In our last visit we discovered that God’s agenda after saving us by His grace is to place us into His workshop and begin the process of conforming us into the likeness of His Son, Jesus Christ. It is only after this process is taking shape that He opens opportunities for us to do the good works He has prepared in advance for us to do.
Some of the tools God uses in conforming us into Christ’s likeness include our circumstances, our growing understanding of His word, the Bible, fellowship with other believers and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Romans 8:28 indicates that God uses our circumstances to do the good work of conforming us into Christ’s likeness.
The Psalmist declares the importance of hiding God’s word in our hearts: “Blessed is the man…(who’s) delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” (Psalm 1:1-3) The writer to the Hebrews challenges all of us in 10:25: “Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
As you read God’s word it is clear that the ministry of the Holy Spirit is vital in every aspect of the Christian experience, from spiritual birth, to helping us understand and experience God’s truth and grace, and then empowering us to live and serve effectively.
My prayer is that our visits on this daily program will amplify these dynamics throughout 2012.
