We have all been called to serve others, but that’s usually easier said than done! By nature, we are selfish people who long for recognition and glory. But serving someone else requires giving up the right to come first. It means laying down your conceit and replacing it with meekness.
In our mission of elevating Christ, let us also remember that to “elevate” something also means to make it known and desirable. When we speak His name, let us speak of His goodness. His power. His kindness. His love. His mercy. Let us elevate His name to the highest level for adoration.
For if we don’t know the truth, how can we tell it? If we aren’t living it, who will believe it? The most amazing part of it is that while we are living and unleashing truth to our friends to lead them to salvation, we are also honoring our great God by worshipping Him. The Father is seeking for those who will worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Is our love for worshipping in truth just as established as worshipping in Spirit? Can we say that we are completely worshipping the Lord? Are we fully equipped to unleash truth?
To unlock something is an action that means to release, to open, or to free it. It means taking something that is in hiding and bringing it to the light. Sometimes our faith can be bound up because of fear, doubt, inadequacy, or other issues that may cloud our lives. As we reach out to others to spread the Gospel, it can be overwhelmingly daunting and nearly impossible without faith. But when we use the keys that Jesus has given us through His liberating Word to open the door that holds our faith, there are no limits to what we can do!
If there is something in your life that God has instructed you to get rid of either through His Word or by convicting your heart, don’t wait. Annihilate it immediately and completely. Don’t give any chance for sin to creep into your life. No matter how harmless the thing may be, trust that the Lord is leading you to better things and follow Him anyway. We need to constantly search ourselves and ask God to help us see what we are valuing that goes against Him.
Today, we are God’s people who are still encountering the Holy Spirit like on that day of Pentecost. We are still living in the days spoken of by the prophet Joel and fulfilling the Word of God. We are the sons and daughters that are prophesying. We are seeing visions and dreaming dreams. We are witnessing God’s miracles, signs, and wonders. And we will see that great and notable day of the Lord. This is that.
On our own, we are of little worth. We are humans born into sin; flawed and lost. But through baptism in the name of Jesus, we take on the identity of the most matchless and priceless God (Galatians 3:27). We are found, made whole, and given the highest honor because He has written His name on us! The value of every part of our life only holds that worth because of the name that was imprinted on us by the King of Kings. Every talent and ability is a God-given gift that should be used for glorifying the unrivaled name of Jesus.
When Jesus came to this world in the form of a man, He came to buy us back from the enemy of our souls. He paid the ultimate price by sacrificing Himself on the cross as a payment for every sin of every person who had ever been and ever would be.
There may be seasons in your life that you find yourself feeling mistreated though you’ve done nothing wrong. You may feel that God is overlooking your good deeds and giving someone else undue credit. Regardless of your circumstances, God has not forgotten you. He never will – He loves you too much! He sees and honors your every sacrifice and obedient decision. He has created you for a divine and specific purpose and is working in ways you may not fully understand yet. But trust me when I tell you that if you stand firm on God’s Word through you
God gives us the commandment to honor our parents (See Ephesians 6:1-3). This greatly includes obeying them even when we don’t entirely comprehend their direction or decisions. This holds true for those of us who may not have a biological father to guide us in truth, but can look to a Godly father-figure to instruct us in the way we should go.