As followers of Christ, we are called to walk in the new self. This includes the way we talk to others but more importantly, the way we commune with the Lord in prayer.
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Often I have said to the Lord, “I want to obey you, Lord. Just show me what you want me to do.” I’ve prayed this with my bible sitting right next to me unopened. However, God’s word is how He speaks to us, and friend, he has already told us what He wants us to do.
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This contrast between light and darkness is a reality for followers of Christ. We know it well…Darkness is the world that we once walked (Isaiah 9). Because of the darkness in the world, the Father sent his son Jesus to be the light of the world (John 1). Light is a picture of the salvation the Lord Jesus accomplished in His death and resurrection (John 8:12). Light is also a picture of the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God (Psalm 119:105). Continually, we are reminded of the home found in the light and our pursuit and proclamation of it.
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May our first thought every morning be “Lord, I surrender this day to you.” When we make our to-do list for the day, may we write at the very top “If the Lord wills, I will…...”
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Throughout the scriptures, we find the assurance of revitalizing mercy in the new day. Over and over the prophets and apostles remind us of this inheritance.
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When Jesus said, “Not my will, but yours be done,” He surrendered His own will to God’s, fully convinced that His Father knew what was best. When we pray this way, we yield ourselves to God’s wisdom, trusting Him to work out what’s best for our lives, too
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Singing to the Lord is an important characteristic of our walk as followers of Christ. No matter what season you are walking in, I encourage you to keep singing. Keep singing of His faithfulness, His new mercy, and His Glorious love. So, brothers and sisters, what are you singing today?
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How can this be? How can two groups of people with very different ancestral backgrounds have a love for one another? The answer is simple yet heartfelt. The love and peace of their community were only possible because of the unifying work of Christ in His life, death, and resurrection. When we are born again (regenerated), we become a new creation in Christ (1 Cor. 5:17). This new work doesn’t just describe a transformation on an individual basis. It describes a renewed community in one body, the Church (Eph. 3:6). In Christ, both Jew and Gentile, become one in Christ. We are knit together in the love of Christ. We are united!
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“The gift of a relaxing float in the hot springs was a gift to me from a brother who loves me and my family. It was a gift of love. It required the sacrifice of time and resources, but the fruit of it was a beautiful fellowship in the Lord."
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Regardless of what you are facing today, remember that your holy, wise, and powerful Father in heaven cares for you. Let your faith be cultivated by the knowledge of His providence.
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It begins with prayer. As we commit to pray for one another, our actions will follow. We will start inviting others into our homes and reaching out to friends who attend different churches to ask how we can pray for them. We will find ourselves wanting to send a note of encouragement to a pastor of a Calvary church that we have never met. We will end up on our knees, praying for churches around the world that we may never see on this side of eternity. We will become a church that is known for its love.
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“Unforgiveness will destroy everything it touches. It does long-lasting damage to our relationships and our health. It begins to shape our worldview as we bury it deeper and deeper. Unforgiveness is deception to us because it is so easily justified. This is what makes it so damaging. It affects the way we love and the way we trust. If left ignored, it will also impact our love for the church and His people. It will affect our prayer life and our communion with the Lord Jesus. It is sin. Plain and simple. It is a sin that will slowly erode you over time. “
Read MoreThe answer to these questions is simple, yet challenging. The reason the ways of the world enamor us is because of the ease of the path. We have been deceived into believing that we know what is best for our lives. In this deception, the world consumes us. John Piper writes, “If you love the world, it will pass away and take you with it.” This consumption is one of a slow fade from truth. Slowly we buy into the lies of the enemy. Gradually we compromise truth to pursue our best life. Leisurely we justify our lives in the fractured shadow of our pursuit of happiness.
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This path of righteousness is a worthy journey. It will require the Lord’s providential hand to go before us and guide us on the path, but, it also requires our discipline and delight in the Word of God. The Word of God is the foundational source in which we learn to walk, live, and love as Jesus. It is how we know our Lord. It is how we recognize the attacks from the enemy. It is the way we yield fruit. It is the truth in which we are sanctified. Delight in it!
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There have also been times in our lives when we have been distracted by busyness, our own growing family, or the pursuits of this world and have chosen to sit back and ignore God’s call. We’ve been guilty of taking a back seat at church; just showing up, and little else. We were pretty sure in these moments that our lives were too busy to give any of our leftovers to the church. Someone else was going, someone else was sending, and we were sure, someone else was making disciples. We were living in disobedience to God’s call on our lives. During these seasons, however, God has always gotten our attention. He has drawn our eyes back to him and off of this world. He has never stopped pursuing us..
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Remember, my brothers and sisters in Christ, this walk with Him is a journey. Run the race well. Remain faithful to Him. Remain faithful to His Church. Remember and pursue Paul’s words to his young disciple, Timothy, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. (2. Timothy 4:7).”
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“What if, instead of our goals being about ourselves, they were focused on serving the Lord? What if our goals were to grow closer to Him, spend more time in His word, and develop a consistent time of prayer each day? What if we did make goals for exercising and eating healthier, but at the heart of those goals is a desire to have more energy to serve others? What if our goals for organizing our home and creating better systems were not just for ourselves but to make it easier to invite church members over to share a meal and build relationships? How can we serve Him daily in 2024? “
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Many of the things we long for are just fleshed-filled empty vessels compared to what the Lord has planned. In our waiting, the Lord desires us to draw near to him. In our waiting, He desires for us to grow in him. In our waiting, He is preparing us for His will. In our waiting, He is sanctifying us for what is to come.
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“And finally, the Incarnation of Christ granted us the gift of salvation, a new identity, and the church. This truth compels us to live as Jesus lived, serve as Jesus served, and love as Jesus loved. In Christ's coming to earth, we are granted a response to make much of Him to the ends of the earth. “
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