Back To Basics

Back to Basics

Dear Children,

Before you are able to take the PSLE in Primary 6, you will have to learn the basics or foundation of the school subjects—English, Mathematics, Science, and Chinese. Unless you are a genius, if you were to proceed straight to take the PSLE without going through the basics of the subjects, you would not be able to make it. Likewise, in our spiritual walk with God, we need to go back to the basics. What are the basics then?

The basics or foundation of Christian living is to know the Living Word intimately, ie. Jesus Christ Himself. Also, we have to know the written Word of God, to have a strong relationship with the God of the Word and to fellowship with other Christian friends.

Knowing Intimately the Living Word
Jesus is the living Word. He came to this world to save sinners. Who are the sinners? Everyone in the whole human race is a sinner. Romans 3:23 clearly stated without apology: For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. You and I are separated from the holy God because of sin. How then can we ever get to know Jesus since we are His enemies? Thank God, we can through believing in God’s great love for us by sending Jesus to live righteously, without sin for us and to die obediently on the cross for our sins. Instead of us being punished, He was punished for our sins. Isa 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. The apostle Paul by the Holy Spirit revealed God’s love in Romans 5:8—But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us

Hence, if we put our trust in Jesus, we are able to know Him intimately. The Holy Spirit will put a holy desire in us to love Him. However, it must be noted that at times we let our sins grieve the Holy Spirit.

Knowing God’s Word
In our busy schedule, we must never neglect the reading of the Bible. There are some of us who have taken the easy way out by just reading the devotional books and leave the Bible unread. The devotional is just a “dessert”. But the main course or staple of spiritual food is the Bible.

We need to have a diligent and daily intake of God’s Word to walk in the Spirit to have a relationship with our God. Not only we read the Bible, the Bible reads us. Other books are given for our information. The Bible is given for our transformation. A young believer was given a Bible by his Sunday School teacher. A warning note was pasted on the Bible that read: Warning: This book is habit forming. Regular use causes loss of anxiety, decreased appetite for lying, cheating, stealing, hating. Symptoms: increased sensations of love, peace, joy, compassion.

Read the wonderful words of life everyday. It is a lamp to our feet, a light to our path. Job 23:12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

Having a Strong Relationship with God
To have a strong relationship with God, we must not neglect prayer. Charles Spurgeon, the prince of preachers ever said, “A prayerless life is a Christless life.” If we are not talking to God and regard prayer as burdensome, then we need to reexamine whether we are saved.

God wants us to watch and pray. 1 Peter 4:7, But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. To maintain a daily consistent prayer life is hard work. Satan does not want us to pray. It would be a threat to him and his work when we pray. He puts high priority to destroy our prayer lives. Without prayer, it is easy for the cutting edge of spiritual life to grow blunt and dull. The result would be complacency. We fail to walk closer and having a true relationship with God is when we deny prayer and the Word. Ps 55:17 Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice.

There is a poem entitled “Too Busy Too Tired” that speaks so much of us:

Too busy this morning
I’ll say a prayer quick
Tonight I’ll have time
To study and to think.

Tonight I’m too tired
To study God’s Word
I’ll wait til next week
Then I’ll worship the Lord

Next week came too fast;
But it seems that I may
Have more time next month
To read and then to pray

Next month! Oh yes,
I just wonder why
My love for the Lord
Is about ready to die…

Having Fellowship with Brethren in Christ
It is important that we find good bosom Christian friends in Church whom we can share our daily struggles and feelings. With good Christian friends we could build one another up in the faith. Hebrews 10:24-25 says,
And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together…. Hence, no man is an island in Church. We have to have fellowship with brethren in Christ. Proverbs 27:17 says, Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

Conclusion
We must return to the basics if we want to have a deeper relationship with God. We must not neglect to examine our salvation, to read God’s Word, to pray and also to fellowship others.

May the Lord help us.