I’ve had the joy of discipling one of my former players this summer. He started attending my church in June when he got home from college and has been worshipping with us all summer. He leaves for college on Friday so I had lunch with him yesterday. We covered a lot of ground as we ate— dealing with what this Christian life really looks like! I came upon something this morning that I think sums up what it means to live the Christian life. You have to: Live life God’s way.
There are 3 important truths that will help you enjoy the life that God wants you to live. The first is: Believe that God wants you to succeed. The Bible is pretty emphatic that God loves us and wants to see us happy and successful. God is with us. God is for us! He will never leave you nor forsake you. But, it requires giving your heart to Jesus first. You have to “join His team” before you come under His guardianship. Life has value. God has a special work for His adopted children (see John 1:12.)
Someone once asked me, “What defines success?” Here’s a great answer: Success is the progressive achievement of a God-given goal resulting in feeling good about yourself.
Secondly, Consult God before you set goals. The Bible says, “We should make plans— counting on God to direct us” (Prov. 16:9 TLB.) If you find yourself constantly stressed out and anxious, you may be on the wrong track… from where God wants you to be! It’s necessary to go back and check with God to confirm what He has shown you to do. Taking the idea from the first point, God wants us to succeed in 6 areas in our lives: a) spiritual; b) relational; c) physical; d) mental; e) social; and f) financial.
Finally, Invest in yourself. One of the best passages in the Old Testament is when Solomon became king. God visited him and asked Solomon what he desired more than anything. Solomon’s reply? Wisdom! Solomon wrote in Proverbs, “Though it cost all you have, get understanding” (Prov. 4:7.) You need to recognize the importance of gaining wisdom— not knowledge— but the “common sense” that only comes from Holy Spirit. If you’re willing to spend money at expensive restaurants or buy fine wines but not on good books, your future is already determined! The first book you need to invest in is a Bible. (and get a version that you can understand! I prefer the New International Version.) John writes, “And the Word was God” (John 1:1.) That means that every time you read God’s Word, you’re depositing more of God into you. Wow!!! Think how that affects your character. It’s important to cultivate a teachable spirit. Again in Proverbs, Solomon writes, “Let the wise listen and add to their learning” (Prov. 1:5.) This is living life God’s way. Do you want joy, peace and an unshakable confidence that God is in control? Give your heart to Jesus and then begin to live the life that God wants you to.
