Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. ~Matthew 6:10
Living in a fallen sinful world gives the Christian many opportunities to turn their attention and affection away from the gift of Christ (John 12:24-26; James 1:14).
The Apostles warned us to be careful and not allow our flesh to be consumed with temporary things that will perish (2 Peter 3:1-16; 1 John 2:15-17).
Adam and Eve fell prey to believing that the good life is lived outside of God’s will (Genesis 3:1-13); and today, many within the Church are believing the same lie that they did in the garden (Revelation 3:1-6).
The only effort required to drift away from a rich relationship with Jesus is to spend more time on the things of the flesh instead of focusing on a Holy God that ordained us unto good works (Galatians 5:13-26).
Once we realize that our best life is lived within the truth of our Redeemer (Colossians 2:10), our flesh becomes more and more constrained because of the perfect love we experience with our Sovereign Creator God (2 Corinthians 5:14-15); and we learn that His Kingdom is far superior to the one we try to build for our self (Luke 1:26-33; Luke 6:46-49; James 4:13-17).
Consider using the 8 areas of focus listed in this study as a means of keeping your relationship with Christ new all year, and may you always be thankful for the eternal gift of Jesus (2 Peter 3:17-18).
Worship (Romans 11:33-36) – Our depth of worship is a direct result of our personal encounters with God’s grace and mercy, and with our biblical knowledge of how great our God truly is. The more we experience God’s presence, the more meaningful our worship becomes. So if your worship of God is lacking, ask yourself how your relationship with Him is going (Psalm 66:18; John 9:31; Revelation 1:12-18).
Repentance (Psalm 51:1-4) – Our relationship with the Lord cannot progress until the obstacles for growth are removed. Unconfessed and unrepented sin allows guilt and shame to grow so strong that it can feel impossible to restore what has been broken and lost; but that is not God’s desire (1 John 1:1-10). When we understand God’s eternal plan (1 Timothy 2:3-6), we are better able to understand His abundant mercy (Matthew 18:21-35; 1 Timothy 1:12-17).
Prayer (Matthew 26:41) – Ongoing communication with our Lord helps encourage us to remain strong in our faith. Spending time listening to God’s leading keeps us on the right path. If my affection for the Lord is to grow, then my attention given to Him must grow as well (Proverbs 3:5-6; Matthew 6:6).
Fellowship (Proverbs 27:17) – Satan wants us separated and alone; while Christ desires that we gather and live out our faith together. More time spent with faithful followers helps us to follow faithfully. Do not forsake spending time with other believers; and as you do, both you and the church will be spiritually healthy (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10; 1 Corinthians 12:7).
Sacrifice (Matthew 20:28) – The Christian faith is rooted in one person laying down their own life so that another can be blessed. As we place the well-being of others before ourselves, we begin to understand the true nature of God’s love. Our current level of love for others is always connected to our current level of love for God (Mark 12:28-31; Philippians 2:1-8).
Giving (Luke 6:28) – The concept of stewardship can be difficult. We tend to think of things in the possessive – my life, my money, my time, my kids, etc. But everything we are allowed to have in our life, including life itself, has been provided by God; and the closer we get to Him, the further away we move from selfishness (Job 1:1-22; Galatians 6:7-10).
Learning (John 17:17) – Many are looking for easy and magical fixes to life’s problems, all the while ignoring the super-natural Word of God. The Bible teaches that all we have need of has been provided; and yet we fail to search the truth for ourselves (Matthew 6:25-34; Acts 17:11; Ephesians 1:3-10; 2 Timothy 2:11-19; Hebrews 4:11-16; 2 Peter 1:3-11).
Evangelism (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) – Let’s be honest, we share what excites us. We can talk sports, movies, and food; but we often avoid sharing Christ. Believers complain about the condition of today’s society and yet have the cure. When our relationship with God is vibrant, we will want others to have what we claim to have. We are to be about the Father’s business by loving, sharing, and living out the truth of God’s Holy Word (John 4:27-38; Titus 2:1-15; 1 Peter 3:15).
A Daily Reminder… (Hebrews 10:24)
Words like discipline, obedience, humility, weakness, surrender, and sacrifice never appeals to the flesh; but it is in those truths where we find the greatest examples of God’s presence, and learn to grow deeper in our understanding of Him (Isaiah 6:1-8; Micah 6:8; John 14:15; Mark 10:45; 2 Corinthians 12:9-10; Hebrews 12:4-12; Revelation 3:14-22).
Spiritual growth is an ongoing process that requires an ongoing desire; and that desire is easily quenched when our lives are filled with temporary feelings of happiness. Moreover, as that worldly happiness fades, we begin the search for yet another temporary solution; all the while our relationship with Jesus suffers, and we end up missing out on the joy and blessings that we need most (Matthew 6:19-24).
Being connected to, or conscious of, our Heavenly Father throughout our day in prayer time, Bible reading, or in our thoughts and actions, keeps our focus off of fleshly desires; and in return strengthens our faith more and more as we draw closer to the One who died for us and who is able to bless those who are His (Numbers 6:22-27; Philippians 4:4-8).
I pray that you take the time to read and meditate on each of the referenced scriptures, and to consider the blessing and benefit of focusing on our Lord and Savior daily (2 Timothy 3:16-17). In doing so, your faith will grow, and you will be better able to withstand the attention and affection that worldly things demand of us (Romans 10:17; Ephesians 6:10-20).