TIMELESS PRINCIPLES FOR
FRUITFUL CHRISTIAN LIVING
(Life Action Ministries)
LORDSHIP OF CHRIST. Our lives must be
built on an unconditional, absolute, lifetime surrender to Jesus as Lord. *Is
there any area of my life where I am reserving the right to make the final
decision?
~My prayer~ My God, You are Lord over all. I surrender myself afresh to You
this day and acknowledge Your right to reign over every area of my life. My
life is not my own. May my choices, my actions, my words, my attitudes, and
even my thoughts reflect Your Lordship.
AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE. The Word of God
must determine our thinking, direct our decision-making, and reign supreme
over every area of our lives. *Is there any Biblical truth that I am not
obeying?
~My prayer~ Father, I thank You for revealing Your will and Your ways through
Your Word. I bow before the supreme authority of Your Word. Increase my hunger
and love for the Scripture, and help me to meditate on it and obey it with all
my heart. May it determine my thinking and my decisions in every area of my
life.
MINISTRY OF THE SPIRIT. As we are
dependent upon, and directed and energized by the Holy Spirit, the
supernatural power of God will be manifested in and through our lives. *Am I
depending on my own abilities, or on the power of the Spirit to live the
Christian life and to serve the Lord?
~My prayer~ Thank You, Father for sending Your Holy Spirit to live within me
and to comfort, lead, and purify me. I want to live this day in the realm of
the supernatural, not depending on my strength and abilities, but drawing upon
the power of Christ. Please fill me with Your Spirit and produce in me the
likeness of Your son, Jesus.
LIFE MESSAGE. Our lives must be living
demonstrations of the truth of God's Word. *Is there any truth I am
communicating to others, that I am not practicing in my own life?
~My prayer~ Lord, may my life be a reflection of You- a living demonstration
of Your heart and ways. May the reality of my life be consistent with what I
claim to believe. Reveal any hypocrisy or pretense in my walk- any area where
I am leaving a better impression of myself than is honestly true. May my life
create in others a thirst to know and walk with you.
MESSAGE OF THE CROSS. Through Christ's
death on the cross, we received eternal life. Through our death with Him, we
enter into His abundant life. *Is there any area of pride, resistance, or
self-sufficiency in my life that is hindering the life of Jesus from flowing
through me?
~My prayer~ My Redeemer, You chose death that I might choose life. This day I
count myself crucified with You. I choose to die to myself, my rights, and my
reputation. As I lay down my life at Your cross, may Your resurrection life
flow unhindered in me.
BIBLICAL PRIORITIES. An effective,
fruitful life and ministry flows out of a commitment to Scriptural priorities.
*Based on my checkbook and my calendar, what are my real priorities?
~My prayer~ Lord, by Your Word and Your Spirit, please show me what is on Your
agenda for this season of my life. I yield to You my own plans, my priorities,
and my schedule for this day. Help me to know what matters most to You, and to
devote my time, efforts and energy to those things that will count for
eternity.
SPIRIT OF EXCELLENCE. Our lives and
service ought to reflect the excellence of God's names and works. He is worthy
of the very best we can offer Him. *Am I reflecting the excellence of God's
character in my appearance, my attitudes and my work?
~My prayer~ How excellent is Your Name, O Lord. May everything about my life
reflect the beauty and order of Your character. Help me to pay attention to
details, even as You care for the minutest details of the universe, and to
honor You in my work, my attitudes, my appearance, and the way I care for my
surroundings.
WALKING BY FAITH. Faith in the person and
power of God; faith that acts on the principles of the Word will move us into
the realm of the supernatural. *What Am I believing God for, that only He can
do?
~My prayer~ Lord, my natural tendency is to want to be able to control my
circumstances and to figure everything out in advance. But I know I am never
more secure than when I am walking by faith. Thank You for placing me in
situations where I have to depend on You. Help me to trust You, even when I
cannot see where You are leading or how You are going to provide.
SERVANT'S HEART. We are called to be
servants of Christ and of His people. A true servant esteems others better
than himself and seeks to make those around him a success. *Is there anyone
that I do not esteem better than myself, or that I am unwilling to serve?
~My prayer~ Blessed "Foot washer," it has been said that the test of true
servanthood is how we respond when we are treated like a servant. May I, like
You, choose to take up the "bowl and towel," and willingly take the place of a
servant toward You and toward others, regardless of how menial the task.
FAITHFULNESS. God has not called us to be
'successful,' as the world measures success, but to be faithful. *Am I being
faithful in fulfilling the responsibilities and caring for the possessions
that God has entrusted to me?
~My prayer~ Each new sunrise reveals Your faithfulness, my Father. Help me to
live this day in such a way that if it were my last, I would be able to hear
You say, "Well done, good and faithful servant." I do not seek human
recognition or some impressive assignment, but simple to faithful fulfill each
responsibility, large or small, that You have given me.
SACRIFICIAL GIVING. God blesses us so we
can bless others. Our lives should be characterized by sacrificial giving to
meet the needs of others and to further the Kingdom of Christ. *How have I
exercised faith and sacrifice in my giving this week?
~My prayer~ My Father, You are a generous God whose giving heart knows no
bounds. Your love led You to sacrifice Your greatest treasure, so I could have
eternal life. Help me not to cling to the things of this world. All that I
have is Yours. As You freely gave Your very best, may I gladly give all that
You ask in return.
PRAYER. Through prayer our lives are
linked to a Sovereign God, and His purposes are fulfilled in our world. A
prayerless life is a self-sufficient and fruitless life. *How much time have I
spent in prayer in the past twenty four hours?
~My prayer~ Father, what an incredible gift it is that You would invite me to
come before Your throne and lay before You my own needs, as well as the needs
of others. Forgive me for so often trying to solve things on my own, rather
than looking to You to meet the need. Help me to know what is on Your heart,
and then to intercede according to Your will, that Your purposes may be
fulfilled throughout the earth.