"I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you." (Revelation 3:1-3)
Soren Kierkegaard spoke of how easily and quietly we can lose our fervor in Christ and how great of a danger it is. He says: “The greatest danger, that of losing oneself, can pass off in the world as quietly as if it were nothing; every other loss, an arm, a leg, five dollars, a wife, ...is bound to be noticed.” In other words, most things in life, from as sacred as a spouse to as trivial as five dollars, if lost, gets noticed. But for a believer to drift into complacency, maybe a couple weeks of not spending time in the Word, maybe getting involved in a relationship that’s not really centered on Christ, a couple lifestyle changes here, a couple there. Pretty soon a few weeks turns in to 6 months, 6 months turns into a few years – and we’ve just drifted off as quiet as a mouse. The church at Sardis misunderstood that danger. And so Christ calls them to be alert and awake. The question for the church today, is will we too wake up? (Danny White)
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world." (1 Peter 5:6-9)
"As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." (2 Timothy 4:5)
"My dad is a retired air force pilot. I am very proud of what he’s done to serve our country and what he still does to this day. Needless to say I grew up around jets and I loved it. I’ve always been fascinated by jets – their size, their speed, their power, not just in their engines but the power behind all the weapons they carry fascinates me as well. I’m not sure if you’ve ever seen how much military jets cost, but their sticker price has always caught my attention also. When a pilot is flying they have to be completely engaged and aware of their surroundings. A pilot can’t afford to sneeze much less fall asleep. Can you imagine as a pilot flies, with his hands grabbing the control stick, knuckles white, how attentive he must be? Things happen fast at 800 mph. He must remain engaged. Life comes at us fast but the cause of Christ must be carried forward. The question for the church and for our hearts is, will we wake up, will we fight the good fight, and engage in the process?" (Danny White)
"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD;
my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,
so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise
to sprout up before all the nations."
(Isaiah 61:10-11)
Soren Kierkegaard spoke of how easily and quietly we can lose our fervor in Christ and how great of a danger it is. He says: “The greatest danger, that of losing oneself, can pass off in the world as quietly as if it were nothing; every other loss, an arm, a leg, five dollars, a wife, ...is bound to be noticed.” In other words, most things in life, from as sacred as a spouse to as trivial as five dollars, if lost, gets noticed. But for a believer to drift into complacency, maybe a couple weeks of not spending time in the Word, maybe getting involved in a relationship that’s not really centered on Christ, a couple lifestyle changes here, a couple there. Pretty soon a few weeks turns in to 6 months, 6 months turns into a few years – and we’ve just drifted off as quiet as a mouse. The church at Sardis misunderstood that danger. And so Christ calls them to be alert and awake. The question for the church today, is will we too wake up? (Danny White)
"Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world." (1 Peter 5:6-9)
"As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." (2 Timothy 4:5)
"My dad is a retired air force pilot. I am very proud of what he’s done to serve our country and what he still does to this day. Needless to say I grew up around jets and I loved it. I’ve always been fascinated by jets – their size, their speed, their power, not just in their engines but the power behind all the weapons they carry fascinates me as well. I’m not sure if you’ve ever seen how much military jets cost, but their sticker price has always caught my attention also. When a pilot is flying they have to be completely engaged and aware of their surroundings. A pilot can’t afford to sneeze much less fall asleep. Can you imagine as a pilot flies, with his hands grabbing the control stick, knuckles white, how attentive he must be? Things happen fast at 800 mph. He must remain engaged. Life comes at us fast but the cause of Christ must be carried forward. The question for the church and for our hearts is, will we wake up, will we fight the good fight, and engage in the process?" (Danny White)
"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD;
my soul shall exult in my God,
for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,
so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise
to sprout up before all the nations."
(Isaiah 61:10-11)
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