For the past couple of years, my spiritual life has been in a very consistent sinusoidal pattern. I realize that we can’t stay on mountain tops, and even though we’ve been saved by God’s grace, we’re sinners saved by grace so we will always stumble. So I admit valleys must exist, but I want to try as hard as possible to keep the average as high as possible (y=sin x + z instead of y=sin x). God recently pulled me out of a spiritual valley, and I have been reading some admonishing/encouraging verses that I thought I’d share.
What is it that I need to do every day? Definitely more than I have. I need to pray, read my bible, and encourage someone else to do the same. That’s a bare minimum.
Ps 55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.
Ps 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
A few nights ago I prayed for about 30 minutes. At first it didn’t feel like my prayers were getting above the ceiling, but the Lord loves his children: always. So I received a lot of comfort from a long talk with the Father.
1 Tim 2:1-3 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior;
1 Tim 2:8 I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrathand doubting.
Paul instructed Timothy that he and all believers pray. That they should pray for one another, for those who ruled over them.
2 Tim 1:3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
I have a bad habit of only going to God with “big” problems. But that’s stupid because there are no “big” problems for God. To him they’re all small problems. Compared to infinity both 0.00001 and a 100,000,000,000 are miniscule. So I should be instant in talking to God about everything: from doing well on a test, to getting married, to finding my car keys.
Phi 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Second, we all need to read the bible, and if we are reading we need to read more.
2 Tim 3:16-17 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for Instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
The bible is the word of God. Not just the book as a whole, but the words in it. They’re all inspired, to the point that both Jesus and Paul would base entire doctrinal arguments on one word or one letter even (Mark 12:26-27 & Gal 3:16). The bible is one of God’s greatest gifts to his children besides salvation. Jesus could’ve come into the world, died for our sins, and the only record of it be a paragraph in a history book about Roman law. We would be just as much children of God as we are now (Rom 8:38-39), but oh what joy there is in knowing of that salvation!
2 Tim 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Friends we need to read.
1 Tim 4:13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
Ecc 12:1 Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
We need to read and continue to read. The bible isn’t a movie or video game that you watch or play through once and then say “yeah I beat that game, it was good. I recommend it,” but never pick up again. It’s something that we should seek guidance from everyday.
2 Tim 3:14 But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;
Timothy had known the scriptures from childhood, but Paul tells him to continue studying.
2 Tim 4:13 The cloak that I left at Troas with Carpus, when thou comest, bring with thee,and the books, but especially the parchments.
2 Tim 4:21 Do thy diligence to come before winter. Eubulus greeteth thee, and Pudens, and Linus, and Claudia, and all the brethren.
Paul wrote 2 Tim from a Roman prison (a prison I doubt was anything like our prisons, probably more like a dungeon). It was the last epistle he would write before being beheaded. Winter was approaching and Paul wanted Timothy to get there before then: probably for concern of his safety due to the dangers of traveling by boat during the winter, desire to see him again, etc. Paul asks the young minister to bring a couple of things: Paul cloak, understandable since the Roman cell probably didn’t have central heating, and “the books, but especially the parchments.” Paul had studied the scriptures all his life. He had been a Pharisee of the Pharisees after all. He knew that he was going to die soon, and yet he still wanted to read God’s word. How much more should we study.
One error that I find myself in, however, is believing that “I just didn’t have time to read or pray today, I’ll do it tomorrow.” What a lie! I somehow don’t “have time” to read God’s word but I have plenty of time to watch YouTube clips, or play video games, or any other number of pointless gimmicks designed to do nothing but entertain.
Eph 5:15-16 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.
It’s mind boggling the amount of time I waste in a given day. In the month of June, God blessed me with the self-discipline to read the whole bible. I read the WHOLE bible, in ONE month. And yet for most of my life I struggled to read even HALF the bible in a year. I had to read about 2-3 hours a day (40 chapters), but it wasn’t really that hard. That’s just not watching a random movie, playing Xbox for hours on end, not playing flash games on facebook, etc.
Matt 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Let’s do some math. The average person can read 300 words per minute and still have good comprehension, but let’s knock that down to 200 wpm. The bible contains roughly 791,000 words. At 200 wpm, that equals about 4000 minutes of reading time or about 66 hours. So to read the bible once in a year, you have to read the bible for a staggering (ready for this?): 11 minutes a day. Wow… 11 whole minutes. I could read during commercial breaks and read more than that. How pathetic my reading habits have been.
Finally, if I find myself remotely steady on my feet, for however short a time; I should encourage someone else who may be faltering.
Tim 4:13 Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
We’re but strangers here, heaven is our home. So as children of the King in enemy territory, we should always be there for one another.
Pro 27:17 Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
I pray this has been an encouraging admonishment to me and to whoever reads this. Pray for me.
Rev 22:20-21 He that testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.
