SCRIPTURE: Romans 1:5 (NLT) "Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority as apostles to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name."
OBSERVATION: Paul lays out the point and purpose of our faith very clearly. Faith isn't just about belief. Your faith and belief isn't true and complete if you do not seek to be obedient to the Spirit of God within you. Through our love of God and our obedience to His will we are called to bring glory to His name in all we do. Once we have discovered our salvation in Christ, He instills this core desire and motivation above all else... To bring Him glory and allow Him to share, spread, and increase His light in the world through us. As He says in the beginning of the verse, the authority given by God that allows us to do this is a privilege.
APPLICATION: Wisdom is knowing the right thing to do... that is what the Spirit gives us, but integrity is actually DOING it and that is always our choice. I have always struggled against my own flesh. Time and time again I allow my own dreams and desires to compete with my obedience to God. This breeds inconsistency in my actions and doesn't allow me to live up to my full God given potential. I need to focus on constantly seeking out the Spirit of God within me, stilling myself and quieting my mind so I can hear Him, listening to the wisdom He has to give me, and following His lead with unquestioning faith regardless of how my flesh tries to rebel. Because being called into obedience with God's will and accomplishing His work is a PRIVILEGE!
PRAYER: Father God, thank you for being you. Thank you for being unchanging, consistent, dependable, faithful, and good... even when I am a disobedient child. Thank you for never forsaking me and always following through on your promises. Thank you for demonstrating to me what integrity really is. Thank you for loving and caring for me so much that you would teach me and grow my faith in order to bring me ever closer to you. Please Father, fill me with the love and desire to always seek you out above all else. Please still my heart and mind so I can hear you clearly. And please fill me with the strength and will to courageously obey regardless of what my flesh wants. Being called into obedience to your will is a privilage. Please help me to always remember that. Give me better thoughts so my flesh has no power over my actions. Plant others in my life to help hold me accountable to following the will you reveal to me. And help me transform and develop my own will and discipline to not only seek out your wisdom and guidance, but take action and apply it to my life.
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