Piano Lessons

     Once a week when I was in grade school, I would spend an hour taking a lesson to learn how to play the piano.  Along with that my Mom set up a half an hour practice time for every day.  This went on for about three years.  At the end of those three years, I was an average piano player.  I could read music and I could play three books full of basic songs.  After practicing and lessons for three years, I played a little bit here and a little bit there but I never got really good.
     What is the difference between an expert or professional piano player and me?  I would say, love, time, and dedication.
     God has given us the gift of Jesus, how much time should we spend with Him?  One hour a week?  One hour a week and a half an hour a day, maybe?  As with my piano lessons that might make us average Christians, but it takes more to really excel.  We should love Jesus, dedicate ourselves to Him, and practice the things that He wants to teach us.
     Some of the things that we should be dedicated to are:
1. Reading and studying the Bible; Know God and what He wants
     for us.
2.Prayer; prayer sharpens us.  You can cut a lot of wood with a dull
     ax, but why would you want to work harder for less.  So sharpen
     your ax.
3.Fellowship; keeps the fire burning.  It takes many pieces of wood
     close  together, to make a good fire.  If you take just one of the
     sticks, put it in the fire and let it catch fire then set it apart from
     the others, chances are it would go out.  We need fellowship to
     keep us burning strong.  And sometimes we need it most when
     when we want it least.
4.Giving; our heart is where our treasure is, and not the other way
     around.  Give to God where he leads, and your heart will be with
     Him.
5.Ministry; Ministry feeds us.
    
     So weather it's piano, or Jesus, it takes love, time, practice and dedication to be more than average, to excel.