"To live with danger was a way of life, but we did not think of it as danger, merely as part of all that we must face in the natural order of living."
--Louis L'Amour (Killoe)
"And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful."
--Colossians 3:15 (NLT)
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I told the story of a family that has spent the last two years cloistered in their home. They had not ventured out for two years in fear of the virus that has come upon our land. These people claim to be Christians yet I wondered what their walk with the Lord is like. It's plain to see that it must be very shallow. They live in fear, not trusting in the Lord and in common sense. How can they begin to fulfill the Great Commission? How can they have real fellowship with other believers? What type of armor have they put on?
In the front of my journal notebook I keep a few quotations. One of which is the following by Zane Grey.
"You must live your life.
Make it worth while.
Every man, every woman has a burden.
Lift yours cheerfully and begin to climb...
Love those with whom fate has placed you.
And fight--
fight the dark moods,
the selfish thoughts, the hateful memories!
Work...Love."
I wonder if the devil has duped us into thinking that we will be safe in our homes, that the Lord will honor us for being cozy and comfortable. I seem to have read that we are to take up our cross--daily. We are to redeem the time for the days are evil, which means we need to be out doing, not cowering in our closets. We are to live a life of faith, for without faith it is impossible to please God.
I recall the writings of Peter: "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue." (2 Peter 1:2-3, NKJV) There must be a continuous forward moral progress in our lives. Our lives must cooperate with that of the Holy Spirit. Someone said that "Faith is not only commitment to the promises of Christ; it is commitment to His demands." Sure we use common sense in our daily lives as we walk with Him, but we must go about living: Work...Love. Barclay writes, "Faith does not exempt a man from works; the generosity of God does not absolve a man from effort. Life is at its noblest and its best when our effort cooperates with God's grace to produce the necessary loveliness."
Do something with your life for the Kingdom of God this year. Don't cower on your couch. Don't fear the world. Possibly you might have to confront your fears, you might have to fight the dark moods that come upon you, in other words you might have to fight--be like Paul and fight the good fight of faith. Peter writes that "be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble." (2 Peter 1:10, NKJV)
D.C. Adkisson
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