Real Results with Faith!
Scripture Reading: “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ” Romans 10:17
When I was ready to grow my relationship with God, I wasn’t sure what this meant or how to go about it. I had made a huge mess of my life and crumbled everything I had built. I was not putting my faith in God before myself and was carrying crippling addictions that where preventing me from hearing God. I knew without a doubt that I needed real change in my life and I knew that I could not find the answers in myself. I needed God. I had tried everything under the sun to find happiness and each road always led to the same destination of misery swiveling with no direction. I believed there was a God but I surely didn’t know him or understand what he wanted from me. A friend of mine pointed me to the bible and said that reading it cover to cover changed his life forever. I said, Michael…it’s a 2000 page book! how long did it take you to read it? he said it took him about a year but he also told me that there was a point that came where he started looking forward to reading it. Today I know exactly what he meant but then I said …there is no way I can read the whole thing. But I was willing to try because I wanted real change in my life, I knew my ways would never and could never work and I was ready to let God direct my life.
At this point I made a small attainable and measurable commitment to God, that would change my life forever. I vowed to God to pick up his word (the bible) and read at least one page every day. This to me was something I know I could accomplish daily and apply discipline to stick too, no matter what. I really had no intention of going past the original commitment of days I made to God, but it was about the 30day mark when God started to send some positive blessings for reinforcement. I started to see positive improvement in my life and started to experience a daily peace, that could only come from God, that began to allow me to navigate tough situations with confidence. As I began to learn about God, I began to see clearly what it was God wanted from me. I began to realize that God had been waiting for me my whole life and that through a small discipline and a commitment to my Faith, I began to realize real and tangible results in my own life through God. My daily bible read commitment turned into passion and passion exploded into Faith. I went on to finish the whole bible cover to cover. This daily bible reading commitment, showed me that when we apply discipline to our faith and to become better men, it pleases God, and the God shows up.
It’s our desire to seek God, that pleases God and when we look at starting a bible commitment reading, make sure you pick one that is measurable and attainable. Each man’s journey with God is different, unique and special. God will bless your path, no matter what kind of commitment you make, to grow your Faith. The first time I read the bible cover to cover it was the New International Version (NIV) full size and I also used a leather-bound pocket size (NIV) version to bring with me on the go. When you pick a bible to begin reading daily, make sure to choose one that you can understand and read easily. The Old Testament of the Bible was originally written in Hebrew and the New Testament was originally written in Greek. There are currently over 50 different English translations of the bible and all of them are an accurate account of God’s words transcribed slightly different only for the ease of the reader to understand the Word. If God didn’t want or agree with these different translations of his word, they wouldn’t be there, so pick one you understand clearly. Reading the bible gives us a look at God’s character and the Bible is our definitive source for the answers to questions about God. By reading the bible we are exposed to the history between creator (god) and creation (us). It’s through the history of the bible we begin to learn about what God wants from us. “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.” (John 15:7) The bible is so important that God took about 1500 years and had 40 people write it, so that we could be blessed with its Truth today.
Part of our job as a modern-day Christian, is to follow God’ commands. We certainly cannot abide by his rules unless we are aware of what they are. It’s in the Bible that God spells out what his expectations are for us to live by. By reading, meditating and studying the bible on a regular basis it will help keep us from sin and grow stronger in Faith and as men in our marriage. “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11. By reading the bible we begin to sin less as our awareness of God’s expectations grow. We go to the Bible to learn about Jesus Christ. It is through his son Jesus Christ, that God gives us visibility into how we should strive to live. “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6)
Regularly picking up and reading the Bible, while we are trying to grow our Faith, is an absolute necessity. To be successful as children of God, Jesus gives us a very specific formula to follow in his word. As men, we like things that are black and white, laid out for us in clear concise instruction with a cut dry and result. The bible gives us exactly what we ask for. “Keep this Book of Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8). When picking a bible study plan for our own life we need to be mindful to set a commitment that is measurable and attainable so that we do not overwhelm ourselves. It’s through a bible study plan that fits our lifestyle, that God will shine a light on the next steps of our journey. “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalm 119:105). It’s through reading God’s word, that we begin to understand God’s true purpose for us and will realize the full potential of the gifts he has given us or is waiting to give us for our time here on Earth
Key Point: To grow closer to God, we must learn about God. As we learn about God our Faith Grows, as our Faith Grows our lives become amazing!
Recommended Reading: Ephesians 5:1-20