Be Faithful to Our Faithful God
God has blessed us with so many blessings and He is always faithful to keep His Word. This is true, even when we are unfaithful. Our God is worthy of our faithfulness and He tells us to be Holy because He is Holy. As we consider our lives in this new year of 2023, it is my prayer that we would consider our own daily walk with the Lord. There are a few basic disciplines for personal faithfulness that we talk about often at Cornerstone Grace. I would like to share them here. A Christian cannot have a truly close relationship with God, if they are neglecting the following basic aspects of their relationship with the Lord.
Bible Study - Daily reading and study of the Word of God is a necessity for a healthy Christian.
Prayer - Daily prayer, alone with the Lord, is a critical discipline for a healthy Christian.
Fellowship with the Body of Christ (the Church) - Spending time regularly with the local Church is a must for a healthy Christian.
As we reflect on the personal disciplines for a strong relationship with the Lord, we need to also consider the effect of our lives on the world around us. God has not placed believers in the Church just to be members of an organization. Our Lord Jesus shed His blood to buy our freedom from sin, so we would glorify God, and so we would be an example of good works to others.
(Matthew 5:16 NKJ)
16 "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. “
Along with our good works, we need to consider the mission that the Lord Jesus has given to the believers. He has commissioned us to go and make disciples, which starts with sharing the Gospel. As we share the Gospel and people believe, we are to baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and then disciple them by teaching them to obey all things that the Lord Jesus commanded. It seems like many Christians are confused about their purpose in the Body of Christ. The Gospel ministry is one that Jesus has given to each believer, so spreading the gospel should be a personal commitment from everyone the Lord has saved. Once people are saved and following Christ, we should spend a great deal of time and effort discipling them. This is a lifelong activity that is vital for a healthy Christian and to have the local Church be healthy.
(Matthew 28:18-20 NKJ)
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.
It is an exciting thing to consider that the Sovereign God, has saved us, and given us work to do for His Glory! My hope is that you will be encouraged by these words and no matter where you find yourself today, on these matters, that you would take seriously your role in the Church. One day we will meet face-to-face with the Lord and it would be wonderful to hear “Well done, My good and faithful servant!”.
In Christ,
Pastor Rodney