Christian Life: October 8, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR TUESDAY OCTOBER 8, 2013.

CHRISTIAN LIFE

DEFINITION: 

The process of living a life like Christ lived when He lived on this earth.

SCRIPTURE:

To know the love of Christ, which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:19.  

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE: 

We decided on this word today because it is very noticeable that fewer people today are committed to living a Christian life then even a year ago. The reasons are many but none of the reasons are acceptable in God's sight. People seem to be too busy with "things" in their lives to read the Bible and to pray. There seems to be more peer pressure every year for both young people and adults. The life situations that people face daily are evil and godless and there is little if any evidence of our Judeo-Christian heritage having any influence.

Living a Christian life today is not easy, but God never promised us that it would be easy. God has given us a wonderful beginning to a Christian life when we accepted His salvation. It was at that time that our Christian life began. He expects us to live our Christian life, a life fully given to God, and a God-filled life.

In the 1800's there was a town in Texas named TEXLINE that was a thriving center with several thousand residents. It was built because of the commerce that came to them as a result of a railroad line. In the year 2000 most of the shops were closed and the population had dwindled to less than 400. On the internet it says it had a city limits sign at both ends of the town and literally nothing in between except a few houses away from the main street.

This reminds us of what kind of waste our Christian life can be if we choose not to give God our whole life to serve Him. From the time of our salvation (the "now entering" city limits sign) till we go to be with the Lord (the "now leaving" city limits sign) what is in between. For many people their Christian life is like a town that has dwindled to nothing. They have never sought to grow in their knowledge of the Lord. They are missing out on all that God desires to give them and all that God could do through them.

A rich and full life is available to all who believe in and will serve Jesus. In the verse we have put above the Apostle Paul prayed that all believers would "be filled with the fullness of God." Paul lived an abundant life and Jesus said while He was here on this earth that He wanted us to know life "abundantly" (John 10:10).

There is a two- sided reality to the Christian life. The minute we accept Jesus as our Savior we are justified through our faith and made right with God. Our salvation is complete through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. Through our salvation we have peace with God.

But the second side of the Christian life is that we still must face the temptations of this evil world and the problems of life. God uses the trials and temptations we face daily in life to help us grow spiritually. It is through our troubles that we learn to call on God and to depend on the power available to us through the Holy Spirit sent by God to live in us. It is through the growing process that we are drawn closer to God and filled with the fullness of God.

When we have the fullness of God we have everything we need. We have all we need for our salvation and all we need to live right. God's fullness enriches our life and brings grace and peace to us in abundance. Jesus came to give us life and have life abundantly.

Here is the big question for us today: How many of us experience even a small part of the abundant life Jesus promised to those who are faithful to Him? We must ask ourselves if we are missing out on God's best in our lives.

God desires to give us a marvelous beginning with our salvation and a great ending in Glory. But what our life (our city) is like in between is our choice. Is your Christian life today all that God expects of you?
 
LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Proverbs 19:17.

One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his good deed.

PRAYER:

Thank You Lord for the salvation You have given me and the sure hope of spending an eternity with You. I commit myself this day to making the most of my spiritual journey as long as You leave me on this earth. Help me to grow in my knowledge of You so that I can experience as much as I can from You and be prepared to share Your love with those I meet today.