The Biblical Foundation to Support a Rule of Life
Hello Lake Springs followers! We wanted to share with you a couple of takeaways from Derek’s “Rule of Life” sermon, and their biblical foundation. Hopefully, this helps with applying your own rule of life daily and helps you be with Jesus, become like Jesus, and do what Jesus did.
Scripture and Prayer – Jesus in his day was known for his knowledge and application of scripture, and numerous times is said to have retreated to the secret place to pray, such as in Matthew 4 where he constantly prays and responds to the devil’s temptations with scripture. Or in Matthew 9:11-13 where Jesus quotes Hosea 6:6 in response to the Pharisee’s grumbling. Part of our mission statement as a church is to become like Jesus, and we believe that we are called to read and take in scripture and pray regularly.
Fasting – Jesus took time to strengthen the spirit by denying and starving the flesh. In Luke 4, he is led by the spirit into the wilderness and fasted for forty days and forty nights, and withstands some of the toughest temptations by the devil. Fasting is a tough practice, but it is incredibly helpful in strengthening our relationship with Christ, as we deny our fleshly desires and temptations, focusing solely on Him.
Sabbath – Exodus 31:12-17 God says to Moses that Israel needs to keep the Sabbath holy. It was of incredible importance to God that they do that because, “17 it is a sign forever between me and the people of Israel that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested and was refreshed.” A Sabbath day is a day of rest, where we slow down the hurried pace of ourselves and step away from most everything. It’s a time that we can spend with the Lord and with our family. It is a sign to the busy and chaotic world around us that we will live at a different pace and rhythm like our God.
Community – We see in Acts 2 that the Apostles take on fellowship as something to be devoted to along with other practices. A group of friends united in Christ and faithfully followed him no matter the cost. We want to encourage and help you find a group of friends with whom you can be open and honest. This doesn’t have to be a Bible Study, but a group of people that you can share your life with, and people that can share their life with you.
Simple Living – Matthew 6:25-34 Jesus talks about worry, and specifically not worrying about the simple things. In verse 26 he says, “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” Jesus calls us not to worry about the things that God will provide for us, so why not live in a way that emphasizes that? Why not live more simply, where we don’t need to strive to be the best or live the most luxurious life possible? This can be a way to help against the worries of life, it can help us create margin in our lives. It can be a practice of not saying “yes” to everything and can help us fight anxiety and trust God will always provide. This is also a great practice to build a heart of generosity toward those around you. This can be different for everyone, as everyone is in a different spot, but we encourage you to think about what the benefits of “Simple Living” would mean for you and your family.
These five are what Derek talked about on Sunday, and what makes up his rule of life. We encourage you to go to the scriptures, see what the early disciples did to stay connected to God and start coming up with a rule of life that helps you better your relationship with Jesus.