This morning, I’d like to share with you what R.C. Sproul said about Christian life: “We do not segment our lives, giving some time to God, some to our business or schooling, while keeping parts to ourselves. The idea is to live all of our lives in the presence of God, under the authority of God, and for the honor and glory of God. That is what the Christian life is all about.” He reminds us of many important things about how we should live as Christians. First, our Christian life is not just a compartment in our life. To put it in another way: our Christian life is not just a spoke among many in the wheel of life; it is the hub, to which all “spokes” of our lives are connected. We have to be a Christian man/woman, Christian husband/wife, Christian son/daughter, Christian businessman/employee, etc. You get the idea. Our Christian identity in relationship with God and in union with Christ should determine how we live out our lives in each of our roles and in every situation.
Read MoreOne sign of humility is our constant reliance on God. Another sure sign of humility is gratitude. A proud person cannot be grateful. He gets mad when things don’t go his way because he thinks he deserves better. But even when things go well, he is still not grateful because he takes it for granted; he is only getting what he deserves. Actually, he looks around and sees other people who are doing better and his soul turns bitter. “Why do they get to have more and enjoy life more than I? Don’t I deserve it as much as they do?” Interestingly, a proud person doesn’t see those who are less fortunate than he; he only sees those who have more, and that makes him upset. A proud person is not a grateful person. And he, who cannot be grateful, cannot be happy.
Read MoreI’m so glad you decided to click on the email and read “Today’s Word of Encouragement.” I talked about the importance of humility yesterday and how it entails living in humble reliance on God. One way of showing our reliance on God is to begin our day with a time of communion with God, thereby reminding ourselves of God’s glory and His glorious grace toward us, His will for our lives, and His pledge to protect, provide for, and pilot our lives. These are wonderful truths to be reminded of, aren’t they? For we are easily distracted and lured away by the temptations and promises of the world. Each morning, our mind and heart and will need to be realigned to the True North. Your decision to read the Bible and pray (and read this email) shows your awareness of your need to rely on the Lord.
Read MoreLast Friday, we talked about God’s promise of the Holy Spirit. This morning, let’s talk about God’s promise of sanctification by the Holy Spirit. One passage, which speaks of the gift of the Holy Spirit, is Ezek. 36. V. 27 says, “And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” As the authors point out, this shows why God gave us the Holy Spirit: “and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” We often think of salvation in terms of what we are saved from—like being rescued from drowning. But v. 27 shows us what we are saved unto—righteousness and holiness. How does the Holy Spirit achieve this goal of salvation in us?
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