God's name
is used in our society more in cursing than as a prayer. The last several
generations have less of a concept of sin. They consider wrong as right, and
right is often viewed as wrong (Romans 1:32).
Sin is the
norm for many, and church is foreign (Ephesians 4:21, 6:1; Colossians 3:9). They
view Christ's death on Calvary's cross as a waste of a life, rather than as the
ultimate sacrifice for our salvation.
Until we
understand that God's Word is our ultimate authority, we will not comprehend our
disobedience to it, and our need to ask Jesus for forgiveness (John 14:15, 23).
Even the
law of our land teaches us that there are consequences for our behavior. The
police person and courts hold us responsible to uphold the law, or we are sentenced
to make amends.
When we
transgress God's law, we deserve to suffer the penalty of death (Romans 3:23,
6:23). Yet, Jesus suffered our eternal punishment for us (John 3:16-18). He
gives us His life in our spirit, which was formerly dead in sin (Galatians
2:20).
When we
decide to live for God, rather than for our self, we are no longer separated
from Him. Jesus makes it possible for us to spend eternity with Him in Heaven
(Romans 10:13).
When we
die physically, we will not die spiritually. The last breath we breathe on
earth is followed by our first breath in Heaven (Matthew 25:46). We can trust
our life on earth to God's perfect plan for us (Ephesians 2:10).
We find
fulfillment, peace and joy through His love and forgiveness (Romans 14:17). We
collapse into God's waiting arms with the confidence that He will catch us and
never, ever let us go (Hebrews 13:5).
Prayer:
Father
God, there are not enough days in our lifetime to show our appreciation to You
for all that You do for us each day. Remind us not to take Your goodness and
grace for granted. Teach us to praise You for all of the blessings You shower on
us each and every day. Thank You for abiding in our spirit and making such a
huge difference in our life.
Help us to
learn to discern the leading of Your Spirit as we commit each moment of our day
to You. We do not want to depend on our human reasoning, because this reaps
mediocre results at best. We want to walk in Your Will by the direction of Your
Word under the power of Your Holy Spirit.
Thought
for the Day:
God
improves our spiritual, mental, emotional, financial and physical health as we
trust Him, follow the direction of His Spirit, and live, move and exist only in
His will. - Acts 17:28
