Dear Lighthouse,
How is your
new year going? Other than the freezing temperatures, I hope all is well. I wanted to write and encourage you on a resolution I hope you made and one I hope
you’re sticking with – daily reading from God’s Word to us, the Bible.
Whether or not you signed up with the Lighthouse to commit to reading through the New Testament in 2004 or not (though
most did and there is still time to sign up a little late) I wanted to stress to you the importance of the activity.
In Sunday School
we’re working in Matthew Ch. 6. There we found some assumptions that were
made of the early disciples. All were expected to be giving, prayerful, and engaged
in fasting as part of their life serving God. Another assumption for the modern
day Christian, I think, would be Bible study. You see, there were only a few
scrolls and those were kept secured away in prestigious temples or synagogues in Jesus’ day. You and I have the luxury of the entire old and new testaments packaged up and bound together in the Bible. What a tragedy that it may be the most owned book in America but the least read! (I have no statistics on that, but it’s probably a sad truth.)
So I go back
to the nation of Israel standing on the east of the Jordan river waiting to go into the Promised Land (last week’s e-mail). What do you suppose was a major subject discussed for the people to do after they
entered the land? Yep. Look at Deuteronomy
6. I encourage you to read those 25 verses.
I lift out a few key passages:
“These
are the commands the LORD your God directed me to teach you…so that you, your children and their children after them
may fear the LORD your God as long as you live…and so that you may enjoy long life.”
“Impress
them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home nad when you walk
along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. … Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
“…be
careful that you do not forget the LORD…”
“In
the future, when your son asks you, ‘What is the meaning of the stipulations, decrees and laws the LORD our God has
commanded you?’ tell him…”
The entire chapter is both a lesson and a warning. You and I - because we forget so easily, because we get so distracted with the things
of this world, because we quickly place all of our focus on the things we can see and fail to realize the invisible things
are the most important – need daily help and reminders to stay committed to the course laid out for us. As we discussed prayer this week we decided that God desires daily prayer to keep us connected to Him in
our relationship. So it is with the reading of His Word to us. So it is with fellowship with like-minded believers who encourage and discipline us in our walk.
And for the desire to accomplish and carry out
all this the Lighthouse is challenging you to step up to daily reading and to close fellowship with the NT Reading Challenge
this year and 4X4 Fellowship. These opportunities are calculated to promote your
growth. They are not random events. Please
consider how you can step up to the challenge.
Now, I ask you again, how are you doing? Are you reading? Are you praying? Are you accountable to someone who will personally ask these and other questions? If not, examine yourself. Why? Don’t let 2004’s potential for change and growth slip past.
We are creatures of habit and people who like fresh beginnings and optimistic opportunities. So, use these weaknesses as strengths this January and begin a pattern of spiritual growth with us!
See you in Revelation.
Serving Him with you,
Evan
