“Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” 1 Timothy 4:15-16

Dear Jesus, It’s easy to make my Christian faith a hobby in my life while I major in making money, recreation, and exercise. But you urge me to persevere in my faith. You even tell me to watch my life closely to make sure it reflects my faith in you. You tell me to be careful about what I believe and teach others to believe too. Oh, Jesus, make me a serious albeit not somber Christian. Make me someone who values your word more than anything else in the world. Make me diligent in faith and deliberate in living. All so my life has the impact you want and not just the toys I want. Amen.

The kind of faith the Holy Spirit inspires is ardent, intentional and thought consuming.