Week 38 Day 4
Pray:
Ask God to reorient you to Himself. Confess any known sin. Thank Him for His forgiveness. Be still and reflect on Jesus and His sacrifice for you. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart and mind to God’s Word. Pray for others in your life that they, too, would know and love God today.
Read:
Matt. 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Reflect:
To be baptized in the name of the triune God indicates that repentance has come. Repentance does not merely mean to feel sorry for sin; it is a change of mind that leads to a changed life. A changed mind in regard to the gospel means that one experiences a transformed mind, a mind that now understands that what God wants is good and best. If I am committed to walking a down a path and I am told it is not a good path, in fact it is a very bad one, I will not turn from that path with my feet unless I first turn from that path in my mind. I must believe there is a better path to walk. Gospel repentance impacts the mind as a person comes to see God’s way as “the way.” This repentance shows up in a life lived God’s way. However, although through conversion the mind and heart are transformed and we want to walk the better way, we don’t automatically know how to walk that better way. We need to be taught. So, the Great Commission is to go and make disciples who will “repent” and become committed “learners.” These are not multiple different things; they are single parts of a whole. When a person becomes a follower of Christ, they are “justified.” To be justified means to be declared legally righteous by God through faith in Christ. A person repents of their sin and is given new desires and new power to go God’s way. Then, over a lifetime, they are “sanctified.” Being sanctified means someone becomes increasingly righteous in their thoughts, will, and actions. This process requires knowledge. They must be taught, but knowledge is never enough for transformation. There must also be ongoing motivation and power. This power comes from the Spirit of God at work in us. The motivation comes primarily through our relationships with other believers who are walking “the way” with us. As you contemplate the good news and your part in making it known to others, you will be challenged in your own transformation. Others will certainly benefit as you share the gospel, but you will as well. You will constantly be reminded of all the good God has brought into your life in the gospel and you will be encouraged to travel God’s good path more faithfully. “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ” (Philemon 1:6). Close the gap on your understanding of the good you have in Christ by making Christ known to others.
Pray:
(Personalize this prayer today; make it specific to the circumstances that face you.)
Ask God to lead you through His Spirit as you go through your day. Ask Him to bring to mind the truth of the gospel and its implications for what you will encounter today. Tell Him “Yes” to His will and ask Him for His power and protection to live this “yes.” Ask God to create and reveal opportunities to proclaim the good news today.