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Sometimes it is easy to go about my life with little intentionality, other times life forces me to consider what is going on.  With the proper recognition that time, and my life, is passing, how am I to live each day as the years go by? 

Pastor Danny encouraged us to give ourselves to these three things every day: fighting against sin, encouraging one another, and pursuing holiness.  As I consider these three pursuits, I find that they are closely associated with one another.  The Christian walk is not fragmented, but instead a holistic endeavor. 

Paul writes in Romans 13:14, “but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”  Why should we do this?  Paul writes, “you know the time . . . for salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed” (Rom 13:11).  I ought to fight sin in light of the future.

The writer of Hebrews encourages his readers to encourage one another, saying, “let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works . . . encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Heb 10:24-25).  I ought to encourage one another in light of the future. 

Peter writes to believers, “what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God” (2 Pet 3:11-12).  He also writes, “be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace” (2 Peter 3:14).  I ought to pursue holiness in light of the future. 

Rather than giving allowance to the flesh, I am to work against the flesh.  The works of the flesh are evident (Gal 5:19-21).  If I walk by the Spirit, I will not gratify the desires of the flesh (Gal 5:16).  The flesh and the Spirit are opposed within me.  To quench (1 Thess 5:19) or grieve (Eph 4:30) the Spirit does me no benefit.  I want to live according to the new life that God has given me. 

Rather than neglecting to meet, and so cutting off any opportunity to encourage one another, I am to gather regularly for the building up of one another.  God has intentionally designed the body of Christ to build itself up (Eph 4:11-16).  It follows suit that I then should intentionally gather together to build one another up in Christ.  As Hebrews says, “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called ‘today,’ that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb 3:12-13).  I will regularly gather with you for our mutual upbuilding.

Rather than living in lethargy, I am to strive to live in purity. Some of the Thessalonians were idle and not working, since Christ’s return is soon (2 Thess 3:6, 11-12).  If Paul corrected those who were idle in physical things, how much more important is it that I not be idle in my spiritual walk?  Since Christ is returning soon, I should “be diligent” (2 Pet 3:14).  As Paul encourages the Romans, he writes, “do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord” (Rom 12:11).  I want to press into understanding what pleases the Lord and live accordingly (Eph 5:10).  I commit to do this by regularly reading God’s Word and regularly praying for wisdom.

God has given all of us more time.  What are we going to do with it?  What are YOU doing with it?  Let us live in a way that demonstrates we understand what is coming, and present our “bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God” (Rom 12:1).