MAKE
IT PERSONAL
READ:
2
Chronicles 24:1-2, 15-22
Walk
in the Spirit, and you
shall
not fulfill the lust of
the
flesh. –Galatians 5:16
During my days as a teacher and coach at
a Christian high school, I thoroughly enjoyed interacting with teenagers,
trying to guide them to a purposeful, Christ-like life-characterized by love
for God and love for others. My goal was
to prepare them to live for God throughout life. That would happen only as they made their
faith a vital part of life through the help of the Holy Spirit. Those who didn’t follow Christ floundered
after they left the influence of Christian teachers and parents.
This is demonstrated in the story of
King Joash of Judah and his uncle Jehoiada.
Jehoiada, a wise counselor, influenced Joash to live a god-honoring life
(2
Chronicles 24:11, 14).
The problem was that Joash did not
embrace an honorable life as his own.
After Jehoiada died, King Joash “left
the house of the LORD” (v.18) and
began to worship0 in a pagan way. He
turned and became so evil that he had Jehoiada’s son murdered (vv.20-22).
Having someone in our lives to guide us
toward faith and Christ-likeness can be good and helpful. Even better is getting to know the Lord
ourselves and learning to rely on the Holy Spirit to be our guide (Galatians
5:16). That is making our faith
personal. –Dave Branon
Lord,
thank You for the people in my life who
influence
me toward following You. Help
me
not to depend on them primarily-but to
depend
on Your Holy Spirit to guide me.
*************************************
The
faith of others encourages
A
faith or our own transforms.
INSIGHT
Joash
was the youngest king to reign in Jerusalem.
Because he was 7 years old when his reign began, he was in special need
of guidance. In the New Testament, Paul
highlights the importance of mentors when he says, “Imitate me, just as I also
imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1).
Have a blessed day and week ahead.
God Our Creator’s Love Always
Unity & Peace
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