Growing By Serving the Church and Living By Faith – Purity 1906
Purity 1906 03/09/2026 Purity 1906 Audio Podcast
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Good morning,
Today’s photo of Bernardo Bellotto’s (1721-1780), oil on canvas, “Church of SS. Giovanni e Paolo, Venice, (1740-1741) comes to us from yours truly as I captured this work of art while visiting the Springfield Museums back on December 9th, 2023.
Well, Its Monday and as we enter into the new work week, I’m ready to face the challenges of another week in part because of the rest I got on Sunday and because I was fed spiritually with the messages from my local church and my old church online, I am encouraged that there are still other faithful men of God who recognize the reality of spiritual warfare and how the enemy’s schemes are sometimes subtle. Although preaching with different styles and from different churches, both Pastors Roscoe Lily & Jaron Halsted preached about how the enemy uses distraction to move us away from the truth of God’s word and our purpose in Christ. The message of demonic influence and the dangers of social media and over-reliance on our technological devices apparently needed to be preached, and I hope that their audiences will heed their advice.
I am honored to serve my local church through the Celebrate Freedom Support Group on Wednesday nights and I simply must recommend that anyone interested in growing in their relationship with God and others, should step out in faith and choose to serve their local church because it is the least we can do to thank our church leaders and because of the tremendous benefits service has on our development as Christians.
The local church is the place to learn about God and yourself, and if you are not serving your church in some capacity, I have to tell you that you are really missing out on a significant part of your purpose in Christ. Church service not only makes fell that you are giving something back to the community that has blessed you, but it also really helps us to grow in the areas of humility, kindness, faithfulness, patience, gentleness, and self-control. Whether it is serving as an usher, a child care worker, a Sunday school teacher, or a member of the worship team, when you choose to serve in God’s house, you leave a little bit of the world behind as you step further into your faith and in service to God’s kingdom. Not only do you grow closer to your church and the others who serve their but when you serve, you also grow in maturity as you learn what it really means to serve the body of Christ and to live by faith.
Speaking of living by faith, the In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley devotion from yesterday spoke about that topic, and I am sharing it on the blog today to encourage us all to separate ourselves from the world and to enter more fully into God’s kingdom. Dr. Charles Stanley writes:
“Living by Faith
The faithful move forward, even in the midst of uncertainty
Genesis 15:4-6
Separation is often a part of our development as Christians. Before we can take on something new, the Lord may ask us to let go of something we already have. In Genesis 12:1-3, God told Abraham he was going on a journey that would require leaving his country, his people, and his father’s household. Obedience meant saying goodbye to relationships and things dear to him. But this godly man didn’t hesitate. His strong faith enabled him to say yes to the Lord’s command.
To faithfully follow God, moving ahead in the midst of uncertainty may be required. Abraham was told to travel without knowing his destination. Try to imagine explaining to friends that you’re moving away but have no idea where you are going. This lack of detail did not stop Abraham. Unwavering trust in his heavenly Father enabled him to answer the divine call wholeheartedly—even though specific details were lacking. Abraham was spiritually ready to answer affirmatively when God called.
Following God requires living by faith. That means trusting the Holy Spirit to guide us when we don’t see how all the pieces fit together (John 16:13); believing that God always works for our good and His glory; and desiring to please our Father. May we all, like Abraham, be ready when the Lord calls.” – Charles Stanley
Amen. The word Holy means to be set apart for God’s purposes. When we put our faith in Jesus, we are made holy not just because we receive the forgiveness of our sins, but because we are called by God to represent His kingdom. We are to bring the good news of Jesus Christ everywhere we go in life.
So it should come as no surprise to us that God calls us to be separated from the sinfulness of our pasts and the world, but at the same time to leave things we are familiar with behind and to go and do new things for His kingdom purpose.
Our faith in Jesus in Christ really does give us a whole brand new life, and the only thing that could prevent us from experiencing it is our willingness to live by faith and to go and do what God calls us to.
While your individual mission will be dependent on where God has put you, it will also be influenced by your willingness to boldly step out in faith to leave your old ways behind and to go to places you have never dared to go before.
While some may imagine a foreign mission field, it’s just as likely that God is calling you to represent the Kingdom right where you are planted and the new things you will have to step into are things like: being a part of a local church, turning away from sinful habits, reading and learning from the Bible, and doing good for others.
God is calling you to leave familiar things behind and to live by faith. God has places for you to go and new things to experience. Listen and follow His guidance to lead you into the life He has for you.
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For those who want more evidence for Christianity than my simple encouragements provide, I offer apologist Frank Turek’s website, https://crossexamined.org/.
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Today’s Bible verse comes to us from “The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling” By John G. Kruis.
(While Bible verses on various topics of Counseling can be found with a quick Google search, we encourage you to purchase this resource to support the late author’s work. (The Quick Scripture Reference for Counseling By John G. Kruis on Amazon )
This morning’s meditation verse comes from the section on the Providence of God.
Joshua 23:14 (NASB) Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which the LORD your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed.
Today’s verse falls under the tenth point of our counseling reference guide resource section on the Providence of God.
10. Not one of God’s promises goes unfulfilled.
Today’s Bible verse is a part of Joshua’s life testimony that bears witness to the Lord’s enduring faithfulness. Joshua had been Moses’ right-hand man from the beginning and eventually succeeded him as leader of the nation of Israel. Joshua had seen the parting of the Red Sea, the 40 years in the desert, and the taking of the promised land, and despite the challenges and hardships that he had seen, his final words about God testified to God’s faithfulness to fulfill His promises.
The fulfilled prophecies of God and God’s faithfulness are documented in the Bible and throughout the history of mankind. We can trust that His promises will be fulfilled.
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As always, I invite all to go to mt4christ.com, where I always share insights from prominent Christian theologians and counselors to assist my brothers and sisters in Christ with their walk.
Today, we continue sharing from “Pause for Power” By Warren Wiersbe.
As always, I share this information for educational purposes and encourage you all to purchase Wiersbe’s books for your own private study and to support the late author’s work. This resource is available online for less than $20 at many sites.
Day 40 – Holding It Together – Read Colossians 1:16–17
[Jesus] is before all things, and in him all things hold together. – Colossians 1:17
A guide took a group of people through an atomic laboratory and explained how all matter was composed of rapidly moving particles. The tourists studied models of molecules and were amazed to learn that matter is made up primarily of space. During the question period, one visitor asked, “If this is the way matter works, what holds it all together?” For that, the guide had no answer.
But the Christian has an answer: Jesus Christ! Because “he is before all things,” He can hold all things together. This is another affirmation that Jesus Christ is God. Only God existed before all of creation (Gen. 1:1–2), and only God can make creation cohere. To make Jesus Christ less than God is to dethrone Him.
It used to bother me to sing the familiar song “This Is My Father’s World.” I thought Satan and sin were in control of this world. I have since changed my mind, and now I sing the song with joy and victory. Jesus Christ made all things (John 1:1–3), He controls all things, and by Him all things hold together. Indeed this is my Father’s world!
Something to Ponder – If you increasingly believe that Jesus holds all things together, what are some situations you are currently facing in which you should trust Him more?[1]
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[1] Warren W. Wiersbe, Pause for Power: A 365-Day Journey through the Scriptures, 2nd Ed., Year in the Word Series (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2010).
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