SUNDAY August 28, 2022
Are You Still in the Faith?
Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? —unless indeed you are disqualified.
2 Corinthians 13:5
When a person fails to mature in Christ, instead of going forward, there is a danger of backsliding––big time. Be careful that nothing has taken priority above Jesus Christ in your life. Your relationship with Him has to be number one. He has to be Lord of your life; otherwise, you are in danger of falling into a backslidden position. Did you know that?
We can recognize steps to a backsliding by studying examples of people in the Bible. Lot was such person. His slippery slope to backsliding started when he strove with Abraham, his uncle, over land. Abraham graciously gave him first choice. Lot chose the best of the land. It was a fleshly, carnal decision because he faced the city of Sodom and Gomorrah.
Lot then pitched his tent in a position close to Sodom and Gomorrah. Then we find him sitting with the elders in the city gates. His family was living, working and mixing right along with the people in the sinful city.
Backsliding happens gradually. It is good to take an examination of your life to see where you are at spiritually. Have your steps taken you down a path of backsliding further away from the Lord? Are you slowly missing church services? Have you started fellowshipping with people in the world? If you find yourself in a backslidden position, do what the prophet Hosea has said: Come, and let us return to the LORD... (Hosea 6:1).
As you remain steadfast in following after the Lord, He will guard and guide your steps: Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me (Psalm 119:133). You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory (Psalm 73:24). There is no better hope than that! Take the right steps––we are heaven bound.
Let us be alert to the season in which we are living. It is the season of the Blessed Hope, calling for us to cut our ties with the world and build ourselves on this One who will soon appear. He is our hope—a Blessed Hope enabling us to rise above our times and fix our gaze upon Him.
~A.W. Tozer~
For more from Raul Ries, please visit SomebodyLovesYou.com!
