If The Devil Can't Make You Bad, He Will Make You Busy
As you're considering New Year's resolutions for 2015, consider this one: "Simplify my life." I'm sure you've heard the old saying, "If the devil can't make you bad, he will make you busy." It's so true. This is the problem ailing many Christians today.
Here's how it works. The key to a victorious Christian life is not just trying hard, but staying close. Don't miss that -- STAYING CLOSE. Jesus called this abiding or remaining in Christ in John 15:5. Jesus is the grapevine, and we are the branches; the only way that we can produce fruit is by abiding, or remaining, or keeping a constant, close connection to the vine. Stay connected and fruit happens -- spiritual growth, joy and peace, effective ministry, etc.
How do you stay close? It's nothing new. Attend church on Sundays. Plug in to a Home Group at church. Serve in church. Have a daily quiet time of prayer and Bible reading. Read Christian books. Listen to Christian music. These are all habits, or spiritual disciplines that help us stay close.
The devil wants to destroy you this year. He wants to prevent you from enjoying and serving God. If he can't get you to compromise and rebel against God, then he will try to make you so you busy that you won't have time for church and other spiritual disciplines. Hence, if you are too busy to stay close, then you won't produce fruit, and the devil has won.
So this year, make it your New Year's resolution to simplify your life. Put "Staying Close" at the top of the list. You might have to make some changes. No, you can't stay close without attending church regularly. No, you can't stay close without intimate fellowship with other believers. No, you can't stay close without prayer and the Word. There's no such thing as short-cut Christianity. You're simply going to have to reprioritize your life. Otherwise, you're trying to produce fruit without abiding, and that's impossible.
If God isn't first in your schedule, then He isn't first in your life. In 2015, give God the first hour of your day, and the first hour of your week.
Here's how it works. The key to a victorious Christian life is not just trying hard, but staying close. Don't miss that -- STAYING CLOSE. Jesus called this abiding or remaining in Christ in John 15:5. Jesus is the grapevine, and we are the branches; the only way that we can produce fruit is by abiding, or remaining, or keeping a constant, close connection to the vine. Stay connected and fruit happens -- spiritual growth, joy and peace, effective ministry, etc.
How do you stay close? It's nothing new. Attend church on Sundays. Plug in to a Home Group at church. Serve in church. Have a daily quiet time of prayer and Bible reading. Read Christian books. Listen to Christian music. These are all habits, or spiritual disciplines that help us stay close.
The devil wants to destroy you this year. He wants to prevent you from enjoying and serving God. If he can't get you to compromise and rebel against God, then he will try to make you so you busy that you won't have time for church and other spiritual disciplines. Hence, if you are too busy to stay close, then you won't produce fruit, and the devil has won.
So this year, make it your New Year's resolution to simplify your life. Put "Staying Close" at the top of the list. You might have to make some changes. No, you can't stay close without attending church regularly. No, you can't stay close without intimate fellowship with other believers. No, you can't stay close without prayer and the Word. There's no such thing as short-cut Christianity. You're simply going to have to reprioritize your life. Otherwise, you're trying to produce fruit without abiding, and that's impossible.
If God isn't first in your schedule, then He isn't first in your life. In 2015, give God the first hour of your day, and the first hour of your week.
.jpeg)
.jpg)