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The Life of Expectation

Words of Faith Final

The Life of Expectation
Words of Faith 11-17-2021
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2021
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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Romans 13
    [11] And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. [12] The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. [13] Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. [14] Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

    Paul concludes chapter 13 with words that seem as if they were written specifically for our time. Actually, it is an exhortation for Christian believers in every age to understand the times in which they live.
    "The time of our 'salvation' is nearer now than when we first believed" speaks of the completion of our journey of salvation. Whether the conclusion of our journey comes unexpectedly with the rapture of the saints or with the end of mortal life, we need to understand that we always stand closer to that moment than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here!
    These words were never so true as they are today. So how do we as transformed people live a life of expectation?
      Paul was clear that we are to put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Specifically, behave decently as in the daytime. It is amazing the sort of things even Christian people will enter into if they believe they are under cover of darkness or will not be discovered. The deeds of darkness are closer than ever through modern technology and a culture where anything goes.  
      But in this time, when we await the return of Jesus, we must not grow weary in our waiting. We must not take grace cheaply and slip into the ways of the world. It may start with a "dalliance," but we can suddenly find ourselves far from home in a place that leads to death.  
     Paul wrote to the Colossians: "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry" (Col. 3:5).  
     The real answer is to clothe ourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our armor of light. He is our protection against the snares of the enemy. We must be intentional about wearing Him daily, especially in dark places or at times where we do not think people are watching. We must set our minds not to think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. We must surrender every imagination to Christ because the night is nearly over; the day is almost here.
    
    Lord, I pray that You will clothe me with the armor of light. Clothe me with Your righteousness. Deliver me from evil. I long for Your return. In Jesus' name.
 
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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2021
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)        
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2021 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.