Moving Ahead

“I find the great thing in this world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving: To reach the port of heaven, we must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it, but we must sail, and not drift, nor lie at anchor.”

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

What direction are you moving toward in your journey? Are you moving with the wind of Holy Spirit seeking to be and do as He leads? What does it mean to be adrift?

At times, I feel adrift in writing articles and seeking to encourage others in Christ. There are rarely any visible fruits from this call and labor. However, what matters is being faithful to the call. The call is to be holy as the Savior and Heavenly Father who calls us to redemption and regeneration in Him!

The Cross of Christ calls us to come into the Light of His presence and turn away from the darkness of the material world.

Call to Holiness in Christ

1 Peter 1:13-21 Berean Standard Bible

A Call to Holiness
(Hebrews 12:14–17)

13Therefore prepare your minds for action. Be sober-minded. Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance. 15But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, 16for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

Just as a crew sets the sails to catch the wind, so we need to have our hearts and minds “rigged” and ready to press ahead in our journey. We need to be obedient and “conformed” to the Way of the Lord. Romans 12:1-2 explains how we renew our minds.

17Since you call on a Father who judges each one’s work impartially, conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay as foreigners. 18For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life you inherited from your forefathers, 19but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot. 20He was known before the foundation of the world, but was revealed in the last times for your sake.

21Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him; and so your faith and hope are in God.

Peter reminds us that we are “foreigners” on this present world. We know that God will judge our works (things done for His glory through faith). Peter reminds us that our faith and hope are in God! Not on how much fruit is visible, or how successful we seem to be (worldly point of view).

The Throne of God A.I Image.

The Bema Judgment

Paul speaks of this bema judgement in 2 Corinthians 5:9-10.

9So we aspire to please Him, whether we are here in this body or away from it. 10For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.

Explanation of the “Bema” Judgment

It will be a time of examination and a time of reward. Jesus will inspect our works.

What did we do with the resources God gave us? How faithful were we? Were we yielded to the Spirit, seeking to honor Christ and further His work in the world? If so, we will have reward (see Matthew 10:41–42).

Did we neglect our opportunities to serve the Lord? If so, we will suffer loss of reward.

https://www.gotquestions.org/judgment-seat-Christ.html accessed 3/21/24

Endure through the storms of life

Hebrews 12:1-3

A Call to Endurance
(2 Timothy 2:1–13)

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith. He is our anchor and lighthouse in the storms of life. Ships would anchor in sheltered ports when possible during the stormy seasons. The lighthouse warns ships of rocks or other hazards to help the captains to keep the ship out of danger. During the age of sail, ships would be blown around in storms with the wind and waves blowing ships off course. God’s Word is our Lighthouse to guide us in turbulent times.

The author of Hebrews encourages us to:

1.Throw off the sin that entangles and “trips” us up in our journey of faith–this is the purpose of repentance and process of sanctification (becoming more Christ like)

2. Run with endurance–the race of faith isn’t a sprint but a long distance that requires us to pace ourselves.

3. Fix our eyes on Christ–remembering how His substitutionary atonement paid for our salvation. Like Peter walking on the water to Jesus, we need to fix our thoughts and eyes on Jesus not the storms of life crashing around us.

4. Consider Christ and His example of enduring hostility.

Part of an old Irish blessing

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.