The Eight Habits of Spiritually Healthy People

The Eight Habits of Spiritually Healthy People
Dr. John Barnett, Discover the Book
Monday, October 05, 2009

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1PrintEmailHere is the question to ponder today, how hard is it to die when you have so much wealth? Consider this...

People who lay up treasures on earth spend their life backing away from their treasures. To them, death is loss.

People who lay up treasures in heaven look forward to eternity; they are moving daily toward their treasures. To them, death is gain.

Those who spend their life moving away from their treasures have more and more reasons to despair. Those who spend their life moving toward their treasures have more and more reasons to rejoice.

Is the passing of time causing you and me to despair or rejoice? God's ownership of everything is the reference point for all of us who serve the Lord.[1]

God's Word teaches us eight habits that can keep us spiritually healthy until death. Wouldn't it be great to be in robust spiritual health, looking forward to Heaven? The habits recorded in Psalm 116 are not just for those who have one foot in the grave, they are actually good habits for all of our lives.

Here are the simple habits that make our death precious in the sight of the Lord. These are the marks of a healthy spiritual life that takes the sting out of death.

v. 1 Believe in Him that He is listening and watching and respond in love.
v. 2 Cry out to Him. Get used to talking to the Lord. Pour out your heart, your fears, your woes - share them with Him.
v. 9 Follow Him through your daily life. He is the Shepherd and we are His sheep.
v. 13 Drink Him. He is our cup of salvation. We thirst and He alone satisfies. Let Him into your life to meet your deepest needs!
v. 14 Obey Him. Do what He says. Give in and submit to Him.
v. 16 Serve Him. Tell Him that, say it aloud and offer it as an offering.
v. 17 Thank Him. Think through all the many blessings and benefits the Lord has heaped upon you. If you have troubles, listen to some children pray. They thank the Lord for eyes to see, warm "blankies" to sleep under, food to eat and all the other simple and sweet blessings of life.
v. 18-19 Live for Him. From now on live for His glory, talk of His blessings, come into His presence, worship and adore Him.
Do your plans and priorities for the rest of 2009 mirror what the Lord desires? His desires are clearly laid out in His Word.

Our key passage for this series is 1st Timothy 4.7. Paul says we are to discipline our selves towards godliness. What encourages a godly life?

The Discipline of Scripture. Time alone with God in His Word, the Scriptures, is the great necessity of our spiritual lives. We need to be alone with God daily! We need to find times to get away alone. Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. The Lord God of the Universe wants to Arrange your life, and Accompany you trip through life, and authorize everything needed from now on. Wow, that is the best life there is.

The Discipline of Spirit Filled Living. Jesus explained the Holy Spirit in our lives by using the image of a strong river of water flowing out of us. John 7.37-38. John 7:37-39 On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink (present active imperative). He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Rivers of water is the way Jesus describes the normal life of believers, His children.