But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
"Practice what you preach!"
"I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day."
"Put your life where your mouth is!"
Each statement has the same goal: following God's will and living under Jesus' Lordship led by the Spirit without hypocrisy and with dedicated faithfulness. Those of us who speak out most openly about our faith in Jesus also need to ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the same standard we call others to follow. Self-scrutiny and a brother or sister in Christ who holds us accountable and encourages us when we are discouraged are essential if we are going to live faithfully what we say we believe. Like Paul who gave us this challenging verse, let's prepare to live for Jesus like an athlete prepares to compete in the Olympic Games.
Father in Heaven, please help me with the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit within me. I want my walk with Jesus to be consistent with my talk about him and what I say I believe. May my talk and walk always be pleasing to you, a blessing to others, and an honor to my Lord Jesus, I pray. Amen.
Bible: Browse OT/NT Books
Comments
Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment