Session Six . Good Christian Habits.
Good Christian Habits
Soul Savers is a basic course to help Christians grow in faith. Our hope is that you will engage in the daily reading of the bible and frequent prayer even within a busy lifestyle. Perhaps you feel you do not get a break from the moment you get out of bed until you slide back into it a busy day later, exhausted. Trying to slot some ‘God time’ into a busy day may seem like more chores when we are crying out for less. NB That is not how this works. Try and see this as nourishing your soul in the same way that you already feed your body and mind.
"We have to fashion our own desert where we can withdraw every day, shake off our compulsions, and dwell in the gentle healing presence of our Lord. Without such a desert we will lose our soul…”
Henri Nouwen, Way of the heart
That is the way I would like to introduce this session number six, Good Christian habits. These habits are essential for surviving as Christians in a hectic lifestyle. Habits that I would say are totally necessary to "growing in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
In an earlier session, I described the Holy Bible as your life’s guidebook. It is the main way that God speaks to you. As a child learns from a parent’s words, you should learn as much of your heavenly Father’s Word as you can. Job said in Job 23:12:
"I treasure the words of his mouth more than my daily bread."
Habit One — Take the Bible, read it, study it, memorise it (there are memory verses in each SS Session), meditate on it and practice it in your daily life. If you need to, find a study guide to suit you. I also suggest you find a Christian (someone you look up to) to talk to about it and then get on with it!’ Don’t be afraid to tackle whole books within the Bible like Matthew, Mark, Luke and John which record most of the words of Jesus.
The second good habit is prayer
You talk with God through prayer. It is the spiritual air that your soul breathes. I do not think you can survive as a Christian without it. As Philippians 4:6 says
"Don’t worry about anything, but in all your prayers ask God for what you need always asking with a thankful heart.”
I recommend praying in the morning when you get up, and again before going to bed at night. And if some of your family or housemates are Christians it is worth it to take some time out, at least weekly, to pray and read the Bible together.
Another suggestion is to develop the habit of meditation. A time alone with God, perhaps weekly, enjoying a longer look at a bible verse or to ‘be still’ quietly before our Lord would be of unmeasurable benefit to your spiritual life. Along similar lines, I suggest the spiritual benefit that comes from singing or listening to Christian songs in a style of music that suits your musical taste.
One of the most common things people would say to me when I was a chaplain was, “You don’t need to go to church to be a Christian.” While I agree that going to church doesn’t make you a Christian, going to church is a good habit to get into. I also believe the church is, in pictorial language, the body of Christ and as a Christian, the church should support you on your journey of faith and likewise, you should support the church. You can support your church with your presence, your gifts and your service.
I hope and pray, for your sake, that it is a place where you feel welcome, where the Word of God is preached, where the worship lifts your spirit, where the sacraments are offered and where outreach and servitude are givens.
Can you really grow in faith without this fellowship with other Christians, caring for each other in love and encouraging each other in the mission of sharing Christ with others?
These habits are not meant to be a burden they are meant to liberate you into a closer walk and better talk with God day by day.
Pete Greig spoke personally about Good Christian Habits in How to Hear God;
"Gradually my neural pathways get realigned by 10,000 tiny yeses [to Jesus]. The ancients said it well: Lex orandi lex credendi lex vivendi - the way of prayer is the way of faith and of life itself"
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Session 1: Good news, read all about it!
Session 2: Jesus Christ, what a friend.
Session 3: Eternal Life, fact or fiction?
Session 4: Under Atack
Session 5: Becoming more Christ like.
Session 6: Good Christian Habits.
Session 7: Telling others
On with Session 6… same format…. I ask the questions ….you Click&collect the answers from the bible. You can use the search finger or look up the verses in your own bible. You can download the questions for more time to search. All the best.
