January 01 2026

Thursday January 01

“Always Abounding in the Work of the Lord”

1 Timothy 4:7-9

“But have nothing to do with worldly fables fit only for old women. On the other hand, discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance.”

Welcome to Pastor’s Chat today and a blessed New Year. I trust this year will be a blessed one for you as you keep your eyes on Jesus—as you lay aside every weight and those sins that so easily beset us, and run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the Author and the Finisher of your faith every day (Hebrews 12:1-2). Day by day, you walk with Him.

That is what we have been talking about over these last few days, especially on this first day of the year—giving some practical instruction on how to live a disciplined life, how to live a blessed life that brings glory to God, influences and impacts others around us, and makes a difference for eternity. Living a life of significance.

We have seen in 1 Timothy 4:7 that we are to discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness. Of course, godliness has many benefits because it means we become more like God. We deal with problems, situations, challenges, and even tragedy in a godly way—knowing that God is almighty, that He is in charge, that He loves us, that He never makes a mistake, and that He desires to help us in every area of our lives. When we live a godly life, we live with that assurance.

Notice also how Paul finishes this statement: “This is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance.” In other words, this is not a suggestion. This is a foundational truth for Christian growth and for the Christian life. It is worthy of full acceptance—to discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness. It is worth doing, knowing what Paul reminds us of that in 1 Corinthians 15:58: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord...” Because of that truth, we persevere, we continue, we do not give up—we keep going. Why? Because our labor in the Lord is not empty. It is not fleeting. It does not simply disappear. It is eternal. It accomplishes something. It makes a difference in the world in which we live.

So what are some things we can do? How can we practice these disciplines? First, I want to encourage you to set aside time—preferably in the morning, or at least at some quiet point during the day—when you can get alone with the Lord for a few minutes. I challenge you to make it at least 15 minutes.

Spend time reading your Bible. On our website and in our blog at Pastor Mike Impact Ministries, you’ll find links to the calendars. (https://www.pmiministries.org/) We have two Bible-reading calendars available. One plan allows you to read through the entire Bible in a year in less than 15 minutes a day. If you have more time and want to read more, you can choose Plan A, which is also available on the website. You can print the calendar as a PDF and use it daily.

This is important, because as Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” That means from Genesis 1:1 to the last verse of Revelation. Both of these plans include a daily reading from the Psalms—helping us with praise, worship, seeking God, and understanding who He is. The Psalms guide us in worship before the Lord. I also encourage you to read the Proverbs, because Proverbs teaches us how to live wisely and how to relate to the people around us in very practical ways.

Second, I want to encourage you to take time to pray. Write down some prayer requests. Pray specifically. Join us in praying for a pastor in India—if you write me, email me, text me, or message me in any way you can contact me, I will send you the name of an Indian pastor you can pray for. Pray for missionaries. Pray for your pastor. Pray for people who need to be saved. Pray for your neighbors—and get to know them.

Decide that you are going to be a person of prayer. E.M. Bounds said that you really cannot rightly call yourself a Christian if you do not pray. So spend time talking to God. And during that quiet time, listen as well—allow the Holy Spirit to speak to you. That is communion with God. This is worship. We do not go to church on Sunday just to worship once a week. No—we should and can worship 24/7. Every day, every moment, should be an act of worship as we put the Lord first in our lives, look to Him, and make Him the center of everything.

I encourage you, on this first day of the year, to start it out right. Look to the One who loves you, cares for you, and will help you do these things. We have more to say about this tomorrow.

God bless you, and have a wonderful, wonderful day.