A massive spread of food is before me, and someone jokingly asks, “Are you preaching on Sunday about gluttony?” I smile and reply, “Uh, no!” Everyone chuckles. But when was the last time you heard a biblical lesson on gluttony? It may be a long overdue study.
It is undisputed whether gluttony is a sin. The Bible records people punished by God (Num. 11:34; Ezek. 16:49) and provides warnings against such evil (Prov. 23:2; 1 Cor. 10:6).
Although the term “glutton” is often associated with food (Prov. 23:20), the original words translated as “glutton,” “gluttony,” or “gluttonous” have broader meanings. They relate to being worthless, taking things lightly, and lacking moral integrity. Additionally, the Pulpit Commentary states that gluttony “includes other kinds of excess besides eating. It designates one who is prodigal, who wastes his means or wastes his person by indulgence.”
Gluttony always implies criticism of excess behavior and can describe excessive consumption of anything beyond reasonable or necessary. This point warrants careful consideration, as we may draw numerous applications regarding our indulgent and affluent culture.
Examples related to eating can include binge eating, overindulging, or consuming large portions beyond the point of satiety. Do you think our society has become gluttonous with food? What about me? While many foods have addictive properties, and eating can serve as a coping mechanism for those dealing with depression or other issues, is there an underlying problem causing one to overeat? Practicing self-control may be beneficial, but seeking help is also an option. Whatever the solution may be, it is essential first to acknowledge that there is a problem.
Gluttony can also refer to excessive spending habits, such as purchasing overly expensive items, hoarding wealth, or spending beyond one’s means. The concept of “corporate greed” is frequently discussed in our news, and God condemns the hoarding of wealth in Scripture. But on a personal level, reflecting on your spending habits is essential. In America, credit card debt is a significant problem. Although debt relief programs often exploit those who have overspent, the underlying issue is that many people purchase items they do not need. The question then becomes: What will I do about my own budget (Prov. 21:20)?
With our consumption of information, such as viewing the news or engaging with social media, is it possible to feel overwhelmed and/or unproductive? Ongoing studies have shown that social media can be addictive, and many developers are transparent about their goal of keeping users engaged. Once a week, I receive a report on my screen time with my iPhone. While I occasionally use it to read the Bible, I often accumulate countless minutes simply doom-scrolling. Although entertainment is not inherently bad, it’s worth considering how much time we could have spent enjoying God’s word, appreciating God’s creation, or nurturing interpersonal relationships with loved ones. Can I engage with others more personally and meaningfully?
Many people around us lack religious belief (consider news outlets, workplaces, schools, etc.). This irreligion, while being ungrateful and overindulging, may play a role in the obesity epidemic. However, gluttony isn’t limited to just overeating, remember? What areas might you overindulge in, and what will you do after identifying these excesses?
“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.”(1 Corinthians 6:12, New King James Version)
Jesus consistently utilized parables as his primary teaching method. This choice not only engaged His audience but was also a strategic way to mask deeper meanings from those not earnestly seeking the truth of God’s word (Matthew 13:12-15). In every instance, Jesus’ parables compelled His listeners to think critically and delve deeper into spiritual matters (Mark 4:13). Though His use of parables posed challenges to their understanding, Jesus was generally willing to explain the meanings of these parables to those who inquired about them, though He did not always do so.
It is often said that parables are earthly stories with heavenly meanings, but that doesn’t go quite far enough. In Jesus’ parables, the analogy always concerned the kingdom of God, and since the things this world so often counter the essence of God’s spiritual kingdom, any attempt to point to anything in this world and say, ‘there is the kingdom of God,’ would bring many misunderstandings. Jesus frequently employed stories that included analogies relatable to His audience, such as farming practices. But, as His hearers began to feel at ease within a story’s context, Jesus would introduce a surprising twist that challenged their assumptions by bringing forth a lesson completely contrary to their preconceived notions. For example, consider that only twenty-five percent of the seed sown in the Parable of the Sower went on to bear fruit, whereas seventy-five percent did not (which, on the surface, looks discouraging). Yet, that same twenty-five percent in the parable is said to produce some thirty, some sixty, some hundredfold! Thus, Jesus greatly challenged the hearer’s understanding of how things operate in the spiritual realm… Those who teach are, therefore, encouraged to simply sow the seed and allow God to provide the increase. That is, in fact, why Jesus calls it “the parable of the sower” (Matthew 13:18). Through His teaching methods, Jesus challenged people to reevaluate everything they believed about God and His kingdom. This method still prompts modern hearers to reconsider their preconceived notions of the kingdom of God.
Application on the Parables of Jesus
Observing Jesus’ teaching techniques, we can consider the Parable of the Lost Son in Luke 15:11-32. One key theme that Luke emphasizes in his Gospel is that Jesus is the Savior of the world. Chapter fifteen begins with Luke informing his readers that all the “tax collectors” and “sinners” drew near to hear Jesus and that “the Pharisees and scribes complained,” saying, “This Man receives sinners and eats with them.” (Luke 15:1, New King James Version). That is why Jesus spoke the parables presented in the rest of the chapter (Luke 15:3). Identifying the target audience, and the reason stated before Jesus’ discourse will aid in identifying the major lessons gleaned from the parable. First comes the parable of the lost sheep, in which Jesus describes a shepherd going out, leaving a flock of ninety-nine sheep to find one that strayed away from the flock. When the shepherd finds the lost sheep, he returns home rejoicing and shares the good news with his friends and neighbors. Jesus then spoke the Parable of the Lost Coin, concerning a woman who had ten coins, lost one, and diligently searched until she found it. In both instances, Jesus spoke of “joy” and “rejoicing” in heaven when one sinner repents. Both parables are very encouraging. Then came a parable concerning a man with his two sons. The story centers on how younger of the two sons asked for his share of an inheritance, which he was given, and then journeyed to a far-off country where he wasted his possessions with riotous, sinful living. After spending everything that he had, a famine came onto the land, and this son began to be in want. So, he attached himself to a citizen of that country and was sent into his fields to feed swine. The story mentions this young man became so hungry that he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods the swine ate, but no one gave him any! If we pause right there, for those of the first-century Jewish audience, this wasteful man seems to have gotten what he deserved. Because the Pharisees and scribes considered themselves righteous, one may infer that they would have looked down upon such a man (Luke 15:2-3). Nevertheless, Jesus does not end His story on this point. Instead, He further described how that young man “came to himself,” realizing that while his father’s servants had plenty of food, he was starving to death (Luke 15:17). The son, therefore, resolved to go to his father in humility to acknowledge his sins, and even his unworthiness to be called his father’s son. The young man determined to be like one of his father’s hired servants and arose to journey home. But when he was still far off, his father saw him and had compassion. Furthermore, the father ran to his son, fell on his neck, and kissed him! The son acknowledged his sinfulness, but the father does not rebuke him. Instead, the father rejoices by putting the best robe on his son, a ring on his hand, and sandals on his feet. Moreover, the father’s servants were told to bring the fatted calf to be eaten because, as the father said, his son “was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.” (Luke 15:24) But as the father’s older son is in the field, and as he comes and draws near to the house, he hears music and dancing. So, he called one of the servants and asked what that meant. He was told that his brother had come home, that his father had received him safe and sound, and everyone was rejoicing! But instead of being pleased, the older son was angry and refused to attend the feast. That is when his father came out and entreated him to rejoice. The older son then complained to his father about how he had been faithful in everything for many years, while his father’s son went out and wasted his possessions on harlots. After complaining about how sinful his younger brother was while extolling his virtues and that he did not receive such praise, the son is pleaded with by his father. The older had always been with him; all the father had was his. It was therefore fitting that they should make merry and be glad, because his brother was dead and is alive again; he was lost and now he was found.
The parable’s end does not describe how the older brother responds to this pleading from the father. It concludes with a cliffhanger. But from the onset, the story concerns a person who was very covetous and wasteful, and the Pharisees may have even considered the subsequent famine as part of God’s retributive justice. But surprisingly, Jesus gave insight into the younger son’s heart, describing his feelings of humility and measure of true repentance. Moreover, there is a sharp contrast revealed in that the father was willing to accept his penitent son, whereas the older brother continued to look down upon the younger with contempt. Most of the Pharisees would not have thought of themselves as being in the position of the lost son. Instead, they likely perceived that Jesus aligned the Pharisees’ and scribe’s’ attitude with the older brother’s thinking. While encouraging sinners to come to their senses and repents, Jesus also revealed that many in attendance had very calloused and unforgiving attitudes. Moreover, Jesus did not finish the parable by informing anyone of the older brother’s concluding response. So then, Jesus left His hearers with an unspoken challenge: How would they, in turn, respond to other people that sought God’s forgiveness, after they themselves have been striving to remain pure? Perhaps Luke even intended for his readers to put themselves into the story and determine how they would respond.
For the modern audience, many immediately place themselves in the younger son’s position. Within the New Testament, there is the theme throughout that concerns grace being extended to sinners through the blood of Jesus Christ (Cf. Luke 24:46-47; Romans 3:24-25). Indeed, if one comes to their senses, they too can humbly approach a loving Father who is willing to joyfully accept them with forgiveness (Luke 15:7, 10, 20). I find great comfort in that. However, one should heed the other side revealed in this parable, because while there is great comfort in Jesus’s words about forgiveness, there is also an implicit warning against self-righteous attitudes that causes one to look down upon others (cf. Luke 15:1-2; 5:31-32; 18:9-14). The same Jesus who calls for men to seek after righteousness also demands that men possess a readiness to forgive (cf. Luke 15:31-32; 17:3-4). How will the reader of Luke chapter fifteen respond to the Parable of the Lost Son? Today’s readers are still left wondering how the elder brother ultimately responds. The teaching methods of Jesus, especially His use of parables, continue to challenge hearers to reconsider their thinking today!
With my faith, there are times that I feel very strong and other times that I feel weak. Perhaps some of that is because my emotions are up and down from one day to the next, and I shouldn’t give in to every whim on how I’m feeling today as a barometer to spiritual wellness. That said, I wish to GROW IN BEING MORE CONSISTENT WITH MY INTENSITY OF FOCUS! Perhaps this devotional will grant me some things to meditate on and pray about.
Spiritually speaking, GOD DOES WILL for me to have A DIALED-IN APPROACH to my spirituality. And I do need to be EVER MINDFUL in the pathway that I’m currently on. Every one of my heart’s intents should be aligned with God’s and doing that will inevitably lead my actions to follow suit. The wise King Solomon put it this way: 25 Let your eyes look straight ahead, and your eyelids look right before you. 26 Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. 27 Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil. (Proverbs 4:25-27)
Of the many things that I probably allow to hinder my growth, looking too much in the rearview mirror of my life has stymied my progress. Though I do want (and need) to learn from my mistakes, the last thing I want to do is live in the past. God, PLEASE ENABLE ME THE PROPER FOCUS, AND MAY I TAKE CONTROL OF MY OWN THINKING to the extent of imitating Paul in the matter of intensely focusing/capitalizing on the opportunities in front of me: 13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)
There is something to be said for the fact that this world will pose its challenges. Something I cannot control are the racing thoughts that enter my mind from time to time, because of those past failures, or new information that pollutes my thinking. I would even say that too often, I am given over to mindless consumption of entertainment. God, I resolve to actively pursue that which will ENGAGE MY INTENSITY OF FOCUS: 8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. 9 The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9)
Many things have an outward appearance of wisdom (things of this world, intellectualism, philosophy, etc.), but I pray that setting my mind on things above, and MORE INTENSELY FOCUSING ON BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES will enable me a fuller, richer, and more rewarding service to You, God! I will truly embrace the gift of being risen with Christ, seeking those things that are above, with the earnest expectation of nobler things! 1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. (Colossians 3:1-4)
The statement from Isaiah is often quoted to emphasize the vast difference between human and divine thinking. However, a closer study of the text reveals a more profound message directed at God’s people. During Isaiah’s time, the kingdom was divided between Israel and Judah. Both kingdoms had strayed from God’s path, leading to the need for repentance. God wanted His people to embody His holiness and live according to His ways. Through Isaiah, God called upon His people to abandon their sinful ways and align their thinking with His. The passage therefore highlights God’s desire for His people to embrace His way of thinking, presenting a challenging — yet remarkable — opportunity for transformation! While we do fall short of His glory (Romans 3:23), we can continually strive to align our thinking with God’s, ultimately partaking in His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4)!!
Holy God, You are the great God of all heaven and the earth. You created all things, and know the thoughts of every living person on this earth. You alone are worthy to be praised. As your creation, I want to be more like You, my Creator. Enable me fuller knowledge of your word, that I may grow to be more like You. I open my heart to You. Cultivate and mold me in holiness and strength of character. Thus, may my manner of living be productive in service to both You and my fellow man. Bless me in this, please. It is in Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
6 Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near.
7 Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord, And He will have mercy on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.
8 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
10 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, And do not return there, But water the earth, And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower And bread to the eater,
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
12 “For you shall go out with joy, And be led out with peace; The mountains and the hills Shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; And it shall be to the Lord for a name, For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”
There is currently a major hurricane brewing in the Gulf of Mexico, and it is headed straight toward Florida. Moreover, there are people throughout the world right now who are going through difficult, frightening times – circumstances testing their faith.
Lord, may You be with Your people in the path of this storm (Mark 4:37; Acts 27:14). May they be faithful to You, and may You see them through. For those dealing with difficult circumstances right now, grant them the strength to carry on in the hollow of Your hand (Psalm 71:3; Matthew 14:27). No matter what comes, may everyone seek strength from You through the challenging times ahead (Luke 8:22-25).
In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face, While the storm howls above me, and there’s no hiding place. ‘Mid the crash of the thunder, precious Lord, hear my cry; Keep me safe till the storm passes by.
Many times Satan whispered, “There is no need to cry, For there’s no end of sorrow, there’s no hope by and by.” But I know Thou art with me, and tomorrow I’ll rise Where the storm never darkens the skies.
When the long night has ended and the storms come no more, Let me stand in Thy presence on that bright, peaceful shore. In that land where the tempest never comes, Lord, may I Dwell with Thee when the storm passes by.
Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more, Till the clouds roll forever from the sky, Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand, Keep me safe till the storm passes by.
Imagine you are walking along the way and suddenly fall into a puddle of muck. There you are, stained and yucky – what a mess. What if someone came along and said they could clean you right up? Would you take them up on that offer? I know I would.
We have all fallen at some point in our lives. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Yet, everyone can be cleaned up spiritually. The apostle Peter spoke plainly of this when he wrote “There is also an antitype which now saves us–baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.” (1 Peter 3:21-22) If the Lord sees you on your back, wallowing in the mud, what would He tell you to do? Get up out of the mire!! You must hear (Rom. 10:17), believe (Heb. 11:6), repent (Acts 17:30), confess Jesus as the Christ (Matt. 10:33), and be baptized – and you will be cleansed spiritually (Acts 2:38, 22:16).
Now that’s a big deal to us as sinners, but it’s not the biggest deal to God. Don’t get me wrong – these elements are essential to salvation (John 3:3-5, Mark 16:15-16). The bigger deal for God, however, is for us to commit our lives to Him! Once He cleanses us – if we then happen to stumble and get a little stained – God can clean us up again if we confess, repent, and pray (1 John 1:9; Acts 8:22)! But what do you suppose God will think if we get cleaned up – only to continue jumping right back into the mire? The Lord has indeed spoken of this, “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:21-22)
Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Peter exhorts the Christian, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul…” (1 Peter 2:9-11) Let us remember what the Lord has done for us, and therefore live in such a way as to glorify and honor Him.
The hurricane season is in full swing, and everyone’s attention is focused on the approaching storms from the sea. There is much anticipation every time one of these storms comes our way. When a large storm threatens, people are told to evacuate as the hurricanes approach. Warnings sound forth through various media outlets, and sometimes the police must warn people to evacuate from the streets. Unfortunately, despite having plenty of time to get out, people often die because they did not listen and heed the warnings.
This sad reality is very much like the end that many souls will face one day. God’s judgment awaits each of us. Heed the warnings, “The soul who sins shall die. The son shall not bear the guilt of the father, nor the father bear the guilt of the son. The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself.” (Ezekiel 18:20) “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) The warnings have been sounded. God is mercifully pleading with every one of us through His Word. Those who take heed and are born of God will be saved, but those who ignore God’s warnings will be lost eternally.
Consider the words of the Apostle Paul to the men of Athens while giving the speech on Mars Hill, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” (Acts 17:30-31) Paul clearly states that being unaware or lacking in knowledge was once overlooked, but God now demands that everyone repent and turn away from sin. The reason is that God will judge all men by the one He has chosen, Jesus Christ. He showed that Christ is His choice to be Judge by raising Him from the dead.
We have been told! On the Day of Judgment, no one will be able to say, “God didn’t tell me. I didn’t know what He expected of me!” Why refuse His invitation? The Lord desires for you to do what is right in His sight. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) The Day of the Lord will come. If you hear some scoffer questioning the coming of the Lord, do not forget that God does not look at time, or experience time, as we do. The Lord is not negligent. No, He is waiting to come in judgment to give everyone a chance to be saved. He is not willing that any should perish; He wants everyone to repent.
Remember the illustration we began with – of how it is during hurricane season? How many times have we thought it foolish that so many people will not evacuate when a massive storm approaches from the sea? With all the warnings, no one has any excuse for staying in their homes while not preparing for the storm. So many people foolishly refuse to take heed of the warnings given.
The clock is ticking. Will you be one that God says would not listen? Prepare your soul for eternity. Read, study, and obey God’s Word.
Some preach a different version of Jesus than the one described in the Bible. It could be argued that the Apostles were not familiar with the “Jesus” preached in many circles today, because the modern “Jesus” does not require change when coming to Him. Some teach that Jesus is willing to accept only the changes you are willing to make on your terms.
Yet, the Jesus that the Bible does describe? He tells us to count the cost! The Jesus that the Bible presents taught that following Him may very well cost us relationships, even with our own earthly family. The real Jesus of scripture says that true discipleship will cost us hardships in this life (James 1:2), will cost us our material things, will cost time, will cost even our whole self (Romans 12:1-3).
The Jesus the Bible describes calls for conviction (Luke 15:1-32), godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:7), and genuine repentance (Luke 13:3). The Jesus the Bible describes says most people cannot see or enter the kingdom of heaven (Luke 16:15; 17:20-21; 18:17; John 3:3-5). Only this Jesus is worth believing! Only this Jesus is worth serving!! But only a few will evaluate Jesus and learn that though the challenge is great, the rewards are much greater (Matthew 5:1-7:29)!
25 Now great multitudes went with Him. And He turned and said to them,
26 “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple.
27 And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.
28 For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it—
29 lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,
30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish’?
31 Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?
32 Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.
33 So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple.”
After feeding the 5000, Jesus instructed His disciples to get into a boat and go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee ahead of Him, while He dismissed the crowd. Then, Jesus went up to a mountain alone to pray. Meanwhile, the disciples in the boat were struggling with strong waves and winds in the middle of the sea! This continued until the early hours of the morning (while it was still dark) when Jesus approached them by walking on the water. When the disciples saw Jesus, they were frightened and thought they were seeing a ghost. Jesus reassured them, saying, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.”
This is where we witness some growth in the apostle Peter, as he responded, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” At this point, Peter realized that if the Lord commanded him to do ANYTHING, he could do it! Even if Jesus commanded Peter to walk on water, he could do it!! It’s one of those moments when we are reminded to be mindful of what we pray for, because we might just get it (if we ask God for an opportunity to do something significant, He may grant us that chance).
Returning to the story, Jesus told Peter to “Come,” and Peter stepped out of the boat and walked on water toward Jesus! Imagine Peter holding onto the edge of the boat, placing his feet firmly on the water, and then letting go… to find himself walking on water!! Would he ever forget that experience? However, it was very dark, with strong winds and crashing waves, and the water was about 200 feet deep! As a fisherman, Peter was aware of this. As he looked around, he felt fear creeping in, and he began to sink.
When we know we are in trouble, it is interesting how we respond (not mincing words). Peter emphatically cried out, “Lord, save me!” Now, did Jesus rebuke Peter, saying, “Thought you could do it, huh?!” No, that is not what Jesus did!! Instead, He IMMEDIATELY reached out His hand, caught Peter and said, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”
You see, Jesus wanted Peter to succeed in walking on water, just as He wants us to succeed in obeying His commands. So the next time your faith is tested (and it WILL be tested), remember that the Lord wants you to pass the test! Also, note that even after Peter’s faith failed, when the Lord saved Peter, they both walked on the water – together – and got back into the boat. The other disciples in the boat then worshipped Jesus, acknowledging Him as the Son of God.
There are profound moments in our lives when we realize that the Lord has indeed saved us! He deserves our worship, our service, and our all. God, please grant Your servants the ability to do great things in Your name, all to Your glory! Use me as You deem fit, and may You be with me in all things. Amen.
I am making the decision to no longer be charmed by the empty promises of this world. Instead, I am determined to resist being entangled in things that lead to destruction. God is calling me to a higher level of thinking, one that embodies nobility and goodness (Colossians 3:1-4). I am committed to following Jesus and accepting Him as my Savior. This requires me to leave behind my sinful habits and troubles (Romans 6:1-23). I know that Jesus will support and challenge me, and I am resolved to embrace His teachings, as they are the source of true life. I will find joy in following Jesus.
I am making a commitment to follow Jesus not just today, but every day in the future, knowing that there will be challenges ahead. I will pay careful attention to His teachings and strive to align my actions with His will, as I believe that His path leads to eternal life (John 6:60-68). Jesus, I acknowledge Your authority over heaven and earth!
I am leaving the path of sin to enter Your kingdom. I accept You as my King and Master, and I am determined to seek Your righteousness (Matthew 6:25-34). Even if my closest companions oppose the changes I am making, and others try to impede my progress, I am resolved to give my best in everything and come to You.
I am resolved no longer to linger, charmed by the world’s delight; Things that are higher, things that are nobler, these have allured my sight.
I am resolved to go to the Savior, leaving my sin and strife; He is the true One, He is the just One, He hath the words of life.
I am resolved to follow the Savior, Faithful and true each day, Heed what He sayeth, do what He willeth, He is the living way.
I am resolved to enter the kingdom, leaving the paths of sin; Friends may oppose me, foes may beset me, still will I enter in.
I will hasten to Him, Hasten so glad and free, Jesus, greatest, highest, I will come to Thee.
~ Words in italics are from the hymn, I Am Resolved, with Lyrics and musical arrangement by Palmer Hartsough and J. H. Fillmore
We Wish to See Jesus 