2Corinthians 5:17-18 (Amplified) says, "Therefore, if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ Jesus (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old (previous moral and spiritual condition) has passed. Behold, the fresh and new has come. But all things are from God, Who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself (received us into favor, brought us into harmony with Himself) and gave to us the ministry of reconciliation (that by word and deed we might aim to bring others into harmony with Himself)."
Most of us attended twelve years of school, before graduating. Many of us believe that this is all the education required for a successful life, but some desire to gain a fuller education. We don't use everything we learned throughout our twelve years of learning, but no day goes by without our using something we learned at school. It might be something as trivial as counting our change or reading a restaurant menu, but these are a pertinent part of our daily life.
We have so many, many things of God to learn about the new creation life, our Heavenly Father and His way of doing things. Many believers only wish to gain knowledge of those things that are necessary for daily living, just like some in the world. Many of us have received Jesus, began living a more prosperous life and then began to be comfortable in our walk, just like some in the world. It seems like many have become content with just being saved and going to Heaven when we die. That's enough for them.
I find that there is need for continued learning, even after living more than seven decades on earth. My generation was brought up without computers, cell phones, Facebook, apps, or many of the things that younger people consider a common part of today's life. Man can get by without some of these things, but many would suffer separation anxiety if they had to live without these things. Some of these modern marvels separate us from personal interactions.
I have always found that purposely seeking out the wisdom of God, has opened many doors to the Kingdom, that I would never have known if I had stopped at just being saved. I don't look at a checklist every morning that leads me through the Word, just like I don't look at a checklist to walk daily in this realm. However, I do use the things the Holy Spirit shows me, at any point, during my daily life here. There are only two ways of dealing with anything in life. We either go the way of the Word or we go the way of the world.
Every situation that arises in our everyday life, will be dealt with either of these two ways. If we continue dealing with these situations like we did before being born-again, then we will get the same results we had before being born-again. Someone said that, "Insanity is repeating the same thing over and over, and expecting different results." If the things that didn't work before, are the things we keep doing after being saved, then why do we think things will change?
The door to God's wisdom has been opened to "whosoever will." There is no place where the Lord has determined we should not come to know Him better. There are many ways we can come to know Him better, but all of them are by the Spirit. We don't and never will know Him by the flesh and our natural senses, because GOD IS A SPIRIT. When we were born-again, our spirit was made like unto Him and that's how we know Him.
I recently shared with the congregation, one of the most important things I have adopted in my own life, after being born-again. It's really a very simply thing, but it's of the upmost importance. After being saved, we bought the entire Bible on CD and played the Word nightly. The last thing I heard before going to sleep, was the Word of God that was being directly fed into my spirit. This brought peace to my body, so my flesh could actually rest, it brought rest and strength to my spirit and it brings health and healing to my flesh. Proverbs 4:22 (Amplified) says that, "God's Words are Life to those who find them, healing and health to all their flesh."
When I wake up in the morning, my mind is clear, my flesh is rested and my awareness of the Lord is sharper than when I went to bed. I've also discovered that I know the Word from the inside and not just from memory. As I sleep, the Lord is able to reveal Himself to me, in ways that the noise and confusion of the world doesn't always let me hear. Some might say this is foolish thinking, but hearing the Word while sleeping, has been a great source of strength and revelation in my life.
There's nothing that says you must do this to be saved, but it is essential to my spiritual growth. I've never been a Christian who's content with just being saved. I've always wanted to know the One Who created all things. Hearing the Word during the night, is like having my Heavenly Father reading me a bedtime story. The Word feeds straight into my spirit, without my mind interfering with the process. This has become a way for Truth and Life to enter my spirit.
I previously blogged about "How far is too far, with our walk with God?" Some might say, listening to the Bible every night, is too far, but it is a great way to learn the Word and build up your faith in God's Word. This isn't a religious chore or a duty we must perform for the Lord but it's a way to know Him better, because "Faith comes by hearing" according to Romans 10:17. Hearing God's Word throughout the night while I sleep, builds my faith in God's Word when I'm awake.
In Joshua 1:8 (Amplified) God told Joshua, "This Book of the Law (or God's Word) shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe and do according to all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall deal wisely and have good success." If this would work for Joshua, then it will also work for us, especially now that we are a new creation.
It's not always easy to find the time, stop everything you're doing and then reading God's Word Satan will make sure that a million things will come up. Jesus said in Mark 4:18-19 (Amplified), "And the ones sown among the thorns are others who hear the Word then the cares and anxieties of the world and distractions of the age, and the pleasures and delight and false glamour and deceitfulness and passionate desires for other things creep in and choke and suffocate the Word and it becomes fruitless."
Notice how the things that arise aren't always sinful things, but are everyday things of life in this realm. It can be something so simple as attending your child's softball games, going camping or many other things that steal time with the Word. These are things we enjoy in life, but they are often distractions from spending time in the Word. Listening to the Word while I sleep, allows me to enjoy these things and still meditate on God's Word. I can still do all the things like being a husband, father, friend and grandfather while I'm awake, while not neglecting time for the Word.
You might ask, "Am I still a good Christian, even if I don't do this?" Yes, you're still a good Christian. It only means that you don't do this. I want to know the Father and the secret things of His heart, so I use my sleep time as hearing time. Since my spirit never sleeps and my body does, I can strengthen my spirit and my body simultaneously. My soul (my mind, my will and my emotions) is also restored, according to Psalm 23:3 (Amplified) which says, "He restores my soul."
This little tidbit might aid in your attempt to have more time in God's Word. You can buy the entire Bible online for about $60.00 and in many different translations and languages. Try it and see for yourself.
No comments:
Post a Comment