Being a strong Christian is about being able to do God’s will no matter what. It’s about trusting Him, loving Him and keeping His commandments. You just don’t wake up one day and decide you are not going to be a weak Christian anymore and from then on you are strong. Being a strong Christian takes commitment and time. The following are 6 items outlined in 3 pairs to help you remember the key elements which will make you a strong Christian:
2 P’s
Prayer
Praise
2 W’s
Worship
Word (Bible)
2 M’s
Meditation (upon His word, His work in your life, etc)
Membership (actively involved in a Church)
God made each of us different. Thus the distribution of these in each of our lives will be different. I may spend more time in meditation about God, His word, and aspects of His blessings on my life, while you may spend more time in prayer. Someone else may spend more time in the word, while another may focus more time on worship. Others may require more time interacting with other Christians as in membership. The right balance is dependent on how God wired you and what He expects from you.
There are those who prescribe so many hours in prayer and that you need to be in church this many times for this many hours, or that you must worship for 30 minutes each Sunday night, or that you must read the bible and study for 30 minutes each morning. These are all great things, but a formula that works for your pastor is likely not the formula for you.
The point is each Christian must have each of these key items in their live, but that distribution is dependent on the person’s nature, their current place in their walk with Jesus, and God’s expectations of them. We are each unique and God has a unique relationship with each of us. Do not forsake any of these items.
Find your balance.
Each week look back and assess where you are.
Do not criticize the past week, but learn from it, adjust from it, and move closer to God.
Place these 6 items on an index card or write them down someplace where you will review them often, until they are firmly placed in your memory and you have reached a balance in your life.
We are not alone, nor are we without that Great High Priest. What does it mean that we have a High Priest in Jesus?
Hebrews 4:14-15 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
The Jews had an office of the high priest, that individual who followed strictly the laws of the temple requiring him to maintain a certain level of cleanliness before he would enter into the temple’s inner court, the most Holy of Holies. But all too often, these high priests, men like you and I, failed and came short of that office. Thus, when they would enter most holy place in God’s temple, they would fail to secure the temporary cleanliness from sin that the people required.
Christ is that perfect High Priest. His perfection allows him to take all of our sins to God for forgiveness. His sacrifice on the cross, that single great sacrifice of His blood and pain, washes all of our sins away. Jesus is our great High Priest.
Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need
Now we can go boldly before God, knowing that Jesus Christ, our High Priest, has paid the price for our sins, because of his Love and Mercy. He has purchased the Grace we require to be saved.
Matthew 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
How marvelous is it that we no longer are required to go to a man, much like us, who has sinned and come short, who has failed the Holy Heavenly Father, much as we have. We have the Great and Holy High Priest to turn to for forgiveness of our sins. At his death on the cross the temple’s veil, that fabric which separated us from the Most Holy sanctum of God, was rent, torn, destroyed, removed from between us and God. Christ’s death purchased us forgiveness of our sins, making us clean and white, pure enough by His blood that we can walk directly to the throne of God. We can walk boldly before the Lord, not bold with pride, but bold with confidence that He will call us His own.
Christ loves us so much that He died for us. Does he deserve your love? Learn more about Jesus personally and grow a stronger relationship with him.
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Hebrews 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
To be a partaker of Christ is to be saved by the blood of the lamb.
To be a partaker of Christ is to be comforted with his love and mercy.
To be a partaker of Christ is to be well founded in his holy word.
To be a partaker of Christ is to be enjoy the blessings of God.
To be a partaker of Christ is to never lose faith in our savior.
To be a partaker of Christ is to hold to his promises when the world would crush you.
To be a partaker of Christ is to have a strong relationship with him.
To be a partaker of Christ we must not falter in our faith and never turn back.
To be a partaker of Christ we are heirs, sons and daughters of God.
This is a promise which contains all the promises of God. If we remain from the beginning of our walk with Christ until the end of our earthly walk, holding to Christ, never turning away, staying strong in Him, trusting in Him, never rejecting Him or His ways, then we shall be partakers of Christ. This means that all of the promises of the Bible are ours.
And, here is even better news, even if we fail along the way, Jesus forgives us and we once again are made partakers Christ.
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Are you tired? Does life keep you down? Enter God’s rest. He has prepared a rest for us to enjoy now. It is not a rest as man would describe, but it is a rest that will lift the burdens of life from you if you will turn them over to Christ.
Hebrews 4:9-10 There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
This rest is a rest provided to those who follow Christ. A review of the context of this scripture will show you that this speaks to those Christians who are willing to follow Christ regardless of where He leads you. The Children of Israel did not go in and claim the promised land. they saw the giant men and the large walled cities and said they were not strong enough. These people wondered for 40 years in the wilderness and missed out on the rest of God.
Notice that the scripture says we are to cease from our own works. It means that we are to do the work that God has for us. The rest that Jesus provides us requires that we follow Him. It is not to say that we no longer work for a living, nor that we reject the responsibilities of life. Rather, we put those cares in the hands of Christ and let Him worry about it. God’s work then becomes our priority. Doing God’s work is the natural order of original creation. Doing God’s work brings us to a spiritual rest, wherein Christ puts the cares of this life into perspective against the cares of eternity.
Continue to take care of your responsibilities to family and provision, but put those worries on God’s hands. Turn to His work and enter into His rest. Make these truths a part of your life as another step in a stronger relationship with Christ.
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Author: Jeff Harris
1 comment - What do you think? Posted by
Jeff -
June 26, 2010 at 8:57 am
1 Peter 2:1-3 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
Peter asks of us several things:
First, we are to be good. Setting aside malice, which is the spite and meanness towards others. How often do we hold grudges? We are to forgive. Peter is asking and expecting us to be nice to everyone. How can we love those we have malice towards?
Guile is cunningness in an evil way. It is the plotting for bad, to take advantage, to fool or hurt someone else. Guile is tricking and manipulating others. Be honest and pure in your thoughts and actions.
Hypocrisies are those actions that go against the Christian faith. A Christian is bound by the scripture, the inspired word of God. Hypocrisies are contradictions between what we claim to believe and our actions. When our morale actions do not match our claims of faith.
Envies are of course when we desire those things that others have. We can never be content with God if we are not content with what we have. We can appreciate and admire what others have and what they have accomplished without holding envious desires.
Peter asks us to refrain from evil talk which is evil. Do not speak with evil words that would hurt others, nor with evil behind your words. Your words should be intended to bring cooperation, cohesion and lift up those around you.
And finally, Peter asks us to desire the word as babes taking in the word of God and learning, letting it nourish us and help us to grow, building that deeper relationship with Christ. As babies survive only on their mother’s milk when they are young, avoiding food which is too harsh for young bodies, we should focus on the food of the word of God, so they we can grow strong in the Lord.
It is in His word that we truly see how gracious a Lord we have. Within the Bible we learn how much the Lord has given us, and how much He loves us. His promises are many and good.
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Author: Jeff Harris
3 comments - What do you think? Posted by
Jeff -
June 25, 2010 at 9:55 am
The Bible is words to live by. So many gems are packed into the scriptures. Look at what Peter has to say in 1 Peter 5: 1-4 for the elders of the church:
1 Peter 5: 1-4 To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder, a witness of Christ’s sufferings and one who also will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.
Be shepherds, or in other words help guild the younger Christians of the church.
Peter asks the elders to serve. In other words get a job for God. If you are an elder Christian you are to be examples and look after the younger Christians.
Do this willingly, not because God is making you, but because you love God and the other Christians.
Don’t be greedy for money as some in the ministry do expecting payment for your service for God. Serve Him freely and if finances come about praise God for the blessing.
Do not flaunt your wisdom, position, knowledge over those you care for. God wants you to be an example of how a Christian should live.
In doing this you are serving God and He will honor you in the day you shall meet Him face to face.
God has a place and a job for each of us. We have responsibilities in Christ. If you love God you will fulfill His commandments. Even if you do not feel that you are an elder in Christ, you now have a goal, which is to be that great example someday for those just starting to follow the King. Grow in Christ so that you can serve Him and receive the crown of glory that will never fade.
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Do you think of provoking God? Would you consider it? Of course not… but we do provoke God. We grieve Him.
Psalm 95 6-11 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my work. Forty years long was I grieved with this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known my ways: Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.
Consider the story of Moses as he led the children of Israel through the wilderness. Continually they doubted God:
The first time they were left alone they created an idol to worship.
They complained about the food and wanted to turn back to the way things were.
They feared for lack of water, even though God had provided every need.
They rejected the leadership of Moses, thinking others could lead them better.
And finally, when God led them up to the promise land they lacked the faith to go up and claim it, even in the face of all of God’s miracles.
When you feel down or feel like God has left you do you turn on Him? He will never leave you nor forsake you.
Do you want to turn back at the first sign of trouble? Do you look back and say “It was better before I became a Christian. Let me go back.” Things were not better before Christ! Remember the pain and the sorrow, the loneliness and the shame.
Do you grumble and complain that God is not caring for you at the first sign of trouble? He feeds and shelters the birds; He will take care of you.
Do you fear that God will not provide your most basic needs? He made water to pour from a rock; He will not let you thirst spiritually if you will come to Him.
Do you reject His leadership and scorn those put in place to feed His sheep? Woe to the rebellious! He has set some in the church as pastors and others teachers. God has a plan. Get on board.
Are you afraid to claim the good things that God has for you? Are you too fearful to recognize the good blessings and opportunities that God has put before you? God did not deliver them to a promise land that seemed easy to take in the flesh, but in the spirit, guided by God, it was easy to take. For 40 years they wondered the wilderness because they would not do as God asked and take the promise land. Trust God.
What promises has God made you that you are too afraid to claim? Where is God sending you that you are too fearful to go? Grow daily in Christ and you shall walk in faith wherever God leads you.
Do not provoke God. Claim His promise land. There may be enemies along the way, but God will take care of them if you will follow Him.
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Do you find yourself grieved, put out, burdened, or just plain too tired to keep all of God’s commandments? God’s commandment’s are not grievous, or they should not be.
1 John 5:1-2 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
What John is saying here is that if you believe that Jesus is the Son of God, King, Savor, and Prince of Peace and you love Him, then you must love those begotten of Christ, who are other Christians. If you love Christ Jesus and you must also love everyone else.
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
So, the love of God is loving others and keeping his commandments. If we love God, keeping his commandments should not be a chore, nor be grievous.
Do you find yourself wanting to go back to how things were? Do you want to live the life of ’some sins’ from your past? I can give you two things to think about:
1) Sometimes people think something is sin and it is not sin. Please do not compromise your walk with Christ and think I am saying that if you want to do ‘it’ then ‘it’ must not be sin. Use the Word of God to determine what is sin. Believe it or not you are accountable to God for your actions, not the preacher.
2) Grow in your relationship with Christ. If you love God it should grieve you to commit sin! If you do not love God then not doing sin can grieve you. Get closer to Christ and He shall make following His ways easier.
As you grow closer to Christ resisting sin becomes easier. Weak Christians will always struggle with their past sins, and new ones.
Grow in Christ.
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Where is your mind at? Are you brewing about someone at work? Are you dwelling on a hurt someone has done you? Do you sit in envy of your neighbor’s new car? Where does your mind spend its free time?
God has a plan for everything. His plans are not designed to take our freedom away. His plans are designed to set us free from activities that will harm us or others, or place something above God. That is why they are sin. They are not sin because they are too fun, nor because God is a prude. They are sin because
God wants to protect His children.
So, where does your brain spend its free time? Consider this…
Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
Meditateupon the good things in life. I promise you will feel better; you will treat people better; you will have more energy for good things; and people will treat you better.
God has a plan, even when we can’t understand His ways…
Philippians 4:8 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
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Do you struggle with sin? Do you have that one old sin of the flesh that creeps up on you when you are stressed, tired, or just taken off guard? When alone and no one is looking, does that sin seem so appealing that you fall into it again?
We all have our struggles. Do not feel like you are alone. Take comfort in that, but more importantly take comfort in God’s Word. He has given us the answers.
Galatians 5:16 This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
God’s plan is that we walk in the Spirit, in other words we are to devote ourselves to God, to His Word, to communion in prayer with Him, to doing His will. By doing this we will be walking in the Spirit and thus with the Holy Spirit as our guide, we can avoid sin. Jesus wants us to Grow daily in Christ and you shall walk in the Spirit each of those days.
We do not avoid sin by our will power alone. If that was the case, why would we need Jesus? Why did Jesus have to die if we could just ‘will’ ourselves to be perfect? Walking in the Spirit is only done through a continual and growing relationship with Christ. Grow daily in Christ and you shall walk in the Spirit each of those days.
And remember what Paul told us:
1 Corinthians 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Some sins are easy to overcome and some may be hard. Everyone is different. Do not give up. Do not turn from God. Do not let your struggle with sin be a stumbling block keeping you from God. Get up and go at it every day. You story will be for God’s glory.
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