We thank You Father for sending the Holy Spirit to encourage us and strengthen our resolve to do the right thing. That fact, along with the forgiveness of all confessed sin, due to the redemptive power of Jesus, means we will be without excuse if we say “but I did not know”.
What I am doing just feels wrong.
Some people call the obedience part “works”. That just means doing things that God has commanded, such as loving other people, being Baptized, praying to Him about every decision and about our needs and hopes and the needs of others. Works that are rooted in faith please God. Works, simply intended to earn points with God, do not please Him. Faith in Jesus makes your works noticed by God. There you have it! First God’s grace to you, second your faith in Jesus Christ and third, your works, those things you do to respond to His love. We need to know that the order cannot be reversed
Why is pride such a problem? Is there a solution?
Father, the contrast between pride and humility is always before us. We have such an inclination to allow our ego to overcome us. Help us, today, to know that it is You we seek to please and that even when we do please You, it is due to the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, not our fleshly spirit.
The mystery of the Holy Spirit…revealed!
Jesus, some recoil from the notion that blood must be shed for the forgiveness of sin. Help us learn what You have taught us, many times. Sin is deserving of death or at the very least, it prevents entry into the presence of our Holy Father. Sacrifices of animals, to cover the sins of a believer, were a very serious way of allowing a substitute to die in the place of a sinner.
Does “commending” yourself ever work?
We are so tempted to remind others of how we have served You, that it embarrasses us when we reflect on our error. Please turn our tendency to be prideful into joyful humility in serving You. Joyful humility sounds like a non-sequitur but we know that You expect both of us. It is just a little tough to do both at the same time!
If you love Jesus, you have a big target on your back.
Dear God, sometimes we forget that we who love You have a big target on our back and that Satan is indeed looking for ways to bring us down, to break our faith and to make us doubt that You are there for us.
Our eternal High Priest, Jesus, is our advocate…perfect!
Father, we stand before You all day, every day, completely exposed. We
have no secret thoughts or actions and You tell us here that we must give
an account for our decisions.
You say “be holy”…I feel so unworthy at times.
Being “sober-minded” is another admonition and we know that is different than intoxication from drink. You teach us that we should be orderly in our conduct, to not speak coarsely and to therefore have Your Spirit in us. You also tell us to be full of joy, so to be sober minded must not mean to be long faced and stern in our demeanor.
Do you think you ever sin in secret?
Jesus, all that we think, do and feel is before you. We do not face temptation alone nor do we sin in secret. Your experiences on earth are our experiences as well. You lift us up, as though we had never sinned, into the presence of the Father. Therefore, in Your righteousness, we can be bold in coming to the Father in prayer and boldly seek to serve Him, which is the essence of our purpose.
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