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Matthew 3:8 (NLT) Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.
In his book The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience, Ron Sider notes that “…church members divorce their spouses as often as their secular neighbors, beat their wives as often as their neighbors, and white evangelicals are the most likely people to object to neighbors of another race.” Statistics like these are difficult to read, but they cannot be denied.
Unfortunately, too many Christians read these kinds of statistics and preach moralism as a way to counteract it. There’s this thought of, “If we just live moral lives, we can change these stats.”
But the reality is that we live in a broken and fragile world. We cannot, in our own power, just go out and live better, stronger, moral lives. Similarly, identifying the ways in which others are living immoral lives won’t help them to live morally.
The solution isn’t simple, but maintaining a daily focus on the work God is doing within you is the best place to start.
READING & PRAYERS:
MATTHEW 3:7-12, GALATIANS 5:19-23
QUESTION: Do you find yourself spending more time focusing on how others are living their lives, or on how well you’re living yours?
QUESTION: What is one godly principle you struggle to live out well? What steps can you take to grow in this area?
Take a Step: Remember to continue utilizing the One Minute Pause app throughout the week. If possible, begin to explore and practice the 3, 5 or 10 minute pause to more deeply root yourself in Christ.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I confess that it’s often easy for me to recognize behaviors and attitudes within others that bother me, but I struggle to take steps to improve my own ungodly behaviors and attitudes. Today, help me to not look down on others, nor look negatively upon myself. Instead, help me to better know You and live in Your presence. Lead me to live a life of real transformation. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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