Do We Realize Who Is With Us?
“… And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20 NIV).
Some of the rotten “fruit” of the enemy is fear and doubt. If we truly stopped and contemplated who is always with us, then fear would be defeated. Eventually, Jesus will return, and the enemy will be destroyed along with all of his weapons of spiritual warfare. In the meantime, we can exercise our free will to live in the dark or live in the light. The darkness is scary because our own vision is useless. I have always believed that we can learn something from everyone that we meet. Blind people each day are walking by faith and not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). If we chose to walk in the light, we are walking with Jesus. John 8:12 teaches us, “…I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
So, what is the right next step here? How do we actually walk with Jesus? We use our free will and our mouth and heart and declare Him our Lord. Paul teaches us in Romans 10:9-10, “… if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.”
So, how do we walk with Jesus? We stay in the Word. The Word became flesh when Jesus came (John 1:14). The Word remains with us in the form of the Holy Bible. The Pslamist writes in Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” The Bible is an instructional manual for daily living. Note, the emphasis on daily living. God wants us to live for today and enjoy the blessings of today. Yes, we are to plan for tomorrow but not worry about tomorrow. Do you recall the words of Jesus when instructing his disciples how to pray? “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). Please note the focus is on this day and not this week or this year. Now, check out the Scripture at the top of this blog from Matthew 28:20. Jesus is promising His disciples that he will be with them always. That promise and invitation is still valid for you and me – this day and every day.
Prayer: Dear God: When we live in the flesh, we walk using our eyes and do what is right in our own eyes. Help us dear Lord, to always seek first Your Kingdom and Your righteousness. Thank you for loving us, walking with us, and being the Light that we so desperately need. Please continue to shape us as you are the potter and we are the clay. We could not be in any better hands. Amen
Meet the Author
Todd Shupe is a Men’s Ministry Specialist through the General Commission of United Methodist Men and is in training to be a Certified Lay Minister through the Louisiana Conference of the United Methodist Church. He currently serves as the President of the Baton Rouge District of United Methodist Men and is a Board Member for Gulf South Men and serves on the Action Team for The Kingdom Group. He is a volunteer for the Walk to Emmaus, Grace Camp, and Iron Sharpens Iron. Todd resides in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
We welcome your comments below.
Thank you for visiting. We trust that you have enjoyed reading our articles.
Liked this post?
Read more below or search for more topics…
-
Keep Your Eye On The Prize
Keep Your Eye On The Prize
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7 NIV)
We all have so many distractions that it is very hard to stay focused. We all want to obey the first commandment and put God first in our lives, but we are pulled in so many directions from family, work, and friends. I love the expression “keep your eye on the prize.” It is often associated with athletes that are focused on performing at the highest possible level. The Bible speaks to this in 1 Cor. 9:25 “All…
Read More -
Be Childlike not Immature
Be Childlike not Immature
“At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to little children” (Matthew 11:25 NIV).
One of the better-known Scriptures in the Bible is, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these” (Matthew 19:14). Jesus clearly had a love for children. Jesus wants us to be like little children because most children are eager to learn. If we are to be followers of God, we need to know God…
Read More -
Evil Is Happening in Our Churches!
Evil Is Happening in Our Churches!
“Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good (Romans 12:9 NIV).
I am angry about the continued shootings at our churches. Our churches are God’s house on earth. Psalm 46:1 teaches us, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). I think we can substitute “church” for “God” in the scripture. As Christians we seek out His refuge and strength, particularly on Sunday mornings as we gather with the Body of Christ. This is a special, holy, sacred time. It should also be a safe time.
I…
Read More
