Christian Myth - You Have to Go to Church to Be a Good Christian

"Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom." Psalm 51:5-6 KJV. My goal in this series is to shine a light deep into your psyche and reveal those things that you and I have as core beliefs that guide our behavior. Some of our behavior as Christians is based on traditions we accept without clear definition of where those traditions came from. Other beliefs come from our inherited sin nature and are hidden for the most part. When we all began our journey to please God and we failed to live up to what we believe God expected of us, we automatically acted out shame, guilt, and fear. It's part of our fallen nature. On the other hand, after we begin our life with Jesus, we are guided in part by the status quo, what everyone else is doing and especially those we look up to, our parents, leaders in the church, etc... This is where things can become confusing, it did for me anyway and since you are reading this article, I bet it has for you too. As I said before, in my search for peace at a very young age, I saw a very different Jesus in the people in church than I saw in the bible... Let's talk about church attendance for a minute. Attending church the way we do in America and around the world is a tradition that has been passed down since nearly the time of Jesus. There are a few references in the bible to how and when the believers met together and what they did when they met, and you may be surprised to find out that it was nothing like Church today! Let me say before I start that I really don't want to get in a Theological debate over this issue. You should work out your own salvation with fear and trembling (See Ph. 2:12). Remember my goal here is to shed light on traditions and natural inbred reactions that we call Christianity. I want to help you get free from religious pressure, and if you don't agree with me that's perfectly alright with me. I would just like you to take an honest look at this with me and see if it is a place where you are under pressure or guilt and shame. So, having said that, let's dive right in... There is no instruction in the New Testament on set times to worship. If it is there, I've never found it! There are references to Christians meeting in their homes and in the temple, on Saturdays and on Sundays! I learned in Bible College that you can't argue from silence. In other words, if there is not specific reference to something we can't just assume it's so when the Bible is silent on an issue. There is traditional precedence for meeting on Sunday, but not biblical instruction. I said all this to say that you can be perfectly in the will of God if you don't go to church. Remember our right standing with God is based on the gift of righteousness, not our performance. Now, having said that let me say that we all need the body of believers that make up the church! We need instruction and fellowship, guidance, prayer, and deliverance. But we don't need the feelings of inadequacy and pressure that comes with connecting with people who are not like Jesus! Making the case for our need for each other, Paul said, "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching." (Heb 10:24-25) We need fellowship, but not control. We need instruction but not doctrine. We need connection with God, but not a set of rules! Are you getting the picture? We need each other but we don't need everything that comes with the modern church. The early Christians met daily for fellowship and food at times (Acts 2:46). They met house to house and in the temple! Paul made a reference to some gathering of offering on the first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:2). In the early church the meetings were more spontaneous, more alive and dynamic --- They understood the incredible liberating nature of what Jesus accomplished on the cross. They were genuinely excited beyond belief and it was reflected in the world hearing the gospel of Jesus! Whether you attend church or not you can learn of Jesus and receive His great atonement. You can walk with continual fellowship with God and live in His blessings. If you are not attending church, don't sweat it --- God will show you how to connect with the "right" people. People He has prepared to be real friends to you. Trust Him with your connections and don't let the enemy deprive you of His blessing if you haven't found your place yet. For some of you, God may be calling you to gather people in your home for fellowship, food, and sharing. For other, there may be a local body that you connect with. Whatever the case, just know that God is pleased with your heart attitude towards Him, not your ability to get in a church somewhere! Let's get away from this idea that if you don't attend a traditional church on Sunday, that you are not in the will of God. Let's not be afraid to go against the status quo if it brings peace in our lives. And don't be afraid to step out in your gift and calling to do great things for God. I don't have any reason to use the bible to convince you to go to church. Trusting God for your relationships is very important to God because He want to put you in a good place, among real friends. Jesus will be the best friend you will ever have and He wants the best for you while you are here! Because of the organization of the 21st Century church, Pastors need people to attend their churches and they need to teach on tithing and offerings in order to keep the structure together. This can be a pitfall for leaders and can skew the message. Let's get to the place where everything we do is done in faith and springs from our relationship with our Father, not some tradition of pressure we feel. The First Century move of Christianity was pushed forward by individuals, empowered by God, operating in their individual gifts! You are the Church, you make the difference and it's Jesus in you who can deliver you, provide for you, and use you to do great things with your life while you are alive on this Planet... Connect with those that God brings in your life and allow His lordship to guide you in those connections whether they are in a local church or not. I have much more to say about this subject but I'll save it for another day. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2129990

Secrets to Christian Church Growth

Christian church growth is often misunderstood to refer to the increasing number of attendees and members of a church. Many churches that experienced significant increase in number admit the loss of good attributes of small churches such a closer fellowship and more focused care. Church growth that is desired by most churches is the growth in the quality of its members. They want to nurture their members to achieve a certain level of spiritual maturity that will enable them to extend the same nurturing to other people. However, the reality that as the church grows in number, church leaders find it more difficult to take care of them. One of the secrets to Christian church growth is mobilizing their members to join growth groups. They (also called small groups, discipleship groups, cell groups) are composed of 7-12 attendees or members of local church. It is defined by John Malisson as the building block of life of the local congregation and is fundamental to the development of individual and corporate Christian lifestyle. Many churches, especially mega churches, and their members benefit from having healthy growth groups. They enable leaders to provide better pastoral care to members. They can equip and train their members better. The members can participate more actively in discussions in small groups than in larger seminars. They are easily encouraged to lead prayers, facilitate bible studies, share their personal concerns and counsel one another compared to bigger groups that can be threatening for them. It develops closer fellowship as well as leadership. Theyare also good communication channels and support system to the larger congregation. Growth groups are smaller version of the bigger local congregation. Healthy groups follow the activities as described in the fellowship of early Christian believers in Acts 2:44-47. Instead of apostles, they are led by facilitators or growth group leaders trained by church leaders either in equipping seminars or in more mature groups. These leaders are often tested where they must pass certain measures to determine if they possess the required biblical leadership qualities before they are assigned to handle them. This is to ensure that they would be good shepherds of the people that will be entrusted to their care. They meet regularly, usually once every week, in the house of a host or in different hosts. Growth groups can from time to time hold their fellowship in different venues or have educational tours and invite other pastors/teachers to discuss special topics. They are also expected to evangelize to people and enjoin them in the group. Some members of groups need more nurturing and equipping. Leaders may choose one or two among the growth group members to be honed as future leaders. These leaders will be the focus of one on one discipleship wherein the leader spend more time in coaching and mentoring the potential leader to enable him or her to lead the group or another group. Growth groups and discipleship groups enable the churches to expand in terms of number as well as deepen in terms of spiritual maturity. This is the secret to Christian church growth of most mega churches today. Are you looking for more information regarding Christian church growth? Visit http://www.trinitylivingtoday.com/Church-Growth-Course.html today!

Jesus Christ - Our Emmanuel, 'God With Us'

By inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Matthew in writing his Gospel points to the fulfillment of the Lord's prophecy through Isaiah in quoting Isaiah 7:14, in Matthew 1:23 - 'Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.' 'The light of the knowledge of the glory of God' is seen 'in the face of Jesus Christ.' From the days of eternity the Lord Jesus was one with the Father; He was the image of God, the image of His greatness and majesty, 'the outshining of His glory.' It was to show forth this glory that He came. To this world deep in sin He came to be 'God with us.' Therefore it was prophesied of Him, 'His name shall be called Emmanuel.' By coming, Jesus was to make visible to men the invisible God. He was The Word of God - God's very thoughts made audible. In His prayer for His disciples He says, 'I have declared unto them Thy Name,' - merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,' - that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them.' But also God's wonderful purpose of grace, the mystery of redeeming love, is the theme into which angels desired to look, and it will be their study throughout endless ages. In the light of the cross of Christ it will be seen that the law of self-renouncing love is the law of life for earth and heaven; that the love which 'seeketh not her own' has its source in the heart of God. In the beginning, God was revealed in all of creation. It was Christ that spread out the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth. He hung the worlds in space, and fashioned the flowers. 'His strength setteth fast the mountains.' 'The sea is His, and He made it.' Psalms 65:6, 65:5. The earth was filled with beauty, upon all things the message of the Father's love was written. Even though sin has greatly marred God's perfect work, yet that handwriting remains, and yet today all created things declare His handiwork, and continued care. But such are only small and partial representations as we behold God in Jesus. Jesus shows that it is the glory of our God to give: 'I do nothing of Myself,' said Christ; 'the living Father hath sent Me, and I live by the Father.' 'I seek not Mine own glory, but the glory of Him that sent Me.' John 8:28; 6:57; 8:50; 7:15. So in the heavenly courts in His ministry for all created beings: through the beloved Son, the Father's life flows out to all; through the Son it returns, in praise and joyful service, immeasurable love to the Source of all. It was sin, originating in heaven itself, that broke this flow of life and love. Lucifer, the covering cherub, desired to be first in heaven, to gain control of heavenly beings and turn them away from their Creator. He, therefore, misrepresented God, attributing to God his own evil desire for self-exaltation. In this way he deceived angels. In this way he deceived men. He led them to doubt God's word and to distrust His goodness. Because God is Holy and Righteous and Just, satan caused them to see Him as severe and unforgiving. In this way he lured men to join his rebellion against God, and satan became Prince of this world, sin permeating all of creation. Sin is first and foremost unbelief. Yes, unbelief in God, His Word, His good will toward us. This takes place in the heart and is true of everyone, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God, no matter how moral their lives might be. It is in the heart where unbelief in God lies. That the world might be brought back to God, sin's power, satan's deceptive power, was to be broken. But the service of love that God wishes could not be forced or commanded; only by love can love be awakened. To bring knowledge of God and therefore love for Him to the world, only one Being in all the universe could do. Only He that knew the height and depth of the love of God could make it known, the Sun of Righteousness must rise, 'with healing in His wings.' Malachi 4:2. The plan for our redemption was not an afterthought, formulated after the Fall. It was a revelation of 'the mystery which hath been kept in silence through times eternal,' Romans 16:25. From before the beginning, God and Christ foreknew the apostasy of satan, and man's fall through his deception. God did not ordain that sin should exist, but foreseeing its existence, He made provision to meet it. So great was His love for the world, that He promised to give His only-begotten Son, 'that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life,' John 3:16. Great is the difference between God and satan. Lucifer had said, 'I will exalt my throne above the stars of God;... I will be like the Most High.' (Isaiah 14:13,14.) But Christ, 'being in the form of God, counted His equality with God as not something to cling to, but laid aside His mighty power and glory, and taking the disguise of a slave and became like men. He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.' Philippians 2:6-8. Jesus could have remained at the Father's side, retaining the glory of heaven, the homage of angels, but He chose to come down from the throne of the universe to bring life to the perishing. Nearly two thousand years ago, a voice was heard in heaven, from the very throne of God, 'Lo, I come.' 'Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not, but a body hast Thou prepared Me...Lo, I come (in the volume of the Book it is written of Me) to do Thy will, O God.'Hebrews 10:5-7. These words announced the fulfillment of the purpose that had been hidden from eternal ages. Had He appeared with the glory that was His with the Father before the world was, we could not have endured the light of His presence. That we might behold and not be destroyed, the manifestation of His glory was shrouded, His divinity veiled with humanity, invisible glory in visible form. This great purpose had been foreshadowed in types and symbols in the Old Testament. In the pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night, God communicated with Israel, revealing His will to men, imparting His grace to them. His glory was subdued, His majesty veiled, that imperfect men might behold it. So Christ was to come in the body of our humiliation.' Philippians 3:21 'in the likeness of men.' In the eyes of the world, He possessed no unusual beauty that they should desire Him; yet He was the incarnate God, the very light of heaven and earth, His glory veiled, His greatness and majesty hidden, that He might draw near to sinful men. Since Jesus came to dwell with us, being tempted like as we are, yet without sin, we know that God knows our trials, and sympathizes with our griefs. In every doctrine of grace, every promise of joy, every deed of love, every divine attribute presented in the Saviour's life on earth, we see 'God with us.' He endured every trial to which we are subject, exercising in His own behalf no power not freely offered to us. As a man, He met temptation, and overcame in the strength given Him from God. He says, 'I delight to do Thy Will, O My God: yea Thy law is within My heart.' Psalms 4:8. He made plain the character of God's law and the nature of His service. As Son of Man, He gave us an example of perfect obedience; as Son of God, He gives us new hearts to obey. It was Christ Who from the burning bush spoke to Moses: 'I am that I am... Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.' Exodus 3:14. When He came 'in the likeness of men' He declared Himself the I AM. To us He says: 'I Am the Good Shepherd.' 'I Am the living Bread.' 'I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.' 'All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.' John 10:11; 6:51; 14:6; Matthew 28:18. 'God with us' is the surety of our deliverance from sin, the assurance of our power to obey the law of love. 'He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him.' Isaiah 53:5. Christ was treated as we deserve, that we might be treated as He deserves. He was condemned for our sins, in which He had no share, that we might be justified by His righteousness, in which we had no share. He suffered the death which was ours, that we might receive the life which was His. It was satan's purpose to bring about an eternal separation between God and man. In Christ we become more closely united to God than if we had never fallen. In taking our nature, the Saviour has bound Himself to humanity by a tie that is never to be broken: 'For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come. Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Romans 8:38,39. 'God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.' John 3:16. Not only to bear our sins, and to die as our sacrifice. God gave Him to become one of the human family, forever to retain His human nature. This is the pledge that God will fulfill His word to us. 'Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder.' God adopted human nature in His Son, and has carried it into highest heaven. It is the 'Son of Man' that shares the throne of the universe. It is the 'Son of Man' whose name shall be called, 'Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.' Isaiah 9:6. In Christ the family of earth and the family of heaven are bound together forever. Christ glorified calls to us as brother. Heaven is enshrined humanity, humanity is enfolded within the arms of the Infinite Love of God. The exaltation of the redeemed will be an eternal testimony to God's mercy. 'In the ages to come,' He will 'show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.' 'To the intent that...unto the principalities and the powers in the heavenly places might be made known...the manifold wisdom of God, according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.' Ephesians 2:7; 3:10,11. Satan's charges are refuted, and his character unveiled. By Christ's redeeming work, love's self-sacrifice, the inhabitants of earth and heaven are bound to their Creator in bonds of unbreakable union. In the place where sin abounded, God's grace much more abounds. The work of redemption will be complete. The earth itself, the very world that satan claims as his, is not only to be ransomed but exalted, honored above all other worlds in the universe of God. Here, where the King of glory lived and suffered and died - here, when He shall make all things new, the tabernacle of God shall be with men, 'and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.' Through endless ages as the redeemed walk in the light and presence of the Lord, they will praise Him for His unsearchable Gift - Immanuel, 'God with us.' The final words of Jesus our Saviour in Matthew's Gospel are spoken to us - "And remember, I am with you all the days even unto the end of the world.' Matthew 28:20. This but begins to open to us the high calling we have in Christ Jesus. It is of these things of spiritual reality that we must bear witness, that others may be drawn to know our Redeemer our Lord and Saviour. It was also of us Jesus spoke and for us that He prayed on the night of His betrayal in John 17: 'As thou has sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world...I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.' (Verses 18,23.) Through the promised Holy Spirit, truly the Spirit of Love, we are united with the Father and the Son. So great is this love, that it literally causes us to love others. It is God with us and in us that gives us our reason for a service of love, indeed for life. Though Christ is with us today by the ministry of the Holy Spirit, He is soon to come for us that we may be with Him and be like Him and see Him as He is. His promise is sure for His word is truth. In His Revelation to John chapter 22:12 Jesus says, 'And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.' Verse 17. 'And the Spirit and the bride say, Come, And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.' Can we join with the heartfelt prayer of the beloved Apostle and say 'Even so, come, Lord Jesus.' Let us pray. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5799208

Christ Jesus - Christians - The Importance Of Obedience

Jesus Christ desires us to Obey There are many different beliefs concerning religion. Fortunately, we in America have our freedom to worship God Jehovah, according to our heart. Meaning, we can worship the way we feel we should, whether it be our Lord, or to some, Satan. Let us look at the Christian doctrine, as taught through the King James Version Bible. Love as proof There may possibly be a human being that would love someone enough to die for them without hesitating. Story Two young men were good friends. Bob was single. Joe was married with a new baby girl. One day a letter came saying Joe was drafted into the army. Bob immediately told his friend that since he was married with two precious people he loved and was responsible for, that he would take his place. So Bob went off to war, and one year later was killed in combat. He died for his friend Joe, taking his place. No words could express the gratitude Joe felt for his best friend. A man named Jesus did die for someone else because He loved so much. John 3:16 tells about it. That someone else, is, every man and woman, boy or girl, that has ever lived or will live. The difference between an ordinary person dying for a loved one and Christ dying for all mankind is this: The Lord is perfect in all His ways, while man is not. Man is sinful. The Saviour has no sin. Died and was Resurrected He is the only one worthy to teach us obedience, through His own example. We are taught in Holy Scriptures to love our Heavenly Father even as the Redeemer does. Christ Jesus died on the cross for our sins. On the 3rd day, He appeared to people on earth, such as His disciples. We call this the Resurrection, because He came back to life from the dead. Another great miracle, is the fact, that, not only did our Master come back to life, but He brought to life, many, that had been dead. Families received their dead back to life. Matthew 27:52,53. Proof of life after death These that were dead, coming back to life, is proof, that there is life after death. Christ wanted to prove to the world that He is life, and all that will follow and obey Him, will have life forever in Heaven. According to the Holy Bible, God gave His own begotten Son to die first for the sins of all humans, then to be resurrected so we can resurrect with Him, as Christians. There is not another man that ever lived, can give us life. He is the only way. There is no other way. Only our Lord. Absolute Obedience Regardless of over 1000 different religions, only Jesus Christ can save, deliver, and set free. Surrender to Him now. Talk to Him, and tell God you want to become a follower of his truth. Simply ask the Lord Jesus to forgive your sins and to help you prepare for Heaven. He will, immediately. Then, as a christian, read your Bible, pray, and follow in obedience. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5928730

What Was Jesus Christ Doing Praying?

Why would Jesus pray when He is God? People pray because they need a higher power to act on their behalf for one reason or the other. But since Jesus is God, what was He doing praying? This article aims at answering these questions. Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed - Mark 1:35 (NKJV) Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, He called His disciples to Himself; and from them He chose twelve whom He also named apostles: - Luke 6:12-13 (NKJV) Christ had reasons to pray while on earth, being a man born of a woman. One of which was to give us examples to follow for us to live victorious lives - 1 John 2:6. Secondly, being in the form of a man, He needed God, the Father, to empower and guide Him to success on earth. Thirdly, since prayer is a channel of communication between God and man, Christ fellowshipped with God in prayer. When He prayed, He prayed to God, the Father- the first personality in the trinity. As an example to believers Christ's life on earth shows us how to live a victorious life on earth. One thing that Jesus did often was praying - Luke 5:16. He taught His disciples how to pray (Luke 11:1-13) and by example stressed to them the importance of praying to God; and when He went back to heaven, His disciples followed His example and prayed often too. In the days of the apostles, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. The twelve apostles asked that they be exempted from serving table so they could give themselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word - Acts 6:1-4. They knew that praying was something they were not to toil with, this they obviously learnt from Christ. When the apostles wanted to replace Judas Iscariot that betrayed Jesus, they had to pray to God to show them who to appoint in place of Judas (Acts 1:24-25), following the footsteps of Jesus as He also prayed before choosing the twelve apostles - Luke 6:12-16. Also, Paul having being taught by Christ Himself (Galatians 1:12), admonished us to pray without ceasing - 1 Thessalonians 5:17. Prayer was an important part of Christ and He taught His disciples to follow His footsteps. His man nature Jesus Christ was born of a woman and so had the flesh that is limited. He needed God the father to guide Him on earth just like we do. Everything He did was as directed by God - John 12:49-50. And He got these instructions through prayers. For instance, before commencing His full ministry, He did a forty days prayer and fasting, after which He returned in the power of the Holy Spirit and His fame went abroad - Luke 4:1-15. He needed the anointing from God and He got it through prayers. Another time, Christ prayed all night before He could choose twelve apostles from among His disciples - Luke 6:12-16. Apparently, God gave Him the names of those He chose during the night prayers, including Judas Iscariot who betrayed the Lord. And of course, before He was betrayed, He prayed harder than ever before that His sweat was like great drops of blood, and the angel of God came and strengthened Him (Luke 22:41-44) so He could face the betrayal, shame, persecution, crucifixion and death without given up; and worst of all, face the trauma of being rejected by the father when He carries our sins. This rejection by His father (Matthew 27:46) was a form of hell for Him, which He endured to be able to save man and reconcile them back to God. Thank God He didn't give up! Fellowship with God Jesus Christ fellowshipped with His Father through prayers. He drank of the love of the Father in prayers and then came out and faced the hostility of men towards Him without being disturbed by it. Prayer I believe was a resting place for Him from the day's work in the midst of sinful and spiritually blind men. In prayers He could relate with God as a father relates with the son he loves. Prayer time was a great time for Christ. One time at the tomb of Lazarus, He prayed to God (John 11:41-42) and part of what He said was," I thank You that You have heard Me. And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." This tells us how much Jesus enjoyed praying to God. For how long did Christ pray each time He prayed? There was no specific number of minutes or hours or days, but he prayed as long as the issue on ground demanded. But most of His quiet time I believe was not less than one hour before God because He wondered why His disciples could not watch with Him for one hour - Matthew 26:40 Sometimes, it was only for some minutes like when He prayed before the tomb of Lazarus, other times just for hours, like when He dismissed the five thousand men besides women and children that He fed with fives loaves and two fishes. He went and prayed till evening time (Matthew 14:23) before joining His disciples in the boat. Sometimes, He prayed all night too, like when He prayed all night before choosing His twelve apostles - Luke 6:12-16. Also remember the forty days He spent fasting and praying before starting His ministry fully on earth. The more you spend time in God's presence, the more your flesh is subdued and your spirit gains dominion. You become more spiritually alert to hear clearly from God. This ensures your victory in the physical over all devices of the enemy. You get the details of the day in prayer and you will just go through the day as Christ would. So, don't rush over your quiet time. Note that you may spend a long time praying to get only a word from God, but that one word will save you years of toiling and frustration. Moses spent forty days and nights fasting to bring down only the Ten Commandments on the tablet (Exodus 34:28-29), by which the Israelites were governed for years before the new covenant by Christ. Also, Jesus spent the whole night to choose only twelve apostles, who eventually facilitated the spread of the gospel of Christ to the entire world. Therefore, the bigger the issue, the more time you should spend praying. In conclusion, praying was a very important program in Christ's life. His success was hinged on the time He spent in God's presence praying. He left us an example that we should follow, and wisdom demands that you do as Christ has done if you want to enjoy fellowship with God and success too. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8794904

It's Time To Declare The Word

What have you not done to get your answers? Situations around you are not bulging despite your efforts. You have worked hard, prayed, praised and danced unto God but nothing has changed. What else can you do? This article tells you what else you should add to what you are doing presently. I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt; open your mouth wide, and I will fill it. Oh, that My people would listen to Me, that Israel would walk in My ways! I would soon subdue their enemies, and turn My hand against their adversaries - Psalm 81:10, 13-14 (NKJV) I said, "You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High. But you shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes. - Psalm 82:6-7 (NKJV) You may have done so many things with no result, and the challenge is still there. The question is, "What are you saying or what are you not saying?" There is tremendous power in the use of our mouth. The scripture says that you will eat the fruit of your lips (Proverbs 12:14) and that death and life are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21) And in Proverbs 81:10, 13-14, God expressly told us to open our mouths wide so that He can subdue our enemies. A wise man said that a closed mouth is a closed destiny. Ironically, God states in Psalm 82:6-7, that though you are a god, you will die like men. Why is it so? This is because you are not using the power that is naturally yours as a god, one of which is the power of the tongue. God created the whole world by His words, and when He made man, He made him in His image and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27). So, you also create your environment and future by your words. The scripture says that you will have what you say (Mark 11:23). What are you saying, or what are you not saying? By redemption, all that Adam lost at the fall including our godlike nature was restored back to us, (Galatians 3:13-14, 2 Corinthians 5:18-19). God expects you to manifest who you really are, so that He can put your enemies under your feet. You give him the license to do so through the words of your mouth. What am I to say, you may ask? Say what God said and you will have what He had. However, you must declare it in faith, believing that as God had said it, it will come to pass. Start declaring what you want to see and not what is happening that is wrong. Before, you know it you will see it as you have been saying it. Though it tarries, wait for it because it will surely come to pass (Habakkuk 2:3). If God said so, then it MUST be so! If you are wondering how you will say what you are not seeing, then you can start by thanking God for what He had said concerning that issue in Jesus name. It is in Jesus name, because you will receive what you desire in the name of Jesus (John 14:14). For example, "Father, I thank you because heaven and earth may pass away, but your word will never pass away in Jesus name." (Matthew 24:35) Again, "Lord, thank you because you will prosper the works of my hands in Jesus name - (Psalm 90:17) In conclusion, that challenge may be waiting for you to cease saying what is happening and start saying what you want to see. It's time to declare the word. Keep saying it: when praying, driving, washing, etc. Remember, God is waiting for you to declare it for Him to act on it. Congratulations your testimony is the next. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9239213

End Time Events (Jesus Christ - Coming for His Church)

Since every prophecy that has been fulfilled in the past, was literally fulfilled in every detailed as the Bible recorded the Word of God, we today can have complete confidence in the prophecies that have not yet been fulfilled. According to the plan and program of God for this earth and man, we are living in the end times, only eight things are yet to happen before this earth's history is closed and eternity is ushered in with new heavens and a new earth. The first one may occur at any moment for it is undated. Event Number One is the personal return of the Lord of the universe Jesus Christ, from Heaven according to His Promise. Our Saviour Who lived, died, rose and ascended into Heaven more than nineteen hundred years ago. John 14:1-3 Jesus says: 1. "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." In the last promise in the Bible, Jesus repeats this: Revelation 22:20 - "Surely I come quickly." The Apostle Paul teaches in I Thessalonians 4:16,17 - "The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: so shall we ever be with the Lord." All believers (the dead raised, the living changed) will be taken up out of this world, to meet the Lord in the air. This first event is called the Translation of the Church, or the Rapture. Event Number Two will immediately follow. It is called the day of Jacob's trouble, God's day of Wrath, or the Great Tribulation. It will be 7 years of the greatest trouble and turmoil the world has ever known. Jesus described it in Matthew 24:21 - "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no nor ever shall be." There will be war, destruction, violence, and famine, earthquakes, and terror; a time so terrible that only the intervention of God will prevent man from completely destroying himself. Jesus said: "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved..." (Matthew 24:22.) At the end of this tribulation all the nations of the world will be gathered for the battle in the Middle East to attack the land of Israel and destroy the city of Jerusalem. Then Event Number Three takes place at the Battle of Armageddon when these armies will be crushed and defeated by the sudden appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ with His armies of saints, descending from Heaven to the Mount of Olives. This is clearly portrayed in Revelation chapters 6-19. This public return of Jesus Christ is the Fourth Event, ending man's rebellion. Revelation 19 describes it (11,14,16): "And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True... And the armies which were in heaven followed him... And he hath in his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords." Zechariah also prophesied this event in 14:3,4,9 - "Then shall the Lord go forth, and fight against these nations... And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives... And the Lord shall be king over all the earth: in that day shall there be one Lord, and his name one." This is the Second Coming of the Lord to be distinguished from the Rapture of the Church to meet the Lord in the air before the Tribulation. Jesus comes to the earth at the close of the Tribulation to defeat the armies of Satan which had come up against Israel. Jesus in Matthew 24:29,30 said: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory." Event Number Five is the setting up of the Messianic Kingdom upon earth. After the Battle of Armageddon the Devil is cast into the bottomless pit, and Jesus establishes the Millennial or 1,000 year Kingdom of Righteousness. Israel will be the center of the nations with the promises made to Abraham literally fulfilled. The capital of the world will be Jerusalem. Peace and prosperity will be worldwide. Even the animal kingdom will be at peace. All hatred and strife, all want, sickness and disease will be unknown. The Gospel will be preached to all men. The earth will be converted into fruitfulness for all mankind. The prayer that is so often prayed that Jesus taught His disciples: "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," will finally be answered and will last for 1,000 years. To finally prove the utter depravity of human nature, there will be a brief time of rebellion in spite of all the peace and blessing of that kingdom. Satan is released from the pit and finds great numbers ready to rebel against Christ and His righteous rule. This rebellion will be quickly destroyed and Satan is cast into the lake of fire, forever. Revelation 20:7-9 describes this Sixth Event: "And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison, And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth...To gather them together to battle... ...And fire came down from God out of heaven, and devoured them." Event number Seven will wind up God's program for this world: The Final Judgment of the wicked before the Great White Throne. The righteous dead had been raised at the Rapture and judged according to works for reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Revelation 20:5 tells us: "But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished..." Verses 11,12,15. "And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it... And I saw the dead...and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." With Number 7, God's Judgments are completed. Only one other even is left. We have considered briefly these seven. 1. The Translation or Rapture of the Church. 2. The Great Tribulation. 3. The Battle of Armageddon. 4. The Second Coming of Christ. 5. The Millennial Kingdom. 6. Satan's Last Rebellion. 7. The Last Judgment. Event Number 8 is the number of new things - after the Judgment - God will usher in eternity, never-ending perfection. Revelation 21:1,5 - "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away... And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new..." Peter speaks of this purifying of the earth by fire, sin will be forever removed from all of creation. We will dwell in communion and fellowship with the saints, and with God in Christ, forever. Revelation 21:4 - "And God shall wipe away all tears...and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain..." Truly this must be what Paul thought of as he wrote: "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." (Romans 8:18.) Truly it is when we consider the greatness of God and the tremendous plan of the ages that is written in The Holy Scriptures that our daily lives are put into perspective. We spend a great deal of time thinking of what to have for dinner, making arrangements for our leisure, our entertainment. We work hard to acquire money and the things needed for our security here and now. We are proud of our accomplishments and our possessions, and yet we desire more. And are we content and satisfied? Not often. This is human nature. And these things can all be good if done in the ways God planned and if kept in their proper relationship to God. This Christ came to show us. Because we are sinners, we could not do what He did, He had to die to pay the price for our sins. His sacrifice was accepted and He was raised to the Right Hand of the Father on High. There He intercedes with the Father for us. He sent the Holy Spirit to give us the strength and power to live in the world and to live unto God. God's plan is on schedule, the program is on time. We are to be mindful of the things of God and put them in first place in our thoughts. Let us keep in mind the wise council of James the brother of our Lord in his epistle, 4:13-15 - "13. Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.' 14. Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15. Instead, you ought to say, 'If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that.' " The habit of thinking that the next day will be pretty much like the day before is a trap and a lie. Certainly our hope must not lie in this and such selfish worldly concerns. Our main responsibility is to be faithful to Jesus Christ who holds the universe together and is Lord of the future as well as the present and the past. We must be witnesses to the Gospel of God's Grace and share our faith in what Christ has done for us and our hope in what He is going to do shortly. Just before His ascension into Heaven to be seated at the right hand of God, Jesus replied to His Apostles' questions about the time of coming events. He said in Acts 1:7-8 - "It is not for you to know the times or seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." In answering, Jesus doesn't disagree about the event of prophecy the apostles asked about - only the time of that event. It is our responsibility as His people to read about His future plans since they include us. We are to study prophecy and know what God has in store for us and for the world. This is our hope and our warning to others. We are not to set dates and times, and become lazy or lose touch with reality. The second half of Jesus' reply was a promise, a command, and a prophecy which has been fulfilled. We as believers have inherited the faith which these witnesses spread in the first century. Jesus' words show what our relationship to prophecy should always be - it should, by the Holy Spirit, give us power to be witnesses to Jesus Christ where ever we might be. Prophecy can break the hold the pleasures of worldly things so easily get upon us. It can bring before us the majesty, wisdom, power, wrath, and love of God - the unsearchable richness of our Redemption. But this should not lead to idle speculation and wasting of time with theories and date-setting. It should lead our hearts to pray earnestly without ceasing with the Apostle John in Revelation 22:20 - "Even so, come Lord Jesus." And in the meanwhile, get to work in spreading the Gospel - When you have so many opportunities to speak a word of faith; pray to God that He will give you boldness to speak by the power of the Holy Spirit that they may be saved. Let us all go together, with not one missing. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5799282

The True Disciples of Christ

Every Christian Churches or Sects are claiming that they are true disciples of Christ. They believe in Christ and have faith in Him, call upon His name and done wonders or miracles in His name. However, we will notice that each of these groups or sects have their own doctrine and practices which contradict with each other. And to identify the true disciples of Christ among these groups or sects, let us ask the Bible and we'll let the Bible answer our questions. Our first question is: Who are the true disciples of Christ? In John 8:31, Christ clearly said, "if you abide my word, you are My disciples indeed". 31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. (John 8:31,NKJV) In other words, those who abide the word of Christ are His true disciples. IN THE BODY OF CHRIST What is one of the words of Christ that His true disciples obeyed? The true disciples of Christ obeyed the command of Christ to enter by Him: 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. (John 10:9, ibid) And those who entered Christ became parts of His body. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. (I Corinthians 12:27, ibid) The body of Christ is the Church. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18, ibid) The Church he built by Himself and he called it as "My Church". 18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. (Matthew 16:18, ibid) It is not the Roman Catholic Church, nor any Protestant Churches, nor any Professing Christian Ministries, but it is the Church of Christ. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. The[a] churches of Christ greet you. (Romans 16:16, ibid) Thus, those who are true disciples of Christ are members of the true Church of Christ. IN ONE TRUE GOD What else did Christ taught which the true disciples of Christ accepted, believed and obeyed? It is the teaching of Christ regarding the true God. According to Christ, the Father is the only true God. 1 Jesus spoke these words, lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said: "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son also may glorify You, ...3 And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. (John 17:1,3, ibid) Did the true disciples of Christ learned this truth from Christ? Yes. Infact Apostle Paul, one of the true disciples of Christ taught this truth to His brethren as recorded in I Corinthians 8:6: 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live. (I Corinthians 8:6, ibid) According to the apostle, for them there is only one God, the Father. Why did Apostle Paul said that "for them there is only one God, the Father"? It is because those who do not belong to their group do not know this truth. 7 However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. (I Corinthians 8:7, ibid) What organization did the Apostle Paul and His followers belong? They are members of the Church of Christ (I Corinthians 12:4-5, Colossians 1:18 and Romans 16:16). Is the Father of whom Christ introduced as the one true God, Christ Himself? No, the Father who is the only true God is not Christ Himself but the Father of Christ and the Father of His disciples, the God of Christ and the God of His disciples. 17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.'" (John 20:17, ibid) CONCLUSION Therefore, we can find the true disciples of Christ in the true Church of Christ who believe in the one true God, the Father. These are the two of the characteristics of the true disciples of Christ. If you think you are already member of the Church of Christ, but your Church teaches Trinity or Triune God, then your church is not yet the true one. If you want to become true disciple of Christ, you must find the true Church of Christ who uphold the teaching that the Father is the only true God. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/243948

Disciples Of Jesus Christ - What It Takes To Be One

A disciple is one who is willing to follow and learn from Jesus Christ; one who is ready to learn his physical attributes and aspire to be endued with his spiritual qualities as well. Discipleship is about learning from him and transmitting that which you have learnt from him to those you are going to raise. Christianity would be incomplete if the early disciples like Simon Peter, Andrew, James the son of Zebedee, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Thaddeus did not follow Christ religiously and carry out 'The Great Commission'. They stayed with and learned from the master: they imbibed his teachings and transmitted all he taught them to the next generations of believers to ensure there was continuity. In order for one to be a good disciple, one needs to have the following qualities: 1. Willingness to learn: One must be willing to learn from Christ himself or from those who have been disciples themselves. One must be prepared to study the word of God at all times and put on the qualities of the master as written down therein. 2. Obedience: he must be ready to be obedient to the authority of God, Christ and the leaders of the church. Anyone who is not ready to obey established authorities is not ready to be a disciple. 3. Persecution: he should be ready to face persecution as well because the master made it clear that his followers must be ready to face persecution just as he did since a servant cannot be greater than his master. 4. Patience: Such a person must be patient because Christ demonstrated his strength by being patient. 5. Love: One great attribute of Jesus was his love and compassion for humanity and the dying soul. He's always moved to compassion at the suffering of man and is always ready to do something to alleviate human suffering and pain. 6. Faith: A disciple must have faith in his master; he must believe in the master's ability to meet his needs, take care of him and protect him. He must believe that no matter the circumstances the master is always there to answer him whenever he called. 7. Zeal: Such a person must also have the zeal and hunger to be like his master. Peter was one such example who kept striving to be like Jesus Christ; he even asked Christ to invite him to walk on the water like himself. 8. Raise others: Christ instructed Peter to take care of the sheep. He also told the disciples to teach all nations in his name. His followers should therefore be willing not only to teach others, but to also to support them in the Lord. As one who wants to be a disciple of the Lord, are you ready to carry the cross that he carried? Are you ready to learn from him and carry out the great commission? Think about what it takes to be one and make up your mind to follow the master to the end. Joseph Ezie Efoghor is a Christian author and writes on several interesting topics. For more of his articles visit http://jossy-bible-life.blogspot.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5713383

The religion Of Success Called Christianity?

I am the first one to admit that we serve a God who is nothng but abundant in all that He does. Simply read through all that went into the building of the Tabernacle in Exodus and you will see what I mean. The gold alone used to create all the material goods in the tabernacle, based on today's spot prices, is somewhere around $15 million US. In fact it tells us that they used a 75lb brick of gold just to create the lampstand! I could just imagine the screams of "Shame, Shame, Shame" that would arise today if it was announced that a local church was going to spend $15 million in furnishing it's new building! Unfortunately people will look at sections of Scripture like this and use it for all sorts of warped ideas around wealth and Christianity--including spending untold millions on facilities that sit empty most of the week--but at least they feed someone's ego! In North America we have turned Christianity into nothing much more than some success cult where the Bible is nothing more than Aladdin's magic lamp and if we rub it the right way, say a few magic words, voila! God has to go to work for us. However, Jesus had a different take on what God would and wouldn't do for us. In Matthew 7:7 in the Message says, "Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need." That's pretty clear and dry. It's too bad that a lot of Christians seem to miss out on this as well. Yes God is more than willing to give us what we need and we are not to fret about it. In fact Jesus gets pretty serious when he reminds the group to not doubt God--my goodness, if we, as humans know how to look after our children, don't you think that the God of the universe can do the same for us--obviously it becomes an issue of trust. Well if all I have to do is ask God, isn't that a great recipe for success? Doesn't that mean that God is at my beckon call? However, a little further down Jesus says, "The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don't fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. 14 The way to life--to God!-is vigorous and requires total attention." 15 "Be wary of false preachers who smile a lot, dripping with practiced sincerity. Chances are they are out to rip you off some way or other. Don't be impressed with charisma; look for character." Doesn't this sound like much of the church today. Just show up and we will give you an easy little formula that you can then live your life by. In fact, you don't even have to bring your Bible. Better yet, you can have all of this for only 7 minutes a day. And boy do the crowds fall for it. Yet Jesus very quickly tells us that the life that leads to God is vigorous and requires our full attention--not that our salvation is based on works--it is not, but to live this life in a way that is honoring to God will require you to undergo persecution. It is going to take effort and persistence. Unfortunately, much of that persecution is going to come from fellow believers. Yes the world system may cause us some grief from time-to-time and those "false preachers" will get on the band wagon and work your emotions and your pocket book to send them even more money so that they can go on a "crusade" to save the world. However, the real persecution comes from within the church itself towards those who are willing to suffer for the name of Jesus--right where they are. I will tell you now that most of the persecution I have ever faced in North America is from other Christians--we certainly have a hard time getting along. If you want to a live a godly life you will be persecuted and it will be from fellow Christians who watch your example and are convicted by your lifestyle--they want to run with the world, they want the same success that the world offers, they don't want to have to work at their relationship with God. If people put the same work and effort into their relationship with people that they put into their relationship with God, I can tell you right now that friendships, marriages, and working relationships would quickly fall apart. In fact we would be happy with a 50% divorce rate. No, any relationship takes work. Jesus had some parting words for these type of people: "Master, we preached the Message, we bashed the demons, our God-sponsored projects had everyone talking.' 23 And do you know what I am going to say? "You missed the boat. All you did was use me to make yourselves important. You don't impress me one bit. You're out of here.' Did you get that? God is saying that all these people did was use Him to make themselves important! Ouch! You see, God does want to meet all of our needs (and in doing that He will go above and beyond all that we can ask and even think of). I also believe that those needs extend into all areas of our lives--physical, financial, social, mental, and spiritual. However, He wants to meet our needs not so that we can coast by on a life of ease and succees, but rather so that His name is properly honored and glorified. In fact He says that the reason He has given us power to create wealth is so that His covenenant will be established on the earth (Deuteronomy 8:18). I believe that the church has been put on this earth to be a light house to a hurting world. I believe that God in all of His infinite wisdom does want to bless us and make us successful--but for His purposes and in His time and in His ways. If you are not experiencing God's blessings in your life, stop right now and examine yourself. If you do you will likely find one of two things: 1) Your level of belief is too low--yes your lack of faith has much to do with it or 2) you have been asking for all the wrong reasons. Take time to get to know God. Take time to really find out what it means to please Him. Christianity is not about "success" as the world defines it, it is about surrender to all things that come from a good and faithful God.

Loving Others As Jesus Loves Us

Sometimes my spirit sinks when I hear certain things preached. When you truly connect with the truth and the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, you realize that so many things that are preached are nothing more than humanistic religion. So it is with the topic, ‘loving others,’ — or even better, ‘loving others as Jesus loves us.’ A preacher can go anywhere with the topic of loving others. They can build a great legalistic sermon that can bury people under piles of religious rules! And have you seriously contemplated ’loving others as Jesus loves us’? That was Eve’s temptation in the Garden of Eden: “You shall be as God.” Believing the preaching that we can love like God loves, approaches spiritual absurdness! Jesus does SAY we should love others the way he loves us (John 15:12). But the question is: what does he MEAN by this? He doesn’t mean for us to do this in the flesh: ‘Try to be like God.’ But there is a sense in which we can at least BEGIN loving others the way Jesus loves us. This is with regard to our demands and expectancies. HOW does Jesus love us? He begins by not accusing us (John 5:45). If we are in him, we have NO condemnation (Rom 8:1). How many times are we told NOT to judge? Jesus accepts us as we are — no matter how bad we are. Jesus doesn’t demand that we ‘clean up our act’ before he loves us. While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. And we are still sinners, made righteous by the blood of Jesus. We ALL need to change! None of us is perfect… “No, not one.” If you question whether you need to change or not, just ask someone close to you. We ALL should change! But it is not demands, expectancies or condemnation that changes us. God’s love changes us — by NOT imposing demands and expectancies upon us! If we don’t experience God’s love and acceptance, we feel he is demanding and critical. Too often we live by a type of ‘reverse golden rule’ — we do unto others as we perceive God does it unto us. If we don’t know his love, then we feel he is demanding. If we feel HE is demanding, then we are demanding. Isn't it true that “Children live what they learn"? Are you willing to accept those close to you the way Jesus accepts us — with no strings attached? It’s not easy to let go of our demands and expectations, but this IS what God does for us. This IS loving others as Jesus loves us.

How to Graduate to Christian Maturity and Leave Babyhood Behind

Three Stage Christianity - Just as a natural baby must grow through stages to enter maturity, so it is with the Christian that has just been born into the kingdom of God. He must go through three stages to fulfill God's destiny for his life: the new birth, head knowledge and heart knowledge. Most Christians never reach the third stage because they are stuck either in the first or second stage on the road to maturity. You want to make every effort to go beyond the first and second stages to enter the third stage. Why do you want to make every effort to leave the first and second stages to enter the third stage? Because the third stage is where the real fun begins. That's where you begin to walk in a realm of glory, virtue, faith and power that people only dream about. That's where you bear the most spiritual fruit for the kingdom of God. Where you get more people saved, healed and discipled than you ever imagined. That's where God's peace, joy and love flow through you like a river to minister hope and life to people. That's where God's grace abounds toward you to do things you could never do on your own. That's where you fulfill the destiny God has purposed for you. That's where you grow up into the fullness of Christ, the ultimate Christian goal. So, let's look closely at these three stages to understand how to graduate from Christian babyhood to Christian maturity. Stage One - The New Birth When someone first becomes a Christian, their understanding of what God expects of them is based on what knowledge they have. Their knowledge is probably limited to the elementary requirements of a Christian: stop sinning, go to church, be baptized in water, read your bible and pray. These are the basics that help lay a foundation for going to the next stage, head knowledge. Stage Two - Head Knowledge As a Christian spends time reading his bible and listening to messages given by his local church pastor and other ministers, he begins to acquire more knowledge of who God is and what Christianity is all about. The amount and quality of his scriptural knowledge will depend on how much time he reads and studies God's Word and how much knowledge he gets from his pastor and other sources. Some scriptures tell him the things he can do through Christ, like praying to the Father in Jesus' name, healing the sick, cleansing the lepers, casting out demons and raising the dead. Some scriptures tell him what he has inherited from his Heavenly Father through Christ, things like power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and blessing. He might also learn that he has been redeemed from the curse of the law which makes him free from sickness, poverty, fear, lack, the second death (lake of fire) and a host of other curses listed in Deuteronomy 28:15-68. All this knowledge is good, but it is head knowledge, not heart knowledge. There is no faith in head knowledge because faith is of the heart (spirit of man) as written in Romans 10:10, "For with the heart (spirit of man) man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." We are not talking here about the physical heart that pumps blood through your body. No, we're talking about your spirit man, the inner man. Meaning the same thing, the heart of man and the spirit of man are interchangeable. So we see that head knowledge does not give a Christian the faith to heal the sick, cleanse the lepers or raise the dead. Head knowledge will not deliver him from lack, sickness and disease. Head knowledge alone will not allow him to walk in God's love, joy and victory in every situation. Head knowledge will not give him victory over sin. Head knowledge will not give him supernatural wisdom and knowledge to solve impossible problems. Head knowledge will not cause God's supernatural financial blessings to flow into his life so he can be blessed and be a blessing to others. Head knowledge will not cause him to fulfill God's glorious destiny for his life. Because head knowledge (mental assent) by itself will not get the job done, that is why Christians continue to have problems with their flesh, their sinful nature, and why they may live very defeated frustrated lives because their minds have not been renewed with God's Word and God's Word has not dropped into their hearts and become reality to them. They continue to live far below their divine potential, prisoners of the lusts of the flesh and lacking God's provision for a victorious life which only comes through heart knowledge. Heart knowledge is what creates the God kind of faith to overcome the world. Sadly, most churches are filled with first and second stage Christians unable to walk in the faith, power and might of God's liberating promises, never growing up into the fullness of Christ. Never becoming manifested sons of God to advance the kingdom of God. Why are Christians stuck in the first and second stages of spiritual development to never graduate to the third stage? They simply have never been taught how to enter the third stage or if they have been taught, they have lacked the zeal to go forward. Assuming you desire to please and obey God to go forward to fulfill your divine destiny, let me explain below how to get God's promises to drop from your head to your heart so you can graduate to the third stage where Christian maturity is an ongoing process of going from glory to glory. Stage 3 - Heart Knowledge Jesus said in John 8:36, "If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed." He said in John 8:32, "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." So, how do you get the truth, God's Word, to drop down into your heart and set you free to begin walking in the power and might of God's liberating promises that will cause you to fulfill God's destiny for your life? Just reading God's Word is not enough. You must memorize and meditate God's Word until you receive revelation knowledge of God's Word, specifically the promises that belong to you as a son or daughter of God. These promises help to mold you into the image of Christ so you can live the abundant and overcoming life that pleases God. First, begin memorizing scriptures that tell you how big your God is, who you are as a child of God, who you are in Christ and what your inheritance is in Christ. Next, you must spend time meditating these scriptures for them to become a reality to you, to become rhema to your heart. Rhema is a Greek word that refers to a word that is spoken and means "an utterance." An "utterance" is when the Holy Spirit illuninates a scripture to your heart producing faith for you to believe that scripture is now true in you. Illumination, revelation of God's mighty promises is what sets you free. Meditation of God's Word is what God told Joshua to do to get God's Word to go from his head to his heart, to become a reality to him: "This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success" (Joshua 1:8). So what is meditation of God's Word? The meditation of God's Word as defined in Strong's Hebrew dictionary is to murmur, ponder, imagine, meditate, speak, study, talk and utter God's Word.The end result of meditation of God's Word brings forth revelation knowledge to your heart, spirit man. God's Word becomes no longer just words on a page, but a reality in your heart and His Word becomes part of you. Then 2 Peter 1:4 will begin to manifest in your life as you take on God's divine nature: "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust." Memorization, meditation and revelation of God's Word allows you to graduate from the second stage of head knowledge to the third and final stage, heart knowledge that produces Christian maturity. Christian maturity is an ongoing process, your goal being to grow up into the fullness of Christ and to fulfill your destiny which advances the kingdom of God. The more time you spend meditating God's Word resulting in revelation knowledge of His Word will determine the speed of your spiritual growth. Besides the memorization, meditation and the revelation of God's Word, there are other important things God would have you do to please Him and accelerate your spiritual growth: being baptized in Holy Ghost power, fire and God's love, daily praying in tongues as written in Acts 2:4 and Romans 8:26-27, daily spending time alone with God to hear His instructions for your day, daily prayer for yourself, others and those in authority, daily worshipping God in spirit and truth, living a life of giving as you sow your finances for divine harvests as led by the Holy Spirit, sharing the Gospel with the lost and fellowshipping with other believers as commanded in Hebrews 10:25, living a holy life free from sin and of course always walking in love and forgiving others as God forgave you. Romans 14:10b says, "For we (Christians) shall all stand before the judgement seat of Christ." That being said, we should always be about are Heavenly Father's business so when we stand before Jesus Christ we will not lose rewards, but receive rewards. May God's grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. May your desire to know, love and obey God increase mightily each day. Jesus said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." We are commanded in Matthew 28:19-20 to witness to the lost. Please don't disobey Him and lose your soul winner's crown awaiting you in heaven. Click "Soul Winner's Crown" below to receive free online teaching on how to be a successful soul winner for Jesus. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8311446