It has been said that someone asked, “Do you think people of today are ignorant and apathetic?” The reported response was, “I don’t know, and I don’t care.” Hopefully, this never happened. Who knows?
Christians are to be knowledgeable and zealous. Paul wrote, “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:17). The word “unwise” is from the Greek word APHRON, meaning, “mindless, i. e. stupid, (by impl.) ignorant, (spec.) egotistic, (practically) rash, or (mor.) unbelieving:–fool(-ish), unwise.” (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, page 1092). Children of God need to understand what the will of the Lord is. They should know the truth which frees one from sin. (John 8:32). Peter told the house of Israel, the Jews, on Pentecost that they could “know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:36). John would add, “and King of kings.” (Revelation 17:14; 19:16). Some things can be known, as Paul D. Murphy might have put it, “beyond a shade of a shadow of a flicker of a doubt.” However, understanding comes by reading (Ephesians 3:4), and diligent, honest, study. (Hebrews 11:3; Romans 10:17; 2 Timothy 2:15).
One who reads and studies the word of God comes to the realization that following Jesus is not a lack-luster path. Solomon wrote, “Much study is a weariness of the flesh.” (Ecclesiastes 12:12). One does not learn the will of God in one sitting. God does not drill a hole in one’s head, and pour His word in through a funnel. Learning the word of God takes many dedicated hours of honest, intense, and disciplined study, rightly dividing His word. Some things are even hard to understand. (2 Peter 3:15, 16). However, they may be learned and understood; they may be known. (John 8:32; Ephesians 5:17).
Romans 12:11 tells the saints (Romans 1:1-7) that they are to be “fervent in the spirit; serving the Lord.” (Romans 12:11). Paul gives them instructions as to what they are to be and do, and what they are not to be or do. Read the entire chapter, and book of Romans. Solomon gave the ant as a great example of how God’s people are to work. (Proverbs 6:6-11; 30:25). The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31:10-31, is a marvelous picture of a faithful and laborious person. Solomon also said, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might.” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). Joshua 22:1-6 is a beautiful collection of scriptures, showing all what united diligent service can do. What a challenge! Spend some time reading and pondering these verses. Paul told “the church of the Thessalonians” (2 Thessalonians 1:1), “For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us,….” (Chapter 3, verse 7). What would a church be if all were as zealous, dedicated, and as busy as was Paul? Cf. Acts 20:25-31.
All could be active in serving the Lord. Even the shut-ins, poor, and others who are limited due to time or other circumstances, may do the Lord’s will. The telephone, computers, Face Book, and much more, link us to the entire world. These tools just need to be used for spiritual matters. Jokes, news, and much more are shared through these avenues. The gospel can as easily be shared with others through these same means.
Consider some widows who did not allow age, poverty, and/or circumstances to hinder them from serving the Lord. The poor widow (Luke 21:1-4; Mark 12:41-44) may not have had as much to give as some, but she gave more sacrificially and proportionately than all of the rest. Think of the 84-year-old widow, Anna, who made it a point to be with Jesus. God wrote of her, saying, “she….departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.” (Luke 2:36-38). She had been married for many years, living “with an husband seven years from her virginity.” Think of the widow of Zarephath who had very little to feed her son and herself, but whose faith in God led her to take care Elijah. (1 Kings 17:8-16; Luke 4:25, 26). Be like the widow of Luke 18:1-5, who would not take, “No,” for an answer. Continue to invite those who reject your initial invitations to visit the services, have home Bible studies, and such like. They may see you invitations as troubling. However, by your continual actions and words, they may one day attend the services, agree to a Bible study, and may even become a Christian. This has happened! And, what a heart-warming picture we have of the widows gathering at the death of Tabitha, Dorcas. (Acts 9:36-43). What an influence this saintly woman had. What a marvelous example these widows were. Is it any wonder that James exhorted the saved to care for the widows? (James 1:27; Acts 6:1ff). Widows, widowers, men, women, the married, younger ones, follow these wonderful examples.
Paul told Titus “to be ready unto every good work.” (Titus 3:2). A church full of men and women, boys and girls, who lived like this is what is needed. Elders and preachers, lead the congregation to be like this. The Colossian “saints and faithful brethren” (Colossians 1:1, 2) were admonished, “walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;….” (Verse 10). Hebrews 13:21 calls upon God’s people to be “perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Israel had “a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.” (Romans 10:2). They were rightfully zealous, but their knowledge was wrong. Children of God ought to have a proper understanding of the will of God, and then zealously use that knowledge. Christians should remember that one’s zeal may cause others to be on fire for the Lord. (2 Corinthians 9:2). Let all Christians, therefore, be “a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:14). Misguided zeal can be good or bad. (Galatians 4:17, 18). Seek to avoid being zealously affected or directed in the wrong way. Seek to be zealously directed and to direct in the right way.
Let not any church or Christian be like “the church of the Laodiceans.” (Revelation 3:14). They were “lukewarm.” (Verses 15, 16). The Lord said, “I will spue thee out of my mouth.” (Verse 16). God wanted them to be on fire for Him. The Lord does not desire that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9). Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels. (Matthew 25:41). It was not prepared for the saved. However, those who do not serve God faithfully, will go away into “everlasting punishment.” (Matthew 25:46). The God who does not want anyone to be lost stands at the door of the heart of every person, knocking, ready and willing to restore any and all who open the door, and overcome. (Verses 19-22). That is love! (1 John 4:8). Will you return that love? (1 John 4:19).
Are you a child of God? If so, continue to serve the Lord faithfully. (Revelation 2:10). If you are not a child of God, hear His word and believe it (Romans 10:17), repent of sins (Acts 17:30, 31), confess Jesus as God’s Son. (Acts 8:37; Matthew 10:32, 33), and be baptized by burial in water for the remission of sins (Acts 8:38, 39; Colossians 2:12; Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:20, 21), to enter Christ and His church with Him adding you. (Galatians 3:26, 27; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Acts 2:41, 47). If, as a Christian, you are unfaithful, repent of sins, confess your faults, and the faithful will pray with and for you for the forgiveness of your sins. (Acts 8:22-24; James 5:16; 1 John 1:7-10).
Do not let the sun go down without becoming a Christian, if you have not done so. Do not let the sun go down before being restored, if you need to do so. Get in touch immediately with the one who gave you this tract or with the one whose name appears below to help you with your needs. Do not meet today’s Savior as your Judge on that day without being prepared to meet Him.
It Is Written 