Many of us (especially men) have heard of a ninja. Ninja are stealth assassins that move under the cover of darkness. They seek to eliminate their targets while not being seen. In these next few posts, we are going to talk about a real assassin that attacks our very souls. The souls of men, yes, even godly men. This ninja attacks all people and these posts may be beneficial even to the women. However, I am addressing the men in this series. Women, you are welcome and I would ask that you get your man, be it spouse, fiancee, son, uncle, father, etc... to take a look at this series. Check out the blogs here in the forge in the Coals of the Flame group from Powered By Christ Ministries. The post will begin on Saturday. See you there.
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going. Ecc 9:10
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men. Col 3:23
If there is any realistic thing that you really want to achieve, you will find a way to achieve that thing. Or you will find excuses. Excuses are much easier to find than achievements. In other words: make moves, or make excuses. Or as we said in the United States Marine Corps: Go hard or go home. Men, we are to work hard to achieve while we can work. There are others behind us watching to learn how it is done. Make the next generation have to work hard to catch up to us. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. So let's do those things with the strength that Christ has given us.
'“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.' Matthew 10:34-39
As Jesus teaches His disciples even now, we have to be ready to lose all, even life for Him. This is not for the faint of heart, but for those committed to the higher calling of Christ. This is a hard teaching for some and overlooked by most. Are we willing to keep moving on through the fire for the sake of the gospel even if we know that it will be our last move? How many have been falsely accused and want to quit because of that? Now how many will be persecuted for following Christ and quit because of that? Unbelievers are normally the first ones to come for you with scriptures they don't understand. Believers even come for you with what scriptures they do understand when they don't know the facts. Condemnation, ridicule, slander, betrayal even by your own friends, parents, kids, siblings, and sometimes even a spouse can be your portion even if they don't have the whole story. And even when they do, this can be an issue. But this is when you are taking a stand for Christ that this suffering is not in vain. We must hold each other up and keep up the blood-stained banner. This suffering is real, but it can't last forever. Only God is forever and as we serve an eternal God, let us live for His eternal purpose. Let us not focus on the finite, when we are called by the infinite one. To God be the glory