Tag: Courage

LIVING FOR CHRIST

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Shelby G. Floyd

to-live-is-christ

The apostle Paul was arrested at Jerusalem and he was sent by the governing authorities on a dangerous sea voyage to Rome. The author of the Acts said,

“When we got to Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself with a soldier to guard him” (Acts 28: 16).

What was going on during Paul’s two years of imprisonment in Rome? “For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 28: 30-31). Basically, Paul was preaching and teaching the gospel of Christ to a captive audience.

A LETTER FROM PRISON

Paul wrote Philippians from his prison cell. From a strictly worldly viewpoint, being in prison for no crime seemed to be a bad thing. When Christ is our life, God can take a bad thing and make it a good thing, and can even make it a God thing. Paul had a positive spirit. Because of the prayers of the Philippians for him and the power of the Spirit of Christ that was within him, he believed, “What has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance” (Philippians 1:19).

DO NOT BE ASHAMED OF CHRIST

Paul confessed that he eagerly expected, and hoped that he would not be ashamed of Christ and the gospel of Christ. He intended to be bold and courageous in exalting and magnifying Christ, whether it was by life or death (Philippians 1:20). He declared, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is again” (Philippians 1:21). If Christ is not our life, we are not ready to die. Paul had already died to sin and now Christ was living in him. To the Galatians he said,

“I have been crucified with Christ and 1 no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Let all who have been baptized into Christ rise to walk a new life of joy, and focus on living for Christ.

Copyright © 2017 Shelby G. Floyd, All Rights Reserved

Shelby Preaching

Shelby G. Floyd
Heartland Church of Christ
1693 West Main Street
Greenwood, Indiana 46142

Holding Up Each Other’s Hands

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Shelby G. Floyd

Hands

The background for our lesson today is from a portion of Scripture found in the book of Exodus 17:8-16.

We are all familiar with the story of God’s people who multiplied to a wonderful number of something like two million people while they were down in Egypt. They were in bondage; they were mistreated; they cried out unto the Lord to save them by sending a deliverer. And God raised up Moses who was trained and educated to be their deliverer.

Moses is held up in the Bible to be a type of Jesus Christ. He was a prophet of God and Israel’s deliverer. Christ is our great prophet through whom God has spoken to us (Hebrews 1: 1-3). Moses delivered Israel from bondage and slavery. Christ has delivered us from the bondage of sin. Christ therefore was the promised deliverer like unto Moses (Acts 3: 22).

God sent Moses to Pharaoh and he put a rod into his hand. Moses did many miracles through the rod of God, confirming his message and mission to Israel. Finally, with the rod of God in his hand he separated the Red Sea, and the children of Israel marched through the Red Sea on dry land and headed toward the Promised Land.

Shortly after they were on their way the children of Israel started murmuring for water. God commanded Moses to strike the rock with the rod and water was given to them. (Exodus 17: 1-7.) Then they were attacked by a nomadic tribe called Amalek. Continue reading “Holding Up Each Other’s Hands” →