Sunday Words of Encouragement August 12, 2018

(Post is very late today. I had a board meeting this afternoon and we had a power outage later this afternoon/evening.)

Our Sunday School teacher started a series in Corinthians which should be good. We enjoyed moving worship and then Pastor presented the conclusion of his Sermon series We Are The Strong.

Pastor summarized the series noting that Peter wrote to the church members at a time when they faced struggles as Christians. Salvation is a treasure. Every day of living is a deposit for eternity. God has gifted us with a job to do for the church. Each Christ follower should be walking under and in authority; honoring God. Mistreatment and troubles in life are a certainty. The church is at best when we give our best. We need to share God's love.

Being The Strong is part of our identity. We are not here to gain fame for ourselves. Our surnames go with us throughout our lives, but we don't live for our own name but to promote and glorify the name of Jesus. Notice that we don't even know last names of the apostles from the Bible.

We can't just add Jesus as an ingredient or condiment to our lives to use when we want. He has to be more. I am now alive with the identity of Christ.

Point: Our identity is Christ and Him crucified.

“20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

Stay alert, stand firm against the lion. 1 Peter 5:8.

The stone that hit Goliath was with the strength of God. Whenever the Israelites won it was not of their own strength but because the army was backed by God. We are not prairie dogs. We are eagles.

Paul says the same in Ephesians. Be strong... Put on the full armor of God. Our sword is not a plastic knife. It is a mighty sword of the Spirit to go with the shield of faith.

Pray for students going into school, a hostile territory, just as each of us goes into the hostile territory of the world each day. Will you stand firm in your identity?

Are you The Strong? That is the challenge.

We are the Strong.
Love God, love people.

This is the song that had to go with today’s message.

A Verse for Today:
Galatians 2:20 NIV
“20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Lord I pray: help me remain in You and to live as The Strong for You, by Your strength!