Convictions or Beliefs
2009-11-08

Ready for our second service with Wings of Freedom Church. The building has electricity now, so IT'S ON, BABY!!! *ahem* 10:00am this morning.

My Psalm for today is Psalm 119:9-10. Reading from The Message.

How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word.
I'm single-minded in pursuit of you; don't let me miss the road signs you've posted.

"The reason, therefore, of so much evil prevailing in the world, arises from men wallowing in their own inclination than to heavenly instruction. The only sure protection is, to regulate ourselves according to God's word."

(Commentary from Heart Aflame: Daily Readings from Calvin on the Psalms)


Holiness Day By Day

"Sanctification By Consensus"
Ephesians 5:17

Reading from the English Standard Version

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

"In many evangelical circles it seems that we have morality by consensus. We may not be doing what society around us is doing, but neither are we living according to biblical standards." OUCH!! Instead, we seem to base our standards on other Christians around us. "We expect to become holy by osmosis, by the absorption of the ethical values of our Christian peer group."

If we expect to make progress in this pursuit of holiness, we must live by Scripture, not by the culture, even the so-called "Christian culture." How can we do this if we don't know what the precepts of Scripture are?? "It isn't sufficient for us to hear one or two thirty-minute sermons a week." We must have daily exposure to the Scriptures if we are to live under their authority.

One of the disciplines necessary to pursue holiness is the "development of Bible-based convictions." What is a conviction? It is a belief that is so strong it affects how you live. "Someone has observed that a belief is what you hold, but a conviction is what holds you." It is possible to live contrary to what you believe, but can you live or act in opposition to a conviction? Not if it is truly a conviction. At least not consistently. So this development is a development of convictions, not mere beliefs. But even convictions can be bad ones, so it is important to know that our convictions are based on Scripture.


Father, I pray that you help me develope Biblical convictions. I do have some, yes. But help me maintain them and develope more as I read and study your Word. Let my convictions never be based solely on my ignorant opinions or on what I see other Christians doing, no matter how "holy" they might be. This even goes along with the portion of Psalms that I read before. I need to constantly be checking the "map" to make sure I am going the right direction. Keep that map in front of me, Father. Let me never lose sight of it.

I pray for our country right now, in the wake of the House of Representatives passing the health bill. This is not going to be pretty.


Let's keep checking our "maps" daily. I'm making a pledge to only base my convictions on the Word of God.


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