Practical Christianity

Practical can be defined as; that which is in common practice.

Christianity can be defined as; living life as a Christian.

Put those two words together and I think that there would be a great debate as to exactly what then entails. If there was a general consensus on the matter we wouldn’t have so many denominations and a large segment of non-denominational denominations. We don’t all practice being a Christian the same way.

What I would like to put forth here in this devotional is a practical Christianity which works for everyone.

Given that Christ died so that we might have a personal relationship with God, make it personal. Take personal responsibility for your relationship. It is YOUR relationship, not mine.

Given that God is everywhere, you can worship God anywhere. You do not have to claim a label.

Since grace is the only thing given without measure, do not allow your relationship be defined by a measure of faith, talent, understanding, gifts, callings or title.

None of us are perfect. Take the full measure of effectiveness in forgiveness. It is given to remain in relationship.

God is perfect love. He cares more about you than anything you have done or can do.

To know who Christ is in you, you have to know who you are, so be honest with yourself about yourself. That does not mean to put yourself down when you fail, it means own up to it, get up and take the next step towards Christ.

There is nothing God doesn’t already know about you. There is a whole bunch of good stuff we do not know about God. If you love someone, don’t you want to get to know them better?

If anyone tells you that you have to do more than this to be righteous in God’s eyes, ask God to confirm that information. You have the right to ask.

1 John 5:14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

And verse 15 says He answers us.

Stirring Up

2 Timothy 1:6 Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.

Think of a quarterback handing off the football to a running back. The running back looks downfield at the blocking to determine which hole will open up for the play called. He does not look at the football, he feels it in his gut.

I have often wondered about the laying on of hands. We lay hands on people all the time to pray for them. It gives them support, emotional comfort, and perhaps more, depending on the individual. What I see Paul having done for Timothy is something set aside from that kind of handy work.

So often I hear men pray over another as if by the laying on of hands one man is imparting to another something like passing off the football, you didn’t have it, now you do. That is not what Paul did for Timothy. Paul, by the power that was in him, stirred up that which was already in Timothy. He gave nothing to Timothy.

Romans 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

There is so much about spiritual gifts and gifts of service in Romans 12 that this little phrase gets often misplaced. We are one in Christ. What is in me is in you, I do not differ in respect to grace. Yes I have a different calling, yes I have different gifts, but I like everyone within the body answers to the head which is Christ and if we do anything for one another in this, we pass instructions in the same manner that neurons pass information from one cell to another in the body.

1 Corinthians 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? but we have the mind of Christ.

… to instruct us in all things by stirring up that which is in us.