This is my first entry on a blog that I am proud to have joined. The title itself (though Jaimie ripped it off of another pastor!) conveys the essence of the Christian journey as far as I can see. Our passion as believers must be centered upon beholding the glory of God in Christ and becoming more and more shaped into His image (1 John 3:1-3). My prayer and petition most Sundays as I stand behind the pulpit ofthe church I pastor is this: "Lord grant for me and this flock I have been entrusted to look more like Jesus today than we did yesterday." I confess that it is a simple prayer and xontains nothing profound, yet I believe it contains what is the heartbeat of our daily Christian walk.
Let me ask you a question I am asking myself. This morning (if you do your devotionals in the morning), was your goal to read Scripture for the sake of knowledge, or to seek more conformity to the image of Christ? Absolutely we should seek to know God more and more, and that only comes through reading and meditating on Scripture. But isn't the end to which we are engaging in the text so that we might be continually "transormed BY the renewing of our minds" (Rom. 12:2). Now I do not practice this as well as I ought, but tomorrow I plan to rise early, brew a hot cup of Joe in my trusty Bun coffee maker, sit down with my Bible and pen, NOT simply read the Bible and know a little bit more than I did before, but to pray I might be shaped a bit more to look like the Savior who purchased me by His own blood. I pray you do the same.
john
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2 comments:
John welcome and thank you for your first blog. And brother thank you for that word, I have the danger of falling into the habit of treating my devotions like another thing to be ticked off my to-do list for the day. Rather it must be a time for encoutering God and becoming like Christ.
John, your scripture knowledge and love for Christ is admirable. Personaly my Christian life has been silent, but I think my use of words are weak. I am lacking the desire change spirtuial. (scary) I am encouraged to hear your thoughts on devation. As I type this letter, my Bible by my side, I find it so easy to internet or watch TV, vs opening the Word. I pray for a spriritual awakening in my life, family and Church! It is such a strange place to be, that is feeling disconnected from the one and only GOD! I hope by sharing my frustration it will allow me to start fresh. Stay the course, encourage each other, and most of important of all fix our eye on Jesus, the author and profecter of our faith! (Heb 12:3) Jason F
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