A Devotional by Pastor Cesar Castellanos
Today’s Bible Verse
Brothers and sisters, I don’t consider myself to have taken hold of it: but one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.
Philippians 3:13
Ready for Change
Looking at the creation around us we find that nothing is the same. God created it all with wonderful intelligence and unparalleled beauty. If technology and science are constantly advancing, with innovations of human knowledge, how much more excellent should we, as Christ’s disciples, be? We are the ones who have the responsibility to conquer entire nations for Jesus Christ. The words of Apostle Paul sum this up perfectly, when he said, “Do not conform to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Romans 12:20).
It seems that the words of Solomon in Proverbs had a profound impact on the life of the Apostle Paul. It reads, “Rescue those who are being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter” (Proverbs 24:11). This challenged him to do more than any other Apostle to bring the Gospel of Christ where nobody knew Him. This made him into one of the great leaders of Christianity. He was able to confound his most ardent opposition, who compared him to a scourge that had upset the whole world with his teaching, what they called “false doctrine.” But none of these accusations affected the tenacious Apostle. He did not rest until he fulfilled the sacred mission that the Lord had given him.
Something to Think About
Despite being one of the largest employers in the car industry, with a great pioneering spirit, Henry Ford refused to change his traditional model. On one occasion, in a violent outburst, he destroyed a vehicle that was shown to him as an example of innovation, because he did not want to make any changes to the standard model. The same model that Ford rejected was accepted by another company. It became one of the best-selling cars, and was an outstanding success. Another example was the Swiss watch makers. Despite being the pioneers in the world of watches, they were displaced by the Japanese. The Swiss had the opportunity to innovate, but they let themselves become overwhelmed by the fear of change. The Japanese also considered the importance of being “on time”, however, they developed a much cheaper version of the watch. In doing so, they broke ahead of the Swiss to become the world’s leading nation in the vast world of watch making. Often, we tend to feel very comfortable with what has become routine. We have acquired habits that have often been passed on from our parents. Many of the habits have become paradigms that have us trapped and without realizing it. We now find ourselves facing an intellectual prison that does not support changes.
Prayer
Eternal God, Thank You for helping me to renew my mind every day. In reading Your Word, You have given me understanding and sensitivity that causes me to not resist change. In every aspect of creation, I notice that there is no monotony. No day is like another. Although there are many beings in the universe, each individual is different from one another. This is a wonderful thing and only You can make something creative and innovative. I love You for being my Lord and my God, Amen.
Declaration
I possess His grace and inspiration. Therefore, I am determined to always do what is best for God.
Today’s Bible Reading
- Old Testament: Daniel 7-8; Job 21:1-21
- New Testament: John 13:12-17; Jude 1:1-7
