14 Oct Divine Resources for Walking Worthy
Last Sunday, Pastor Jason Finley preached from 1 Thessalonians 3:6-13 and showed us that God establishes us in holiness as we love one another by God’s grace.
Read: 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
This Sunday, Pastor Jeremy Chasteen will preach from 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 and will exhort us to please God by pursuing purity. As you prepare your heart for our Sunday gathering, let this devotional from John MacArthur spur you on to walk in a manner worthy of God, using the divine resources he has supplied.
Reflect: Divine Resources for Walking Worthy
“I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.”
Ephesians 4:1
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A worthy lifestyle is possible only by depending on God’s resources.
Walking is often used in Scripture as a symbol of the Christian life. It is simply a reference to your daily conduct or lifestyle—a day–by–day, step–by–step commitment to follow Christ. As Christians we “walk in newness of life” (Rom. 6:4). John wrote, “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments” (2 John 6). Paul said to walk in good works (Eph. 2:10) and to please God in our walk before Him (1 Thess. 4:1).
In Ephesians 4:1 Paul is saying, “Let your lifestyle be worthy of the calling to which you are called.”
You may ask, “Is it possible to walk this way?” Yes, but only on this basis: you must devote yourself to be strengthened with the power of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 3:16), Christ’s Word must dwell in your heart, His love must penetrate your life (vv. 17–19), and you must be “filled up to all the fulness of God” (v.19), who “is able to do exceeding abundantly beyond all that we ask or think” (v. 20). We must live by the resources God has given us to walk the worthy walk. We’ll never do it by just knowing the theology and then trying really hard.
Are you trying to live as a Christian without prayer, without studying the Bible, or even without giving much thought to Christ except on Sunday? Are you trying to be righteous without relying on the Holy Spirit? If you are, you will be frustrated in your efforts. You must commit every day and every moment to the Lord, trusting in His strength. Besides, why would you want to live on your own power when you can live by the power of God?
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Suggestions for Prayer: Thank God for giving you the Holy Spirit, who gives you the power to walk worthy before Him and others. ✧ Pray each day that the Holy Spirit will strengthen you to live in a way that pleases God.
For Further Study: Read Galatians 5:16–25. From your understanding of today’s study, what does it mean to “walk by the Spirit”? ✧ What does walking by the Spirit protect you from?
“Divine Resources for Walking Worthy,” January 7th Devotional, in Strength for Today, by John MacArthur.
Sing: Song List for Sunday
1. “He Is Our God,” by Sovereign Grace Music
2. “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty (Joyful, Joyful),” Arr. Shane & Shane
3. “Lord, Have Mercy (For What We Have Done),” by Matt Papa
4. “O, Great God,” by Matt Boswell
5. “The Depths of Your Love,” by North Wake