RENEWING THE JOY OF YOUR SALVATION!

BIBLE PASSAGE:
In the same way, let your light shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds and glorify your
Father in heaven.
(Matthew 5:16)

MEDITATION:
Every person needs to ask themselves,
    “Do I believe the Bible is God’s Word to mankind?”
The answer to that question determines our relationship with
the Lord. If we believe the Bible was truly penned by God
(through chosen individuals), then all the words contained
within it become important to us.

We understand how we were created, how sin entered the world
(and our lives), why God’s Son came to earth in human form,
was crucified and resurrected, and what we must do to receive
eternal life (according to God’s plan of salvation). There is much
more information provided by the Bible, but one thing we should
never overlook is:
    His instructions on how we should live as followers of Christ.

Many have made a profession of faith, but they seem to be missing
out on enjoying all that God has for them while they live out their
lives on earth. Why? Because their “pre-salvation” desires are still
in control and they have failed to make a conscious effort to allow
the Holy Spirit to rule their lives.

No doubt it is a quantum leap for any individual to ‘switch gears’,
but it is possible if we believe in God’s Word and His omnipotence.
One of the ways we can determine if we have embraced our ‘new life’
with Christ, is the degree to which we openly live our Christian lives.
“Hiding” our Christianity is a good indication that we are still under
the control of the things that kept us separated from the Lord.

When we get anything new (car, house, job, baby, etc.), we want others
to know about it. But there are some who prefer to hide their ‘new life’
in Christ.

God’s Word doesn’t encourage us to live a secret Christian life,
but to live a life so that others can see how the Lord has changed
us. Others need to be attracted to the peace and joy they see in
our lives. Openly living a life under the control of the Holy Spirit
is one way every Christian can be a witness to others, without
saying a word.

The Lord tells us that when we receive God’s salvation, we become
an integral part of His earthly ministry.
    “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its
      saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no
      longer good for anything, except to be thrown out
      and trampled underfoot.” (Matthew 5:13)
Do we have a responsibility?
Yes we do, but the rewards are well worth our efforts.

Remember the excitement when you surrendered your life to
the Lord? What causes that delight to fade and become stale?
The Bible says we have ‘lost our saltiness’ and it has rendered
us ineffective for what He wants us to do for His kingdom
(“no longer good for anything”)

He also tells us that our ‘new life’
should be a ‘shining light’ for all to see.
    “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill
      cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and
      put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand,
      and it gives light to everyone in the house.”
      (Matthew 5:14-15)
God doesn’t want us ‘sneaking around’ to worship Him. He wants us
to openly show others how much we enjoy our relationship with Him.

ACTION:
Maybe you have experienced a ‘staleness’ of your salvation.
God can restore the joy in your life and provide you with
what you need to become a willing participant in His earthy
ministry. He wants others to see how much you enjoy and
look forward to spending time with Him.

Satan wants to convince us that worshipping the Lord is a drudgery
that we have to endure after becoming His adopted child. It makes
sense doesn’t it? Satan wants to destroy our joy, but God wants to
increase it. Spending time with the Lord gives us an increased joy
and peace that He promises to every believer.

What changes do you need to make in your own life to increase
your ‘saltiness’ and become a brighter ‘light’? What ‘good deeds’
do others see in you that will cause them to want to “glorify our
Father in heaven”?

Procrastinating will delay His blessings for you, so decide today
what changes you will make, and then make them. We all know
that waiting reduces (and possibly eliminates) the chances that we
will follow through with our plans.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, I have been neglecting what You expect
of those who have surrendered their lives to You. Help me
in my efforts to make the transition which will allow the
Holy Spirit to have full control of my life. Show me how
I can be a shining light to others through the openness
of my relationship with You.”

BLOG: utvolwoody.wordpress.com