Daily Devotional for Wednesday September 23, 2009
Our Walk with Christ is Every Day
(Psalms 88:9; Hebrews 3:13)
Many people have asked me why I write these Devotionals every day. The reason is simple. Our walk with Christ is every day. Probably one of the biggest mistakes I see people of faith make is to treat their faith like just another part of their life. I can assure you, until you realize that this is a 24/7/365 relationship, it will never make sense to you. It will never be all God intends it to be. YOU CAN'T SEPARATE YOUR FAITH FROM THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
Upon accepting Christ into your heart by faith, it becomes your life. It guides and directs every aspect of your life. It must dictate what you do, how you act, and how you respond to EVERYTHING in your life. The one concept I want you to understand today, the one point I want you to completely internalize today is this: OUR WALK WITH CHRIST IS 24/7!!!
You don't stop being a Christian when you go to school or to work. You don't stop being a Christian when you are out with your friends. You don't stop being a Christian when you play. You don't stop being a Christian at the store. You don't EVER stop being a Christian. Now, stop for a second. Take a deep breath. Hear this one more time. You don't stop being a Christian when you go to school or to work. You don't stop being a Christian when you are out with your friends. You don't stop being a Christian when you play. You don't stop being a Christian at the store. You don't EVER stop being a Christian. Did you get it? Do you understand the impact of what I just shared with you? Every second of every day, YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN, A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST!!!
Understanding that to be true, how does that now change your life? How does that truth affect each and every area of your life? Now you understand why I share so often how important it is to have that daily connection with the Lord, that daily time of prayer and reading the Word. Since we are a Christian 24/7, it is imperative we are solidly connected to the Lord so that we can stand up to the attacks and to the challenges we will face each day in this sin-filled world as His children.
As a representative of Christ, we don't have the luxury of having bad days. None of us are perfect, and we all fall short, but we must strive daily in everything we do to carry the banner of Christ. I say often, that your loudest witness is not what you say, but how you live. Others are watching, whether you know it or not. Your greatest witness to the unbeliever God brings across your path is how you live your life. How you handle the pressures of day-to-day life. How you respond to the trials we all face. It is at these times, others are watching, and we must let God live through us so our lights shine bright.
I love you and care about you so much. So much of the pain and heartache I hear about each day is because many think of their Christian life as an hour-a-week commitment. That is a lie straight from the pits of hell itself. Our Christian life is 24/7. It never stops. We are a Christian every second of every day, wherever we are. I will pray for you today to never lose sight of this fact. Never lose sight of the fact that being a Christian carries a certain responsibility. We are Christ's representatives here on earth. We are the only Christ many will ever see--the only Bible many will ever read. This is not a responsibly to be feared, but to be embraced.
THIS IS WHY GOD GAVE US LIFE, TO SERVE AND GLORIFY HIM HERE ON EARTH. THIS IS WHAT OUR LIFE IS ALL ABOUT.
My prayer is that you pray over these heavy words today, that you comprehend them, and that you accept them into your heart. God has given us a wonderful way to serve Him, simply by the way we live our lives. Never forget that once we accept Christ by faith, the Bible tells us that it is no longer our life, it now belongs to the Lord. Surrender to Him today and let Him use your life each and every day in the normal course of your daily life. Never forget, our walk with Christ is not just for an hour on Sunday morning, but it is 24/7!!!
In His love and service, Your friend and brother in Christ, Bill Keller