I want to draw
near to God; spending time focusing on
Him, reading the Bible and studying it provides the opportunities of knowing
God. Another way I renew my mind and
guard my heart is by listening to
Christian music. I have four favourite
on-line resources to listen to: United
Christian Broadcasters (UCB), All Worship, Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN),
and Premier Christian Radio. I’ve listed
them in order of my favourite first to last.
I like each one for different reasons.
UCB Link: United Christian Broadcasters
All Worship: Allworship.com
Christian Broadcasting Network: CBN Radio stations
Premier Christian Radio: Premier Christian Communications
To have them
as options to listen to thirty years ago would not have been possible, because
I listen to them over the internet. In
the early and mid 1970’s it was only on Sunday mornings that I could hear a
two-hour radio show with contemporary Christian music. I’d use a small tape recorder sitting next to
the radio to record the programme in order to listen to it during the
week. All other Christian Radio stations
played preaching and teaching programmes.
It was in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s that a local radio station
tried using a music station format to play only Christian music. Today there are many local radio stations
that provide access to Christian music.
In the 1990’s
ministries began using the internet to share the gospel around the world. One of those ministries is Joyce Meyers. Her programme is now televised on TBN Europe.
Last week I became aware of Joyce Meyer’s
3030 Challenge—studying the Word for 30 minutes a day over 30 days. I had been lacking self-disciple and focus
when it came to Bible Reading and Bible study.
I signed up for the challenge, began getting the e-mails on Friday, 15th
May. But it is a battle to avoid the
distractions—like television, playing on-line games or desk-top solitaire. And of course, there are interruptions—phone calls,
taking Maisy out, eating lunch.
I am
determined to persevere. On Monday, 18th
May I made some quality decisions about what I want to study from the
Word. Studying is different from just
reading the Bible. To study is to read
the verse several times, look up words in a regular dictionary as well as in a
Bible concordance. I’ve done this in
years past. I am always inspired,
encouraged and surprised by what I learn.
I know about
obedience. But I am not good at
obedience—the kind of immediate obedience that shows the Lord that I am serious
about making Him known to others. So, I
want to understand what it really means to obey, and then get better at being
obedient.
Biblegateway.com*
provides a search function for key words or scriptures. Using the New King James Version options, I
found that “obey” is listed 157 times in the Bible. (Other versions have different numbers of
listings. For example, New International
Version has 207.) I took the time to
write the list down in a stenographer’s notebook, so I could easily look them
up in my Amplified Bible.
I
read a few of the verses as I looked at the list and observed two things very
clearly: consequences for not obeying
and consequences for obeying.
In
the year 2000 I began a study of the words “obey” and “obedience”. I wanted to study these words in relationship
to the fear of the Lord. Because I need
more fear of the Lord. Following are some
points that I made back then.
- Obedience is an act of love.
- Obedience is an act of worship.
- Obedience positions me for blessing.
- Obedience breaks the yokes of bondage
- Obedience brings anointing
- Obedience brings joy and joy becomes our strength.
Yesterday morning, (19th May), as I was out walking Maisy, I
was thinking about Joshua. He was anointed
and appointed to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. Because other tribes were living in Canaan, the
Israelites had to fight to take possession of it. Obedience had taken them into the position to
battle.
The first verse I looked up on the list was Genesis 22:18: “In your seed all the nations of the earth
shall be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.”
At first glance I thought about Isaac, because he was the son that God
promised Abram. Isaac was the promise,
the seed. In Romans it is written that
Isaac was the seed of Abraham, and that it was Abraham’s faith that was counted
as righteousness. In Galatians 3 Paul
writes “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed,
and heirs according to the promise.”
My heart pondered the question: “What
is MY seed that will bless the nations?”
I had no children, gave birth to no child. “What application does Genesis 22:18 have to
me, to my life?”
In my heart came an answer: “Your
‘seed’ is the gift of your talent. A
promise that God gave you is your ‘seed’.
Ideas that you invest your time in is your ‘seed’. “
I began to understand that the ‘seed’ that God planted in my life is the
talent that leads to ideas that will pre-occupy my mind, my imagination, to the
point I long to and purpose to obey God’s call on my life.
So, I have begun a journey of study.
In the coming days I will share what I learn here on my blog. Maybe it will help someone else. Mostly, I want to strengthen my self-disciple
in regards to obeying those nudges, following those ideas that my Loving
Heavenly Father places in my mind and heart.
Serving Jesus, Author of our faith,
“Lady Helene”
*Bible Gateway : https://www.biblegateway.com/
Really interesting. I hope you persist and are blessed, and will be interested to read about it ... yes, study is difficult to persist with, I so agree, life gets in the way all the time doesn't it.
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