January 19, 2025
Greetings and blessings to all of you. It has been said that there are Saints and there are those that ain’t. They are called worldly people. The goal of the saints (an image bearer of God) is to live out Romans 12:2 “and do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. The goal of the worldly people is to move forward rather than upward, to live horizontally rather than vertically. They seek after outward prosperity rather than holiness. They burst with selfish desires rather than heartfelt supplications. If they do not deny God they ignore and forget Him, or else they use Him only for their selfish ends, Worldliness is human nature without God. This fallen world is a world full of arrogant, self-sufficient people seeking to exist apart from God and living in opposition to God. It a world richly deserving of the righteous wrath of a holy God. It is dead set against the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our affluent and technologically advanced society brings the world into our presence. So, which group do you identify with; the worldly group or the Saints? It is reasonable to believe that after you have believed in the Lord Jesus you will choose “Saints.” Why? Because God does not leave us walking according to the old sinful nature that is the flesh. When we believed in the Lord Jesus as our Savior, God gave to us this new life with its new nature; “Through these you might become partakers of the divine nature having escaped corruption which is in the world by lust.” (2 Pet. 1:4) When we are born again or regenerated God by His Spirit empowers us to live as Saints. It is not an improvement of our old nature….so we can say to ourselves, ‘we are good people.’ No, we must understand that we must have and live out the divine life transferring us from the Kingdom of man to the Kingdom of God. Why would you not want to be a Saint? Is it because God has not given you what you wanted? Some of us relate to God as if he exists to further their selfish ambitions…financial security, more friends, successful kids, a certain position at work or church, and/or being honored at some notable institution. What is the reason that you refuse to be convinced that you exist just to glorify Him? Reflect on this.
With the Love of Christ
First Lady Vivian C. Currie
Pastor ALC