| Good morning everyone, Our theme for this month: “Personal Responsibility” Our Bible verse for today: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’, and don’t do the things I say?” Luke 6:46 (CSB) Our thought for today: “You have to want to do it” In yesterday’s devotional I noted that God wants us to have a good life that’s rewarding, fulfilling, and meaningful in significant ways. In the Bible He has given us the guidelines for living such a life. This isn’t legalism or a detailed list of dos and don’ts. It’s a description of the kind of life the Holy Spirit forms in us over a lifetime as we submit to Him and allow Him to mold us and shape us into the people God wants us to be. As that life develops, we will see certain patterns of living emerging. Last month we learned that the most important matter of personal responsibility we have is responsibility for our own spiritual growth. The quality of all the rest of life depends on this and there are things we have to do in order to help facilitate it. We also considered other important issues like being deeply involved in the life of a good church family; intentionally participating in acts of ministry in order to serve and bless others; giving thought to and exercising control over our speech; avoiding needless arguments and protecting the unity of the Christian community; being good stewards of the resources God has entrusted us with; and more. All of those things describe a life that is being lived well, a life that honors God and blesses others. But we have to want that. If we’re going to accept our personal responsibility to live in the ways God has revealed to us in the Bible, it will have to be because we want to. It will be because we want the life God wants us to have, and we’re willing to do the things He has told us to do and live in the ways He has told us to live. But this is precisely where so many Christians fail, and that’s exactly what Jesus was referring to in Luke 6:46 (above). We call Him, “Lord, Lord’ but then we don’t do the things He tells us to do and we don’t live in the ways He tells us to live. Why? Is it because we don’t know? Of course not. We know. We’ve read the Bible. We know what it says. We’ve heard the sermons, participated in Bible study groups, read the daily devotional messages. What is it then? It’s a matter of attitude and motivation. We have to want that life and we have to be willing to live within the Biblical boundaries. This is both easy and hard. It’s easy in that it’s not rocket science – it’s not hard to understand. In the Bible God is pretty clear about His guidelines for living. But it’s hard because it requires a change of heart on our parts. Therefore, before we go any further considering Biblical boundaries and matters of personal responsibility, we’ll pause to spend a few days prayerfully considering attitude and motivation. God bless, Pastor Jim |
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