Escha- M.O.'s

On Sunday Pastor Sam made reference to a statement made by Pastor Gabriel (our guest speaker at the launch of our Ministerios Latinos): "Your eschatology will determine your ethics": that is, what you believe about the future will have a direct effect on how you live your life in the present.

I am so grateful for the forgiveness and mercy of God. For years, my 'modus operandi' (M.O.) was to live a dichotomous lifestyle: I claimed to know Jesus as my Lord and Savior, but in my day-to-day living I was making decisions that I knew were displeasing to God and grievous to the Spirit of God. Back then, I didn't care.

Things are different now. What made the difference? An encounter with the Holy Spirit. I shifted from being a nominal Christian to being a true Christian, one whose sole desire is to please God regardless of what it might cost me personally or professionally.

A few nights ago I was listening to Pastor Sam's sermon from January 6, 2008 ("There Ain't Nothing But The Real Thing, Baby"). During that sermon he quoted a song I used to sing as a little girl in church: Sweet will of God, still fold me closer, till I am wholly lost in Thee... and that is all I want. That is my prayer, to be so full of the Spirit of God that people forget who I am, and that they will just remember that in some way the power of God reached them and changed them.

How will that happen? I have to live a life that points people to Christ. I can't point people to Christ if I'm embracing the ways of the world. I can't point people to Christ if I'm maligning His servants. I can't point people to Christ if my lifestyle is one of disobedience to His word.

Let's end this reflection on the 'basics' by reviewing the pattern set in Hebrews:

-Jesus Christ is superior to all things and all peoples;
-We are entreated, tenderly, to walk in obedience to Him;
-We are warned, sternly, of the consequences of disobedience to Him.

Let's keep living for Jesus. Not for ourselves, but for Him. His Spirit is here to help us. If you have not experienced the baptism of the Spirit, the Lord can present Himself to you in a way that will transform your life forever. All you have to do is ask Him.