exactly what it is he wants them to hear. It can be a very thankless job from the standpoint of humans, but it is a very urgent request that comes straight from the Creator and is one that is not to be bargained with or ignored. Give yourself over to the only authority that matters, the authority of God, the authority of Jesus Christ and the authority of the Holy Spirit. In the words of one of our slain presidents, "let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation" of Christians, who will not be silenced by the enemy, who will stand up for what is right and will praise God for all he has so freely given by doing what is right, what is good and what is holy - in HIS eyes!