Works In ProgressHave you ever considered that your life is a work in progress? There are so many Scriptures that show us and teach us that our lives are meant to be lives of surrender — surrendering ourselves to God — so that we become all that He wants us to be. Let's look at a few of these Scriptures. "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" (Ephesians 2:10, NIV). "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all. "Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity" (Colossians 3:5-14). "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:1,2). Are you living a surrendered life unto God? To surrender means to relinquish control. We must let God have control of our lives. We do this by spending time in His presence through prayer and reading the Word. We allow God to search us and know us. Through His Word we are taught, and then we pattern our life after the things of God. We start putting off the old. We take steps to change — change from the inside out — getting rid of the things that harm our spirit. And we start putting on Christ — Christ's love, His forgiveness, His mercy, and His way of thinking. We walk in His ways. When we surrender our lives to our Heavenly Father, who loves us more than we can ever think or imagine, we become that new creation in Christ. We start living our lives for God and His kingdom. We start doing good, and we encourage others in their walk with God. Spend time with your Heavenly Father. He loves you very much. The more you spend time with Him the more He can help to transform you as you walk in His truths. |
A complete archive of Pastor Dorothy's Devotions is available here.
