Living Christian Course Part 1
Lesson 1: Be Fuelled By Daily Devotions
Day 1
We start changing our lives, as Christians, by connecting to Jesus, so that His rich life (think like food) begins to fuel us. What a gift this will be!
Jesus said: “I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing. 6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. . . . John 15:6 (NLT)
Result #1 of being connected with Jesus
We have friendship with God
Did you know that a central theme of Scripture is that God made us to be in partnership with Himself? 1 Corinthians 1:9 (NLT) God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
God didn’t form people, place them in the universe He had just created, and then wind it up to spin on its own, while He turned His attention elsewhere. Here’s what happened:
God was in relationship/friendship with Adam and Eve (Gen 3:8)
Sin broke that friendship, separating us from God (Gen 3:9; Isa 59:2). God then lovingly initiated a plan by which people could once again come near for relationship.
First, He drew near, introducing a sacrificial system which gave them limited access to Him, as He dwelt among them from a distance in a tabernacle (< special tent) (Ex 25:8)
God promised to draw near through a Son born to a virgin, who would name Him Immanuel, meaning “God with us!” (Isa 7:14)
Jesus was born; God took a human form to be with us (John 1:14)
When Jesus left, He promised to send another helper to be with us (John 14:16-18) – this is the Holy Spirit!
Jesus also promised that He would return to take us to be with Him (John 14:1-3)
In heaven, John heard a loud voice say: “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them.” (Revelation 21:3)
How do we have a relationship with God? Through time with Him – like any relationship (friends, parents, siblings) - We do this through prayer, reading our Bibles, and while we go about the activities of our day!
Result #2 of being connected with Jesus
We won’t wither
Psalm 19:7 (NIV) The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.
When you read the bible (Gods word) it fills your heart; helping you to stay steady and peaceful in challenging circumstances. On the other hand, those who don’t fuel themselves on Gods word and His hope will find themselves becoming stressed and overwhelmed.
Why? Romans 15:4 says, “Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.”
You and I are sustained by His Word to us: both His written Word, as well as His ongoing words to us, often whispered to our souls.
The biblical writers are consistent in advising us that to be emotionally whole and strong, we need to be connected to God who can sustain us.
Result #3 of being connected with Jesus
We will be strong against temptation
What are the mistakes you keep making? What do you do over and over that you know is wrong?
Is it even possible to change and stop making these mistakes? “James 1:14-15 “Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.”
The sinful human nature in us wants sinful things! It’s always tugging at us and if we give in, we’ll be dragged away, giving way to sin, which brings death.
We are wrong to think that ALL our temptations are the direct result of the devil – they’re not.
Yet, the fact that we have this sinful nature is no excuse before God, because He has granted us His Spirit, His helper, who helps us resist and stay strong.
Romans 8:13 says - “For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.” And to the Galatians, Paul said something similar. . . Galatians 5:16 “let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.”
When we are super connected to Christ, we are powered by God living in us, to ESCAPE the darkness in the world, caused by evil desires – we simply CANNOT do this on our own.
But for that, we need to be connected to the Jesus through a daily walk with Jesus.
Sinning also can give a foothold to darkness in our lives.
Paul says, “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Ephesians 4:26-27 (NIV)
In this case, the enemy attacks us through our emotions or by increasing the wrongful anger we already feel against others.
Similarly, Paul mentioned “the breastplate of righteousness” (Eph 6:14). If we have areas of continuing sin in our lives, then we will have gaps in our armor where we will be vulnerable to darkness.
We are called to seriously resist temptations (James 4:7).
As we spend daily time with the Lord, one of the things we can do is cry out to Him for His grace and help to resist temptations we may even name – ones we continually fail in.
1 Corinthians 10:13 “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”
The grace that flows through us when we are connected with Jesus (in real relationship with Him) gives us both the desire and strength to resist temptation (Phil 2:13).
Put another way, FIRST go to Him daily and spend time with Him. THEN go out and resist temptation!
Result #4 of being connected with Jesus
We can grow in Godly character
Paul not only told us to PUT OFF the old self, but to PUT ON the new self
Colossians 3:9-10 (NLT) “Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.”
Peter said something similar, just in different words …
1 Peter 2:1-3 (NLT) “So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. 2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, 3 now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.”
Note, Peter begins by saying, “rid yourselves,” which corresponds to Paul’s “put off.”
Next, he says, “grow up,” which parallel’s Paul’s, “put on.”
They’re talking about the same thing.
In the previous day, we said that a daily walk with God is essential (devotions & prayer) for the believer to be strong against temptations to sin – to PUT OFF or to “RID OURSELVES OF….”
A daily walk with the Lord is also necessary to PUT ON or to GROW UP in our faith!
We’re not just told to “negatively” resist temptations to sin, as good as that is; we are further called to “positively” grow in the character of Christ (Eph 4:24; Col 3:10): goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, brotherly kindness and love (2 Pet 1:5-7).
NOTE: Much will be said about how to do this later in the Grow Character lessons
Result #5 of being connected with Jesus
We become successful in our lives
Hosea 4:6 (NLT) says . . . “My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. Since you priests refuse to know me, I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten the laws of your God, I will forget to bless your children.”
A pastor once said, “What you don’t know, WILL hurt you!” Well put!
The “wisdom literature” of the Old Testament is dedicated to explaining how life really works.
This wisdom was collected through human observation and then brought together to be included in our Bibles.
Proverbs 24:32 (NIV) “I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw.”
At least ten times in Ecclesiastes, Solomon introduced his thoughts with, “I saw (observed) such and such, and this is how it works (2:13; 3:16, 22; 4:1, 4, 7, 15; 8:9, 10, 17; 9:11).”
Solomon made observations about laziness and diligence; adultery and faithfulness; generosity and greed; integrity and dishonesty; foolishness and wisdom; harsh and gentle words; the proud and the humble; the rich and poor; the present and eternity; those who revere and respect the Lord, and mockers who despise knowledge; youthfulness and aging; righteousness and wickedness; righteous and wicked rulers; enemies and friends.
Solomon said that though wisdom calls out to people to listen (Prov 1:20), it is often ignored, resulting in disaster.
However, those who welcome wisdom and understanding, are saved from the results of reckless behavior.
Proverbs 2:11-12 (NIV) “Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. 12 Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse …”
Solomon also makes it clear that we cannot be casual about acquiring wisdom and understanding.
Proverbs 2:3-4 (NIV) “… if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, “
Such a person will be desperate for it and will also be INTENTIONAL in gaining it.
We’re not to drift through life, just HOPING for good outcomes.
Drift will never lead you there. Never. Drift ALWAYS takes you in the opposite direction.
We cannot just depend on one Sunday sermon/message per week to do all this for us!
We must also train ourselves in the bible, by intentionally engaging in daily devotionals (1 Timothy 4:7). (We’ll learn more about devotions later in this lesson)
Think
◻︎ Write down something that stood out to you, from the reading you just completed.
What are five effects of being connected to Jesus?
Even though we struggle with sin, why do we have no excuse for our sin?
Why do we often drift in life? What do we often lack?
Do
◻︎ Write: God calls us to relationship with Him. Take some time to reflect on this question – is your relationship with Jesus increasing or decreasing? Why or why not?
◻︎ Write: Record one or two specific temptations and sins that you struggle with regularly. Write out a prayer, confessing to God your struggle, while also asking Him for the help to overcome.
◻︎ Write: When we are connected with Christ, our character will grow. Can you identify an area or two where you have grown in the past year?
◻︎ Memorize: Philippians 1:3-5