What an awesome day it was at church and many churches around this city and the world. Easter is so exciting, especially when people get saved and there are so many worshiping God at the same time. Really, every Sunday should be that way when you think about it. We come together to celebrate the fact that our Lord lives. He isn't dead - He is alive!!! On Easter Sunday morning my little granddaughter, Kenya, a two year old, was visiting from Chicago and she announced at breakfast "Happy Easter - Jesus is Alive!!!" She even felt the excitement!!!
This week we are reading Titus 1 thru 3 and Philemon (which only has one chapter). I leave on Wednesday for the Philippines so I will be scheduling Wed and Thurs post and then someone else will be doing the posting for the next week.
Something in this first chapter struck me! In verses 12 and 13. Paul is writing this letter to another "son" about the work he is doing in Crete. He is giving him advise as he plants a church there and tries to make it strong in the Lord. The people in the church were turning whole families away from the Lord with false teaching and this is what one of the men in the church had said about those people ....... "The people of Crete are all liars, cruel animals, and lazy gluttons." Then in verse 13 Paul says "This is true. So reprimand them sternly to make them strong in the faith." So many times we think the best thing to do is to back away and leave things alone that we know are causing trouble. God's way is to confront it head on - especially when it is turning people away from the Lord. And the reason is "to make them strong in the faith." We think it will turn them away and if their heart is right and they are really being mislead, it will make them stronger and bring them into the faith.
Our ways sure aren't God's ways and we always need to ask Him and try to think like Him.
I tend to get intimidated by people when God wants me to stand up to them for the things concerning righteousness and soul winning.
Be strong - full of courage - strong in your faith!
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