In Touch Daily Devotional 5 March 2023 By Dr. Charles Stanley, Sunday Inspirational Message
Read In Touch Daily Devotional 5 March 2023 and be blessed.
Sunday Reflection: Becoming Holy
To get the most out of this devotion, set aside time to read the scriptures referenced throughout.
It’s common to hear Christians say, “You don’t have to be perfect—God loves you just the way you are.” And that statement is true, except it’s not the whole picture.
Yes, the Lord’s love is unconditional; we can do nothing to change it. At the same time, His plan for all believers is to make us increasingly like Himself. It’s a perfection that transcends our understanding of the term—a perfection found not in how we perform but in our willingness to surrender our life to Him.
In Matthew 5:48 (NIV), Jesus says, “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Instead of hearing those words as an impossible expectation, think of them as an invitation. He’s welcoming you to the abundant life, the healing of your soul, the recovery of your true self. It’s what we know as the process of sanctification.
To be sanctified—in other words, to become holy—is not a pursuit of faultlessness but rather one of becoming more and more like Jesus. And there’s just one way to do that: Say “yes” to His invitation each day.
Think about it
• Read Matthew 5:6 and 2 Corinthians 3:18. How do these verses make you feel about Jesus’ command to be perfect?
Bible in One Year: Joshua 1-3
Reflect: The Christian’s goal is not faultlessness but the pursuit of Jesus, which leads to the abundant life.
In Touch Daily Devotional 5 March 2023. Charles Stanley is the senior pastor of First Baptist Church Atlanta and founder of In Touch Ministries, both located in Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Stanley’s heart’s desire is to get the gospel to “as many people as possible, as quickly as possible, as clearly as possible, as irresistibly as possible, through the power of the Holy Spirit to the glory of God.