September 11, 2025

GOD’S WORD FOR TODAY:

“Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty in respect to the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself [or herself], then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup [in a worthy manner]. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself [or herself].”  (1 Corinthians 11.27-29)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD TO US:

God does not lead us by accident. God is intentional in our creation. He made us to operate at maximum proficiency when we follow His directions, commands and calling. As a people of faith, we cannot assign “coincidences” to God’s “incidences” in our lives and in our world. As Pastor Rick Warren has put forth for some time now, we must live out our purpose-driven lives. He was not speaking of just any chosen purpose which promotes ourselves and satisfies our own wants, needs and desires especially in the context of this broken world. Our purpose is bound to the will of God using the gifts, talents, abilities and intellect so that the “good work which He has started will be completed.” (Philippians 1.6) There is a completion date established as well: when the day of the Lord comes. It is not finished a moment sooner nor a moment later. God is working right up to the day, hour, minute, second and microsecond to finish the work He has started. That may well mean, mighty ones of God that while Creation was “completed” in its form and function, set in place and then in motion, it is not yet finished in us.

Take those words to heart, mighty ones of God: It is finished! They are the very words Jesus spoke on the cross. He had met His own “day of the Lord” at Calvary. It was no accident nor coincidence that transformed the living to the dead and thus the dead to the living. Yes, when Jesus died on the cross, He died as any of us would die- completely. He surrendered body, mind and spirit into the safekeeping of God knowing He had “run the good race and fought the good fight” as Paul would urge the Church to do as well. When He completely completed His purpose-driven life, God then finished the work He had begun in Jesus of Nazareth, His only begotten Son. Aren’t we glad that “God is not dead”? If God were dead, then there would be no completion and ultimate preparedness for when the “day of the Lord” comes to us. And regardless, the Christ will come. The witness of the resurrection becomes the evidence that He is not dead. He is very much alive and given a new charge and a new mission. He is preparing a place for all who will believe in Him and who are doing His will on earth knowing they will continue to do so in Heaven. Yes, God is working to completion in our earthly lives to be ready for our heavenly assignments. But if we do not believe this, then we are totally unprepared even for the consequence of unpreparedness and that will literally and figuratively be “hell.”

Once again, let me draw our attention to what is now a well-known passage of scripture from the Old Testament. You will see it many times today because in this country, and as a warning to all the world, we are remembering another “day that will live in infamy.” No, I am not speaking of December 7 when we consider the bombing of Pearl Harbor. No, I am not speaking of August 6 nor of August 9 when we consider the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki bringing an end to the war which started for the United States on the previously mentioned December 7. I am speaking today of September 11 when we remember the terrorist attack on this country with the destruction of the Trade Towers in New York and the severe damage done to the Pentagon with over 2600 lives taken and a way of life forever changed. Sadly, there have been and will continue to be “days that will live in infamy” in our history and in our lives. Yesterday, may be remembered as one of those days with the political assassination of Charlie Kirk. Let it be said of him, “He has run the good race and fought the good fight,” “Well done, good and faithful servant,” “In this world you will have trouble but no not be afraid for I have overcome the world,” and “It is finished.” Charlie Kirk was asked if he was afraid and his answer was “no.” It did not mean that he bound his life with fear but that fear did not rule Him. His faithfulness to God, Christ, family, this nation and to fulfilling his purpose of being humble before God as a witness to the nations was working together for good. Sadly, it was no accident that took his life yesterday. The effort to silence the messenger to intimidate other messengers and thus silence the message was intentional and not coincidental. It was deliberate and not random. It was the act of those who refuse to be of God’s people called by His Name to fulfill their purpose and destiny. It was the act, as will all others acts of such ilk, of cowardice and pride promoting self above all others. What scripture am I referring to? “If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, confess and pray, turning away from the world, then I will hear and answer and heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7.14; note it is no coincidence of 2,7,14 either).

Mighty ones of God, when we come to the table of the Lord and “discern the body,” it ought to be with that aforementioned verse in mind. We are God’s people called by His name to be in the world but not of it. We are the ones who must lead by faith, hope and love in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake. We must humble ourselves, confess and repent of our sins and sinfulness remembering how we were before making Christ the Lord of our lives and call Him “Savior and friend.” We must pray and pray without fear of the world. We must pray with the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom. If there is to be healing in the body (ours, the community, this nation, this world and most importantly in the Church), then we must be the ones who will take the lead speaking the truth in love and doing so until our time is complete and God’s time for us all is completed. Jesus gave His life for this and taught, “No greater love is there than this that a person will lay down their own life for the sake of another.” Sometimes, the laying down of our lives comes as simply as the witness and testimony of our confess of sin and profession of faith. Let us pray now and always, mighty ones of God, for this kind of discernment to be the accountability of our faith. God is ready to act! Are we?

TODAY’S PRAYER IN RESPONSE TO GOD’S WORD:

Father, in these days we are finding the need to believe even more than ever before. We all have known trouble, some in greater ways than others, but You are offering us the assurance that we will not be consumed by it forever. Regardless of the “time” we are in and the “time” we have been given, we ask for Your Holy Spirit which Jesus asked You to share with us, to lead and guide and direct us in the paths we should go. Teach us what we still need to learn. Empower us to put that learning into action. Bless our actions not as a works righteousness but as righteous works of faith, hope and love in Jesus’ name. AMEN.