Monday, June 18, 2012

Strive for Perfection by Ann Elaine Broughton




“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48 NIV).
 
    So how are you doing on your way to perfection? Jesus said the above words during His famous Sermon on the Mount. The point that Jesus was making is that we must strive to be perfect as God is in our daily life. The Sermon on the Mount goes into great detail on how we are to live. It is a very important passage to read as you strive to live a Christian life. Jesus put the bar very high in regards to living a life that is pleasing to God. But the thing is, you must read it in order for you to live it. It is in Matthew Chapters 5 through 8.
    An illustration about raising the bar to aim for perfection can be made in regards to pole vaulting. A pole vaulter is continually raising the bar in order to try to break a record. A pole vaulter practices every day and trains hard in order to get over the bar at the highest point possible. It takes stamina, courage, strength, precision, and perfection in order to get across the highest bar without touching it.
    Just like the pole vaulter, we too are to continue each day to read the Bible, pray, and learn how to live a Godly life so that we can try to be perfect just like Jesus said. The pole vaulter fails many times too. But gets back up and tries again. We too will fail, but we must then repent and try to do better the next time. We can count on God’s strength to help us reach for that high bar and find success. This never ends, because we will always have weaknesses in our lives that needs worked on.
    Ask God to show you where you can improve in your Christian walk.
He will reveal it to you so that you can grow in faith. Then thank Him for helping you. As long as you live, there will be ways that you can change and grow as a Christian. But you must continue to ask God to help you.
Dear Lord,
Help me as I strive to do your perfect will. I know that you can help me grow as a Christian. I want to keep raising the bar to be the person you want me to be.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
   

Perseverance: A devotion by Ann Broughton

“ And not only this, but we also exult in tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance proven cha...