Last year taught me that my own strength pales to God’s strength that comes from abiding and walking with Him. Walking is a verb, a doing word. I guess I knew this, but the year really demonstrated this and moved it from my head to my heart with great conviction.

I ended Part 1 with this verse from Romans 1:14-15, “I am under obligation both to greeks and to barbarians, both to wise and to the foolish. I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.”

Why would Paul preach the gospel to those who were already Christians, aswell as to those who weren’t saved?

Paul believed that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was not just a call to initial saving faith, but it was also a call to continue in a DAILY WALK OF FAITH. #boom

Romans 6:4, “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”

Romans 8:4, “in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.”

2 Corinthians 5:17, “If any man be in Christ he is a new creation, the old has passed away the new has come.”

Galatians 5:6, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. This only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”

IN CHRIST

Prior to this road trip, I had found myself drawing this little picture throughout my sermon notes. I had noticed a common theme of ‘in Christ’ verses, and being the visual / diagram kind of person I am I made up this little drawing to remind myself of the importance of being ‘in Christ’, and God’s resources we have available to us when we live in Him, according to the Spirit.

Romans 1: 16, “For in the Gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘the righteous will live by faith.'”

Our daily walk of faith is the foundation for any ministry involvement. Whatever ‘ministry’ you involve yourself in, if it’s not held together by a daily walk of faith in Jesus Christ – the newness of life that comes through Him – then ministry is done in vain.

When we talk about a ‘life of ministry’ we talk about a life that is lived IN CHRIST. The actions, words, motivations that come out are directed by God and reflect His Kingdom’s priorities. My filthy rags of unrighteousness are replaced not by clothes of righteousness that Jesus hands over to me – HE is my righteousness. Take. that. in. When I live in Him, He IS my all.

1 Corinthians 1:30, “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,”

So here we have this succession of components that begin to make up the framework of ‘ministry’, rather like a chain of hose connections, through which fluids can flow through.

SAVING FAITH –> DAILY WALK OF FAITH –> IN CHRIST

Continued in Part 3… PART THREE