Your Best Effort

Because Mr Bill and I have a long history – he was 16 and I was 12 when we first met – we remember times when we celebrated the completion of otherwise simple tasks.  Nowadays, the "older us" simply take joy in a good effort!

 

Know this -- living a righteous life demands much effort! That road is neither free nor easy!  The psalmist gives some insight into what it takes to stay pure unto God: “You have tried my heart, You have visited me by night, You have tested me, and You will find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. With regard to the works of man, by the word of Your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent. My steps have held fast to Your paths; my feet have not slipped.” (Psalm 17:3-5).  The Christian who pursues purity understands his life is an open book before the LORD to be continuously examined (tried, visited, tested).  Furthermore, he [who is serious] is always conscious of what is required to stay pure: live intently, avoid pitfalls, faithful to convictions, move cautiously -- all for the purpose of staying within the ways of righteousness. My high school basketball coach told me “if you’re gonna loaf, don’t loaf on defense.”  In the Christian life, we cannot relax our defenses.  I suggest the best defense is a strong offense: "I made haste and delayed not to keep Your commandments." (Psalm 119:60), and “Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” (Psalm 119:11).  I challenge you, therefore, to be diligent and make every effort to be rooted in the perfect Truth of God's Word.  That effort alone allows God's Grace to do Its supreme and divine work in and through you.  That will always be your best effort!