if we want to be able to fight off a human virus that attacks our body, then if we’re healthy, if we’re strong, if we’re feeding ourselves appropriately, then a minor infection is less likely to become a major infection and the thing is true SPIRITually. when we exercise our faith, when we feed our faith with appropriate material, our faith grows deeper and when doubts come in they don’t take a foothold and they don’t grow and destroy our faith.
the international bible society says that 87% of CHRISTians do not read the bible every day. how can you grow in your faith if you’re not accessing the word of GOD on a regular basis? what’s happened in our culture is we read all these books about GOD. they’re not bad things. but don’t leave it at that. don’t just read what other people say about GOD. experience HIM yourself personally. there’s something supernatural that happens when you read the word of GOD and absorb it into your life and allow it to build your faith.
we live in a world where all these specialty bibles have come out. men’s devotional bible, women’s devotional bible, leadership bible, bible for people in prison, bible for seekers, bibles for left-handed unicycles named earl. they’re all kinds of bibles! they’re wonderful because in the margins they have notes tailored for you. the problem is people buy these bibles and they just read the notes. they’re not reading the text.
another thing i’ve found that’s helpful is to hang out with people who have a strong faith. if you hang out with people who have a strong and vibrant and passionate and deep faith, you learn from them. they encourage you. they didn’t get that faith by accident. they’re doing things in their life to build that faith and you begin to learn that subconsciously. find someone who’s got that kind of faith and buy them lunch a couple times a month. just hang out with them and let their life be an influence on your life.
just a thought from the front porch…
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