A kid decides he is done being at the tail end of his class in academia. A girl decides she wants to finally get serious about learning to play the piano. A person gives their life to Christ. Red hot decisions that have a lot of force behind them.

So why is it that the kid who is at the tail end tends to remain there. Pianos are often covered in dust, dreams are forgotten and many people give up on the business of following Christ and remain in the zone of belief alone. As a person who has lived more than 10 years knows, making a big declaration does not mean following through with it to the end.

When you try to kick a bad habit, create a good one and change the direction of your life, you notice a resitance after a while. And if you don’t make progress as expected, it is easy to throw in the towel, throw out the bath water and remember the long lost babies of opportunity with nostalgia and ‘What ifs?’. And that is just basic habits.

Now the difference between a life lived for the name of Jesus and one lived selfishly without Jesus is a big chasm. Now, not everyone wants to live for Christ, but for the person who understands what Christ did, this is a big deal. And if we are going to be salt and light, then we need to get this right.

My honest prayer for you is that you would be able to succeed and live a life of blessing to those around you. Because all the excitment about starting something eventually wanes. God made the excitment to punctuate the story of your life. Not make entire sentences.

Keeping motives central is essential. When you first accept Jesus, all the energy and motivation comes easy. Then the stress and strain of life chips away at it.  But to live by the spirit is not a matter of mood. It is a matter of motive. Keeping the Holy Spirit central keeps you in step with what God wants to do in your heart.

Ok, so here it is. This is how to keep focused on Christ. Simply read your Bible, pray everyday and love people. Nothing fancy, nothing exceedingly ‘Spiritual’ but a big part of what you need to do.

The good news is, that as you work on your responsibility, God works through his sovereignty to bring you to be more and more Christlike as time goes on. To lean on God even when situations are tough and remain humble in Christ through success is the key characteristic of the Jesus follower.

John 15:7-12 NKJV
If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.  This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Let us pray;

Dear God,
Help us abide in your commands and your law. Teach us to read our Bibles and pray everyday.
Amen