Read the Bible as much as you can.

Pray as much as you can.

Worship with the church as often as you can.

This advice seems too simple to be heralded as "advice for a lifetime" but it is simple only in the aspect that it is easy to understand. It is anything but simple from the standpoint that it will require a total commitment to God. It also requires a return to the basics, which is important because religion has become so complicated, convoluted and partisan that many people have become discouraged and have given up on the most important area of their life - their service to God.

Here is why this simple concept works: If you read the Bible as much as you can, you begin to find out what God wants you to do. While there are difficult passages, the old myth that no one can really understand the Bible is ridiculous. If you can tell your children not to lie and expect them to know exactly what you mean, then the Creator of the universe can tell us not to lie and expect us to understand.

Concerning prayer, what could be better than to have a constant line of communication with God? Since we have it, we should use it! Use it to thank Him for everything, for requesting help for others and for seeking guidance.

As for worship, everyone wants to know where to worship. Just read your Bible and find the one closest to the church you see described. You've been given a mind - use it! We must settle for ourselves whether we will believe what we believe because of where we worship, or if we will worship where we worship because of what we believe. In short, the worthwhile life we seek will come down to this:

 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." This is the first and greatest commandment."

Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 22:37-38, NIV