Sermon Central
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How To Be A Successful Christian Series
Contributed by Jerry Shirley on Jan 6, 2004 (message contributor)
Summary: The successful Christian life is not nearly as complicated as we try to make it...if only we’ll pick up one good habit!
How to be a Successful Christian
Ps. 119
The successful Christian life is not nearly as complicated as we try to make it.
If only we’d do 2 things: Read Bible/Pray
And the one always leads to the other.
Shocked was I to hear of a recent survey by Barna research group showing the avg. Pastor says he spends less than 20 minutes a day in Bible reading and prayer!
We say it takes 3 to thrive! And I’ve preached it all year long, the need to be in church. But there’s a need for some balance here: I’m making a mistake if I give the impression that IF you’re here 3 times a week, that means you’re right w/ God…a successful Christian. (though it is a basic starting point)
Most of us eat 3 meals a day…some only 2…Bro. Dave tries to tell me he eats only once each day…I think it takes more than that to maintain that figure, though!
Imagine how weak you’d be physically if you only ate 3 times a week! (if the only time you spend in the Word is at church, you’re only eating 3 times!)
As we enter now the most important time in the life of our church, we need spiritually strong believers. We launched TT today. We’ve started committees: missions/building/budget/and more needed…In feb. we start the new Jr. Ch. program for the kids on Sunday mornings…2 new adult s.s. classes starting…new children’s s.s. classes on the way…God has brought us someone to build a 1st class youth group, to help our music program/praise team…………and have you seen the calendar for this year??!!
The demands on us all are getting greater and greater…and the risk of burnout is mounting, unless we get back to the basics of where our strength comes from. (our source!)
As Pastor, I feel God wants to call us back to Him…consider getting up 20 minutes early and having that time w/ God…not rushed—in the quiet place, no interruptions…alone w/ God!
And try me on this…you’ll have more physical energy than if you slept 20 minutes longer. It’s amazing how God rewards us when we put Him first! (time/talent/tithe)
We’re all set up to grow as a church…but we won’t unless we grow personally, individually!
We need workers…but God wants worshippers…an intimate relationship w/ Him. Look deep into His eyes and allow Him to do the same back! Ill.—kimberly and the kids on her lap!
A NT example: (Martha/Mary)
My goal for this message is that everyone make a commitment, or re-commit, to a quiet time alone w/ God for 7 days this week, and next week, and the next!
If you do:
1. You’ll receive joy!
There’s a big difference between joy and happiness (happenstance/circumstance/happenings)
Happiness is external…joy is internal (the eye of the storm)
119:54 Thy statutes have been my songs (metaphor for joy) in the house of my pilgrimage (tough circ’s.).
And what brought about the joy in tough circumstances? “thy statutes!”
In the written Word we find the Living Word, Jesus, who IS joy! And if you have Jesus, you can have joy. You don’t have to have anything else…people are looking for joy in all the wrong places!
“if I could buy this…I’d be happy”
find a guy/bigger house/different job
We don’t always have to be happy (describe the day of circumstances Ian and I had Wed.! [we laughed for joy])
And some of you have some really tough circumstances right now…tough times will either drive you into the Word or they will drive a wedge between you and the Word…the choice is yours!
Ill—Gold City—“when you don’t feel like praying: pray”
When you don’t feel like going to church is when you need it the most
Reading Bible/serving the Lord
2 times to read your Bible: when you feel like it, and when you don’t (when you need it the most)
joy…
2. Victory
v. 45
119:45 And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.
Liberty is the opposite of bondage…and it’s not God’s will that believers stay in bondage to sin.
Israel was delivered from Egypt, from bondage (spiritual bondage as well) Oftentimes they didn’t believe it could work (plagues/taskmasters doubling work load/even in process of deliverance at red sea, in wilderness, at the very border of the promised land!)
Why? Because one of Satan’s goals in our lives is to convince us that we cannot break the chains of sin…that we’ll never break that habit/get victory/find a better way
It’s true, before you were saved, sin had a grip on you in such a way that you were powerless…to do anything about it. But at salvation, Jesus broke those chains…but Satan tries to create the illusion that you’re still bound!
You’re not!
