by David Brenneman
"How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers." Psalms 1:1-3.
How often do really consider the ramifications of your actions in light of God's calling for you and your purpose in His plan for mankind? My Dear Reader, if indeed you are saved, you are on the clock concerning your part in God's plan for humanity. You were gifted with a gift or more from the Spirit of God upon coming to Christ for salvation. Do you take whatever you're called to be and do seriously?
The small phrase "meditates night and day" only appears twice in the NASB Bible. Here and in Joshua chapter 1.
It's going to mean not doing other things in order to create a new, good, wholesome, habit of being in the Word of God daily.
It's also our privilege to do so!
He who called you has not left you alone to figure it out or to fight the good fight by yourself. There's to be your desire to live a life pleasing, approved, of by God in Christ Jesus.
Our world puts every effort into trying to get people to put selfish desires first and foremost in life.
To put off perceived 'unpleasant' things. Especially to make spending time in your Bible as something either for those 'closer to God' or for when you can 'squeeze it in'.
Our happiness, our joy, should be found in Christ. Should be in doing what pleased Him to give to us to be doing.
We're not going to know if we're not in His Word to find out are we?
Do you not want to live a life pleasing to Jesus who bled and died for you? His obedience to His Father meant our salvation, so should we not make every effort to live in Christ in a way that shows it?
It may mean not pursuing certain things and in turn pursuing something we never considered. It may mean choices we never thought we would make. It's not about our personal comfort.
Sanctification is what our lives are rooted in.
Doing everything necessary to become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ.
Doing everything in such a way that people see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven.
The light of Jesus Christ in us should never be hidden or silenced.
Are you giving your best effort towards living for Jesus or have you been trying to skate by because you don't want to give up something or someone? Be very careful about what you hold on too tightly to. Sooner or later it will turn to ashes. If it's in the way of your life in Christ as He intended, it ought to go.
7 plus years and I am daily amazed at what God's doing with this blog. I pray over it, He does the global distribution. Remaining faithful is when we see the power of God in even the little things.
Are you like Isaiah and are eagerly wanting to serve and be who you are to be in Christ or are you going with a mistaken notion that if you don't raise your hand that maybe God won't notice you and volunteer you for anything? All who are in Christ are going to have things to go through in life in order to grow in Christ. It's never going to be all sunshine and rainbows.
Start with a set time, daily-not skipping days-and a set place. A chapter a day is a good pace. Be consistent. Pray before you start that the Spirit would talk to you about it. You have to start somewhere.
Personally I was afraid to read it at first many decades ago. An one day came where I realized that there would indeed be a day to stand before Jesus to give an account of my life and how was I going to explain never having read my Bible?
Today, I can't recall how many times I have read my entire Bible. Every time something new pops up from a page.
You need to start somewhere. Do YOU really want to explain your lack of being in your Bible?
Start today.
All NASB Scripture Excerpts used by permission.
New American Standard Bible
(C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by the Lockman Foundation.
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