Part 3 in the series –Your Salvation is Assured
The Bible says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17).
A while ago, on one of our Intentional Living shows, I was talking to a young man who had made the decision to be very intentional about his faith. He explained that he, like so many others, did not spend time reading the Bible, but starting that very next day he was going to make a commitment:
Dr. Randy: “So, you’re going to start reading your Bible tomorrow and that’s terrific…what passage will you start with?”
Caller: “I don’t know, I haven’t thought about it. I was just going to flip it open and see what jumped out.”
It is a very unintentional approach to an intentional decision. If you’re new to reading the Bible, I suggest starting with the book of John, in the New Testament. The Bible is divided into books, each with a different title. Sometimes the book is named after the person who wrote it (as is the case with John) or what is written about (like the book of Kings).
Wherever you decide to start reading, don’t get discouraged if you suddenly don’t understand something. Ask God to show you what He wants you to learn, take a deep breath and keep going. Don’t give up! Reading God’s Word will be a main source of growth in your new relationship with Him. Whatever tool you use, I pray God blesses you as you grow in faith and study His Word each day.
What’s in a Verse?
There’s nothing like hearing stories of how people have turned their lives over to Christ
and of how God’s Word specifically directed their journey.
Perhaps one of your favorite scriptures is this one, shared by a listener to Intentional
Living who is also a new believer in Jesus: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths” (Proverbs 3:5-6 NKJV).
Let’s look at the power of Scripture to guide us in healthy living. The Bible has timeless truths that you can adopt, such as:
- “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit…You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV).
- “I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:27 ESV).
- “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31 ESV).
What’s in a verse? All of the power of your living God!
So…what’s your verse? And how can you go about living it better?
Time with God in Prayer
Prayer isn’t as difficult as it may seem. It’s just conversation with God. He is my constant companion, with me at all times, so it stands to reason that I can talk to Him at any moment. He’s my close personal friend, and I talk to Him that way.
The Intentional Christian
Thank you so much for being intentional enough and bold enough to give your life to Christ. My passion is to see you live an intentional life in Christ.
An intentional Christian is a Christ follower that actually follows. As followers of Jesus Christ, it’s easy to be very unintentional in our submission to Him. We make excuses and justify our actions when we want to go our own way.
Have you ever watched a child follow? Imagine those little feet walking closely behind a parent—even placing their little feet directly into the footprints of the one they are following. They often mimic the actions, repeat the words and follow specifically each thing that parent does.
Now, there is nothing today that’s keeping us from being a true follower of Jesus Christ. It’s a decision that you and I have made. The Bible tells us that none of us just naturally seek to be a follower of Christ. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want (Galatians 5:17 NLT). It’s because of God’s wooing that draws us, and we find ourselves in a position that we want to accept Him and make Him a part of our lives.
Only when you make an intentional decision to live your faith will you experience growth. Are you ready to grow in Him today?
Your Decision to Grow
Living an Intentional Life as a follower of Jesus Christ is a decision that you and I need to make. And there are three things you need to realize about being an intentional Christian.
1. We have to know enough about what God expects.
That means it is important to understand what the Bible teaches us as we continue our journey following Him.
2. We have to understand enough about what we need to do.
How does the Holy Spirit speaking in my life translate into what I need to be doing in my life? (I believe that God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit individually at times.)
3. We have to do enough to experience growth in our lives.
We have to do something (act) in order to grow as a follower of Christ.
You and I will be as spiritual in our lives as we decide to be. There is nothing today that keeps us from being really alive in our faith. There’s nothing that’s keeping us from being a true follower of Jesus Christ. God does the saving, but we do the growing. You’re the one that decides if you’re going to submit and follow Him. Would you choose to grow in your walk with Christ today and focus on one of these three things?
Click here to go back and read Part 1 and Part 2 of this 4-part series, if you missed them.
