“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 NKJV
Welcome to the 3rd weekly devotional recap of the year. This week, we learned about saving faith, charismatic faith, what makes a good year, and the part we play in spreading the Gospel.
Monday’s devotional admonished us to understand and appreciate the role of faith in salvation in this new year. After all, a good year is one in which the Gospel prevails. We must be intentional about helping men understand the subject of salvation, how they are saved by faith in a specific person (Jesus Christ), in a particular message (the Gospel), in the operation of God and in the fact that salvation is for everyone who believes.
On Tuesday, we learned about charismatic faith, which differs from the saving faith. Saving faith is a conviction brought about by the Holy Spirit, which births belief in the Gospel, Jesus, and God’s promises in Christ. Charismatic faith, on the other hand, is faith in the abilities of God “through” us and “in” us and in His ability to meet our needs through supernatural interventions.
We ought to be aware of our motives. We should want Christ for the bread that He is and not for the bread He gives.
Wednesday’s devotional taught us to hold on to God’s word. God is not a man who is unable to keep to His promises (Numbers 23:19); He is faithful and committed to bringing His word to pass (Jeremiah 1:12). We must trust God and hold on to His word even with contrary experiences. Let God’s word be true and every man a liar (Romans 3:4).
On Thursday, we learned about the proper parameters with which to measure a good year. As much as personal achievements are wonderful, as believers, the metrics for what makes a good year should only be those that count for eternity. Our testimony should be that, like Paul, even though we are in prison, as long as the Gospel prevails, our year is good (Philippians 1: 12-18). Hallelujah!
We rounded up the week on Friday with a keen instruction to play our part. Each of us has a part to play in the spread of the message of the gospel (Mark 16:15). We can do this by starting with those closest to us in proximity (Virtual and physical), contributing to the work of our local assemblies (financially and service wise), and by giving support to the work of missionaries.
Dear believer, a good year is one where the Gospel spreads further to reach more people, and we all have a part to play. This year, make your life count for the gospel.
Have a great weekend!
Bible Reading Plan catchup