How Are You Doing?

By Lindsay Taylor

“By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.” (Hebrews 11:23-26)

Faith is a critical part of what we do, yet most of us would struggle to define faith. We would quote the verse that tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for yet not seen (Hebrews 11:1). In our task as under-shepherds, we are always trying to encourage people in the faith to become participants of faith and surrender their lives to Jesus Christ and be men and women of great faith. And yet, we often neglect our own faith and development.

In Faith’s Hall of Fame in Hebrews 11, we learn that Moses was a man of great conviction. You and I, as leaders, must also become people of great conviction concerning the truth and the power of the Word of God and the reality of prayer and seeking His face. Yet, we often find ourselves doing ministry not out of faith, but out of practice, routine, and ritual. We can even find ourselves saying, “I’ve done this before, I know how to do this,” becoming self-reliant. But if we wish to be like Moses, we need to be people of great conviction. Moses was a man who made his own decisions as he sought to follow God. Another thing we know for sure about Moses is that he was a man who had an eternal perspective. How is our perspective? Do we serve with eternity in mind? Are we living life in anticipation of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ?

How is our perspective? Do we serve with eternity in mind? Are we living life in anticipation of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ?

How are you doing in this? How is your commitment? Are you becoming a fully devoted follower of the Lord Jesus Christ? Are you praying for lost people to come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior? When was the last time you personally shared the gospel with someone? What are you doing to develop your spirituality?

Today, I simply want to encourage you to be men and women of deep and abiding faith who seek to spend time in great communication with the Lord through prayer and hearing His voice through His Word. How are you doing with the issues of your own heart these days? My dear friend, Pastor Jay Powell from The Church at the Beach in Panama City Beach, Florida, uses this definition for a mature disciple virtually every Sunday as part of his message: “Someone who is continually growing in their walk with Christ. They have a hunger and thirst for the things of God, and they exhibit the fruit of the Spirit consistently. They are not sinless, but sin less.”

“(A disciple is) someone who is continually growing in their walk with Christ. They have a hunger and thirst for the things of God, and they exhibit the fruit of the Spirit consistently. They are not sinless, but sin less.” – Pastor Jay Powell

As you read that definition, here are some questions to consider: Are you growing in the fruit of the Spirit? Do those who observe your life see that you’re growing in your walk with Christ? Are they seeing that progression in the journey?

It’s confession time—for many years I have sought to read the Bible every year, and if I’m completely honest with you, it became simply a task to be done. It wasn’t about growing in my intimacy with the Lord as much as it was saying that I had done it. As this year began, I decided to do something very different. I was given a devotional by Walter A. Henrichsen several years ago, which I had not used. This year I took it off the shelf and am using the short devotions, trying to spend conscious time thinking through what he has written for the day and how it applies to my life. The other thing I’ve been doing is reading prayers from the Puritan classic The Valley of Vision. I have used this book for many years, usually in preparation for some form of public prayer, to spark thoughts. This year I’m using it to pray for my own heart. In one of the prayers, “The Cry of a Convicted Sinner,” the author simply prays, “Save me from myself, from the artifices and deceits of sin, from the treachery of my perverse nature, from denying thy charge against my offenses, from a life of continual rebellion against thee, from wrong principles, views, and ends; for I know that all my thoughts, affections, desires and pursuits are alienated from thee.”

How are you doing? is a good question to ask yourselves.

My simple task today is to motivate you and encourage you—in a difficult season, remain steadfast and true! Grow in your walk with the Lord Jesus Christ, so that you may lead His church and the ministries you serve out of the abundance of His presence and His joy.

In a difficult season, remain steadfast and true! Grow in your walk with the Lord Jesus Christ, so that you may lead His church and the ministries you serve out of the abundance of His presence and His joy.