E is for Endurance
by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton
Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:4
Christianity is a marathon, not a sprint. Salvation is the beginning, not the end. When you invite Jesus into your life your old life is over and your new life has just begun, and this relationship will live and grow for the rest of your life. Whether that is 9 minutes or 90 years you must “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Hebrews 12:1
D is for Discipleship
by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton
A new command I give you. Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:34-35
This is a Command-ment. And it covers 6 of the big 10. If you love one another you will not kill each other, cheat on each other, steal from each other, lie about each other, envy what each other has, and of course you will honor the parents that you love.
And this is not the temporary warm fuzzy kind of love. This is the love of Christ, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” No ifs, ands or maybes about it, we must love one another in the same way that Jesus loved us. This is discipleship, this is what a disciple of Jesus does. He loves people, he cares about their circumstances here on earth and he cares about their eternal condition.
C is for Courageous
by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them for the Lord your God goes with you: he will never leave you nor forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6
Sometimes it is the little negative voice in the back of our minds that we must fight. “Who do you think you are?” “It can’t be done, better to not even try.” “Do you honestly think that God could use you, you are worthless, a failure – Loser!”
The more we head in God’s direction, the louder the devil shouts in our ears, throwing up imaginary road blocks that we must have the courage to walk through. It’s a smoke screen, one of Satan’s most powerful weapons, but it is nothing more substantial than smoke. The fog looks solid, and we can’t see what is on the other side – but God can see and if you follow Him then the fog swirls around you with no power to stop you – none at all.
