1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 1: Life Audio. Welcome to the Crosswalk devotional. We're glad to 2 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:19,600 Speaker 1: have you listening. Today's topic is about sanctification. We're returned 3 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:22,159 Speaker 1: with the devotional after a brief message from one of 4 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:39,920 Speaker 1: our sponsors. You are God's work in progress, written and 5 00:00:40,040 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 1: read by Emily Rose Massey. Being confident of this that 6 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:49,840 Speaker 1: He who began a good work in you will carry 7 00:00:49,880 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 1: it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus Philippians, 8 00:00:56,040 --> 00:01:03,160 Speaker 1: Chapter one, verse six. My new friend recently asked me, Emily, 9 00:01:04,080 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 1: how long have you known the Lord. I wanted to 10 00:01:08,280 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 1: be as concise as possible, but also transparent. I explained 11 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 1: that I've been coming to grips recently, that I was 12 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:21,040 Speaker 1: most likely a false convert when I was a teen 13 00:01:21,319 --> 00:01:25,800 Speaker 1: into my early twenties, and truly didn't start following Christ 14 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:30,279 Speaker 1: until the summer after I graduated college. It's the only 15 00:01:30,440 --> 00:01:32,840 Speaker 1: way that I can seem to make sense of the 16 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:36,400 Speaker 1: mess I lived in for six years after my profession 17 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:39,760 Speaker 1: of faith. After responding to an altar call at a 18 00:01:39,760 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 1: youth conference. As I walked the aisle at that church, 19 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 1: I responded to the news that Jesus died for my 20 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 1: sins to be forgiven then eventually ran back into the 21 00:01:52,200 --> 00:01:55,880 Speaker 1: same ditch like a dumb sheep, thinking I could rely 22 00:01:56,000 --> 00:01:59,600 Speaker 1: on my own works and not Christ's finish work of 23 00:01:59,640 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: the Cross. Us and God allowed me to fail, fall 24 00:02:04,240 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 1: and create a home in my pit of self righteousness 25 00:02:07,880 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 1: and sin for six years. But thanks be to God, 26 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 1: that wasn't the end of my story. The Lord didn't 27 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: leave me in that pit, because one day I was rescued. 28 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:26,079 Speaker 1: We must first remember that we cannot rescue ourselves out 29 00:02:26,080 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 1: of a pit of sin. Jesus is the great shepherd 30 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:33,880 Speaker 1: who rescues his sheep. It is God who begins the 31 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 1: work in our hearts, turning them from a heart of 32 00:02:37,080 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 1: stone to a heart of flesh. And the longer that 33 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 1: we walk with him, the more He will continue to 34 00:02:44,880 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 1: mold our hearts. I don't believe all our testimonies of 35 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:53,400 Speaker 1: coming to faith in Christ can be packaged up into 36 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 1: a nice little box with the beau. It's because we 37 00:02:57,360 --> 00:03:01,680 Speaker 1: aren't the author of the story. Our sovereign Lord is 38 00:03:01,760 --> 00:03:08,080 Speaker 1: the author and finisher or perfector of our faith. Hebrews 39 00:03:08,160 --> 00:03:13,000 Speaker 1: Chapter twelve, Verse two. Scripture tells us that he is 40 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:15,959 Speaker 1: faithful to complete the work that he began on us. 41 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:21,080 Speaker 1: Being confident of this that He who began a good 42 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,639 Speaker 1: work in you will carry it on to completion until 43 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:29,840 Speaker 1: the day of Christ Jesus Philippians, chapter one, verse six, 44 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: intersecting faith in life. You may also have a messy 45 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 1: and complicated testimony and cannot fully explain all of what 46 00:03:40,680 --> 00:03:43,200 Speaker 1: you think the Lord was doing in your heart and when. 47 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 1: But I can tell you that even when you have 48 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 1: been faithless, God has been incredibly faithful two Timothy, chapter two, 49 00:03:53,120 --> 00:04:00,200 Speaker 1: verse thirteen, even when I'm extremely dumb, hard headed, and rebellious. Yes, 50 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:06,400 Speaker 1: he is wise, patient and perfect on my behalf. He 51 00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: doesn't give up on his children. And just as God 52 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:14,560 Speaker 1: is sovereign in salvation, he is also sovereign in our 53 00:04:14,680 --> 00:04:17,840 Speaker 1: sanctification as we learn to partner with Him and our 54 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: growth in Christ. He is the one who is in 55 00:04:22,240 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 1: charge of seeing us mature on our walk with Him. 56 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: The same grace that saved us is the very same 57 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 1: grace that keeps us and molds us into the image 58 00:04:33,680 --> 00:04:38,680 Speaker 1: of Christ each new day. We will never be perfect 59 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 1: this side of heaven, which is why we rest in 60 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:45,320 Speaker 1: the finished work of the Cross of Christ. But we 61 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: should be walking in holiness little by little each passing day. 62 00:04:51,600 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 1: One way this occurs in our lives is through studying 63 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: the scriptures and other spiritual disciplines such as prayer, serving others, 64 00:05:00,760 --> 00:05:06,719 Speaker 1: and consistent discipleship and evangelism. The Spirit of God guides 65 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:10,560 Speaker 1: us into all truths and convicts our hearts of sin. 66 00:05:11,720 --> 00:05:15,880 Speaker 1: The more we study the Bible and exercise spiritual discipline, 67 00:05:16,320 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: the more the Holy Spirit renews our minds. This renewal 68 00:05:20,960 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 1: of the mind helps us to think on eternal matters, 69 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: and soon worldly thinking and fleshly desires become less of 70 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:32,440 Speaker 1: a temptation for us. The longer we walk with the Lord, 71 00:05:33,520 --> 00:05:39,080 Speaker 1: our behavior and attitude begins to change, and God gives 72 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:43,280 Speaker 1: us a desire to love, obey, and serve Him with fervor. 73 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 1: From the moment of your conversion, you become God's work 74 00:05:48,440 --> 00:05:51,839 Speaker 1: in progress, and the greatest news of all is that 75 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 1: He doesn't grow weary, stressed, or exhausted with you. He 76 00:05:57,400 --> 00:06:02,560 Speaker 1: will complete the work he begins in you. Further reading 77 00:06:03,520 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 1: Galatians chapter two, verse twenty first, Thessalonians chapter five, verse 78 00:06:10,040 --> 00:06:16,279 Speaker 1: twenty three, two Peter Chapter one, verses two through four. 79 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:24,160 Speaker 1: The Crosswalk devotional is a production of life, audio and 80 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:28,119 Speaker 1: Salem media. If you liked what you heard today, please 81 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:30,560 Speaker 1: take a second to rate and review this podcast in 82 00:06:30,600 --> 00:06:34,280 Speaker 1: your favorite podcast app so that more listeners like you 83 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:39,159 Speaker 1: can find the show. For more faith filled, inspirational podcasts, 84 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:49,400 Speaker 1: visit us at lifeaudio dot com.