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Sharpen Your Faith with New Habits

by Elizabeth Marks  
1/15/2007 / Christian Living

As a believer, you've started a new life in Christ. For every bad habit that distances you from God, Jesus wants to give you a new habit to draw you near to Him. The goal is to stay connected with God and strengthen your relationship with Him. In keeping with our goal, here are some practical do-able suggestions to help foster new habits that keep you turning to God.

Pray always. Prayer changes things. If you can't find the right words to pray, try reading some of Stormie OMartian's "Power of Praying ________" books. She's written several. Fill in the blank with wife, woman, parent or husband, depending on the perspective and focus you need some help with. These books are quite handy for expanding your personal prayer horizon and for learning to pray with God's Word.

Read the Bible every day. I'm sure you've heard this one before, but it's true. Even reading just a verse or two every day can make a huge difference in your life. God's Word is powerful. The more you read, the more you'll want to read. The Bible is like no other book. It's alive. It will give your faith new life, if you'll read it.

Memorize scripture. When you come across a verse that resonates with you, God's probably trying to tell you something. Try to commit it to memory. Write it down on a post-it note or note card, put it somewhere you'll see it frequently. Read it often. By spending time with a particular verse, God may be preparing you to receive further revelation about Himself or the situation you may be in.

Make God's Word accessible. Everywhere you go, have God's Word with you. Keep a Bible in various places like the office, in your car, and in every room of your house. They even make very slim or pocket size Bibles you can easily fit in your purse or back pack. If God's Word is everywhere, you make it easier for you to pick it up and read it.

Change the radio station. Instead of listening to depressing talk radio or downer worldly music, consider switching to a Bible teaching or Christian music station. Hearing God's Word while in the car turns a boring car ride into productive time with God.

Join a small group. Gathering together with other believers for Bible study, fellowship and accountability encourages one another in our faith. It helps build you up in His love. Hearing how God's working in another's life can cause hope to rise that He'll come through for you too. Sharing your story with others can provide encouragement to someone and strengthen their faith as well. God made us better together.

Have you noticed the theme running through all these suggestions? That's right, God's Word is the main thing. Our goal is to keep the main thing, the MAIN THING. Deuteronomy 11:19-21 NKJV teaches us to tie God's commands to our hands, bind them to our doorposts, discuss with our children when we sit down, lie down and when we stand up. How better to do that than to have God's Word with us everywhere we go?

If you find your relationship with God growing dull or cold STOP, check your focus. How frequently are you talking with Him? How often are you reading, hearing, thinking and speaking God's Word? Try the suggestions for a week and see if it helps get your perspective back and re-ignite your love for God again. Remember these things are not to replace God, but to help you draw close to God. His Word by the power of His spirit draws you near, but your job is to remain in Him through obedience to His Word.

Lord, we thank You for giving us everything we need to maintain a healthy intimate relationship with You. Forgive us for straying away from You. Draw us closer by the power of Your Spirit. Thank You for Your life sustaining Word and Your Spirit within us to teach us Your truth. Help us develop godly habits that strengthen our faith in You. In Jesus name Amen.

Copyright Elizabeth Marks, author of ThinkOnIt Devotions, has a heart for encouraging believers with God's Word. Please visit http://www.ThinkOnItDevotions.com for more devotions, bible studies, book reviews and more!

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