Day 16 “Perseverance”

John Piper wrote in his book “Future Grace,” that the reason we sin is because at the point of temptation, we believe in what sin promises more than what God promises. This is a serious indictment to the Christian, especially me. I know that when I examine my life, there were times when this statement was so true. I caved in to temptation and sinned because of the temporary pleasures it brought. And those pleasures were only good in the moment.

It is sad to think that I would settle for a momentary pleasure than for what God has in store for me. God’s promises are not only perfect for us but are also guilt free. Sin in its season may be good at the time, but the consequences are deadly. In contrast, God’s promises not only fulfill the desires of our hearts, but leave us with a peace and contentment that only God can give. Jesus said in John 10:10, “I come so that  you may have life and have it more abundantly.” This not the prosperity gospel that is being spewed out from the false teachers of our day. Rather, its abundant pleasures that come from a life devoted to serving Jesus and sharing His gospel to this lost and dying world.

Words cannot describe the feeling of  joy when we put on the mind of Christ and love others the way Jesus loves us. Of course, it is easy to love some people, but what about the those that are not so easy to love? This is where we must persevere with the strength of the Lord. It is a daily choice to live out our lives fulling the 2 greatest commandments – to love God with all our hearts, our souls and our minds and to love others as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:37-39). And the consequence of pursing God? Joy! Being satisfied with all that God is for us in Christ Jesus.