Monday May 30, 2011

Read 2 Peter 1:5-7; Phil 4:2-13

Some people have immense will power. Others do not. Some people can do whatever they put their mind to because of their will power. Others struggle. Will power, or what the average Aussie male might call ‘sheer bl&%dy mindedness’ really has nothing to do with our Christian walk.

As you read vs 5-11 it may seem like we are simply instigating a ‘try harder’ plan of action here. It may seem like we are saying “Be determined and just do this. Try harder. Try harder!” But that is not the case! We have just read about everything God has done for us in vs 1-4. We have just read about his great and precious promises, his provision for us, his work on our behalf and His gracious gifts of faith, peace and grace to us. Verse 5 begins with ‘For this reason’. In other words, we could read vs 5 as ‘Since God has given us his grace, mercy and love, because he has given us his great and precious promises...’. The Scriptures never call us to work or walk a certain way before they witness to our position in Christ. Our standing always precedes our service. Doctrine determines our actions. Salvation always comes before sanctification. It is out of who we are in Christ that we are called to live out our faith in Christ.

It is anticipated (given the structure of the passage) that God’s provision forms both the motivation to change and the core substance of that change. It is because of all that Christ has given us and done for us that we are called to change in vs 5-11. One of the reasons that we fail to walk victoriously is that we fail to have a personal relationship with God. He is treated merely as a mental thing - a state of mind. There is no real presence of a relationship with the living God. God is with us 24/7 and to be victorious we need to be conscious of Him 24/7 and relating to Him 24/7. We will never be victorious if God is simply and routinely relegated to a 15 minute block at the end of the day when we are totally wasted. Regular, uninterrupted time with God is precious and vital but it has to be our best time, not our worst. If we give God the dregs of our day, danger will develop.

Make it your goal to spend regular, uninterrupted, quality time with God and to have a constant conversation with God throughout the day.

Prayer:-

V Pray for opportunities for you to spread God’s word among your community.

V Pray that you are open and willing to carry out God’s will for your life.

V Pray that God will give you the strength to proclaim your faith and to reach out to those around you.

Meditate on Galatians 6:7-10 spend time praising God for the truth. Ask Him to show you how this has been true in your own life.