Posts Tagged ‘ Lifestyle ’
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
James 4:8, NASB
When we submit to God, we are drawn closer to Him, and we continue drawing near to Him through prayer, reading Scripture, meeting with other Christians, and serving others.
And we will see our character change in the process.
Commit your works to the Lord And your plans will be established.
Proverbs 16:3, NASB
God is not a magic genie that will grant our wishes.
Rather, we should be so desirous of the Lord that our plans are essentially His. How can we fail of our will is matched to His?
So teach us to number our days, That we may present to You a heart of wisdom.
Psalm 90:12, NASB
While I have used this to justify birthdays, the greater meaning is that we should remember our lives are short, but we should remember how much God does for us in our lives.
The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:9, NASB
We make plans and set our own expectations, but we truly follow God’s ultimate plan according to His perfect expectations, fulfilled in Christ.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
2 Corinthians 5:17, ESV
In Christ, you start over. “Born again” means your soul is cleaned and renewed, and God is changing the way you think, feel, and act.
You are no longer the old you. Walk in the new.
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
Luke 6:35, ESV
Life is not about “me”. Life is about “them” to the glory of God.
The early Christians were known for their sacrifices for others.
whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
1 John 2:6, ESV
How did Jesus walk?
He was a servant, was a teacher and defender of God’s Word, and gave sacrificially to the point of death, and all through the power of the Holy Spirit to the glory of the Father.
How are we to live?
The same way.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Romans 1:16, ESV
Do not be intimidated with sharing the gospel or that you believe.
You should be ready to explain why you believe, but it is okay (as a young Christian, at least) to admit you are not entirely sure of all of the reasons.
Just share how you came to faith.
My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness.
Isaiah 26:9 ESV
Do you yearn for and earnestly seek the Lord?
One of the reasons we see unpleasant things happen in this world is that He allows or even orchestrates them for our righteousness.
Case in point: Jesus was born to die on a cross.
“give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
Luke 6:38 ESV
God’s grace and joy will flow over you as you forgive, show grace, and generally love on others.
a simple man of God 