Friday the 13th

Galatians 2: 14

 

¹⁴When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?

 

It is comforting to know that even shortly after the death and resurrection of Christ men of strong faith felt conflicted sometimes. 2000 years later it is an emotion that we all deal with. At some point in our lives, some more often than others, we struggle with our faith, and our old lives. We worry about what others think; we worry about how we will be accepted by people, especially those that have known us for a while. It is my prayer that each of us has a “Paul” in our lives that can be there to point it out when we lose our bearings. On the other side of the coin, each of us has a duty to our brother to be their “Paul”. When we see our friends, or family drifting back into old habits, or back in to an old lifestyle, we should not throw up our hands and say oh well! We must have the conviction, the faith, and the courage to stand up to them and help them see the light.

 

If you find yourself feeling lost, maybe slipping, or more worried about your earthly relationships, than your relationship with Christ……find you Paul, find that rock in your life that the Lord has put next to you. We all have them, lean on them when you need them. If you see a friend in trouble reach out with faith and love, don’t recoil in fear of rejection. We are here for each other, we depend on each other to make up the body of Christ here on Earth. Don’t let yourself, or your friends be tempted into that comfort zone of your past life and traditions. Vow to move forward, no matter the cost. We were not promised an easy path, just a path that leads to salvation. It is always easier to return to the old life. Remember:  be strong, and courageous, do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1: 9)

 

Peace,

Brian