Devo for 05/25/2025 service- Message by Pastor Clint Sprague
As Pastor Clint keeps us in this series, “The Way that Leads to Life”, he highlighted the statement Jesus made in His sermon on the mount:
“Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way that leads to life, and there are few that find it” Matthew 7:14
Pastor Clint’s tagline for this series is “We are hiking thru the Sermon on the Mount” and he used an excellent comparison of what it takes to hike through the narrow and difficult path that leads to Life. Salvation is like the “Trail Head”, the point we start new life. Our transformation is like the narrow path on the way to our new life where Jesus walks with us as we grow. The summit is what we are hiking for, to be the men that God created us to be!
This life that Jesus is talking about is more than just breathing and having a heartbeat. The word used for this life is Zoe, and Strongs describes it this way:
God’s Life, Real Life, Abundant Life
Filled with Vitality, the absolute Fullness of Life
This is the Highest Form of Life
It’s Eternal, Empowered and Always Increasing
God is the source of this life.
Listening to the message, when I saw this on the screen, I was drawn to one word. It was the word Vitality. I began wondering if I knew what that word meant, and why it would be included in the list. So, let’s dive into this word!
I started with the secular dictionaries. Merriam Webster defined it as lively and animated character; Cambridge called it energy and strength; interestingly enough, the National Cancer Institute used the term to describe a person’s ability to live, grow, and develop as well as having energy and being vigorous.
These description are ok, however, being filled with vitality is more than what the secular definition is. Vitality is not a natural attribute we were born with. It is a supernatural gift from God that we receive as we experience salvation and are transformed, which allows us to walk in a dynamic relationship with Him, who is our source!
Our vitality, which plays into our walk down the path to our Zoe life, has two parts, physical and spiritual. Physical vitality is shown throughout the bible. An example is Joshua, who, after Moses commanded him to be “Strong and Courageous” (Joshua 1:9), at 85 years old, declared:
I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Joshua 14:11
Because of Joshua’s obedience, God gave him physical vitality to lead and be the man he was created to be.
Our spiritual vitality is instilled in us by a deep relationship with God that is driven by faith, hope, and love. This relationship transforms our very existence and reflects God’s glory and purpose for our lives!
So, I encourage us all to chase after our relationship with God with vitality! Be eager for what He has for us! Receive all that He wants you to have! Do not fear this narrow path; embrace the life and purpose God has for you!
You’ve got this!
Don’t forget to invite God into your day!
Topic for Study -
Mercy
Matthew 5:7
Psalm 116:5
Proverbs 28:13
May Memory Verse:
1 John 4:4
You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world