"But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."
Many people begin each new year with a special diet or by joining a local gym because they have resolved to do something positive about their physical health and especially their weight problem. Christians make spiritual new years resolutions too! But we have a different kind of wait problem that is peculiar only to us.
Christians have been promised the hope of eternal glory when the Lord returns! Meanwhile, as we patiently wait on the Lord, in this sin cursed world, in these mortal bodies, (which have been habitually trained to be selfish) we suffer all kinds of trials and hardships Rom.8:17-25. Satan would have us believing that this is an excess wait problem and tempt us with instant but temporary glory. He seeks to deceive us with false teaching, discourage us with trouble or distract us with sensual pleasures. Beloved, It's no wonder that throughout the Bible the Saints have groaned, "How long Lord?" and even pleaded, "Lord come quickly!"
We do not know what this new year will bring into our lives but we must be diligently watching our wait in 2008 and Paul gives us the ultimate spiritual workout plan. In Phil.3:16-21 he urges us to have a daily walk with Jesus! Yes! We can walk off our wait together! But we must be careful who we follow and how we are leading others! Paul tearfully warns that there are "enemies of the Cross" who would lead us astray with the false teachings of legalism and liberalism. He advises the Saints to "follow him as he follows Christ" 1Cor.11:1 and in doing this he is simply urging us to obey Christ, by taking up our cross and FOLLOWING HIM every day Lk.9:23!
Jesus Christ knows all about the danger and struggle of living in the world and not being of the world Jn.17:15f. He has walked the pathway of this life before us, "being tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin"Heb.4:15 and has left us an example to follow in His steps 1Pet.2:21. He truly knows what it means to wait on God by walking in faith and to be totally vindicated and eternally glorified! Have a happy, holy new year!
Brother Danny
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