Consistency
If there is one area where most Christians fail, it is in the area of consistency in their walk with the Lord. The terrible thing about this fact is that lack of consistency robs a believer of peace and power for everyday life. When we are sporadic, Satan has an entrance into our lives, because we let our guards down and give him an place to attack us. If there is one lesson we need to learn it is that daily consistency is the key to the Christian life.
Just think about worship for a minute. What happens when we miss a Sunday of worshiping with our church family? It is easier to miss the next Sunday, isn't it? Our minds begin to be filled with all kinds of things we could do with the extra time. Soon, we only go to church when we don't have anything else to do, or when we have a special need. How do you think the Lord feels about that situation?
I would contend that our daily time with the Lord is the same way. If we don't make the commitment to spend time with the Lord each day, because we love Him and we need His fellowship and direction, we slip farther and farther away from Him, and the presence of the Spirit diminishes in our lives. Soon, we are talking and acting just like non-believers for the most part. We have a lack of peace, and we are discontent with life.
Why is this true? When we are inconsistent, we are not really trusting God. We are living by sight, instead of by faith. Remember, faith without works is dead. If you are not doing anything in your life to depend on the Lord, you are not having faith. Faith is not a one time belief. It is a daily lifestyle. Therefore, consistency is the key. What if we only loved our spouses on Sundays and Fridays, so that we never spent any other time with them or talked to them except on those days? Is that a good relationship? Of course, it is a terrible relationship. Well, the same is true for the Lord, except even more. I am convinced that most Christians live defeated lives devoid of peace and power, because there is no consistency in their daily relationship with Jesus. We need to do whatever it takes to change that.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Isaiah 28-29 and Philippians 3.
Just think about worship for a minute. What happens when we miss a Sunday of worshiping with our church family? It is easier to miss the next Sunday, isn't it? Our minds begin to be filled with all kinds of things we could do with the extra time. Soon, we only go to church when we don't have anything else to do, or when we have a special need. How do you think the Lord feels about that situation?
I would contend that our daily time with the Lord is the same way. If we don't make the commitment to spend time with the Lord each day, because we love Him and we need His fellowship and direction, we slip farther and farther away from Him, and the presence of the Spirit diminishes in our lives. Soon, we are talking and acting just like non-believers for the most part. We have a lack of peace, and we are discontent with life.
Why is this true? When we are inconsistent, we are not really trusting God. We are living by sight, instead of by faith. Remember, faith without works is dead. If you are not doing anything in your life to depend on the Lord, you are not having faith. Faith is not a one time belief. It is a daily lifestyle. Therefore, consistency is the key. What if we only loved our spouses on Sundays and Fridays, so that we never spent any other time with them or talked to them except on those days? Is that a good relationship? Of course, it is a terrible relationship. Well, the same is true for the Lord, except even more. I am convinced that most Christians live defeated lives devoid of peace and power, because there is no consistency in their daily relationship with Jesus. We need to do whatever it takes to change that.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Isaiah 28-29 and Philippians 3.