Often we can get into a rut in our Christian walk. Rather than growing in our faith, we tend to become stagnant in our walk. This can happen for various reasons; however, it is best for us not to remain mediocre. We need to be growing in our relationship with Christ constantly. This can be hard in certain life seasons, yet there are ways to challenge ourselves.
Here are five biblical challenges to challenge yourself with this fall:
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1. Wake Up an Hour Earlier for Bible Study
One biblical challenge this fall is to wake up an hour earlier for Bible study. This can be challenging for many of us, as I’m not a morning person either. It can be especially hard to wake up an hour earlier when you have to be at work at a certain time and have a hectic morning schedule. While this is difficult, it is a biblical challenge we can set for ourselves. Sleeping is good for our physical health, and we all need it; therefore, going to bed an hour earlier will properly compensate so you can wake early for Bible study.
When you wake up an hour earlier, you will have time to read your Bible and study. You can include a devotional with your Bible study too if you don't know where to start. Some Bible study plans cover a year, whereas, others cover a specific topic or book of the Bible. There are many online Bible studies that you could pick from, or you could just read from the Bible without a plan. Take the time to discover what works best for you.
The main idea is that your Bible study time needs to be consistent. It is best to do Bible study first thing in the morning because the lessons and what you learn from the Bible will be on your mind throughout your day. This can act as a great encouragement to you and can also make your day much brighter. If waking up earlier is simply not doable, try to read the Bible on your lunch break, listen to an audio Bible on your drive to work, or devote some time to reading the Bible at another time during your day.
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2. Pray Throughout Your Day
A second biblical challenge this fall is to pray throughout the day. Paul tells us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). While it is impossible to pray to God the entire day, the idea behind praying without ceasing is that we have our minds on God throughout the day and that we are intentionally talking with Him consistently. If you’re like me, sometimes this can be hard and you can go the entire day without speaking with God, but remember, the Lord wants to hear from us, and He wants to be a part of our daily life.
Praying throughout your day can look like talking with God before you go to work or school, talking with Him on your breaks, or offering up praise throughout the day. You don’t have to recite lengthy prayers because this isn’t what God wants. Instead, He wants you to come to Him with a genuine heart and tell Him your feelings throughout the day. He is always listening, and He always cares. Try to pray throughout the day with reverent intention. It can be hard, but all challenges are worth it if it will help us grow in our walk with the Lord.
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3. Build Others Up in the Lord
A third biblical challenge this fall is to build others up in the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:11). This is another biblical concept that will challenge you to reach out to others, encourage them, and extend Christ’s love to them. Sadly, many of our words are only used to tear others down. This shouldn’t be, as these words only hurt others. We should never purposely try to hurt people because this is not following Jesus’ teachings or emulating His character.
Instead of tearing others down in our actions and words, we need to build others up in the Lord. Think about someone in your life who needs to be built up in the Lord. Challenge yourself to reach out to them this week. Send a text message, call them, or plan to meet in person. In your conversation with them, listen to them, encourage them, and extend the Lord’s love to them. Don’t be judgmental and don’t hurt their feelings. Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you and build up your fellow believers in the Lord through your words.
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4. Memorize a Bible Passage
A fourth biblical challenge to challenge yourself this fall is to memorize a Bible passage. Many people start memorizing Bible passages when they are young; however, often, it is for prizes at Sunday School and isn't always retained or practiced in adulthood. A professor at my undergrad university talked about how she won many prizes for her knowledge of memorizing Bible verses, yet she admitted to the class that she didn’t know what any of the verses meant. She was only focused on memorizing them to win another prize and to receive praise from her team leader.
Unfortunately, this happens for many people who grow up in the church. As adult believers, we have the capacity to memorize Bible verses and truly understand what they are saying. There is no point in mindlessly memorizing passages if we do not truly understand what they mean. It is actually more beneficial to read the Bible verse, understand it, and memorize it to truly keep it in your heart. When you are memorizing a Bible passage, try to reflect on its meaning and memorize it in order to keep it in your heart.
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5. Stand Up for Christ
A fifth biblical challenge to set this fall is to stand up for Christ. In an anti-Jesus world, it is not surprising that there are many people who oppose Jesus. Standing up for Jesus looks like speaking up for biblical teachings, what the Lord teaches, and not denouncing the Lord in order to be approved by others. This is probably the most difficult of the challenges; however, it is very important. Maybe there is a neighbor or a family member who is hostile toward Jesus. Don’t stay silent. Instead, stand up for Christ.
If people were speaking badly of your friends, parents, or significant other, you would stand up for them. In the same way, how much more should we stand up for Christ? He is the One who has redeemed our souls, given us forgiveness, and has provided eternal life. As believers, we need to stand up for the Lord and not bow down to those who oppose our Savior. Living in a politically correct world is difficult, but we always need to stand with Christ instead of the world. The Lord is our Savior, and He deserves our allegiance. Just as He died for us, we need to be willing to die for Him.
If you live in the United States, you might not be as attacked or persecuted for your faith; however, there will be many who speak negatively about Christ. There are believers in China, Africa, and North Korea who stand up for Christ and lose their lives in the process. These believers are truly standing up for the Lord and giving their lives to them. While we shouldn’t actively seek out persecution, we need to be ready to stand up for Christ when the time comes.
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Originally published Sunday, 24 September 2023.
