NEED SOME GUIDANCE FOR CHRISTIAN LIVING?

BIBLE PASSAGE(s):
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit,
but in humility consider others better than yourselves.
(Philippians 2:3)

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love
and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are
in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all
the more as you see the Day approaching. If we deliberately keep
on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth,
no sacrifice for sins is left
(Hebrews 10:24-26)

Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind.
(Matthew 22:37)

MEDITATION:
The scriptures give us some simple (although challenging)
instructions for living the life of a Christian (a follower of Jesus).

Be humble and consider others better than ourselves:
    When we do this, it keeps us from becoming discouragers, gossipers,
    egotists, backbiters, and prideful (the scriptures say that God HATES
    pride – whatever He hates, should not be a part of our life).

Spur one another:
We should be encouragers for each other. We should do and say
things that will encourage others to show love and do good deeds.

Meet together:
This brings us all together for a common purpose and encourages
us to keep on keeping on. Together we lift each other up; together
we hear from God through the one He has chosen to share His
Word with us; together we worship and praise the Lord.

Stop sinning:
We may fall short at times, however when we continually sin, the
sincerity of our faith (and salvation) comes into question. How can
we combat habitual sins? We starve the ‘flesh’ and feed the ‘Spirit’
(a simple but profound action that challenges us to prove our allegiance
to the Lord).

Love God with all we have:
When we do this, our total being becomes so filled with ‘good things’
that there is little room left for ‘worldly things’. We have an inner
desire to spend time with God and to obey (all) His commands.

God gives us these simple and easy to understand messages for one main
reason – He loves us and wants what is best for us. The world can’t even
come close to showing this kind of love and concern for us.
“Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!”

ACTION:
We should ask ourselves:
    – How am I doing in each of the five areas outlined in the scriptures?

    – Am I practicing humility?
       (humbleness is not a sign of weakness,
       but it is indicative of someone with a gentle strength).

    – Am I more focused on myself than I am on others?

    – Do I make special efforts to encourage others?

    – How often do I try to lift the spirits of others?
       (do I reach out to encourage and pray for others
       as often as others do that for me, or am I only a consumer?)

    – When was the last time I said something encouraging to a missionary
       pastor, or anyone else who is actively serving the Lord in some way?

    – Do I frequently meet with other believers (physically or in other ways)?

    – Do I enjoy spending time with other members of God’s family, or do I just
       endure something on my check list until I can get back to what I want to do?

    – Is my time spent with other believers a time of worship for me personally,
       or do I expect to be entertained and find fault with the worship service or
       become critical of others in attendance?
           Worship is what we make it. Our responsibility is to listen to God’s
           Word rather than focusing on the delivery of the speaker. Remember
           we are visiting God’s house so He is the one we want to hear from.

    – Am I continuing with sin, or do I try to avoid what has a grip on me?
           Our adversary is much more powerful than we are and he has been
           busy with his evilness for much longer than we have been alive. We
           need God’s help to overcome and break free of the sins that strive to
           control us.

    – Do I love God with all my being and all I have?
           God asks for a return of 10% of the blessings
           He has given us – am I obeying His command?
           Never forget that God has commanded (not suggested) us to give, and
           if we choose not to obey His command, we are robbing Him. Would a
           member of God’s family be known for thievery, and especially stealing
           from our Heavenly Father, who allows us to enjoy as much as 90% of
           His blessings.

    – If I am obeying God’s command to tithe, am I cheerfully giving, or am
       I thinking about how I could be using what belongs to Him for myself?

    – If I were to be on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough
       witnesses to testify that my actions and attitudes prove my love for God?

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, You know the struggles we face every day and
You know we are helpless without Your presence. Help us to grow
closer to You daily and give us the strength and encouragement we
need to ‘starve the flesh’ and ‘feed the Spirit’. Teach us to become
‘givers’ and not merely ‘consumers’. Create in us a selfless heart
to replace our heart of selfishness. Remind us that You are working
through those who belong to You to impact the lives of others in a
positive way. Teach us to be good to others in the same way You are
good to us.”

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