Do we live like we believe it?

Good morning everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Live like it’s true”

Our Bible verse for today: “But I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that he is able to guard what has been entrusted to me until that day.” 2 Timothy 1:12 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Do we live like we believe it?”

Dallas Willard is one of my spiritual heroes. He is in heaven now but during his lifetime he had a big impact on the Christian community. Dallas was an esteemed professor of philosophy at the University of Southern California, but he was especially known for his research and writing on Christian spiritual formation.

He wrote many important and helpful books about spiritual formation and about developing a deeper Christian life. In my opinion three of his best were “The Divine Conspiracy,” “The Spirit of the Disciplines,” and “Hearing God: Developing a conversational relationship with God.” Dallas was also a popular conference speaker and he served as a mentor to numerous other Christian leaders.

As he lay dying, Dallas was visited by one of those younger men he was a mentor to – pastor and author John Ortberg. At one point in the visit John asked him, “Dallas, are you at peace? Are you confident of your salvation?” To which Dallas replied with a grin and good humor, “You know, John, I really do believe this stuff I’ve been teaching and preaching all these years.”

What a great answer. And it creates a good question for us. Do we really believe what we profess to believe? And if so, does it show? Do we live like we believe it? Dallas did. His entire life was one big testimony to the certainty he had regarding Biblical truth, and the reality of heaven, and the fact that he was going there. He had no doubts at all, and it showed in everything he said and did.

Dallas Willard lived and worked in what is a largely pagan culture in the Los Angeles area, maintaining a high-profile Christian presence on a very liberal college campus. Everybody knew who he was and everybody knew what he believed. But Dallas Willard really believed. He practiced his faith openly, boldly, with confidence, and with no excuses or apologies. He was kind and gentle, but also confident and unmovable.

May the same be true of us. Let us be so certain of our faith that we are calm and confident, kind and polite as we interact with the unsaved world – but also bold and unmovable. Let it be clear to everyone that we have no doubts at all. It should be obvious that we really do believe this faith we profess – and that we live like we really believe it.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you’re reading in these daily devotionals, and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00, in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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