Our pastor is in the middle of a series about the fruit of the Spirit. As I have been thinking about that I thought about one thing that I think is so important for everyone who calls themselves a believer including me. I think it is important that we renew our minds daily with God's presence and Word. I have been trying most mornings to start off with a short time of prayer and Bible reading. I need it. It helps me prioritize my day and helps me to focus on what is really important.
In several places in scripture it tells us to renew our minds. Some people will say they don't have time. Yet, those same people won't have a problem going to a football game for 3 hours or more or going to the lake. You have time if you want to have time. We make time for what we enjoy. What your really saying is that you don't enjoy it, so you don't do it. You can do it if you want to.
What I do and have done for nearly 30 years of being a believer is that I try to read about 3-4 chapters of the Bible a day. I would recommend picking both New and Old testament passages. I don't ever recommend just the Old Testament. Your a New Testament believer and need to stay in the New Testament. Make sure to spend some time in prayer. Remember not just to ask for things, but to also praise him and thank him. This helps us get our focus right.
Our world bombards us with images and an agenda that simply is not of God. The world is caught up with cooking shows, celebrity shows, who is wearing what and who is dating who and who said what on twitter. I mean, really, who cares what someone said on twitter? The world gets caught up in image and the outward and beauty that is only skin deep. It is shallow and that is why many of the so called celebrities end up in rehab and killing themselves with drugs and alcohol. God wants you to get his perspective on the world and the only way to do that is to spend time with him.
John 15:1-5 is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. It talks about how we cannot bear fruit apart from him. And those who do bear fruit are pruned. Part of this pruning is the refining fire of God's Word that helps burn away the thoughts, motives and actions of this world. It helps us to become useful for His service. There are no shortcuts that are available. it simply means spending time with God and allowing him to transform you into the likeness of His Son.
In several places in scripture it tells us to renew our minds. Some people will say they don't have time. Yet, those same people won't have a problem going to a football game for 3 hours or more or going to the lake. You have time if you want to have time. We make time for what we enjoy. What your really saying is that you don't enjoy it, so you don't do it. You can do it if you want to.
What I do and have done for nearly 30 years of being a believer is that I try to read about 3-4 chapters of the Bible a day. I would recommend picking both New and Old testament passages. I don't ever recommend just the Old Testament. Your a New Testament believer and need to stay in the New Testament. Make sure to spend some time in prayer. Remember not just to ask for things, but to also praise him and thank him. This helps us get our focus right.
Our world bombards us with images and an agenda that simply is not of God. The world is caught up with cooking shows, celebrity shows, who is wearing what and who is dating who and who said what on twitter. I mean, really, who cares what someone said on twitter? The world gets caught up in image and the outward and beauty that is only skin deep. It is shallow and that is why many of the so called celebrities end up in rehab and killing themselves with drugs and alcohol. God wants you to get his perspective on the world and the only way to do that is to spend time with him.
John 15:1-5 is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. It talks about how we cannot bear fruit apart from him. And those who do bear fruit are pruned. Part of this pruning is the refining fire of God's Word that helps burn away the thoughts, motives and actions of this world. It helps us to become useful for His service. There are no shortcuts that are available. it simply means spending time with God and allowing him to transform you into the likeness of His Son.
