Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

In chapter 4:7-8, we read about training to be godly. How spiritual training is of greater importance than physical training. 

We can train for a lot of things. Many of you are into sports, working out, lifting weights, running marathons, etc. All of these are things you must train for. And the more you train, the easier these things become for you and the better you get. The same is true for our spiritual lives- the more we do the things that grow us spiritually, the easier it gets and the stronger we are in them.

Pray, praise, read Scripture, go to church, House Church, serve, journal. Maybe you have trouble finding time in your day to do some of these things. Training may look like getting up a little earlier each morning. Maybe it’s like I talked about on Tuesday - giving up time on your phone or something else that gets your time and attention. Training for anything takes intentionality and diligence. The more you practice Godliness, the easier it becomes a regular part of your day and life. You don’t have to work so hard to remember not to make a sarcastic reply or scream and yell as you lay on your horn while driving to work. It becomes easier to sacrifice a little bit to meet the needs around you. As we work at giving God more of a place in our lives, the more others will see Him in us.

I pray daily for God to help me to bring Him into and show Him in every part of my life. Sometimes that takes a lot of practice in self-control (avoiding Wal-Mart also helps). But with each day of giving God another ordinary moment, I find it easier to give Him more moments the next day. 

Maybe you feel overwhelmed by where to start to train to be godly. Start with 5 minutes of Bible reading, praying, and journaling your blessings. You will soon find giving a few more minutes and a greater desire to do so easier.  

We put time, effort, and energy into the things that are important to us. Does that include your spiritual life?

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

Use the S.O.A.P. Method to study God’s Word.

• SCRIPTURE: What stands out to you in today’s passage?
• OBSERVATION: What is this text saying? What is the context? How does it fit with the verses before and after it? Are there any commands, instructions, or promises?
• APPLICATION: How can you apply this verse to your life? What does this mean today? What is God saying to you?
• PRAYER: Respond to the passage in prayer. Ask God to help you apply this truth to your life and spend some time listening to what He may be telling you.

FALL AT VENTURE

KXP, MVMNT, The Gathering, House Church, and Care Groups are all starting back this fall! You can check the Fall at Venture webpage for launch dates and events happening this fall at Venture.