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Stan Pratt
Pastor, Way of Life Church
Reading in 2 Corinthians 5, we find Paul saying in Vs 6 “ So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
9 Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. 11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.”
Throughout his Epistles, the Apostle Paul consistently admonished the Christians to live Holy lives, to be of sound mind, to move away from sinful lust – especially sexual. In 2 Peter 2 it is written Be Holy, for I am Holy. We are to be followers of Christ, and if not sure how, Paul said to follow him as he followed Christ.
Can we say that to those in this lost, sin-sick and dying world? Can we actually live in such a manner so as to show others the very nature of our God? According to Scripture, we can. We do have the mind of Christ. We are able to hear his voice. We have been removed from the kingdom of darkness and have been translated into the Kingdom of God’s dear Son. We do have Holy Spirit dwelling in us. He is charged to lead us into all Truth – Jesus said as we abide in Him and his Word abides in us, we will know the Truth, and that Truth will make us free. Free from what? From the dictates of our own sinful flesh nature, that’s what. Having been bought with the precious Blood of Jesus, we are not our own – we belong to the Lord, and being His, the authority of the devil and his works is broken. We can overcome those fleshly lusts. We can live lives pleasing to our God.
Paul wrote to the Saints at Galatia “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. The life I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loves me and gave Himself or me.”
However, we must choose to live that life. Jesus said several times “he who has ears to hear what Holy Spirit is saying, let him hear”. So, we choose each day to Hear what He is saying to us knowing we can be led into all Truth, and that He can show us things to come. I choose life – you can as well.
So we encourage you as Paul said above. make it your aim to please the Lord. Decide you can do what He asks / commands. That He will always be a very present help in your times of need. Thank Him for always willing and working His good pleasure in you so that increasingly you walk with a confidence that you are (by His Spirit and help) revealing the King of Glory, Jesus Christ to those in your spheres. Be blessed today and always as you aim to please Him.
