With the help of the Holy Spirit, I have overcome most of the temptations I struggled with as a young man but I’m still not the man I should be. Even at this late date there are several unfinished areas in my life. I take hope because He who has begun a good work in me is faithful and He will complete it (Phil. 1:6). Truthfully, I feel like the old codger who said, “I ain’t what I ought to be. And I ain’t what I’m gonna be but think God I ain’t what I used to be.”

“Throw yourselves wholeheartedly into God’s way of doing things. Sin can’t tell you how to live. After all, you’re not living under that old tyranny any longer. You’re living in the freedom of God.”

Lord Jesus finish Your work in me. In Your holy name I pray. Amen.

Becoming Christlike is a joint effort between our will and the work of the Holy Spirit. We must choose to do what is right, trusting that doing right will open us to the life-changing work of the Spirit. If we don’t “will” ourselves to act, we cut ourselves off from the transforming work of the Spirit. By the same token if the Spirit did not do His work within us then we would just be going through the motions. No matter how hard we tried we could not make ourselves godly. Becoming a godly person is a cooperative effort between our will and the Holy Spirit.

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person.”

Lord conform us to Your image as we walk in obedience. In Your holy name we pray. Amen.

There are character traits and attitudes in all of us that only live in the dark. Once exposed to the light of God’s redemptive love they lose their power. If we hope to overcome the things that live in the dark, we must resist two temptations. First, we must resist the temptation to pretend, that is to deny the truth about our carnal character. Then we must resist the temptation to flee from the One who calls us into the light.

“If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth—we’re not living what we claim.”

Lord grant us the courage to live in the light. May we experience the light that transforms us into one new and redeemed person. In Your holy name we pray. Amen.

Early in life we learn to say “right” things rather than “real” things. Unfortunately, the only person we fool is ourselves. God isn’t fooled. He knows us as we really are. Freedom comes only when we allow the Holy Spirit to help us examine our relationships, our attitudes and our emotions. Some disciplines call that a “fearless moral inventory.” Once we have done that the next step is to give the Holy Spirit permission to change us.

“Everything—and I do mean everything—connected with that old way of life has to go. It’s rotten through and through. Get rid of it! And then take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life.”

Lord Jesus, help us get rid of our old way of life and give us a God-fashioned life. In Your holy name we pray. Amen.

How do you respond when the Holy Spirit searches your heart revealing carnal attitudes and selfishness? Do you repent or do you try to justify yourself? I must confess that I want to blame my sinfulness on the weakness of the flesh, but if the truth be told it’s not weakness but wickedness. Self-justifying rationalization must be avoided at all costs for it is deadly. Only repentance produces transformation and healing.

“He who conceals his sins does not prosper but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.”

Lord we confess that we are not the persons You have called us to be. We renounce our sinful attitudes and embrace Your sanctifying work. In Your holy name we pray. Amen.

When we ask the Lord to search our heart and see if there be any wicked way in us, He does just that. He shows us ourselves as He sees us, as we really are, but He doesn’t stop there. If He did, we would surely despair. Instead, He allows us to see who we can become in Christ and that gives us hope. As His grace does its holy work, we are fashioned into a vessel of honor for His glory.

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.”

Lord, thank you for showing us what we can be in Christ. May that holy image motivate us to live lives worthy of our calling. In Your holy name we pray. Amen.

As you allow the Holy Spirit to search your heart what does He reveal to you? Unholy thoughts, vain ambition, bitterness, anger, lust, fear, and greed? Don’t despair. God is greater than the evil within. The blood of Jesus will defeat those carnal attitudes and desires. Our part is to call them what they are and refuse to compromise or make excuses. His part is to forgive and transform us.

“What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of Death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”

Lord don’t let us get away with pretending or protesting our innocence. Help us to acknowledge our sinful attitudes and repent. In Your holy name we pray. Amen.

Let’s begin the new year by praying, “Search me, O God and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me.” (Ps. 139:23-24). We will grow into spiritual maturity only as we allow the Holy Spirit to reveal those areas in our lives that need changing; only when we allow Him to conform us to the image of Christ. Take a moment right now and invite the Holy Spirit to search your heart.

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

Lord, do Your holy work in us. Make us the people You have called us to be. In Your holy name we pray. Amen.

Only the Lord knows what the future holds. If the last two years are any indication, we are in for some tough times. Still, having said that, I want to declare that we can face an uncertain future with great confidence because Christ has brought us safely this far. When we look back over our lives we can see God’s fingerprints all over them. He has ordered our steps. He has directed our paths and His past faithfulness gives us confidence to face an uncertain future without fear.

“I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.”

Lord Jesus, give us an unshakable faith in Your faithfulness so we may face the future without fear. Amen.

Some years ago, we were facing some serious challenges and they were weighing heavy on my mind. No matter how much I prayed I couldn’t find any peace. Using the example of David, I strengthened myself in the Lord (1 Samuel 30:7). I opened my journal, and beginning with our first year in ministry, I listed all the times the Lord had intervened on our behalf. When I finished faith had replaced fear.

If you are nearly overwhelmed by the challenges you are facing let me encourage you to do what David did—strengthen yourself in the Lord!

“Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and your right hand delivers me.”

Dear Lord may your past faithfulness give us confidence to face the future unafraid. In Your holy name we pray. Amen.