June 29, 2008 / Volume 12, Issue 26
Half Done
Aristotle once said, "Well begun is half done."
Friend, let me ask, how has your year been thus far? Has it been a good January thru June? Has it been productive? Have you grown in faith? Are you doing more for the Lord now than you were then? Do you care more now for your brethren than you did half a year ago? Is your knowledge of the Bible greater now than it was in January? If it's been a good beginning, wonderful. You're only half done!!
Today is the 26th Sunday of 2008. Half of the opportunities to meet with God's people on the first day of the week through this year are gone. Did you take advantage of them? Were you present with the saints as much as possible, and seeking to elevate their faith and magnify the name of God?? If yes, wonderful! But you're only half done.
Half of the opportunities to faithfully return unto the Lord a portion of what He has and will bless us with through this year are gone. Have you made good use of these opportunities? Has you giving habits been a help to the Lord's work? If yes, wonderful!! But you're only half done.
Half of the year is gone, and thus half of the time in 2008 which is available for us to share the gospel message with those who do not know the Lord. Have you made a good effort to share the message? Indeed, the Lord's will is for us to share the message of salvation with others, that all might come to faith and obedience. If you've shared your faith with folks you've met, wonderful!! But we're only half done.
Half done. Things that are half done need to be completed. A car repair that is only half done leaves us with a car that won't go. A school examination that is only half done leaves us with no hope of a passing grade. A chicken that is half done is a sure way to get salmonella. Anything that is only half done, is one half short.
Friend, let's enter the second half of 2008 with a focus to do all that we are able to for the Lord.
- Determine to be at every assembly of the saints. God expects you to be there; you brethren need you there; and you will benefit from being there.
- Give as you ought. The Scriptures do not give us a set percentage which we are to give. The Lord commands us to determine in our heart, and give accordingly. Be sure that your heart is right when making such a determination, and that you give as you ought. Don't allow your lack of giving to be a hindrance to the work of the Lord's church. How does you giving on Sunday compare with your dining out bill through the rest of the week?
- Display you love for souls tell people about Jesus. Do your friends know you are a Christian? Your neighbours? Your family? If not, why not??? Do you carry with you an invitation or a card to encourage someone you might bump into to study the Bible? Don't use a lack of knowledge or a lack of ability to teach as an excuse. You can say, "Come on out and study the Bible." You can ask someone if they'd like to have a private Bible study. Set up the study, and there will certainly be someone available to teach it.
2008 is half over. If it's been a good first six months, great!!! Let's make the last six even better. If the first six months have not been so good, if we've not done as we should, then let's repent, pick ourselves up, and get busy in the latter half.
NOTE I don't know whether we'll have the rest of 2008 or not. If the Lord gives it to us, then we will. If not, then no. Life doesn't come in six month blocks it comes in single days, hours, minutes, seconds. Determine to be faithful in this moment, and proceed from there. A faithful year of service to the Lord is comprised of 365 faithful days. Let us be focused on today.
We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For He says: In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you.' Behold, now is the accepted time; behold now is the day of salvation.
(2 Corinthians 6:1-2)
Click here for this week's Answering The Atheist
Who was Korah's father? Genesis 36:14 says that Esau was his father, but Genesis 36:15-16 says that Eliphaz was his father. Is there a contradiction?
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