It’s March Madness and that means lots and lots of basketball. I normally don’t watch a whole lot of basketball during the year but there is just something about this tournament that always gets me filling out my bracket and yelling at the TV. For 2 ½ weeks many of us revel in the unpredictability, outstanding match-ups, March rivalries, upsets, and the great talent and athleticism on display. It is often a roller coaster ride, but that’s why we love it.

I have always been a big fan of collegiate sports and admire the preparation and dedication of each player to be able to compete at this high level. As I watch this year’s tournament unfold, one thing is certain; these players did not just decide to play basketball in March. They have been training for this opportunity all year long.

Here lies an example for Christians to embrace. The prize is not won without dedication and daily effort. While we may not be running up and down a court, the Bible does tell us the Christian life is a race. Paul said, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it” (1 Corinthians 9:24). “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).

The NCAA championship is not won by being out of shape and unprepared. Likewise, a Christian will never get to Heaven being spiritual weak. Paul instructed Timothy to exercise himself unto godliness (1 Tim. 4:7). Are you in shape?

Let me suggest the following daily exercise regimen. If followed daily it will increase your spiritual strength and endurance. Also, these exercises are great for the heart (Proverbs 23:7, 4:23).

• Walk Every Day - “Walk worthy of the calling which you were called” (Eph. 4:1). “Walk in love” (Eph 5:1, Rom 6:4). ”For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). “Walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).
• Upward Presses - “I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me…press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:12,14).
• Knee Bends -  “Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18). “Men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1)

•  Various Lifts – “And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up” (Acts 3:7). “He took him by the right hand and lifted him up” (Acts 3:7). “Bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:2). “Lifting up holy hands” (1 Timothy 2:8). “Lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” (John 4:35).
•  Incline Exercises – “Now therefore,” he said, “put away the foreign gods which are among you, and incline your heart to the Lord God of Israel” (Joshua 24:23). “I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes forever” (Psalm 119:112).

• Healthy Diet – “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4; c.f. Acts 17:11).

• Proper Hydration – “…whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14).
• Meditation – “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

Can you think other beneficial exercises? Remember “bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come” (1 Timothy 4:8).

- Josh Allen (Pikeville, KY)

Using some of the most beautiful words ever spoken, Jesus lovingly calls:
 
            “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn 
              from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My                       burden is light.” (Matthew 11:18-30)

What an invitation! Jesus, the Prince of peace (Isaiah 9:6), offers comfort and rest to “all” who will come. But Jesus not only said “come to Me”, He also said, “learn of Me.” To be a “disciple” is to be a “learner” (lit.), a pupil, a student of Jesus. He is the pattern for every Christian (1 Cor 11:1), the focus of every sermon (Acts 8:35), the motive for every decision (2 Cor 5:14), and the source of every blessing (Eph 1:3). To find rest, one must not only “come” to Him, but “learn” of Him.

I recently read an article that told of a Christian revival in Rwanda years ago. In describing things that contributed to it’s success, the article claimed, “Christians were known for asking one another, ‘What have you learned about Jesus today?’”

What an outstanding question! The pursuit of Jesus is essential to spiritual blessing. Change will not happen without it (Rom 10:17, 12:1-2). True growth can not occur in its absence. The Apostle Peter proclaimed, “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3). Are you pursing this knowledge? In other words, “What have you learned about Jesus today?”

- Josh Allen (Pikeville, KY)

I hear the question, “Have you eaten yet?” on most days. It is a call to fellowship because it is usually precedes a lunch invitation. At other times is a loving reminder from my wife who believes I skip too many meals. So, it is her reminder to not get distracted and pass up on something needed.

Have you ever noticed how often the Bible is referred to in edible terms? 

• Job declared, “I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12)
• David believed the law of the Lord was “"sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb." (Psalm 19:10)
• Peter encourages Christians, "as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious." (1 Peter 2:2-3)
• Jesus taught that the Word is more essential than our daily bread. “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Mt 4:4, Dt 8:3)
• Jeremiah said, “Your words were found, and I ate them, and Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart...” (Jeremiah 15:16)
• The Hebrews writer spoke of the meat of the word, "...you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. 13 For everyone who partakes only of milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, for he is a babe. 14 But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil." (Hebrews 5:12-14)

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled” (Mt 5:6). So to you friend, I lovingly ask, “Have you eaten yet?”

- Josh Allen (Pikeville, KY)

Someone recently asked, “How can I get more out my Bible Study?” This is an important question to consider. Many books have been written concerning this very question, however, one does not have to read a book to be able to read the good Book. Here are a few simple suggestions:

PRAY FOR UNDERSTANDING. The Psalmist declares, “The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple” (Psalm 119:130). The purpose of His Word is to guide and enlighten all men. As one seeks this understanding, let us not forget to ask the Father for wisdom. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). “Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things” (2 Timothy 2:7).

THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT WHAT YOU READ. The Bible cannot be read in the same way someone would flip through a magazine. It must be carefully examined. In relation to study, the Bible itself uses words such as “to reason” (Acts 17:2, 17, 18:4, 19:8) and “to search” (Acts 17:11). These terms bring with them the idea of using one’s mind to investigate, discern, and examine. One has said, “Read through the text once to become familiar with it, and then read it again for a deeper look.” It is a misconception to think that just reading through the Bible will make one wise. A good student of the Bible will be careful and diligent in his/her study with the goal of rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

DO NOT ABUSE FAMILIAR PASSAGES. A person can easily skim through a familiar text and miss the great truths found within. Familiarity can cause one to overlook certain elements of the scripture. One can also bring certain misconceptions to familiar verses. It is an easy trap to make certain assumptions about familiar verses, however, close examination of it’s context is always needed to reveal truth.

PAY ATTENTION TO THE DETAILS. Understanding the context is vital to the study of any text. One must consider who is speaking, who is being addressed, and the circumstances that gave rise to the passage under consideration. Most verses are part of a larger thought or argument. To understand the context sometimes it is necessary to back up to a previous verse or chapter. One seeking truth will desire to know the entire thought not simply a part of it. Paying close attention to these details will greatly help in conquering the text.

MAKE PRACTICAL APPLICATION. The Bible is meant to be applied to our lives. A successful study of it will end with one comparing the commands and principles that they have found with how they are living. “Be doers of the Word and not hearers only (James 1:22)

REMEMBER IT IS GOD’S BOOK. By studying the Bible you are peering into the mind of God. This is not the product of man’s imaginations, but the revelations of God. Paul praised the Thessalonians for their understanding of this, when he said, “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13). This is no ordinary book! Therefore the study of it must be done with much care and diligence.

 - Josh Allen (Pikeville, KY)

A common trait in the lives of the God’s faithful is the ability to recognize the value in the practice of daily devotions. Daniel is revealed as a man who placed importance on daily prayer and meditation (Daniel 6:10), as did David (Psalm 77:12, 46:10, 4:4), Jesus (Mark 1:35, Matthew 6:6), and a myriad of other godly men and women (c.f. Hebrews 11). This is the reason why one of our goals in 2015 is a renewed commitment to daily prayer and study.

Some who are not in the practice of having daily devotional time may need some help in getting started. Here is a simple plan to help get you get off on the right track:

• Start with a Commitment - Commit to setting aside time in your day. Take it seriously or you will never follow through. Start by having a goal of at least 15 minutes, an easily achieved goal. 

• Utilize your Resources - We have provided all of our members with a plan to read through the Bible this year. This plan can be found in the binders we handed out, in our weekly bulletin, and in our weekly devotional newsletter. You can subscribe to this email online at www.mainstcoc.org. Utilize these resources! It has been said, “Those who do not have a plan, plan to fail.”

• Read your Bible - Remember that God speaks to us through the Word, so pay attention. We often scan emails, texts, letters, and articles, but with the Bible we must take our time and really concentrate. 

• Meditate - Consider what you have read. How does this apply to my relationship with God? Are there principles in the text that I can apply to my life? Also, don’t just confine your meditation to these few minutes, think on these things through out your day. [Note: Use the devotional seeds provided in our devotional newsletter. They are designed to get you to think about the text]. 

• Pray, Pray, Pray! - This cannot be stressed this enough. Pray throughout your day (1 Thess 5:17).  James said, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). 

- Josh Allen (Pikeville, KY)

The apostles taught that Jesus is the Christian's example in all things. To Paul, He is the pattern to imitate (1 Cor 11:1). To Peter, He is the Shepherd whose footsteps Christians are to follow (1 Peter 2:21,25). To John, He is the Servant who led by example (John 13:13-17). There are countless attributes of Jesus which are worthy of emulation, however let it be noted today that Jesus was a prayerful person. 

A survey of His life reveals:

• He prayed alone before He His day began (Mark 1:35)
• He prayed alone in the afternoon (Matthew 14:23; Luke 9:18, Lk 5:16)
• He prayed with His disciples in the afternoon (Luke 9:28-29)
• He prayed alone at night...all night (Luke 6:12)
• He prayed in public (Matthew 11:25-27; John 11:41-42, 12:27-28)
• He prayed before important decisions (Luke 6:12-13)
• He prayed at important events (i.e. after His baptism, Luke 3:21-22)
• He prayed in moments of deep agony (Lk 22:42; Matthew 27:46)
• He prayed to before meals (Mk 8:6; Mt 26:26; Luke 24:30)
• He prayed to teach others (Matthew 6:9-13)
• He prayed for others (Lk 22:31-32)
• He prayed for His disciples (John 17:6-19)
• He prayed for His future disciples (John 17:20-26)
• He prayed for children (Matthew 19:13-15)
• He prayed for His enemies (Luke 23:34)
• He prayed to heal (Mark 7:34-35)
• He prayed with thanksgiving (John 11:41-42; Luke 10:21-22)
• He prayed with loud cries and tears (Hebrews 5:7)
• He prayed the same prayer multiple times (Matthew 26:39,42,44)
• He prayed short prayers (John 12:27-28)
• He prayed long prayers (John 17:1-26; Lk 6:12)
• He prayed kneeling (Lk 22:41)
• He prayed standing (John 17:1)
• He prayed laying prostrate with His face in the ground (Matthew 26:39)
• He prayed according to the Father's will (Mt 26:36-44)
• He prayed with His dying breath (Lk 23:46)
• He prayed before He ascended back to Heaven (Luke 24:50-53)

The prayer life of Jesus helps one understand the command "pray without ceasing" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). Jesus was continually prayerful. He placed a priority on prayer. It was a large part of His day and His life. What an amazing (and challenging) example to follow!


- Josh Allen (Pikeville, KY)