In this episode of the Weekday Podcast, Pastor Chuck discusses the Christian life as one rooted in what Jesus has done—conquering sin and death—and the invitation to grow in faith through spiritual disciplines. He emphasizes that spiritual growth is not about earning salvation but about consistency in practices like prayer, Bible reading, fasting, and worship, which help believers become more like Christ. Citing 1 Thessalonians and Ephesians, he highlights that rejecting spiritual discipline is, in essence, rejecting God's guidance. He encourages listeners to reflect on their faith journey, engage with Scripture, and actively build habits that draw them closer to God.
Hi, everybody. This is Pastor Chuck Allen. And again, thanks so much for joining me on today's weekday podcast.
I mentioned the other day that the Christian message is the good news that Jesus the Lord has come. We just celebrated his birthday, has risen. We'll celebrate that at the end of March for Easter this year. And he came conquering sin and death, and that now Jesus invites us to share his new life. It's a life of forgiveness because sin has been overcome, and it's a life of hope because death has been defeated. It's also a life in a new family, the church. You.
You see, being a Christian, my friend, doesn't start with what we do. Keep in mind it starts with what Jesus has done for us. So I want to remind you what it sounds like to grow up in Christ. I want to remind you that we are talking about consistency over the next few days and what it is like to build spiritual disciplines in our Life.
Listen to 1 Thessalonians 2:13, where Paul writes, "therefore," now remember, every time you read therefore in Scripture, you stop and ask yourself, what's that? Therefore? Therefore. Well, this therefore is to say, hey, whatever is going on in your life, stop and remember these words. We never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn't think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God, which of course it is. And the Word continues to work in you who believe.
Now, when we believe that as followers of Jesus, when we ask Jesus into our life, then what we recognize is that God has given us His Word and He's given us His Spirit, that we might receive direction and correction and we might be able to grow and be sanctified as we grow, to become more like Christ.
So let's talk a minute about spiritual disciplines and the kind that every follower of Jesus should apply in their spiritual growth. Now, there's several examples. Things like fasting or prayer, Bible reading, meditation, gratitude, journaling, worshiping. In the Apostle Paul's first letter to Timothy, he makes a big deal about spiritual discipline in the lives of the followers. He says, God has called us in 1 Thessalonians 4:7, "God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching, but is." And listen to this word rejecting. There's that word, rejecting God, who gives His Holy Spirit to you. So in other words, when we get Jesus because of what he's done, he gives us His Spirit, which then gives us direction. And if we choose not to follow that, then we are rejecting God.
Eugene Peterson in the Message put that same verse this way. "God hasn't invited us into a disorderly, grungy life, but into something holy and beautiful, as beautiful on the inside as the outside. If you disregard this advice, you're not offending your neighbors. You're rejecting God, who is making you a gift of His Holy Spirit." In other words, if you want the very best God has intended for you this year, if you want God's richest blessings, you should know that they come with sanctification, his working in you and your desire for him to do so, which includes building and being consistent with spiritual disciplines.
Now, for the record, spiritual disciplines are not legalistic and they're not necessary for salvation. We're not saved because of how committed we are to them, since that would mean salvation by our works. But we know that salvation is only by God's grace, because Ephesians 2:8-9 says, God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can't take credit for this. It is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done. So none of us can boast about it. If anything, spiritual discipline is a growth lifestyle for the body of Christ. I think it does several things. Building spiritual disciplines in your life will build consistency in your life. It will fight complacency in your life and will draw you closer to God in your life.
I want to encourage you to recognize that the story of Jesus in you is continually being written. It's continually being a part of your story and the story that God's doing in your life. So today, put one of those in place and ask yourself, what piece of scripture have I read today? And I encourage you. Go to Colossians, chapter one, beginning in verse 15 and read through verse 23. It starts with this admonishment. The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities. All things have been created through him and for him and my friend, I'll let you finish the rest of that in your spiritual journey today. But know that you are part of what's been created through him and for Him.
God bless you my friend. Thanks so much for joining me on today's weekday podcast.
