Three Qualities of Strong Christians

By Leland Ping

No Christian would say that he wants to merely be a “so-so” servant of God. Rather, because we take our spiritual service seriously, we want to be strong men and women of God. In Paul’s letter to the saints in Corinth, he used three powerful and descriptive words or phrases that should serve as qualities for which we should all aspire. The apostle wrote, “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord” (I Corinthians 15:58).

First, strong Christians are steadfast Christians. Paul is the only Bible writer to use the word and he used it three times in the course of two of his letters. Elsewhere in the New Testament, the word is translated as “settled” which seems appropriate as a related root word is “sedentary.” In Galatians 1:6, Paul criticized those early Christians for turning away from the gospel’s message so quickly and easily. And in his letter to the church in Ephesus, he wrote that believers shouldn't be “tossed to and fro” by the false doctrines that so often arise in arguments for change (Ephesians 4:14). Instead, believers are to be settled, calm, and closely identified with the simple, unchanging doctrine of our Lord.

Second, strong Christians are immovable Christians. In making this point, Paul is not suggesting that we be stubborn or unwilling to listen to others. Instead, Paul uses this word (the only time in the Bible) to signify that saints are to be persistent in their belief of God and to refuse to change from what He has commanded. Of course, this may mean that others in the world would perceive us as old-fashioned or even intransient, but it’s not for us to change God’s plans or to take liberty with His commands.

Finally, the inspired writer tells us that we are to be “always abounding” in the Lord’s work. This phrase carries with it the notion of “excess” or “overflowing.” Paul wanted the first century Christians to not “do enough” to “get by” spiritually but, instead, to fully adopt their lives as servants of the only God and to completely dedicate their lives to His cause. The same is true for us 2,000 years later. In our prayer life, we should want to pray more. In our dedication to our brethren, we should want to do more. And in our obedience to the will of our Father, we should desire to be more and more pleasing to Him.

As we live in service to our God, let us never be “satisfied” with “so-so” obedience or being “average” Christians. Instead, let’s consider the timeless admonition of God’s word and work to develop these three wonderful qualities.

Meditate on this:

Exodus 24:7

Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read in the hearing of the people. And they said, “All that the Lord has said we will do, and be obedient.”

What Are Some Qualities of Prayer?

By Leland Ping

It is valuable to spend a few moments examining the value of prayer in terms of some of the great qualities associated with this great privilege.

First, prayer is productive. Praying is not merely talking to God to fulfill a commandment of His. Prayer is, however, the single-most productive thing a person can do, no matter what his circumstances are or what challenges he might face. James writes, “You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2). We need to be ready to speak to our God and to ask Him – for He desires such communication and praying to Him is very productive.

Second, prayer is powerful. Again, prayer is not passive and unimportant. It is more powerful than anything else. John writes that, if we confess our sins to God in prayer, He will forgive us (I John 1:9). Wow! A Christian who has sinned can communicate to God and, with a penitent heart, ask for and receive the forgiveness of God. Indeed, prayer is very powerful.

Finally, prayer is patient. Peter writes that we are to cast all of our care upon our God. He also says, however, that God will choose to exalt us in “due time” (I Peter 5:6-7). We must be patient and wait on our God. Being prayerful, and at the same time, being patient, is a hallmark of the devoted servant of God.

As we think about prayer, let us be reminded of the great privilege it is. Being able to speak to God each day is certainly a wonderful blessing. As we pray, let us strive to pray as our God has instructed, praising Him and giving Him thanks for all of His love.

Three Keys for Spiritual Health

By Leland Ping

In one of his earliest letters, Paul wrote the following profound words in his closing paragraph:

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

Among all the many things that this teaches us is the importance of rejoicing. Some might say, well, it’s easy to rejoice when life is good – but I can’t be happy when life is tough. To that, Paul would say he disagrees. Rejoicing isn’t something that (spiritually speaking) should be dependent on circumstances but rather on one’s mindset. That’s not easy, of course, but the more we learn to rejoice in whatever circumstances we find ourselves, the more we’ll be aligned with what the Holy Spirit is counseling here.

We must also never underestimate the value of prayer. So much could and can be said on the subject. And, so much has been said through the centuries. But, simply put, prayer ought not always be scheduled or ritual. Rather, we should communicate with our great God on a regular basis. It’s our lifeline to the heavenly Father and we should fully take advantage of it and its power.

Finally, we should be a grateful people – thankful in all things. Being thankful in some things isn’t challenging. It’s a difficult thing when life doesn’t go our way, though. Paul was the perfect person to write these words. Over the course of his life, he would face so many, many challenges and setbacks. But, in spite of every difficulty he faced, he did so with a trust in the Lord and with a thankful heart.

Today and each day of our lives, let’s dedicate ourselves to doing these three things that make up the will of God.

Meditate on this:

Genesis 18:14

Is anything too hard for the Lord?