“Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.” (Rev. 3:2 ESV)

Apathy: Lack of interest or concern, especially regarding matters of general importance or appeal; indifference. Lack of emotion or feeling; impassiveness. Want of feeling; absence or suppression of passion, emotion, or excitement; insensibility; indifference.

Warned many times

One account of the Titanic says that a ship close by warned them six times that they were headed for an iceberg and would sink. On the sixth time the Captain of the Titanic signaled back, “Shut up I’m busy.” God continually reveals His truths to us in many ways—through His creation (Psalms 19:1-6), through His messengers (Heb 1:14) and through life’s circumstances (Rom. 8:28), but we are often apathetic (we don’t care), we’re distracted (our eyes are on electronic devices), or we’re just too busy with the cares of the world to notice that He’s talking to us in a small voice.  

Dull of hearing 

“About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food,” (Heb. 5:11-12 ESV)

Watch out! 

“I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:15-16 ESV)

“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.” (2 Tim. 4:3-4 ESV) 

“The way of a sluggard is like a hedge of thorns, but the path of the upright is a level highway.” (Prov. 15:19 ESV)

Therefore…

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:19-12 ESV)

“Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” (Rom. 12:9-13 ESV)

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“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor. 9:7 ESV)

A truth that has never failed

I agree completely with Charles Spurgeon, who said, “In all of my years of service to my Lord, I have discovered a truth that has never failed and has never been compromised. That truth is that it is beyond the realm of possibilities that one has the ability to out give God. Even if I give the whole of my worth to Him, He will find a way to give back to me much more than I gave.” It is so true! 

Give freely to bless and grow

“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” (Prov. 11:24-25 ESV)

“The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” (2 Cor. 9:6 ESV)

Be generous to the poor

“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” (Prov. 19:17 ESV)

“Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.” (Prov. 22:9 ESV)

“If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be.” (Deut. 15:7-8 ESV)

Therefore…

 “Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.” (Luke 6:38 ESV)

“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35 ESV)

“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” (1 Tim. 6:17-19 ESV)

Quote

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” - Jim Elliot

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“For the word of the LORD holds true, and we can trust everything he does.” (Psalm 33:4 NLT)

Trust: assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something; confidence, credence, faith, stock.

Where should you place your trust? 

“Where should you place your trust?” That is an age-old question and many voices are telling you to trust them. An old joke used often in television situation comedies shows the person, usually in an awkward or dangerous situation saying, “Trust me, I know what I’m doing.” But, it never turns out well. And, all joking put aside, blindly placing trust in others, or anything else, is always a bad idea. The Bible says, “There are those who are clean in their own eyes but are not washed of their filth” (Prov. 30:12 ESV) 

Trusting in self - I have a friend who told me in a conversation many years ago that he lived by Shakespeare’s words, “This above all: to thine own self be true.”And how did this work out for him? His marriage failed and he ended up alone and unhappy. The problem in self trust is that we are flawed with a sin nature and prone to mistakes. The Bible puts it this way: “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death” (Prov. 16:25 NIV). And, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9 KJV). 

Trusting in others - For exactly the same reason that you can’t trust in yourself, as stated above, others are imperfect with a sin nature and will fail you. The Bible says, “Put no trust in a neighbor; have no confidence in a friend; guard the doors of your mouth from her who lies in your arms; for the son treats the father with contempt, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man's enemies are the men of his own house.” (Micah 7:5-6 ESV)

Trusting in government - Former president, Ronald Reagan, said your trust must not be in government because they don’t want to help you, they only want to control you. As a guest on the Johnny Carson show, he said, “The scariest thing would be for someone to show up at your house and say, ‘I’m from the government, and I’m here to help you.’” 

Trust in God with all your heart!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.” (Prov. 3:5 ESV)

“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.” (Palm 37:4-6 ESV)

“And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.” (Psalm 8:10 ESV)

Therefore…

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” (Psalm 28:7 ESV)

Quote

“If you’re going to entrust your life and your future to someone or something, you better choose someone who has your best interest at heart, knows everything, is perfect, and will never lie to you. That kind of limits your options—to God.” – Rick Warren

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“And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.” (2 Thess 2:6-7)

Lawlessness is at work all around us

You can’t listen to the news without noticing that evil is at work and getting worse. It is becoming acceptable and becoming the new normal. The Bible said it would happen and it certainly is. It’s called lawlessness and it’s evil. 

• Evil and selfish people: But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (2 Tim. 3:1-5 ESV)

• Evil people and imposters:  “While evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.” (2 Tim. 3:13 ESV)

• Evil demonic teachings: “Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons,” (1 Tim. 4:1 ESV)

• Evil scoffers and accusers: “Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” (2 Pet. 3:3 ESV)

God is greater!

Even though evil is active and getting worse, it is being held back by the Holy Spirit (see 2 Thess. 2:6-7 at top). The Holy Spirit is inside of us empowering us to work against the evil forces in the world. 

 Jesus overcame the world

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 ESV)

We are over-comers with the Holy Spirit inside us

“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4 KJV)

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:4-5 ESV)

Therefore…

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 15:57 ESV)

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“He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.” (Col. 1:18)

God, first place in everything

The above passage tells us that God is head of the church (which is His body), is Himself “the beginning”, is “the firstborn from the dead” and “will come to have first place in everything”. This verse is about firsts. Notice that it ends with the statement that God Himself is first place in everything.

Jesus is first

“‘The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. ‘From everlasting I was established, From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth.’” (Prov. 8:22-23)

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” (John 1:1-2)

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Col. 1:15-17)

Jesus talked about firsts

Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and then all these things shall be added to you” (Matt. 6:33). This verse is both a command and a promise. The command: Seek God’s Kingdom and righteousness first. The promise: All these things shall be added to you. 

For a list of what God provides when you obey the command, read the book of Matthew, chapter six. In it, Jesus commands you not to be anxious about the necessities of life. Just as God cares for and feeds the birds of the air, you are more valuable to Him and He will take care of you, too. 

Therefore…

“But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.” (2 Thess. 2:13)

“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24 KJV)

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“I have come that they may have life, and have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10)

Other translations say, “full life” or “satisfying life.” Whether the words in the verse are abundant, full or satisfying, the meaning is really about achieving the kind of life that Jesus intends for you to have -  a life that reflects what He has created you for.

The average lifetime

In his book, In an average lifetime, Tom Heymann says the average American spends 3 years in business meetings, 13 years watching TV, Spends $89,281 on food, consumes 109,354 pounds of food, Makes 1,811trips to McDonald's, Spends $6,881 in vending machines, Eats 35,138 cookies and 1,483 pounds of candy, Catches 304 colds, Is involved in 6 motor vehicle accidents, is hospitalized 8 times (men) or 12 times (women), and spends 24 years sleeping.

Wow! That is amazing! But, I really don't think his list describes the “abundant life” Jesus was talking about in John 10:10. That kind of life is very fulfilling, satisfying, or simply put, it’s happy.

Many get it wrong

There has been, and continues to be, a mountain of opinion, ideas, and instruction on the subject of achieving one’s potential, personal fulfillment and finding happiness. Humanistic psychologists put forth the idea that “self-actualization (the fulfillment of self through reaching one's potential) is the highest expression of a human's life.” Wrong!

Elevating one’s self won't do it for you

In contrast to the so-called, self-actualization stuff, which teach us to elevate the SELF and to place our own wants and desires in the first place of importance in our lives, we have the following instruction from Jesus Christ:

“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment, And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’” (Matt. 22: 37-40).

In other words

The answer is not about SELF, but it's about others, beginning with God first, and then your neighbor next. You already love yourself, and that's why Jesus says to love others as you love yourself.

Put God first, and He will take care of the rest

 "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." (Matt. 6:33)

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“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13 NKJV)

The Amplified Bible states it this way

 “I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]” (Phil. 4:13 AMP)

 God will faithfully help you do what He has appointed you to do

 “He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.” (1 Thess. 5:24 NKJV)

 God will strengthen you for the service He has appointed you to do

“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, that He considered me faithful and appointed me to service.” (1 Tim. 

1:12)

 God’s power will make you strong in your areas of weakness to do what He has appointed you to do

 “But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me (2 Cor. 12:9)

 “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,” (Eph. 3:16 NIV)

God strengthens you to have great endurance and patience to do what He has appointed you to do

“being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,” (Col. 1:11 NIV)

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“… He is risen, as He said.” (Matt. 28:6 NKJV)

We celebrate Easter on different dates each year! 

The day of Easter falls on a Sunday based on the lunisolar (sun and moon) calendar, not a fixed date on the Gregorian or Julian calendar. Easter date each year has been determined to fall on the Sunday after the full moon following March 21 for Western Christians who use the Gregorian calendar (modern calendar). Thus Easter will fall between March 22nd and April 25th inclusive each year. Whatever the date Easter Falls on while you are reading this, it is a reminder that Easter is the day we celebrate the wonderful fact that Jesus rose from the dead, just exactly as He said He would do! And that changed everything for believers who have put their faith in Him. The sin debt has now been paid in full, and people can now become transformed by His Spirit by receiving Him as their personal Savior! (John 1:12). And, we now serve a savior who is very much alive and who is very much active in our lives today!

He lives (I Serve a Risen Savior)

I think it was said very well in the lyrics of the old hymn “He lives (I Serve a Risen Savior)” that was composed in 1933 by Alfred Henry Ackley(1887-1960). Read his well written words and apply them freshly today in your life!

He lives!

“I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today;
I know that He is living whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him, He’s always near.

Refrain:
He lives, He lives,
Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life’s narrow way.
He lives, He lives,
Salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart.

In all the world around me I see His loving care,
And tho’ my heart grows weary I never will despair;
I know that He is leading thro’ all the stormy blast,
The day of His appearing will come at last.

Refrain

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian, lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King!
The hope of all who seek Him, the help of all who find,
None other is so loving, so good and kind.

Refrain

Therefore, rejoice!

“If the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from death, lives in you, then he who raised Christ from death will also give life to your mortal bodies by the presence of his Spirit in you.” (Rom. 8:11 GNT)

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“And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.” (Exo. 31:3-5 ESV)

Unique skills and abilities 

The late Radio host, Rush Limbaugh, was often criticized for saying very dramatically on his popular radio show that he was using “Talent on loan from God.” He was absolutely correct! Talent is a gift from God, whether his critics wanted to admit it or not. Talent is something that you are instinctually born with that gives you unique skills and abilities. 

Talent comes from God

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17) 

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph. 2:10)

“All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the LORD has commanded.” (Exo. 35:10)

Stir up your gifts and talents

Talent is set apart from knowledge in that it is not a learned behavior, although it can be strengthened and practiced.

“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you…” (2 Tim. 1:6 NKJV)

 Use your gifts and talents to serve others

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” ( 1 Peter 4:10-11)

 Quote:

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not not have a single bit of talent left but could say, “I used everything you gave me.” - Erma Bombeck (1927-1996) - Syndicated columnist

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