This past Monday’s devotional in Jesus Always by Sarah Young stuck with me, and I thought it was a good topic for all of us. Sarah wrote:
Through my resurrection from the dead, you have new birth into a living hope …. You are a new creation, with the Holy Spirit living in you. But your becoming a Christian was only the beginning of the work I’m doing in you. You need to be made new in the attitude of your mind and to put on the new self – becoming increasingly godly, righteous, and holy. This is a lifelong endeavor, and it is preparing you for heaven’s Glory. So receive this assignment with courage and gratitude. Be alert, and look for all the wonderful things I am doing in your life.
1 Peter 1:3-4 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.
I have underlined the part that has stuck with me since I read it on Monday. This message tells us that our efforts in living life are to constantly be growing in God and His Word, to never become passive and think we have reached the pinnacle in life that we can rest on our Christian laurels and knowledge. Do we believe at some stage of life that we are not sinners anymore? Do we believe we have achieved the perfection that only Jesus achieved in His time on earth showing us the way? Do we believe that the devil has given up on trying to enter into our heart and mind because we have successfully kept him out for so long?
1 Peter 5:8 – Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Ephesians 6:18 – With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints.
As I get older, I find I have a lot more to pray for in my life. In the last decade, Cindy and I have been blessed with four beautiful grandchildren (finally !). Those grandchildren and their parents and our entire in-law families require a lot of attention and prayer. It seems there is no letup in the Prayer List at Covenant Church, especially as our congregation ages gracefully! Praying for others throughout our state, nation and the world is important, including both those people who we know and those we don’t know personally. And don’t get me started about dealing with all the health issues that seem to sprout regularly in our “mature” bodies.
Then think about the major changes in our world just in the past 2 years with COVID and the lengthy follow-up to dealing with its repercussions on society; all the issues with supply chains, jobs, food shortages, energy sources and supplies, and inflation; and then the latest impact on the world from the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the concern that China is planning a similar takeover of Taiwan. There is certainly no end to the need for continuous prayer for the fast changing world we all live in.
Colossians 1:9-10 – For this reason we also, since the day we heard about it, have not ceased praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
Pastor Don has spoken on these things to us – stay alert, don’t become complacent, be wary of the devil trying to enter your heart. Continue to grow in your walk with Him every day of your life … as the song says, try to be a little bit more like Him and a little bit less like me … every day.
2 Peter 3:18 – But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Hebrews 6:1 – Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God.