There will be a time when those who are in Christ will rise. And that time will mean that all will rise, even those that have passed from this world in death. When Christ comes again, those in this world that have not died will rise to be with Him. Those who have passed from this world will also rise to be with Him as well.

“²⁰But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. ²¹For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. ²²For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. ²³But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.” — 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 (ESV)

I am a man and at the current time I am still of this world. When Christ comes again I will rise to be with Him as I am in Christ. Yet, there are those from my life that have passed from this world and when Christ comes, they will join me with Him in the fight against the evil one.

Belonging to Christ does not just mean that I will inherit the Kingdom of God as I pass from this world. It means that I have brothers and sisters that are there with me as heirs. Some of those heirs will pass from this world in death and will rise again at the coming of Christ again, and some will rise to be with Him when He comes again. But, the great thing is that we that belong will rise again to be with Him.

Do you belong to Christ? What if you were to go along in this world knowing that you will rise again, regardless if you pass from this world in death, or when He comes again?

Yes, you. I know that each of us are different and that is what makes us great. I am different than you and you different than me. Without you and me, the body of Christ would not be full. Something would be missing. We cannot all be the same.

“¹⁶And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,’ that would not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁷If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?” — 1 Corinthians 12:16-17 (ESV)

Our physical bodies are like our Christian bodies as without one part, it is not whole. Without those that have certain talents, then the body will not grow in that area. Paul goes on to describe some of the different talents that are found in the body of Christ and they are all important in the growth of that area of the body.

“²⁸And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. ²⁹Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?” — 1 Corinthians 12:28-29 (ESV)

I am not a prophet and not an apostle and do not perform miracles. I am but a teacher and administrator. That does not make me any less important in the body of Christ and the bringing of the gospel to the world. I have my talents and gifts that make me unique and those are used for the furthering of the gospel and bringing glory to God. Each of us are different and yet, we all belong to the same body and have a purpose in the body of Christ.

“²⁷Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” — 1 Corinthians 12:27 (ESV)

What is it that makes you unique? Are you standing off separate as you are unaware that your difference is what makes you strong in the body? What if you embraced your unique gifts given by God and used them to bring glory to Him and spread the gospel as you are capable?

It is easy to say that I belong to God. In fact, I can say it and present myself as belonging to Him by appearing in church and attending bible study and talking the good game. But it is not presenting and appearing to others that demonstrates our belonging to God, it is the having the Spirit and living according to the Spirit of Christ that demonstrates our belonging.

“⁹You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. ⁵For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.” — Romans 8:9 & 5 (ESV)

My relationship with Christ is not something that I present to others for their view and approval. I have the relationship with Christ and others may be of witness to that relationship, but it is not “presented” to them. For my relationship to be of worth to me, it is for me. I have to have the Spirit of Christ in me at all times. I have to set my mind to live according to the Spirit and the example of Christ. When I have the and live according to the Spirit, I demonstrate to others that I indeed am a bit different and they are then able to see the example of Christ in me.

I have work to do here in this world and that work is to bring the gospel and the LORD to those around me. I am to ensure that others are able to see the Spirit of Christ in me whenever the come in contact with me and wherever I may be. I am to be the example of Christ and NOT force anything on anyone. I am to appear different to allow others to be curious as to just what it is that makes me different. They will ask and I will then have the opportunity to witness to them and give them the opportunity to accept the free gift of salvation from God and begin their life of belonging to God through having and living according to the Spirit of Christ.

In order to belong to God, it is my duty to have and live according to the Spirit if Christ. I do that by remaining in Him throughout my time in this world. I am responsible for spending time with Him each day. I am to continue learning from Him and living according to that learning, to not force others to see me, but to drive their curiosity as to what it is that makes me different. My living in the Spirit is the example of Christ to the world and my demonstration of my belonging to Him.

What are you doing out there in the world? Are you presenting yourself to others? What if you were to simply have and live according to the Spirit of Christ and be His example in the world to drive the curiosity of the world and then present the free gift of salvation to them so that they can and will belong to God as well?

The LORD has provided a path for me to follow. I have been given tasks to complete and work to do in His name. And, I cannot miss the mark, not because I was not dialed in, but because it is so clear.

“⁸And a highway shall be there,

and it shall be called the Way of Holiness;

the unclean shall not pass over it.

It shall belong to those who walk on the way;

even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.” — Isaiah 35:8 (ESV)

When the LORD provides, He does so in such a way that we are not able to miss the mark. This place is the place that we belong and it is extremely clear and in a way that we will not miss it. Even wandering around aimlessly I am still on the path when I am ultimately clued in to the LORD and the plans He has for me.

I am protected on the road. I am given what is needed. I am guided on the path. The LORD will be there with me all the way and at all times. Now that I have the place to where I belong, I cannot lose sight of it. I only need to dial back into the LORD at every chance and He will guide me back to the path to Him ultimately. I cannot miss the road to which I belong.

What road are you on today? Are you even aware that you are on a path and that path is for the LORD? What if you knew that all you have to do is to seek the LORD and He will make sure that the path you are on will be the one to reach Him and accomplish His work?

I have all the best plans to get things done. I even take specific measures to think of contingency plans on top of contingency plans. I am ready for anything that comes my way. And then God happens.

“¹The plans of the heart belong to man,

but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD.

²All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,

but the LORD weighs the spirit.” — Proverbs 16:1-2 (ESV)

I may have all the best intentions to get things done and where that is commendable, I still have to listen to God for all of the details and the execution. He is the one who is ultimately driving the direction that I am to be taking. My best intentions, are just that, my intentions. The LORD has everything mapped out and it may not be the direction I am planning.

How do I know? I have to be in tune with Him. I have to do more of what I am this morning. I have to dial in to the LORD and not plan on my own, but plan with Him and allow Him to lead me, allow His plan to be understood by me.

I admit that I do not always feel as though the LORD is talking to me and therefor spend time working on things that may not, and a lot of times do not, align with what God really wants from me and the directions I am going. I feel as though I am talking with Him, but I am pretty hard headed and am not always hearing His voice to me. That is something that I have to be in tune. I have to be more quiet and listening as opposed to working to execute the plan I have in my heart.

God provides all we need when we need it. He knows what the execution should look like and will let me know. It is good for me to plan from the heart, but my heart has to be in tune with the LORD so that my plan aligns with what His execution of that plan is leading to and should be.

What plans do you have that do not always seem to turn out? Are you looking to execute your plans on your own without the understanding of what God really wants? What if you took the time to align with God and work through the plans with Him and look for His execution to guide those plans?

“²⁹The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” — Deuteronomy 29:29 (ESV)

I am amazed each time that I learn something new. I do consider myself a lifelong learner and that means that I am always looking to enhance my knowledge of thing in general. There are things that I do not know and will openly admit that I don’t and that in and of itself is good for me and for those around me as I question to learn and others benefit from those questions as well.

There are things that the LORD has not revealed to me. Those same things may have been revealed to others, but not to me and therefor are not for me at this time. Those things belong to those that know, whether God, or those that He has entrusted those things.

I have been entrusted with the knowledge of things and bringing those to those around me are part of my work for the LORD. As noted in the verse above, “we may do all the word of this law”. I am responsible to not only know those things, but I am to spread them far and wide, throughout the sphere I am able to get them.

Even though there are things that have been revealed to me by the LORD, there are also those things that have not been revealed. Where those thing do not belong to me, but they do to God, I can and still should be seeking those things out. I may not know what they are and frankly, that is excepted and understood, but I should be seeking to learn and know everything I can that is or may be revealed by the LORD. Until then, I don’t know what I don’t know and only seek for it to be revealed. When it is time for me to know, the LORD will make sure that it is revealed to me. And with that reveal there comes the understanding that it now belongs to me and it is my duty to bring that to the world around me.

What is out there that you don’t know? Are you proceeding through life with the thought that you know everything you are to know? What if you continued to seek to know with the understanding that the LORD has not revealed all to you, yet?

What is it about this world that drives the idea of accumulating more and more? I am not a person that puts a lot of value in monetary things, but I find myself wanting to get that next thing and have more and more. But, why and even when I accumulate it “all”, does it really belong to me?

“¹⁴Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it.” — Deuteronomy 10:14 (ESV)

It does not. Everything belongs to the LORD. Everything that I “have” is really on loan from Him and it is my duty simply to be a good steward. I have and will have nothing of my own. I am here on borrowed everything. This is not really my home. I am only renting this space as I work to bring glory to the LORD.

Everything belongs to the LORD. All of the possessions. All of the time. All of the people. All of the everything is His and I am only using it to bring glory to Him. I am to be bringing the gospel to everyone I come in contact and in that I am only here for a little while and cannot take anything with me to heaven which is my home.

I have to remember to keep being a steward of the things that are entrusted to me in this world. I have to remember what they are for and that I am simply borrowing them from the LORD to complete His work here in this world. I really own nothing as once I have left this world, I am not able to take it with me, and frankly even if I were able to do so, it would be of no value in heaven, as I will already have everything I need when I get there as Jesus said:

“²In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?” — John 14:2 (ESV)

What have you or are you looking to accumulate in this world? Are you trying to gather more of that which is not really yours anyway? What if you were to approach everything that you have as only being on loan from the Father who it really belongs?

“¹²Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.” — 1 Timothy 6:12 (ESV)

I am studying this morning in 1 Timothy and this verse is where I was led and to where I have some thoughts. I see this verse and at once think that yes, we are to “fight the good fight of the faith”. That makes total sense and what a rallying cry for us as Christians.

Then I look at the second part of the verse and am blown away at what I found. I am to be fighting the good fight for something that I have accepted as a part of my life. I accepted salvation that was freely given. I know the sacrifice that was endured for my salvation. I have professed in front of many and continue to do so my commitment to the faith. And I am to not just fight for it, but keep fighting for it.

I am under attack daily. I am challenged in my faith to stay within in the face of society that is lost. I do not accept the societal norms and that makes me the enemy to them. I am different and that is the reasons for the attacks. But, I don’t want to be the same as everyone else. I don’t want to be of the current societal norm.

The fight is worth every cut and scrape. I have to be willing to keep up the fight and take on the attitude of the fictional character Steve Rogers of the Marvel comics: “I can do this all day.” I have to be willing to put it out there and stand for what I have accepted. I have to defend the faith. I have to be bold and not back down. I have to keep up the fight.

What attacks are you under each day? Are you giving in to the enemy to avoid the fight? What if you were to keep up the fight for that which you accepted in front of everyone?

It seems like such a small and unneeded thing to ask for something that should be and really is given freely. The LORD will fight for me at every turn. That however does not mean that He does not want to hear from me and my requests for assistance.

“¹Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me;

fight against those who fight against me!

²Take hold of shield and buckler

and rise for my help!

³Draw the spear and javelin

against my pursuers!

Say to my soul,

“I am your salvation!” — Psalm 35:1-3 (ESV)

I read this morning of David’s asking of the LORD to fight for him. Not only does he ask the LORD, but he asks for exactly what he knows the LORD can and will be able to do. I know that I do not always ask for the LORD to take action, and maybe I should.

I have recently been consistently asking (not that I was not asking before) for the LORD to take action in our lives as a family with regard to all that we have going on. I have not asked for exactly what I want (what details as relates) but I have asked for Him to make it known that the work He is doing is something that I have asked for, and He has delivered. I now need to continue that act of asking for things from the LORD and expecting that He will provide as He has always done.

Asking the LORD for things is one thing, but asking Him to fight for me is another. I am not a violent person, although I am competitive. I do not wish harm on anyone, however I do wish to be protected and cared for. I have to ask the LORD to provide and His fighting for me is a great part of that provision. I have to remember that the LORD only wants for me to complete the task of bringing glory to Him and the gospel to the world. I need Him to provide the way and clear the path. In that I will need Him to fight for me and what better way to receive His provision than to ask for it directly from Him.

What is getting in your way of doing the work for the LORD? Are you needing someone to clear the path for your work to be done? What if you asked the LORD to fight for you and clear that path?

As a follower of Christ, I have a duty to continue the work He has for me. In that continuing of the work, I have to also be always ready for the adversity that will come. I have to be ready to fight for the LORD and for the work. I have to continue the work all the while being prepared with my weapon by my side.

“¹⁷who were building on the wall. Those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored on the work with one hand and held his weapon with the other. ¹⁸And each of the builders had his sword strapped at his side while he built. The man who sounded the trumpet was beside me.” — Nehemiah 4:17-18 (ESV)

Here is the example of what my being prepared should look like. Notice that the builders are guarded by others and that they also stay at the ready as they work. They are continuing the work of the LORD and still carry their weapons in case they are attacked.

In this world today, we are not generally put in a position where we have to physically defend ourselves, although it does happen. We are however tasked with carrying our sword with us, the Word of God. It may be inconvenient and cumbersome to walk around always with your bible, but just as in the days of Nehemiah, we should always be at the ready to fight for our God and defend against the enemy. In order for that to be in this world, having our sword with us always ensures that we are indeed ready for the fight.

I am one that believes in the physical bible to study God’s word. I like the feel of the pages in my hand. I like to idea of writing my notes and reminders in the margins. Yet, carrying the Word of God in any form is carrying the weapon to fight for the our God. I also believe that the Word of God is bigger than the pages and a great understanding and knowledge of it is the real weapon.

Carrying the bible with you so that others can see it does provide some protection as those who see it will think twice about attacking. But, the physical bible itself is of little danger to the attacker if the holder does not know how to use it. Yes, it can be used to physically hit someone, but without a strike in just the right spot, the single blow will likely only anger the attacker. It is in the knowledge and understanding of the Word of God that is the real weapon. When able to call on just the right scripture and access just the right passage that one is able to strike that defeating blow. So more than carrying the Word of God with me, I have to know the substance of it and carry that knowledge with me always.

It is the Word of God that is the weapon for fighting against the attackers of our LORD. I have to have it with me always and do the work with one hand while holding firm to the Word of God in the other. I must be at the ready always for the fight against the attackers of the faith.

What fights have you been in where you were not prepared? Are you always carrying the weapon needed to defend against the attacker? What if you carried the Word of God with you always as your weapon to do just that?