Dave’s Monday Blast – July 1, 2024

Just in case you have not been tuning lately, my family moved to Tennessee and I went with them! So in some weird way…this conversation is coming to you from the other side of the country.  To make a move of this magnitude and all that is involved I would confess there were times when I wondered if I was “strong enough”. I am not referring to physical strength (because the answer would have been an emphatic … nope), I am referring to those inner qualities of a healthy spiritual and emotional life.

Many years ago Pastor Charles Stanley commented: In Matthew 7:24 – 29, “Jesus told a story that vividly demonstrates the source of spiritual strength. He said those who hear and obey God’s Word are building their lives on a rock-solid foundation, while those who hear the Word and don’t obey have a foundation like sand.”

What we have built our lives on may not be externally obvious. But when the storms of life come, our response reveals what and whom we’re trusting. If it’s not God, we’ll fall apart under pressure. To help you evaluate whether you are building well, I want to share five characteristics of a strong spiritual life. INTENTIONAL men of God will nod their heads in agreement as to the truth of these characteristics; however, if you are like me, your spiritual life “Rhythms ” are often out of sync.

Over the next two weeks we will upack these 5 practices. (Grateful to In Touch Ministries)

1. Your life must be built on the teachings and application of God’s Word. The Bible becomes a treasured possession when you recognize that it’s the Lord’s voice speaking directly to you. Obeying its principles should be a constant in your life, not an exception.

When you consistently feed on God’s Word, the Holy Spirit brings passages to your mind to help you respond correctly in every situation. That’s why Jesus said the Spirit will “remind you of all that I said” (John 14:26).

What’s more, as you read the Bible, you are “transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is” (Romans 12:2).  The Word transforms you to think Biblically about your circumstances. Then you can make good decisions and act rightly in trials.

Next week we will examine the other 4.