Verse of the Day

6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Colossians 2:6-7 (NKJV)

Quote of the Day

“I prayed for Faith, and thought that some day Faith would come down and strike me like lightning. But Faith did not seem to come. One day I read in the tenth chapter of Romans, ‘Now Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God’. I had closed my Bible, and prayed for Faith. I now opened my Bible, and began to study, and Faith has been growing ever since.”

– Dwight L. Moody

Reflection

After we receive Christ, the Christian life doesn’t become passive. Paul calls us to continue walking in Him: rooted, growing, and established in the faith. According to today’s verse, faith is a foundational element of our walk with God. Verse 7 specifies that when we are rooted in Jesus Christ, built up in Him, and established in faith, we will abound in thanksgiving.

It’s no wonder we reach a place of gratitude when immersed in our faith. But not just any faith but one rightly situated in Jesus Christ. The Colossians faced the false message that sacrifices and overemphasis on personal action were a vehicle by which they could please God.

We know that works are a crucial part of our faith but not the Source of our salvation. When we make sacrifices for God’s glory, they are often honorable actions. It is pivotal, however, to remember that good works and noble sacrifices result after salvation. Works flow from a place of gratitude for God’s provision. Keep in mind, it is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone that we receive God’s atonement for our sins and the gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8-10).

If we indulge ourselves solely in human performance, it’s only a matter of time before we fail. Instead, we must rely on God to enable and guide us to abound in thanksgiving and reflect His glory. May God ensure our faith always abounds over our fears as we triumph over evil through His help.

Application

Today’s quote reminds us there is no replacement for God’s word. Faith comes by hearing and hearing from the word of God. Fellowship and prayer are crucial, but they would not thrive outside our time with God in His word. As we spend time in God’s word, He grows our faith and deepens our thirst for Him.

Next time, before you open God’s word, recall what a precious gift you hold. The infallible and timeless word you hold is God’s authoritative revelation to you. We must fear God and revere His word if we are to expect transformation.

Many times, myself included, we indulge our Biblical knowledge. Yet, it must also inspire us to act wisely as we apply God’s word in an acceptable way to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I remember a time when I was frustrated and tempted to let my emotions get the best of me. In that moment, the verse about being “quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry” came to mind (James 1:19). 

I could have retaliated, but God’s grace enabled me to pause and choose to respond with kindness. This small act, guided by Scripture, helped to de-escalate the situation and reminded me that truly applying God’s word brings real change in daily life. We cannot afford to take His sacrifice on the cross for granted.

Let your choices be guided by the Holy Spirit, inspired by Jesus Christ, and honorable in the sight of God. Without Jesus Christ, we have nothing, but in Him, we find everything, including eternal life.

Prayer

Dear God,

Thank You, Father, for another day of life. I have dropped the ball and failed You in many areas. Yet, somehow, You have seen it fit to pick me up, dust me off, and help me get back on track. I pray that You would help me to forgive others the way You forgive me.

I am thankful that, with Your help, I don’t often allow deceit or wickedness in my heart to guide my actions. I am thankful that You know my heart and my intentions. Please help me align both with Your will.

Father, please help me grow in gratitude, faith, and joy. I desire to find joy in everything I do for You and develop my faith by hearing and studying Your word. I also want to grow in gratitude by acknowledging Your numerous blessings.

My thankfulness abounds because of Your provision. I sincerely appreciate everything You’ve provided me, from the most minor material things to the most significant spiritual blessings. You’re my greatest treasure, and I am fortunate that Your presence will remain with me for all of eternity.

You are the Source of every good and perfect gift in my life. Please help me surrender to Your will and recall that it aligns with Your eternal best interest in consideration of Your glory and my good.

May I take up my cross daily and repent of all that offends You, including the sins I may not be aware of, so that I may walk in Jesus Christ. Thank You once again for Your forgiveness, and help me to please You in every area of my life.

I pray in Jesus Christ’s precious, holy, and mighty name.

Amen.

Other times, we will seek confirmation about vital life choices. We might want to know if it’s time to take the next step in a relationship, a career choice, or another critical juncture (1 Peter 1:13). But sometimes, the only way to determine whether things will work out is to keep moving forward one action at a time (James 1:22). It is better to take incremental steps toward a greater goal than to rush into something prematurely and unprepared (Proverbs 16:9).

Are you unsure if God is giving you the green light to get married? Keep dating and pray for clarity. Do you need help to decide whether to transition from your current job to another employer? Keep working and pray for God to open and close doors that pertain to employment as He sees fit (Proverbs 3:5-6). Is it plausible that God wants to teach you something where you are right now and wants you to be patient (Romans 8:24-25)? Pray for wisdom to determine if you’re missing out on a lesson or if it’s time to make a more substantial adjustment (James 1:5-8). So, ultimately, we aim to balance aligning our desires with God’s timing and continue preparing for the future (Ecclesiastes 3:17).

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” – Corrie ten Boom

Look back a year, several years, or even a decade. Hasn’t God always been faithful to help you overcome every obstacle? He has a perfect track record (Romans 5:5). Why would you start doubting Him now? When you look back, do you see that there’s been significant progress in your life? Sometimes, it may be a slow progression from our perspective, but in God’s eyes, it’s the perfect timeline. We don’t have to measure our success based on the speed at which others operate. There will be people who may appear to have an advantage over us in several areas of life, but often, they may even feel the same way about us. Even if we counted all of it as a loss, it would be worth it if it were necessary to gain Jesus Christ in return (Philippians 3:8).

In any case, we don’t know what they sacrificed to get where they are. So, instead of staring at greener grass on their side of the fence, we should applaud the success of our peers and keep an eye on our lawn care instead. Their blessings don’t interfere with God’s timing for our blessings (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). The mistake lies in spending too much time and effort focusing on their gains rather than our victory in Jesus Christ (Psalm 118:14).

Instead of spending excessive time on social media or daydreaming about those around us, we should be investing in God’s will for us. We should concentrate on the things above and navigate life with an eternal mindset (Colossians 3:2). There’s no superior way to conduct our lives than doing everything for God’s glory and our ultimate good. If we love God and He calls us according to His purpose, we know that God guarantees this outcome for eternity (Romans 8:28). Does that always pan out how we want to in this life? No, but that’s where our faith comes in. A faith that in and of itself is a gift from God to us (Ephesians 2:8-9). 

We cannot find fulfillment in the things of this world (1 John 2:17). Only in God and a relationship with His Son, Jesus Christ, can we find our anchor of hope (Hebrews 6:19-20). He is the sole source able to complete the gigantic, missing puzzle piece in our hearts (Psalm 107:9). Without Him, we have nothing and cannot produce anything of eternal value (John 15:5). With Him, we have everything, including the blessing of sharing eternity in heaven with Him forever (1 John 2:24-25)! If we try to find personal satisfaction in the limited things here on earth, we will always come up short (Ecclesiastes 1:14). 

Nothing can appease us in the long term without God being at the center (Psalm 16:11). Apart from God, people feed the insatiable appetites of their flesh, and unmet expectations abound. A man or woman of God knows they cannot find lasting joy, satisfaction, contentment, or blessings in this world apart from God (1 John 2:16). We cannot even discover it in the good things when we idolize them over God who provides every good and perfect gift in its time (James 1:17). Sometimes, God may not offer specific opportunities until we’re ready to handle them and steward them graciously. Otherwise, we may get lost in the blessing and lose sight of the bigger picture found in His plan (2 Peter 3:9).

We must be open to the idea that since God gives us everything, He also has the authority to take away anything at any time He pleases (Psalm 24:1; Job 1:21). However, we know His character is unchanging, and His promises are irrevocable (Hebrews 13:8). For instance, God is not taking away that eternal gift of fellowship He gave you through His Son, Jesus Christ (John 3:16; Romans 6:23). You don’t have to worry about losing your salvation if you have found it in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:1). But it would be tragic if that promise led you to backslide or compromise your faith at every turn (Romans 6:1-2). Instead, it should inspire us to do good works that glorify Him (Ephesians 2:10). We must cling tightly to God’s promises and understand that some are conditioned based on our obedience. We must also distinguish between principles and promises to avoid confusion, but that is beyond the scope of today’s article.

May God equip all of us to seek Him above all else. May we walk in the victory Jesus Christ already won. Jesus Christ is our forerunner in the faith. He fully understands the gravity of what we go through regarding every aspect of humanity, including our trials and temptations (Hebrews 6:19-20). He alone can empathize with us on the deepest level and comfort us in times of need. The One who bottles our tears and counts the hairs on our heads will not abandon or forsake us (Psalm 56:8-11; Luke 12:7; Hebrews 13:5). He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. May we bring God glory in all our endeavors and submit to His will by aligning our desires with His (1 Corinthians 10:31).

It may help under certain conditions to pursue the counsel of others. After all, if we’re to become less susceptible to subjective perceptions, balancing our observations with that of trusted people in our lives can assist us. When we reach out to people who have our best interests in mind, are trustworthy, and are willing to provide counsel, we essentially extricate a lot of our own bias. Granted, it may not be a one-size-fits-all solution, but it makes sense in many cases to consider this approach. A friend might save us a lot of trouble in a realistic assessment of where we are at and whether we are exhibiting the qualities of a Christian. In my mind, I might think I am not selfish, but my friend can tell me that I am prone to make selfish decisions. They could advise that it may stem from being an only child or perhaps not having many responsibilities. Such insight would give me new evidence to consider. Wisdom of this nature becomes more valid when provided by many counselors, as the Bible advocates for in Proverbs (Proverbs 11:14).

Let’s consider a second scenario. I might be under the impression that I am good at cycling. Perhaps I think myself among the top 10-20% of cyclists. However, I can quickly remedy any illusions of grandeur by doing some research online and making some basic comparisons with people who are passionate about the sport. For example, let’s assume I cannot maintain a ~20mph pace for over an hour. I may perceive that I am better than I am in this scenario because I zoom by all sorts of cyclists in my daily ride. However, after a few minutes of looking into Youtube and reading a few articles on cycling, I realize that many people can sustain such speeds for several hours across 100+ kilometers. Suddenly I can determine I am not nearly as good as I might have initially assessed. 

Embracing this reality doesn’t need to discourage me and provides an objective view of how I can improve. Now I realize where I am and set new goals based on where I want to be. If you think you’re already among the best, you’ll get complacent before you even start to obtain excellence in your work. I rather know that I am an average cyclist and see where I stand than buy into the illusion that I am better without any concrete basis. 

A similar approach can benefit us as Christians regarding our walk with Jesus Christ. When we know our strengths and weaknesses, we can learn where we might need to channel more of our attention. Giving or receiving this kind of constructive criticism is not always easy. If we solicit a family member or friend’s advice, we must exercise caution to protect that relationship. However, it may be an excellent strategy if we don’t think we can be objective exclusively through our reflection. Don’t allow your weaknesses to define who you are. We find value in our identity in Jesus Christ, not our abilities or character. We all have at least a few areas to improve and many battles to fight, so we should all aim to be as humble as possible and build up others along the way (Ephesians 4:29).

The Fruit of the Spirit is a vital resource we use like we would a physical mirror (Galatians 5:22-23). Are you reflecting kindness, gentleness, goodness, love, joy, peace, self-control, long-suffering, and faithfulness in your life? Perhaps it’s easy for us to exercise some or even most of these traits under optimal conditions. But does that remain true when life gets more complicated, stressful, or challenging? These are the type of standards we should consider when pondering what it means for us to be successful. After all, do you want to be successful in the eyes of the world or God? The world correlates your value with income, beauty, accolades, intellect, and other metrics often subjective, flawed, or superficial. However, in the eyes of God, much of our success is based on whether we bring Him glory. We acknowledge that all the gifts, talents, resources, and beauty we may possess are God-given. Therefore, believers should rest in God’s sovereignty and serve Him with everything they have (Psalm 37:7, Colossians 3:23-24). 

We need to pursue what God values instead of what the world does. The fleeting lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life the world offers are not of God (1 John 2:16, Galatians 5:17-21). Instead, we need to love God and our neighbors as ourselves. These are the two greatest commandments, and if we execute each of these effectively, every other command is addressed by extension (Matthew 22:36-40). If we truly love God, we won’t yield to sin but rather strive for holy conduct by abiding in God (John 15:4-11). If we genuinely love our neighbors as ourselves, and by extension, everyone else on earth in consideration of the big picture, that means we love even our enemies (Matthew 5:43-48)! Indeed, these are simple concepts to grasp but much harder to put into practice. 

The world and its evil allures are all dead-end roads. There’s no amount of money, power, or fame that will lead you to true satisfaction. The only One who can truly satisfy you, and give you an eternally valuable assignment in this life, is Jesus Christ. Therefore, we must learn to serve God, not money, and live for eternity rather than our best life now (Matthew 6:24). We should learn to make sacrifices that pay dividends later rather than succumb to instant gratification.

If you are a child of God, He will mold your character and shape you into the person He wants you to become. When we are willing vessels, open and ready to serve Him diligently, He will assign us with a purpose for our life here on earth (2 Timothy 2:20-21). Being a child of God engages a desire in us to obtain Godly character to share the Gospel with the lost, fellowship with other believers, and potentially disciple others to grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus Christ. When we sow in these areas, we’ll reap many blessings, but they’ll be infinitely more apparent later (Galatians 6:9). Take heart that the more you willingly submit to God, the more areas you will enjoy His providence. I don’t know about you, but I don’t need further motivation beyond that to be all-in for God’s glory. I pray that you will embrace the same mission.

If we stand firm and resist temptation instead, it is only a matter of time before we experience the relief of not having yielded to what we know is so harmful (James 4:7, 1 Peter 5:9). We should never compromise our standing with God for the sake of a few minutes of perceived pleasure in any sin. When we avoid sin, we can rest assured that we are abiding in God and relying on Him for the strength to persevere over our iniquity (John 15:1-8). Unfortunately, you and I have a limited amount of willpower. There is only so much self-control we can exert by ourselves. We compromise once it runs out, especially when our weaknesses trigger us. Some potential stumbling blocks include hunger, tiredness, frustration, loneliness, sadness, or other negative states of mind and emotions that could suddenly cause us to give way to our sinful nature (Galatians 5:17). 

However, when we rely on God, He provides us with all the tools we need to crucify our flesh and abstain from sin (Galatians 2:20, Romans 6:13). While this sacrifice may seem extremely hard to make at times, it will be an incalculable upgrade compared to the pit of despair and regret that a lost battle brings with it (Romans 6:23). Therefore, we must thank God because even when we fail, His grace and mercy meet us at our lowest points to gently restore us and help us get back on the road to repentance as soon as possible (Hebrews 4:16, 1 John 1:9, 2 Chronicles 30:9).

The fruit of sacrifice is more of a blessing than any of us can quantify when it comes to avoiding sin. Obeying God’s Word will always be superior to giving in to the fool’s gold the devil uses to attempt to allure us. With all that said, there are many other areas where sacrifice can offer eternal rewards in Heaven and temporal ones on earth too. It’s not always easy to commit to serving God with your gifts, talents, time, and resources. But if we believe God at His Word, we know that the eternal impact of honoring Him with these things will always outweigh the measure of sacrifice related to doing so. In other words, our eternal return on investment will be greater than any of us can imagine (Matthew 19:29). We need to take steps towards God’s will in complete faith and surrender to make this a reality. We cannot please God without faith, and often that will be the exact fuel needed to initiate action for the sake of God’s glory (Hebrews 11:6).

Instead of serving ourselves and making choices based on personal advantage, it is critical to live for God and help others in the process (Philippians 2:3). If we truly love God with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength, wouldn’t it also make sense for us to love the people He created (Matthew 22:36-40)? How can we claim to love God if we hate the people who He made in His image (Genesis 1:27)? I recognize that there are times in this world when we need to love ourselves and pursue things like rest, self-care, and leisure activities. However, such actions are not mutually exclusive with loving God and people. The Bible instructs us to love people as we would love ourselves.

At least one plausible reason exists to explain why God’s Word doesn’t ask us to love others more than ourselves. What good will you or I do if we neglect self-care to the point where we burn out? We need to familiarize ourselves with our limitations regarding stress tolerance and ability. It is also helpful to draw clear boundaries with family, friends, and even strangers that we should ensure are respected. If you over-exert and sideline yourself, you won’t be able to optimize serving God and maintaining your wellness physically, mentally, and spiritually. Typically we don’t drive our cars without following the manufacturer’s guidelines for maintenance. Why would it be any different with serving God? According to His example in Genesis, he wants us to rest at least one day per week, as He chose to do after creation (Genesis 2:2-3). It follows that He also wants us to pray. Otherwise, why would Jesus Christ have prayed to the Father (John 17:1-26)?

Ultimately, it is vital to make sacrifices within the scope of your capacity for God’s glory. Under these circumstances, it can be an opportunity for us to do our part as believers. There is no replacement for answering God’s call to walk in your purpose and abide in Him. In walking the path God has laid before each of us, we will experience difficulty, trouble, and sometimes even severe trials (John 16:33). However, He will always be with us when we need Him most. God will help us to navigate through the times when we have nothing left but to put our trust in Him. Furthermore, there is an indescribable sense of peace, joy, fulfillment, and satisfaction only God can provide His children (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Zephaniah 3:17, Psalm 94:19). When you and I step out in faith and make sacrifices for Him, God allows us to experience all of these blessings throughout our lives.

May we bring God glory by fully committing our works to Him. After all, our ultimate purpose is to bring God glory (1 Peter 4:7-11). You and I can do this by fearing Him and obeying His commands (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). When we position ourselves to make this our daily practice, we will find true satisfaction, and rest assured we delight Him in the process (Psalm 112:1).

“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” – John Piper.

In other instances, the issue may be to come to terms with the loss of a loved one. There comes the point where after a season of grieving, we must accept that they have passed away and continue to live our lives (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Any setback we face, no matter how big or small it is in the eyes of others, may pose a significant problem to us. However, regardless of whether others understand our difficulty, we cannot allow anything to compromise the mission God has placed in our hearts to fulfill here on earth. It would be an injustice in the eyes of God to live indefinitely with a disposition of anger, bitterness, or grudge to the detriment of God’s plan for us (Ephesians 4:31-32). While we should never minimize our battles or belittle others, it is also a significant error and threat to our well-being to allow an unreasonable amount of time to elapse with this kind of mindset. Of course, this is a subjective matter, and we do well to consider it on a case-by-case basis. Preferably with a firm reliance on God, prayer, and His supernatural strength to help us overcome the circumstances at hand.

Thinking about the frailty of life encourages me to make sure I am in right standing with God and redeem the time accordingly (Ephesians 5:15-16). It may also provoke a sense of obligation in us to reach out to our loved ones with the truth of the Gospel (Matthew 28:16-20). While we cannot force anyone to come to saving faith, our responsibility to share God’s Word includes reaching out to family and friends, too, not only those that show up at our Churches on Sundays. Finally, if we acknowledge that time is scarce, it will give us that sense of urgency we desperately require to take action in terms of evangelism. The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are indeed few (Matthew 9:35-38). Every effort we make for the glory of God, and the building of His Kingdom is crucial for us to pursue.

I find it helpful to remind myself to take breaks to step back from a constant cycle of works for God and enjoy leisure time. While it can be enriching to serve God consistently, we need to recognize our limitations and avoid burnout to be most effective. As such, no matter your calling, it is critical to get ample rest and have a firm understanding of what you can take on without overexerting. I love to write, but it even mentions specifically in God’s Word that, “In the writing of many books there is no end, and much study is wearisome to the flesh (Ecclesiastes 12:12).” Suffice it to say that if we take care of ourselves and go back to diligently pursuing God’s plans, we will do much better. I, for one, had to learn this lesson the hard way, but I have since learned that I can do a great deal better in service to God by balancing this out according to my needs.

We all have varying strengths and weaknesses too, so this is often a matter of getting better acquainted with ourselves and essentially how God has wired us to operate. For example, you may thrive in getting up early, having a schedule set in stone, and working on a highly defined program. On the other hand, others of us may do better with setting daily priorities that we tackle in a less detailed approach as far as the timetable is concerned. Many people firmly believe that breakfast is the most critical meal of the day. Meanwhile, I skip breakfast daily and implement intermittent fasting with my workout routine. Due to these dynamics, there is no one size fits all approach to successfully managing our daily agenda.

In any case, depending on your line of work and particular responsibilities, this may not always be a luxury you can offer yourself. That said, you can better cope with your schedule when you know how you excel most of the time. Some employers may even be glad to adjust your hours if you make a good case for improving your productivity under certain conditions. In the end, I would suggest that you try to get to know yourself before you experience burnout, anxiety, or excessive stress. It is better to cross out a few items from your to-do list than to do them all and be out of commission for a while because you were overzealous.

In the fast-paced world, we live, it is easy to get caught up in the future at the expense of appreciating the present. That said, I am not knocking preparation for the future. On the contrary, I think that is a wise thing to do. Goals and plans on how to execute those goals, and having a rough idea of where you want to be 1, 3, 5, and 10 years from now makes perfect sense. It is good to have a general vision for the course of your life, yet always remain flexible to what surprises God may have in store for you. I refer to constantly thinking about what is coming overshadowing your enjoyment today (Matthew 6:34).

One practical way I employ to do this is to make it a point to minimize my phone use when I am around family and friends. I want to give them the gift of my attention and enjoy their company. This minor adjustment can make a huge difference, and your loved ones will take notice of it. Instagram and Facebook will be there tomorrow. I know I check them too often, but setting them aside when I work on writing, editing videos, and sleep has been a blessing to me for a while now. Instead of provoking myself to scroll endlessly, it helps me improve my focus and attention span. Not having my phone on my bedside or putting it in sleep mode, and being disciplined about not touching it, has enhanced the quality of my sleep. There is still a ton of room for me to improve in this one area, but I find these incremental adjustments work well.

It does not take revolutionary changes with extreme effort on an isolated day to improve your life. Instead of drastic adjustments, small changes in the right direction are less intimidating to implement. If you had never been hiking or mountain climbing, but someone told you that you would need to climb Mt. Everest in a week, you would probably find it amusing and dismiss it as a joke. Yet, some who have made it one of their life goals decided that reaching the apex would be a manageable challenge and completed that monumental task. To them, it was a matter of preparation for the future. They acclimated to that extreme by executing a series of more minor challenges that eventually prepared them to tackle it.

You and I may not care to climb Mt. Everest, but I know that each of us tends to have desires that are crucial for us to obtain. It could be anything, but it may involve personal fitness, career goals, or a desire to learn more about God’s Word, to name a few possibilities. These will not achieve themselves, so we need to plan to make these dreams a reality. They also necessitate a certain degree of desire that excels the pain or sacrifice involved with their achievement. For example, if I value my leisure to a fault, I may not be willing to make the sacrifices of going back to school or taking an extra training course to improve my career prospects. Likewise, I may want to lose weight and get into great shape, but if the reason for doing so isn’t adequately compelling, I will not get there.

Furthermore, once you get there, you need extra motivation to maintain that level of excellence. No matter what, preparation for the future is only helpful if we also have a plan to get there, a plan to stay there, and a reason for getting it done. Otherwise, it will go in the basket with all of the other New Year’s resolutions that we, and others, may have made but never executed. So, New Year’s resolutions or not, let this year be different and push hard until you achieve your breakthrough. Most importantly, make sure that breakthrough counts for the glory of God. If your goal does not offer eternal value, perhaps you should evaluate whether it is still worth making. Ask yourself, “Can I do X to the glory of God?” If not, maybe you would make better use of your time applying your efforts elsewhere (Colossians 3:23-24).