This devotion is a monthly ministry of the Pee Dee Baptist Association, comprised of 32 Southern Baptist churches in Dillon and Marlboro Counties. For more information call 774-8062. Featured this month is Rev. Jim Warren, the pastor of Fork Baptist Church, Fork.

Today you find yourself with a brand-new year – 2019. In the few days that have already passed, maybe you have not had enough time to make any mistakes or sins, as the Bible calls them. However, if you are truthful with yourself, you have to admit that several sins have been thought about. Thinking about sin, according to Jesus Christ, is the same thing as committing the act of sin. And again, if you are truthful with yourself, you desire or worship many things of this world. With a worldly view, the mind seeks to live forever in these present bodies.
Make no mistake about it: God created us for worship and gives us desires for the things He has created. Our sin problem is not created by our desire for worship or even for the things God created but stems from a wrong world view. By studying God’s Word, the Bible, and seeking a close personal relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ, our world view will change. We will develop a Christ-like world view. That is, we will see the world through Jesus Christ’s perspective. Then we will realize that this present world is not our permanent home.
Through our belief in Jesus Christ (John 3:16, Ephesians 2:1-10), we will desire to worship and build a relationship with God. We will begin to understand that the things of this present world are only tools to be used for our benefit in accomplishing God’s will for our lives. Instead of living our lives for ourselves or for some worldly cause, we will live it for Jesus Christ and develop a permanent relationship with Him.
As we learn to worship Jesus Christ as the Lord of our lives, we will desire to worship Him, we will desire Him, and we will live for Him, not for this present world. In Matthew 2:1-11, we see the wise men coming to worship baby Jesus – not as a special baby but as the Messiah that His adulthood would show Him to truly be.
God challenges you and me to worship Him in 2019. May Jesus Christ be the Lord of your life in 2019, and may you receive the eternal life God has offered to all mankind.
While God has given eternal life to all mankind, only those who receive this awesome gift can enjoy it. No gift that is given to you can be enjoyed by you unless it is received by you.
Will you commit to receiving and enjoying Jesus as the Lord of your life today?