Our thanks to Darlene Quiring for sending this devotional in. Billy Sunday was a popular Major League Ball player in the 1880’s and then became the most celebrated and influential Evangelist in America during the first two decades of the 20th Century.
How to Make a Success of the Christian Life
by Evangelist Billy Sunday
Now that you are a child of God your growth depends upon yourself.
It is impossible for you to become a useful Christian unless you are willing to do the things which are absolutely essential to your spiritual growth. To this end the following suggestions will be found to be of vital importance:
1. STUDY THE BIBLE: Set aside at least fifteen minutes a day for Bible Study. Let God talk to you fifteen minutes a day through His Word. Talk to God fifteen minutes a day in prayer. Talk for God fifteen minutes a day.
“As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby.” I Peter 2:2.
The word of God is food for the soul.
Commit to memory one verse of Scripture each day. Join a Bible class. (Psa. 119:11)
2. PRAY MUCH: Praying is talking to God. Talk to Him about everything your perplexities, joys, sorrows, sins, mistakes, friends, enemies.
“Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Phil 4:6.
3. WIN SOMEONE FOR CHRIST: For spiritual growth you need not only food (Bible study) but exercise. Work for Christ. The only work Christ ever set for Christians is to win others.
“Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” Mark 16:15.
“When I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.” Ezek. 3:18.
4. SHUN EVIL COMPANIONS: Avoid bad people, bad books, bad thoughts. Read the First Psalm.
“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness, and what communion hath light with darkness what part hath he that believeth with an infidel wherefore come out from among them and be ye separate, saith the Lord.” II Corinthians 6:14-17.
Try to win the wicked for God, but do not choose them for your companions.
5. JOIN SOME CHURCH: Be faithful in your attendance at the Sabbath and mid-week services.
“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is.” Heb. 10:25.
Co-operate with your pastor. God has appointed the pastor to be a shepherd over the church and you should give him due reverence and seek to assist him in his plans for the welfare of the church.
6. GIVE TO THE SUPPORT OF THE LORDS WORK: Give as the Lord hath prospered you. I Cor. 16:2.
“Give not grudgingly or of necessity, fo God loveth a cheerful giver.” I Cor. 9:7.
7. DO NOT BECOME DISCOURAGED: Expect temptations, discouragement and persecution; the Christian life is warfare. “Yea and all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” II Tim. 3:12.
The eternal God is thy refuge. We have the promises that all things, even strange and hard unaccountable obstacles, work together for our good. Many of Gods brightest saints were once as weak as you are, passed through dark tunnels and the hottest fire, and yet their lives were enriched by their experiences, and the world made better because of their having lived in it.
Read often the following passages of Scripture: Romans 8:18; James 1:12; I Corinthians 10:13.
