aintaining Your Faith

MAINTAINING YOUR FAITH

To understand how to maintain your faith in the midst of any challenges we may face, let us continue in Colossians. Don’t forget this is Apostle Paul still speaking.

Colossians 1:24-25

24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: 25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

Paul says here that he rejoices in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of the people. Paul, as did other saints of the script, accepted that their lives were for the work of the Father and that it was simply for people. Their life wasn’t for them to enjoy as they pleased. It was simply so that the people watching could see the truth that they professed. If the life of Christ called for being beaten and imprisoned, they endured it because they knew that this trial was what God was requiring so that others would see Him.

Sometimes suffering for others may call for sacrificing the desires in your heart that may not be sin but it may not edify your brother or sister. Everything that God may ask us to give up may not be one of the “strongholds” that I mentioned earlier, but it may not be expedient for you to have because someone else is watching you and they can’t handle it. You may say wow… that is a bit much, but there is only one way to maintain our walk in God. Love God with all our heart, and love our fellowman as ourselves. If we are not willing to do that, we are not willing to make it in to God. Simple as that.

Colossians 2:6-7

6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

In order to be rooted in the faith, we must agree with God in everything He says. Whatever He asks of us, we must obey at all cost. Our own righteousness will not allow us to achieve this type of submission. We must abide in the life of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. Abiding in Christ takes a complete love for the Father and his people. Jesus tells us in St. Matthew 22:37-39, that the law (The Ten Commandments) can be summed up in loving the Father with all of our hearts and loving our neighbor as ourselves. Remember I said it is a challenge to maintain the faith, not an impossibility. Just as we can make a decision to move away from our faith, we can stand firm in our trust in God. Be Encouraged and I love you, Apostle Mike.