PRIORITIZE YOUR DAY

Being a Christian means putting God first in your life every day. It is usually easier to read God’s Word early in the morning. Perhaps you are one of those people who can stay awake in the evening and read the Bible without falling asleep. I have tried it but I usually end up having trouble focusing. My mind is too busy from the events of the day that I can’t relax or I fall asleep.

Right now I am working to set a new pattern that places my time with God as the first thing in the morning. For so long I was tired and had trouble even getting out of bed. I mentally decided that I would push myself to get out of bed earlier by going to bed earlier in the evening. It worked and my next goal was to get back on track with my writing. I decided when I got out of bed I would begin writing early in the day. My mind was clear and it made sense to start writing early in the day. I felt like I had almost lost that part of my life. The thoughts were there; putting them on paper was another thing.

Now that I have that focus in place, I want to put my quiet time before even that. On the days that I put God first my days seem to go easier. I feel more in touch with life itself, and I have an inner peace knowing that God is beside me. When I attended a Bible study at a church here, I did my lesson outside at the patio table early in the day. I could keep focused and the desire to learn increased each day that I looked into God’s word.

However you plan your day, don’t forget God. He can give you peace and inner strength so that your day seems easier to handle.

READ YOUR BIBLE

It seems so obvious to say that a Christian should read or study from the Bible to learn more about God, but many Christians don’t follow that important step. I know when I was first saved that I read and re-read the Bible but as the years have gone by I haven’t kept Bible reading as a priority. Does that mean I never read the Bible? Of course not. It just means that rather than taking time to read God’s Word in the early morning before all the tasks need to be done; I usually tackle some task first and push my Bible reading off to another time. On many days that “other time” never comes. I get so wrapped in what I need to do that I neglect to spend time with God, alone in his Word. Everything seems to take precedence over that brief time alone in God’s Word and mediation with Him. Don’t put the Bible on the table and ignore it. Read it and cherish it. You will find that it changes you from the inside out.

HOW THE TWO TESTAMENTS INTERCONNECT

Just once try to reference all the verses related to red, blood, and sacrifice. From the Garden of Eden where God clothed Adam and Eve with the skins of animals (a sacrifice) to the end of the Bible where God returns to earth “clothed in a vesture dipped in blood” the theme of sacrifice is present.

Old Testament sacrifices were part of the Jewish ritual. The blood sacrifice was necessary and was offered up in recognition for God’s sovereignty. In the New Testament the cross represents the deepest sacrifice ever made for man. God’s son hung on a cross to carry the sins of the world on his shoulders. The pierced skin allowed the blood to drop down as another indication of the sacrifice. The theme is there. Study it, learn about it, apply it to your life, and share it with others who need God’s love in their life.

Look for other themes such as the significance of the number 12 and how it is repeated from cover to cover. What about ways times that problems seem overwhelming? What does God say about testing in a Christian’s life? Can you find events in the Old Testament which refer to the second coming of Christ that are repeated in the New Testament? Is there a parallel between our physical inheritances here on earth and our spiritual inheritance in heaven? Let God guide you and show you other ways where the theme starts in the Old Testament and follows through into the New Testament.

KNOW WHAT YOU BELIEVE

I’ve heard this phrase several times while growing up in church. It is easy to overlook the real meaning of what is being said. Take whatever you believer and hold it up to the standard of God’s Word and see if it matches. Don’t try to make it fit; be sure that it does follow God’s plan in Scripture. Study the Bible and know what salvation is and how we receive salvation. Study. So often misunderstood. It doesn’t say to read (which I have done for years) but it says to study. That means take time to read, re-read, analyze, cross-reference with other Scripture and take notes. The older I become the more important I realize exactly how important this is. The times I have studied on my own or in a Sunday School class on an in-depth topic are the lessons that make the most impression on me. And don’t try to separate the Old Testament from the New Testament. They are two separate books/sections in our Bible but the prophecies of the Old Testament intertwine with the events and revelations of the New Testament. Everything is a testimony to the love of Christ and how much he cares for us.

THE BASIS FOR A CHRISTIAN LIFE

Adding the word Christian to an agency, a church, a bookstore or even an outreach program in a community sounds great. It gives a positive connotation to others that these groups are trying to do what is right. Many of these organizations or businesses are truly Christian in their approach. They have a firm belief in God and what he did for us at Calvary. Their purpose is to show others the love and joy of serving Christ. They are compassionate and take the time to reach out to others who are hurting or need help.

Too many people, however, add the tag “Christian” in their conversation, businesses, or other community projects without really knowing the meaning of the word. I have been disappointed when I find a place or person that claims to be Christian in word only. Within a short time they reveal their lack of knowledge of who Christ is or rationalize to accommodate their own reasoning. Even searching on the internet there are plenty of sites that claim to be Christian yet promote worldly advertising. That really bothers me. Way too many times I have found a “Christian” site that offends me by either advertising or a very liberal interpretation of God’s word. In fact that was the reason I started this blog. I hoped that by reading these excerpts everyone can understand more about what it really is to be a Christian, one not only in name but one who lives or tries to live a life similar to the pattern set by Jesus.

ROMANS 5:8

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” In today’s world when a crisis hits many times you hear someone say “if only I could take his place”. When a child is dying and a parent is grief-stricken, it would be wonderful if we could take the pain of the child on us to save suffering. We can’t do that but look at this verse.

God who is sinless cared enough for each one of us that even in our sinful state he sent Christ to die for us while taking on the sins of the world on his shoulders. Christ took our pain upon himself at the cross. He paid a price that resulted in his death…but after 3 days he was resurrected to return to heaven. We do not have to carry our heavy burdens alone. Christ can lift the burdens of the problems we face here on earth if only we will accept His love. Yes, we will still experience problems here on earth but He can give us the strength to get us through the hard times. He loved me. When I am unlovable at times and do things that are against His teachings, he still loves me! Wow!

ROMANS 6:23

What if we don’t accept the idea that we each are sinners who need God in our life? Can we claim to be a Christian without taking the step of admitting that we are a sinner? The answer is “No”. This verse tells us that we must face the consequences of sin as death; separation from God physically, spiritually, and eternally. We stand before God covered with a “fig leaf” that keeps us from being close to God to bring our life back into the protection of His care, we need to admit that we are sinners so that we can enjoy life in the Garden of Eden like Adam and Eve initially experienced closeness with God. When we acknowledge our sinful nature we are given the gift of eternal life. A life with God for all time.