Adjust your focus towards God

Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:2)

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. (Romans 8:5)

Making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. (Proverbs 2:2-5)

 

Always on always ready Christian

We must always choose to be always on always ready Christians. This can help you serve God better and more effectively. Most importantly you must be ready for the return of Christ Jesus always.

I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” (Luke 18:8)

Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Matthew 24:44)

And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. (1 John 2:28)

To this effect there are a few things you might like to consider having. This will ensure that you are always on always ready for our Lord Jesus Christ.

1) Training regularly

Keep training yourself in the ways of godliness. For this, consistent training in the teachings and principles of the Bible is essential. While going to a weekly Bible class is good it might not be possible for everyone to attend. Try to read good books that teach you the things of the Christian faith. Joining a Christian library can help you get hold of such books. Though checking for Christian teachings online is a fine option you must take due diligence that what you are learning is worth it. I mean be cautious against heresy and legalism and any teaching that relaxes your guard against the evil of sin.

However I must add that nothing outdoes plain old fashioned Bible reading. Yes just reading and meditating on the words of the Bible. Commentaries are secondary. Here your objective must be to become more like Jesus Christ every time you read it. This is not a book to read and forget but rather to read, believe and be transformed into the person whom God wants you to be.

2) Mental state of faith

Have a frame of mind in which you can pray and intercede anytime. It might that be you’ve enjoyed a great dinner at home and are soon going off to sleep. When all of a sudden you get a message on your phone asking for prayer for a person who is injured in a train crash. Then before you sleep you can pray for the injured person. A short prayer said in faith should be enough. It’s vain to say that you are going to wake up in the morning and only then pray but won’t before you sleep.

This is not limited to prayer but to
any needs for self review, deeds of mercy and charity. You must be mentally focused on the will of God at all times.

3) Discernment

You need to think very clearly about your actions and objectives for the Lord. Spend sufficient time to check on what and where you put on your efforts over to. Is it as per the deceitful things of the world or as per the will of God? Never be so drawn up in the entertainments, worries and passions of life that you are not able align yourself with the will of God. Because being too busy with work or play might make you distracted from God’s will if you are not going to make that choice to keep God first on a regular basis.

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8)

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)

4) Hard work and planning

You need to plan to follow God’s plan. Might seem odd but lots of people have their own ideas which contradict the Lord’s work in their life. For them its their way or the high way. They choose the easy way out such as steal instead of do a honest job to earn a decent living. May all who choose a life of sin for the sake of ease leave their evil ways lest they merit damnation in hell.

Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. ( Proverbs 6:6-8)

Hard work must never be equated with legalism. Certain things that need you to work hard are either natural or from God’s grace. Yet some are legalistic so you must avoid legalistic hard work.

By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. ( Hebrews 11:7)

Each Christian has been assigned good works which only he or she can do. Keep trying to discover what new good deed you can do for Jesus Christ. You might be a volunteer at church events for the elderly but might have not got a chance to be in foreign mission. There might be a foreign missionary who must have missed on singing in the choir as a child. So never feel bad about not getting the chances others get. You never know what they missed on. But in all this just pray to know where you are needed and then work for the Lord God over there.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

5) Be joyful in the Lord

Are you joyful in the Lord? If not then something is missing. The joy of the Lord is something that you need to cherish in your life. This joy comes through the Holy Spirit by Jesus Christ.

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:17)

So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

The joy of the Lord unlike any earthly joy gives you strength in times of adversity. Its not that you will be laughing or smiling every time but you will be able to overcome all hardships and struggles for God. Even Jesus could overcome so much because of the joy that was set before him by God.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

Now that you know these five principles put them to memory and put them to practice. Christ be with you!