The Key to Godliness « George & Eunice Adventures

What is the secret to maturity in Christ? What one thing should a Christian do to ensure spiritual prosperity in all seasons of life? In other words, what is the key to godliness?

The key to Godliness in life is ongoing personal devotions

6 years ago I committed to coming before the Lord, reading His word, and seeking Him in prayer every morning. Like most people, I was not a morning person and carving out time meant waking up at 5 AM. However, when Eunice left for Winnipeg for a two year Occupational Therapy degree, I battened down the hatches of my spiritual life for the long haul. I was, at the time, a spiritual baby since I had just become a Christian. I knew that the Lord called me to a piety that was more than just showing up Sunday morning and being overly nice to people. The Gospel was too magnificent and glorious for such a benign response. So when I asked my pastor what I could do to secure consistent and lasting growth in godliness he told me to “get in the Word daily”. Praise the Lord that I have followed my pastor’s advice to this day! As a result, I have:

Faced each new day with Christ before me and beside me
gained a deeper understanding of the Bible and in turn the God of the Bible
grown in my thinking, my character, and my convictions
never strayed too far away from God’s discipline and instruction

But don’t take it just from me, listen to what the Psalmist declares about the benefits of personal devotions:

Blessed is the man…who’s delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law, he meditates day and night,
He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
That yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does he prospers.
(Psalm 1:1-3)

The Key to Godliness — *The Joshua Tree thrives for hundreds of years in the deserts of Southern California due to its deep root system.*

The Miracle of Personal Devotions

It’s important to note that the spiritual act of personal devotions is nothing short of a miracle; it proceeds from the saving act of God and the illumination of his Holy Spirit in a believer’s life.

When Christ offered himself on the cross, God fully accepted this sacrifice and opened the doors into his presence. This was demonstrated when the veil that separated all men and women from the Holy of Holies where God dwelt, was torn in two (Matt. 26:50-51). All of a sudden communion with God was made available to all who would turn from their self-sufficiency and take hold of Christ’s sufficiency. Through the working of the Holy Spirit, their eyes would be opened and their hearts receptive to God’s instruction through His Word.

Now every believer can say, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6). A Christian glows in godly radiance when they internalize more and more Scripture. As their eyes glean over God’s Word, they become healthy and full of light (Lk. 11:34-35). They are instructed, corrected, and trained for every need they will encounter in life and ministry (2 Tim. 3:16).

Therefore, the key to godliness is embracing this miracle of illumination and spending time in the Lord’s presence daily. This spiritual discipline will unlock the door to sustained growth in your maturity.

In the following weeks, I’m going to walk you through the pursuits of personal devotions, the benefits of personal devotions, the methods of personal devotions, and the best advice I have found on the subject.

Hopefully these posts will teach, encourage, motivate, and bless you in your own Bible reading time.