My 12 Biblical Life Principles

“Let your life be a stepping stone to Christ and not a stumbling block.” 1 Cor. 8:13 & 10:31

"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify God who is in heaven." Matt. 5:16

My 12 Biblical Life Principles

By C. Herman Reece, D.D.S.

1. There is a God; it is not me; He created everything; He has revealed Himself through creation and through His Word; He loves me; and He has my best interest in mind!  The only thing I control is my attitude.
2. Christ came to earth as a virgin-born Son of God, and He lived a perfect life. He paid the penalty for my rebellious sin nature (my desire to be god of my own life) when he took my sin, became sin, and died for me. Sin results in separation from God. Grace is receiving what wedo NOT deserve (eternal life in Him). Mercy is not receiving what we DO deserve (eternal separation from Him – spiritual death).
3. God is all we need! We are called by God, to God, for God, to glorify Him in all we do, as we serve as His ambassadors. He has given us the power to live successfully in Him.
4. It is easy to become part of God’s eternal family; it is free to us because it cost Him so much. All we need do is come to Him in prayer and profess Him as Lord, receive Him by faith as our risen Savior, and follow Him as Lord.
5. God planned for us to be part of His eternal family before the creation of the worldjust for His pleasure and He wanted to. Since God is outside of time so from His perspective those He knew would receive Christ are already seen as glorified and Christ-like.  However, we have the assignment of “working out” what He has “worked in” us as He continues to conform us into the image of Christ.
6. In Christ, as His sheep, we aresecure in the Son’s hands and in the Father’s hands. As we repented and turned to Christ, we were born again, received God’s Holy Spirit - His DNA – and we became a new person with God living in us.
7. In Christ, no trial or temptation can touch us without the Father and the Son’s permission and Holy Spirit is inside us to take care of it so we can enjoy the full abundant life and be anxious for nothing - now.
8. Everything belongs to Godand He desiresfor us to prove ourselves to be good stewards so He can trust us with something more valuable – like the souls of people. Money is time converted to a transferable product. You can be as covetous over a hundred dollars as over a million. It should be held loosely, for it is painful if God must pry it out of our fingers. Money is to meet current family needs and godly desires; to give to God honoring ministry; or to store to meet future family needs and godly desires or to give to God honoring ministry, for there are no armored cars in funeral processions.  Do not spend everything for instant gratification as you receive it; bewise like the ant and store some for future needs, desires, and unexpected emergencies!  One definition of stewardship is: “Using God-given ability to manage God-owned property to accomplish God-honoring results.”
9. God desires all Christ-followers to be filled, controlled by His Holy Spirit every minute of every day to honor and glorify Him in worship, family, work and play. We are prone to worship our work, work at our play, and play at our worship. God is our life, and if married, our spouse is our number one God given assignment and responsibility.
10. God desires us to continually get to know Him better, obey what we know, to show we love Him; pass Him on to others because we love them.
11. God wants us to know that we have eternal life. Jesus is eternal life so if we have Him we have eternal life now!
12. God makes it possible for us to live a victorious Christ-like life, in intimate fellowship with Him and others. He continues to rebuke, discipline, and guides us to use each day wisely and plan to finish strong.

NOTE: If you would like a copy of the Scriptures that were memorized to go with each of the 12 Principles, respond to this email.

C. Herman Reece was an Oral and Maxillo-facial Surgeon; he served as CBMC/OKC Metro Chairman for ten years before becoming the first OKC/OKC Metro Director in 1983.