HELPFUL CHRISTIAN HABITS – BIG ON THE WORD

“Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.” – I Timothy 4:16

REFERENCE:

JOSHUA 1:1-8

To succeed and grow as a Christian, there are habits you must develop and continually practice. In I Timothy 4:16, Paul counseled Timothy on the how and why of habits; he said, “Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all.” You will experience overwhelming growth or victory in anything you continually think about and entirely commit to practicing. A Christian must give himself to the continual exercise of himself in some helpful habits if he wants to grow strong.

Christianity is not a religion; it is a relationship with God, and every relationship thrives on communication. Communication is ‘talking, listening, understanding, and responding. Our relationship with God is primarily nourished by what He says to us, and He has amply done so in the bible. We must study it to hear what He is saying to us.

HELPFUL HABIT 1 – GO BIG ON THE WORD: Joshua just succeeded Moses as a spiritual and military leader of the nation of Israel. He had big shoes to fill and great work to do; hence, God instructed him to make a habit of living in the Word of God (book of the law). No matter how long you have been a Christian, be a student of the Word of God. Get yourself a bible (different versions of hard or soft copies) and commentaries to aid understanding.

The Word should not depart from your mouth: It must always be at the tip of your tongue as your default response to life’s situations. Jesus always had a ready word-response for satan when tempted – “It is written” Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. Your response to issues reveals the amount of God’s Word you have hidden in your heart.

To Meditate on the Word of God means to ponder, personalize, and picture it. Meditate on it and discipline yourself to respond to your situations with it. Listen to it in songs and when preached; read about it in Christian literature. When life’s pressure comes, the book of the law is what will deliver you.

Observe to do all that is written: Don’t just observe the Word, DO IT ALL. Only the doers are blessed. Then, you will make your way prosperous and have good success – lasting success!
Daily feed BIG on the bible; it is God’s manual for true success; yesterday’s leftovers won’t do.

PHOTO QUOTE

ADDITIONAL STUDY: 

Psalms 119:105 & I Timothy 4:12-16

CALL TO ACTION
Get a notebook (e-pad) and write down things God reveals to you when studying His Word. These become prophecies to you; they comfort you in low moments and remind you of God’s promises. What you have written down can also be a lesson to those coming after you, but above all, it says to God that you treasure what He says to you enough to document them.