1 Peter 2:2 – “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”
2 Timothy 2:15 – “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
The excitement of going off to college is before you! Thinking of all the details of what you need to bring, getting a job, transportation etc.… it can be overwhelming! Your success in Bible college does not depend on any of those things though. It hinges on the most important thing, your walk with God. As I found out early in my freshman year of Bible college, one of the easiest places to backslide is Bible college. How can this be? You are surrounded by and immersed in the Bible. Whether it be required reading, chapel, or church, the Bible is taught constantly, as it should be. The issue comes when you are not diligent in having your OWN personal time with God, just because you are taught the Bible constantly does not mean you have a relationship with the Lord. As a teenager getting ready to graduate, now is the time to strengthen your walk with God. Here are some ways to help you maintain and grow your walk with God before during your college years.
1. Have a set time in your schedule to spend time with God. – Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”
A wise man once said, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” This is absolutely true when it comes to spending time with God. The biggest obstacle is prioritizing our devotions. I understand your life is busy, but you have more time than you think you do. It is all in what you deem important. For example, spend time with God before you watch TV, play video games, spend time with friends etc. now obviously life is going to happen and there will be days where nothing is going to go as planned. Which will result in you missing your normal quiet time. For those days which should be few, be determined to not to let a 24-hour period go by without reading the Bible Whether it be a verse or a chapter, read something and talk to your Saviour!
2. Have a set plan when reading the Bible. – 1 Corinthians 14:40 “Let all things be done decently and in order.”
When it comes to Bible reading you should have a plan or goal. Whether it is a 1-year Bible reading chart or reading through certain books of the Bible, have a goal and follow through. Often times the teenagers I talk to who do not read their Bible consistently fail to because they simply have no plan. They sit down, open their Bible, read a verse or two then do not touch their Bible for a couple days. This should not be the case. Even if it is one of those “life happens” days, as we talked about in point 1, I suggest reading a chapter in Proverbs every day. One of the best pieces of advice I was given was from my grandfather when I was 12, and it was to read a chapter of Proverbs every day. What a impact that has made on my life. You will never regret prioritizing your walk with God!
3. Be determined to spend time with God daily. – Proverbs 18:1 “Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.”
There will be days that you do not feel like reading your Bible and praying. Everyone gets like that from time to time. This is when your spiritual and physical character level will show. You must determine within yourself that you will have your quiet time. The devil will give you any excuse you can think of to not walk with God. He will deter you in any way he can so when you are off your spiritual game he can swoop in and ruin your life. He knows a weak Christian is an easy target for him, do not let him win.
Josh Clapp | Youth Pastor
Victory Baptist Church | Winthrop, Maine
https://www.vbcwinthrop.org/
