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JOHN 8:31-32
[Jesus Christ]: If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. JOHN 6:45-47 Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. |
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| 10 Tips for Getting your Christian Life Back on Track |
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SERIES, PART 1 There are times in our Christian lives when we may feel uninspired, unfulfilled, and incomplete. Perhaps we've lost our joy and enthusiasm for the cause of Christ. Perhaps priorities are out of focus. If this describes you, then it's time to get your Christian life "back to the basics." Here are 10 simple steps you can take to help get your life back on the right path... Tip #1: Re-establish your relationship with God and Christ It's very possible to be a "religious person" but not have a real "relationship" with your Heavenly Father. Such was the case with the Pharisees of Jesus' day, and I'm convinced is also the case with many modern Christians (John 5:42). They may go to church, attend Bible studies, and be very religious—and still may not have truly developed a relationship with God and Christ. Obviously, there isn't a more important relationship you can develop than this one! Everything in your Christian life hinges on this, including your very eternal future (Romans 8:15; Jeremiah 30:21-22). The Bible says: "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you." (James 4:8) God desires to be near you, but the relationship must be mutual. It's also important to know that you must put God first to have a proper relationship with Him. Jesus said: The most important [commandment] is this: `Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'So, step #1 is to draw near to God. Re-commit yourself to God and Christ. Fully—with "all your heart, soul, mind, and body." 100%. Anything less is not enough. Truly be willing to do WHATEVER He asks of you in the Bible. If it says it, do it. Let no one or nothing keep you from it (Matthew 7:21; 28-18-20). If you do this, you're going to make it. Tip #2: Commit to everyday Bible reading and/or listening We communicate to God in prayer, but God communicates to us through His word, the Bible. And all of it is important. Jesus said: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.Did you catch the phrase "every word?" Failure to understand this will result in spiritual disaster (as you'll hopefully soon see). Trying to live your spiritual life without daily ingesting of God's word is like trying to live your physical life without eating enough food. What happens? You gradually become weaker and weaker until death occurs. Spiritual weakness is almost always accompanied by a lack of reliance on the Bible. Remember, if your faith is weakening, increased faith comes through the word of Christ in the Bible (Romans 10:17). If you sincerely ask God for stronger faith, He will give it to you (Matthew 7:7). Personally, I recommend that you find an accurate, readable translation, and then determine to read the Bible each day (Acts 17:11). Or, if you prefer listening to the Bible, purchase some Bible CDs in a good easy-to-listen-to translation (older translations are difficult to understand, and many old English words have changed in meaning). If you commit yourself to this as a life-long habit, your faith will grow, as will your perspective on life. Tip #3: Commit to everyday prayer Bible reading is how God speaks to us. Prayer is how we speak to God. The Bible commands Christians to "pray continually" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Daniel, one of the greatest men of the Old Testament, prayed to God three times a day (Daniel 6:10). And when you pray, don't be repetitive, like the Pharisees of Jesus' day were (Matthew 6:5-15). Be sincere in your requests. Pray from the heart. Find a peaceful place to pray and have a meaningful prayer to God. And one more thing—make sure your heart and life is pure of any habitual sin, because God doesn't listen to sinners, no matter how often they pray (Isaiah 59:1-2).
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