Blogging BCM: Stand Up, Stand Out, Stand Firm

Tuesday night Tim gave a message that revolved around our theme for BCM this year; Stand Up, Stand Out, Stand Firm. Revolved around Isaiah 7:9b, our theme serves to help challenge ourselves and one another to make it a daily effort to stand firm in the faith that Christ calls us to, whether it be while on campus, in our dorms or in any other facet of our lives.

Tim read from Luke 8:11-15 and talked about The Parable of the Sower, through which he described the different types of faith that we can have. Perhaps the one that all of us should strive and seek out by the grace of God, would be the last one which bears much fruit. Tim challenged us to think about which type we fall into.

For me this message paralleled greatly with 2 Peter 1:3-10 which reads:

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, bothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.

This passage of Scripture illustrates what the life looks like of a follower of Christ who falls into the fourth path Tim discussed on Tuesday. We must seek to supplement our faith we these qualities so that we bear fruit, show ourselves to be His followers and ultimately never fall. As Isaiah 7:9b says, if we do not stand firm in our faith, we will not stand at all; that is we will fall.

If we are to stand firm in our faith and not fall, we must seek out these qualities. We must make it a daily priority to dive into God's Word, to search it and go to it, so that we may develop and cultivate these qualities that are described in 2 Peter. Our faith is not something that we must proclaim and not live. We must cultivate it and make it the number one passion we have in life; think about all that is at stake...if we don't stand firm in our faith, we will fall!

Things To Think About Throughout Your Daily Devotions:

1. Read, Study and Meditate Isaiah 7:9b, Luke 8:11-15 and 2 Peter 1:3-10.

2. What category, that Tim discussed, do you fall into?

3. How can you better seek to stand firm in your faith?

If you have any questions or need someone to talk to; Tim, Mike and myself are always available and more than willing to meet with you.

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