The truth transforms us.
To become like Jesus, we must fill our lives with his word.
God's word is the spiritual nourishment you must have to fulfill your purpose.
In day to day living, abiding in God's word includes three activities;
-I must accept authority. The Bible must become the authoritative standard for my life; the compass I rely on for direction, the counsel I listen to for making wise decisions, and the benchmark I use for evaluating everything. The most important decision you can make today is to settle this issue of what will be the ultimate authority for your life.
-i must assimilate its truth. It is not enough just to believe the Bible; I must fill my mind with it so that the Holy Spirit can transform me with the truth. There are five ways to do this;
-First, you receive God's Word when you listen and accept it with an open, receptive attitude.
-Second, read the Bible. Daily Bible reading will keep you in range of God's voice.
-Third, researching, or studying the Bible. Studying the Bible involves asking questions and writing down your insights.
-The fourth way to abide in God's Word is by remembering it. If God's word is important, you will take the time to remember it. "Remember what Christ taught and let his word enrich your lives and make you wise."
-The fifth way to abide in God's Word is to reflect on it. No other habit can do more to transform your life and make you more like Jesus than daily reflection on Scripture. Serious reflection on God's truth is key to answered prayer and the secret to successful living.
-I must apply its principles. "Everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house of rock." "Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." The truth will set you free, but first it will make you miserable!
Develop the habit of writing down exactly what you intend to do (action steps).
What has God already told you to do in his Word that you have not started doing yet?" PDL Chapter 24
It's a big lifelong plan.
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ReplyDeleteThis comment was posted by Doug Eshelman:
ReplyDelete"spiritual growth is the process of replacing lies with truth: more aware of this statement than ever before; God's Word: exhaustive list on page 186 of its importance; need to ask myself more frequently "what does the Bible say" when needing to make decisions; daily Bible reading will keep you in range of God's voice: really missing the boat for my lack of reading; journaling your thoughts is the way to read the Bible: good reminder; applying the Word's principles: personal goal to set - "