Passage of the Day:
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose. 14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”[c] Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain, Philippians 2:12-16.
Reflection:
In my early years as a Christian, my actions and behavior would change depending upon the people I was around. Before I found my way in college, I lived a double life, limiting my faith to church. The other 6 days of the week, I lived like a chameleon, blending into each new environment, eagerly wanting to become accepted. Subsequently, my life resembled the unproductive fig tree that Jesus cursed in Matthew 21:18-19. Perhaps, this is the inspiration behind the words of the apostle Paul above. Don’t just worship God in church. Rather, take your faith beyond this building, walking with God daily in my absence.
Prayerful Action:
Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, Romans 8:12-13.
Preparing Your Fields to Bear Spiritual Fruit:
As a former long-distance runner, if I wanted to improve, I had to run more miles than I did the previous summer. The first week of running was always the hardest, dealing with the heat, humidity and mental anguish to keep going despite how I felt. Perhaps, King Solomon’s words in Proverbs 22:6 deals with a similar concept. The sooner a child is introduced to how to bear spiritual fruit as a Christian, the closer they will walk with God. However, if you wander away from God like the prodigal son in Luke 15, you’ll become consumed by the world. The further away from God you get, the hardest it is to return. This is the logic behind playing your spiritual part the other 6 days of the week.
Song of the Day:
If you have a plan to walk with Jesus outside of church, you’ll figure out a way to make room for God in your busy schedule. However, if you fail to plan, you’re essentially planning to fail like my struggles of being a Christian in college.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 