There is a lot of confusion today about God and His desire for us. Too many people think of God as some distant being who never cares for humanity. Some even feel or believe that God only seeks to punish us. Some people talk about God laughing at our plight as He looks upon our miserable existence. This view of God is not what we find in Scripture. In fact, God’s Word gives us a completely different understanding of God and His desire for us.
Our responsibility to live Spirit-controlled lives each day is not to be taken lightly. Every day, the struggle against the flesh is real. Even though we have a renewed spirit resurrected by the Holy Spirit, we still have our physically corrupt bodies to deal with. It is not until Christ returns that our bodies will be changed (1 Corinthians 15:52). Until then, we battle each day to reign in the lusts that our flesh desires. It is a battle. However, we can overcome the flesh by yielding to God through obedience.
Any person sleeping is usually unaware of what is happening around them. They are not ready to react or act appropriately to their circumstances and surroundings. God wants us to be fully awake and cognizant of all happening around us.
The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated something significant that is related to today’s blog. Worldwide events can happen suddenly and without warning. Undoubtedly, many were taken by surprise when the pandemic occurred. It was an event that affected the entire world at once. In fact, thinking back through history, only one other event affected the whole world in such a short amount of time.
As you read Scripture, you will discover another great event that follows the rapture. It is often referred to as “the day of the Lord.” In fact, that exact phrase is used in our text this week.
Biblical love is a purposeful commitment to sacrificial action for God and others. On the other hand, hope is a desire to experience God’s promises of blessing and a strong expectation that we will see them come to fruition.
However, today, the Holy Spirit brings our attention to the apparent fact that death awaits us all. None of us are immune, even us as believers. Yet, despite its inevitable arrival, we, as believers, have a hope that supersedes any hope the world might have. That is the subject of today’s text.
Many social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat, have exploded in popularity over the last decade. While they all have significant advantages, disadvantages exist, as with all things. Unfortunately, these social media platforms have unleashed a side of humanity without boundaries. Too many people use social media to “stick their noses” in other people’s business.
These believers could love others because of what they had learned from God. In other words, their willingness to spend time with God and His Word led them to thoughts, words, and actions of love toward others. One of the biggest issues in many believers’ lives is their lack of time spent in God’s Word.
However, Jehovah is far different from the pagan false gods so many desire to worship. God is holy and demands righteousness, but knowing our hopeless and helpless sinful condition, He understood that we needed Someone to make us righteous before Him. Thus, God’s plan was to send His Son, the perfect Lamb of God, as a sacrifice for our sins so that we, through Christ’s blood, might be made righteous once again before Him.