“Bring my sons from far away, and my daughters from the ends of the earth – everyone who bears my name and is created for my glory. I have formed them; indeed, I have made them…No god was formed before me, and there will be none after me. I – I am the LORD. Besides me, there is no Savior …So you are my witnesses [that] I am God” (Isaiah 43.8-12). 

I am created for God’s glory. He formed me. He – He alone is the LORD. Besides Him, there is no Savior. I am His witness. I look at others that I consider to be godly men …who seem to have it all together, but I can’t know what is truly inside of their hearts. I remain uncertain about the character of my brothers and sisters in Christ. The only truly righteous standard of all conduct is found in the Scriptures. We all must go to the Scriptures. 

The Scriptures testify. They tell me that I must not be of this world. They command me to be crucified to the world and the world to me. This means that God gives me the grace to put to death the anxieties, pleasures, and woes of this world. I am ashamed and saddened that I do not fully live up to the standard of the Scriptures’ testimony on this score. I believe I shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ. My works will either be worthless or worthy of reward. My profession must line up with the position I have in Christ. I have great privileges and possessions in Christ. May God strengthen me to use these for eternal good.