Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14
Spiritual growth is exhilarating. How can we grow spiritually and become more holy and dedicated to God's will? We do this only by the power of God's Spirit.
Jesus teaches us to pray for the Holy Spirit. "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!" (Luke 11:13). The Spirit works through His Word. Daily we need to meditate on that Word so that God's thoughts and truths can control our thinking and govern our actions.
As we open our lives to the influence of the triune God, we grow spiritually, We pray more for others, forgive more easily, and have more peace within. We are less money-minded, less worried, and more grateful. We are less jealous, less critical, and more understanding. We are less stressed, less harried, and more cheerful. We will never be all that we ought to be, but we can make progress. Each of us can say with conviction, "By the power of Christ's Spirit working through the Gospel, I can and will be better than I now am."
PRAYER: Spirit of the living God, thank You for giving us faith in our crucified, risen Savior. Help us to strive for holiness. Amen.
(Taken from "Words of Promise," copyright 1996 (out of print), Concordia Publishing House. For information on other devotional materials, call 1-800-325-3040.)
Today's Bible Readings: Micah 4-5 Acts 21:18-40
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