Growth in the New Year

January 1, 2025

My hope and prayer for all of you, and for myself, is that we will grow spiritually in the new year.  I pray that you will pursue spiritual growth with renewed focus and vigor, resulting in a rich, intimate communion with the Lord.  Spiritual growth is something that must be pursued—it doesn’t just happen on its own.  I want to encourage you to pursue an intentional program of growth in the year ahead. 

What might this look like?  First of all, we need to dedicate ourselves to being in the word of God.  Reading the Bible is not just reading any other book; it is actively taking in words of life that flow from the very mouth of God.  The word of God will change us!  It will transform us from the inside out, if we will allow it.  The word of God will bring light to our path and life to our souls.  I encourage you to begin (or begin again) a plan of reading and reflecting upon the word of God in your daily life in 2025.

Second, I encourage you to heed the words of the apostle Peter, who showed us how to grow.  “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence…” (2 Peter 1:5a NASB95) With this statement Peter begins what is sometimes called the ladder of spiritual growth.  It is a list of qualities all Christians should pursue.  Each quality builds on the previous one and leads us to growth.  But notice where the process begins.  It all starts with making every effort to supply moral excellence.  What is moral excellence?  It is an uncommon, excellent, virtuous character.  Moral excellence is doing what is right and good in every situation.  It is choosing to do what is right even in the “little things.” It is choosing to do what is right even when no one is watching.  If we commit ourselves to moral excellence, we will grow, but if we don’t, growth will be stopped in its tracks.  I encourage you to decide that in 2025 you will pursue what is excellent with all your heart.

Think of where the Lord will take us in the new year if we will seek Him and stay near to Him!  The future is very bright, no matter what challenges lie ahead.  May God grant that each of us will grow in our faith in 2025.   

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Scott Colvin

You are Light in the Lord

January 1, 2025

When we came into Christ Jesus, each one of us was fundamentally changed.  We became new creatures. (2 Corinthians 5:17) There are many ways in which this is true:  We were freed from sin, we died to the Law, we became a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, we were transferred out of darkness, we were made alive in Christ.  And to me, one of the most profound things that happened to us is this: we became light.  The Apostle Paul wrote, “For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light.” (Ephesians 5:8 NASB95)

We were formerly darkness.  Sin darkened our inner being and controlled our thoughts and actions.  But that was before we came to Jesus, the light of the world.  Now that we have been enlightened by Him, we have taken part in His nature.  We have become light. 

This is the reality of who we are.  Now we must ask ourselves what we are going to do with this profound truth.  Paul is urging us to be what we are—to walk (live our lives) as children of Light. 

How does one do that?  Paul goes on to say, “… (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.  Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them…” (Ephesians 5:9-11 NASB95) The fruit of the light is expressed in goodness, righteousness, and truth.  To walk as light, we must be about pursuing these qualities. This means we must live a life concerned for the welfare of others (goodness), we must pursue moral and holy behavior (righteousness), and we must relentlessly pursue what is true in a world filled with lies. 

What else must we do to walk as children of light?  We must stop participating in the darkness.  This world is full of darkness, and it is very easy to continue in it.  But now you are light in the Lord!  Don’t practice the things of darkness, but expose them.  Our new nature as light (if we will walk in it) will naturally do that as we light up the world around us with His light.  Some people will hate you for that, for darkness naturally hates the light. But others will see the light of the Lord emanating from you and move toward it.

You are light in the Lord.  Walk as children of light!

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Scott Colvin

When a Sinner Comes Home

January 1, 2025

In the parable of the prodigal son, can you relate to the feelings of the older brother?  Let us attempt to step inside the older brother’s head for a moment and hear the accusations he makes.  The older brother had served his father dutifully his whole life.  He never neglected one command of his father.  He did everything he was supposed to do.  In stark contrast, his younger brother insulted his father and devoured his wealth with wild living and prostitutes.  The younger brother made an absolute wreck of his life.  And when he finally came home, he was given a party!  The older son never got a party!  How is that right?  How is that fair?

If you can relate to the feelings of the older son, it may be time for a serious heart check.  I must confess that his complaints seemed valid to me at one time, and that’s a problem!  You see, when we sympathize with the older son’s feelings, our feelings are running entirely counter to the feelings of our Father!  Rather than standing with our Father, we find ourselves in league with the Pharisees and scribes who, when they saw the tax collectors and sinners coming to Jesus “began to grumble, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’” (Luke 15:2 NASB95) But what were the feelings of the father when this sinner returned?  Pure joy!He ran to his wayward son and embraced him!  He celebrated!  This is the attitude of our Heavenly Father, and of our Lord Jesus when a sinner comes home.  So, why would we not feel the same?

Why, indeed.  Perhaps we need to ponder the grace of God again.  Perhaps we need to remind ourselves where He brought us from and where we could have been.  Perhaps we need to realign ourselves with the purpose of God and of Jesus Christ, who came not to the righteous, but to the spiritually sick—to sinners like you and me.  And when a sinner comes to Jesus, there is great joy in heaven.  If we’re not taking part in that joy, then we have lost the fundamental meaning of the gospel and have forgotten his marvelous mercy and grace that we ourselves have received. 

The Father rejoices when a sinner comes home.  May we always be ready to celebrate with Him!

—Scott Colvin

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Posted by Scott Colvin