Journal Entry ~ 09/02/18

11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw-13 each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. - 1 Corinthians 3:11-13

So, if the most important thing from our lives will be what we’ve done for God and His kingdom, if everything else we have done with our lives will be burned up in ashes, the focus of our day should be telling others about Him. That’s it. That’s what we should be living for, that’s our whole purpose for being here.

But here's a sad reality —> many of us are more afraid of the consequences of stepping out in faith then we are of the consequences of not stepping out. I get caught in this trap all the time, and I know many others share the same struggle. 

If we boldly share our faith with the unbelieving world, what's the worst thing that can happen?  We may encounter awkward or uncomfortable situations, we may be mocked or asked challenging questions that we think we cannot answer, or we may come up against doubt that we don't know how to address. We fear people's opinion of us - they may think we're strange, avoid us, or associate us with Christians who pass judgments and say horrible, hateful things. 

The truth is we are blessed enough to live in a country where we are free to share our faith, so there are no significant consequences of sharing our faith. The worst possible situation I can imagine is strained or ended relationships because the enemy grabs a hold of the other person's heart and won't let go, drawing them away from us. 

Those are the consequences of stepping out in faith - while uncomfortable, when placed up against the consequences of not stepping out, the reality is they are pretty insignificant. This verse reminds us of the consequence of not stepping out in faith - our lives will be burned up by the fire and nothing will remain. The reality is we will account for our actions someday, we will need to recount what we have done with what he has given us. 

Matthew 25:29-30 reminds us if we do not step out in faith and boldly share what He has given us, we will be considered a worthless servant and cast into the outer darkness, spending our eternity separated from the One who brings us peace and comfort and strength. Hardly a comparison. We need to guard our hearts against the enemy attacks telling us we should keep our faith to ourselves, and share all that He has done for us with all those who intersect our lives.


Press on ~ you are loved 💗

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