Read, listen, pray and act.  “faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of the Lord.” If you don’t know what the Lord says how can you emphatically state that you believe.  For the obvious retort is, “what do you believe?”  If you don’t know the voice of God, how may you discern between that of the shepherd and the other numerous directions in this world?  If you don’t pray to the Lord, how then have you formed an active relationship with a living God?  If you take no steps based upon his direction how may your faith become real and resolute without referring measure?

We must live our Christian walks intentionally.  Without the conscious commitment, the requisite contemplation/meditation, discussion with God and responsive action we are simply leaving our edification to chance.  Granted the Lord will change us, sanctifying us through this world, but I cannot ignore the difference between volunteered, surrendered participation and following our own paths waiting for God to redirect our actions.  Without knowing what you believe, you cannot be assured of that belief.  Without determining to whom we will respond we are left to listening to the loudest or most compelling directives.  Note; often the loudest are those of the enemy, the world and the flesh.  Without prayer we are wasting our greatest assets in having the privilege, the power and the gift of going into the throne room for praise, worship and petition.  Without action we are impotent and unfulfilled.

Do you truly know what it means to be a Christian, not just the joyful, abundant life segments upon which the feel-good churches prosper, but the work, the suffering and the sacrifice of willing slaves to righteousness preparing for their coming King?  Have the characteristics of God’s Holy Spirit become notably evident in your lives?  The realization of God’s glory and the salvation of the masses is our purpose how then may we be Christian with no evidence of fruit in those areas?  How may we say that we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit with no glaring observation of that presence by the surrounding population?  If they cannot see God in your actions and attitudes, how then is it assured you are sealed by his power or that others will know him through your example?  For what purpose are you called?  If you don’t know what God did for the world, cannot hear God’s voice, don’t go to him in prayer or take actions based on commitment to that relationship then what possible argument can you ever use that you have ever been a Christian?

If this sponsors contemplation praise God.  If this causes you to listen to the Word frequently, Amen.  If this builds your desire to spend more time with the Lord in prayer, Hallelujah.  If this prompts you to all three of those and gets you off the couch out on the road for Christ, then my purpose has been realized.  Go plants some seeds, heal some wounds, raise the dead and prepare this world to receive their returning Saviour, God and King.  In Jesus’ Name I pray.