[Devotional] IN HIS PRESENCE: Your salvation is a personal relationship

Read: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31

Meditation verse:

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists,  and some pastors and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11).

When you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you entered a  personal relationship with Him. Note the word ‘personal’, for it is significant in  your salvation experience. Bob Gass in his devotional; ‘The UCB word for today’  highlights the personal nature of our salvation experience. He says that “you  need to pray in a distinctly personal way, so that your prayers are easy, natural  expressions of who you are. You need to go before God just the way you are and  give Him the pleasure of enjoying the company of the ‘original’ that He made  you to be. You need to approach Him with your own strengths, weaknesses,  uniqueness, and everything else that so wonderfully distinguishes you from  everyone else. God enjoys meeting you where you are, developing a personal  relationship with you, and helping you become everything He wants you to be”. 

It is therefore pitiable when we strive to be like other Christians. We compare  ourselves to them, covet their spiritual gift or ministry because we sense it is  more glamourous than ours. We even resent our area of gifting or who we have  been called to be, preferring to be just like the other person. We take it further  by mimicking their manner of speaking, preaching, singing and appearance. 2  Corinthians 10:12 says “but they measuring themselves by themselves, and  comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise”. 

You are uniquely crafted to be who you were created for. Romans 8:29-30 says  “for whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of  His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom  He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified;  and whom He justified, these He also glorified.”. As you live out your faith,  approach God as you are and let Him enjoy the company of ‘the original you’  that He foreknew from the beginning of times. Don’t pray in a certain way  because someone you admire prays that way. Personalize your worship, praise,  thanksgiving, confession, and intercession. That way when God opens His hands  to bless you, He is delivering packages that are specifically designed for you.

IN HIS PRESENCE is written by Pst (Mrs) Oke Chinye, Founder of The Rock Teaching Ministry (TRTM).

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