What Should the Average Day Look Like for a True Believer?

Breanna shared this with me this morning and I thought I would pass it on for your encouragement as well.

 James Jennings from www.illbehonest.com

“What should the average day look like for a true believer?”
This was a question I received in an email this morning. Here are some breif thoughts.  There are many other things from the scriptures that we also could consider.

Mark 1:35 – And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
Psalm 90:14 – Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.

- Rise early and isolate yourself to pray to the Lord and be satisfied in His steadfast love so that you may rejoice and be glad, not depressed and anxious. Be totally dependent upon God in the morning or else you will rely upon the arm of the flesh to gain victory over sin and you will fall.

Psalm 119:9 – How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.
Psalm 119:105 – Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

- Guard your decisions each day with God’s Word, make sure you are not contradicting what the scriptures teach. Make sure you are using the light of the Word to examine your path daily.

Proverbs 3:6 - In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.
James 4:15 – “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
Proverbs 16:3 – Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established.
1 Thes 5:21 – but test everything; hold fast what is good.

- Be submissive to God’s will for your life.  Acknowledge the Lord in all of your ways.

Luke 9:23 – And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.
1 Corinthians 15:31b - I die every day!

- Deny yourself. Say “No!” to the flesh and yes to Christ.  Be a good soldier and share in Christ’s sufferings. (2 Tim 2:3).  The flesh wants to sleep or be lazy, may it not be so.

1 Thes 5:18 – give thanks in all circumstances
Luke 10:39 – And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” Luke 10:41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

- Do not be caught in being very busy and trying to perform well. Go serve the Lord without an anxious heart.  Be satisfied in Christ alone.  Don’t work to gain your joy but find it in Christ’s work on the Cross on your behalf.

Psalm 16:8 – I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Isaiah 26:3 – You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

- Take every thought captive as 2 Cor 10:5 says, and keep your mind on Christ, resting in Him alone, always setting Him before you.

Philippians 2:4 – Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Hebrews 3:13 – But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.
Hebrews 10:24-25 – And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

- Do not neglect to meet together with the saints. When you meet you should stir one another up to love and good works and exhort eachother that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulnes of sin. Also reaffirm your love(2 Cor 2:8)  towards them so that no slanders are believed and no place for the devil is given, that could cause division.  – Keep alert in prayer for your brethren at all times. (Eph 6:18)

Colossians 3:23 – Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,
1 Corinthians 10:31 – So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Matthew 28:19 – Go therefore and make disciples of all nations.
Mark 9:38 – therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”
Titus 2:14b – zealous for good works.

- Go! — Do not build up a kingdom on this earth, be prepared to go, don’t get comfortable. Don’t waste your life, but be zealous for good works.– Make disciples. Don’t just pray for God to save someone, but once God does save them, pour into them the truth, disciple them. Then pray that God will raise them up and send them out into the harvest.

Matthew 6:20 - lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven
Acts 5:42 – And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.
1 Cor 2:2 – for I have determined to know nothing among you except for Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

- Everyday do not cease to preach Christ, not apologetics, but Christ. Not going from “house to house debating” but preaching and teaching Jesus as the Christ.

Hebrews 12:14 – Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;

- Strive for holiness, to be set apart, to be more like Christ.  Strive for peace with everyone and make sure that you see to it that no root of bitterness springs up and causes trouble and division.

Acts 24:16 – So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man.

- Are you always taking pains to have a clear conscience? Paul said in 1 Cor 4:4 that he knew of nothing against himself.  1 Tim 1:19 says some reject the faith by not holding to a good conscience. — Are you holding to a good conscience?

Romans 8:13 – if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
Romans 13:14 – But put on the Lord Jesus Christ.
Galatians 5:25 – If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.

- Put on Christ, live by the Spirit, and mortify sin in your life by the Holy Spirit.

Luke 5:16 – But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.
1 Thes 5:17 – pray without ceasing,

- Keep praying throughout the day. Withdraw from the busyness to be alone with the Lord so that you may be able to continue on with a pure heart working heartily unto the Lord and not for self.

Luke 21:35-36 – watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life… But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength.

- Do not be distracted by the things of this world and lose your eternal perspective, the end could come at any moment.

Matthew 24:44 – Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
1 Samuel 20:3b – “But truly, as the LORD lives and as your soul lives, there is but a step between me and death.”


Psalm 63:5 – My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, 6 when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; 7 for you have been my help,

- At the end of the day you are still satisfied in the Lord, not in your performance, but in His help, and you are praising the Lord for the victories He gave you. You are meditating on the Lord in your bed, not on self, not daydreaming, but thinking on the Lord. Ask yourself, when you get to the end of the day are you able to say “you have been my help’”? Can you say that to the Lord, or are you being self-reliant and not dependent upon God? Do you realize the great need for God to be your present help in a time of trouble, for Him to be the upholder of your life and your refuge.

These are very simple scriptural truths that I pray God does make a reality in all of our lives and that we live them out with consistency.