Stedfast, Immovable and Motivated!

1 Corinthians 15:58
 "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."
 We are presented with a challenge today. A challenge that is warranted and backed by the awesome word of God. To be stedfast, immovable. To keep on working for the Lord. Prior to this verse the scripture is teaching of future victory. A victory that is final and forever. It is the victory over death! That's right... I said,"victory over death." In Romans 10:9 the Bible says," That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you shall be saved." Our belief system of God's grace and salvation is salvation from death. Jesus was the first to be raised in this resurrection and we have claimed to believe it. We will also be raised. We will no longer at that point deal with sin or the result of it,"death!" Our verse this morning deals with our knowledge of this. It opens with, "THEREFORE." As to say,"because of what you know." Be stedfast, be settled in this knowledge. No matter what happens through out this day or any other day we know our victory is secure. We can rest in this hope. We can settle in to this joy. AS we will put on immortality and incorruption, death will be swallowed up in victory(1Corinthians 15:54). Settle in be stedfast live in it,"hakuna matata," as my friends Timone and Pumba  would say! We are also, because of this knowledge, to be immovable. We are no longer to be tossed about.  No one can deceive us! We are immovable! In this I challenge every one to seek the whole counsel of God. God has given us His word that we should know it and apply it. God intends for us to be secure in our knowledge of Him. So that we do not live in fear of our future. I love what we are told in Romans 8:15,"For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the SPIRIT OF ADOPTION by whom we cry out "ABBA FATHER." Adoption in Roman law in those days was more legally binding that being naturally born into a family. This is a picture God shows us to make our relationship to Him more clear. As His children we are "immovable." This knowledge helps us as we realize that every thing we do for Jesus has purpose and meaning. We have a part in this wonderful plan of our Father God. Nothing you do for Jesus is for nothing! Your labor has reason and meaning! Others see you. Others are listening. You may not think so but I promise they are! If you are living for Jesus, you are not wasting your life. He is life and life in Him is the only life! King Solomon wrote about this in Ecclesiastes 12:13 "Let us hear the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man's all.