Pensées sur le Verset du Jour...
C'est un verset difficile, n'est-ce pas?! Nous avons chacun abandonné notre cœur à Dieu et notre ancien moi a été crucifié avec Christ lorsque nous sommes devenus chrétiens (Romains 6: 6). Jésus nous rappelle que cet abandon est quelque chose que chacun de nous devrait faire quotidiennement (Luc 9:23). Nous devons mettre de côté la vieille vie pécheresse chaque jour et choisir de vivre pour Jésus en réponse à la grâce de Dieu. Alors que nous commençons cette nouvelle année, prenons l'habitude spirituelle de nous offrir consciemment au Seigneur et de vivre joyeusement sous la seigneurie de Jésus chaque jour.
Thoughts on Today's Verse...
Paul gives us several challenging verses when we read Ephesians 4:22-24. We will take each of these verses one day at a time. Today, Paul reminds us that we surrendered our hearts to God. Our old selves were crucified with Christ when we became Christians (Romans 6:6). Jesus reminds us that this kind of surrender is something each of us should do daily (Luke 9:23). We need to put the old sinful life aside every day — "put off your old self" — and choose to live for Jesus in response to God's grace. Why is this "putting off" so important? Because our way of life before being united with Christ was full of sinful influences and the deceitful desires that the evil one seeks to reawaken in us. So, as we begin this new year, let's make it our spiritual habit to consciously offer ourselves to the Lord daily as we seek to live joyously under his lordship.
Ma Prière...
Eternel Saint et Tout-Puissant, mon Père céleste, je veux t'honorer et ignorer les tentations de Satan. S'il te plaît, donne-moi la force de ton Esprit et capture mon cœur avec ta grâce alors que je m'engage à vivre chaque jour pour toi. Au nom de Jésus, je prie. Amen.
My Prayer...
Holy and Almighty Lord, I approach you as my loving Abba Father. I want to honor you. I want to ignore the temptations of the evil one. I don't want him to deceitfully lure me back into the corrupt ways of my former life before Jesus. Please empower me through your Holy Spirit and conform to Jesus* as you capture my heart with your grace. Father, I want to live each day for you, honoring Jesus' sacrifice for me and yielding to the influence of the Holy Spirit. I ask this through the intercession of the Spirit and the authority of the Son. Amen.
* 2 Corinthians 3:18; Galatians 3:22-23.
