Introduction
One thing that I have noticed is that many times people get saved and they have a true genuine love and desire to serve God, yet all too often they are unable to do so appropriately simply because they dont know how.
I Peter 2.2 compares new converts to babys. Just as a baby needs to be fed in order to grow, Christians must be fed with the Word of God. Also, just as a baby must be taught right and wrong so do Christians. One such reason why so many converts never seem to grow in Christ is simply because they arent being fed like they should. Two persons are responsible for an infant being nourished correctly- #1, the parents. In this case, their local church, pastor, Christian friends, etc. Just as parents are responsible for the physical growth of their child they are also responsible for the babys mental growth and maturity. It is the responsibility of other Christians to see to it that new converts are discipled and brought up in the truth, with an understanding of how a Christian ought to live. The second person who shares in the responsibility is the baby himself, or the new convert. Parents can try everything imaginable to see to it that the baby is fed adequately, yet if the child refuses to eat there is nothing a parent can do. You as a new convert must make a conscious decision to eat and eat often. A new convert, or any Christian for that matter, must feast upon the Word of God in order to stay strong. In II Corinthians 10.3-6 Paul compares the Christian life to a war. We (Christians) are soldiers in an army and our army is involved in daily battles, and just as a soldier must be well nourished to fight in a battle we must be well nourished in our daily battle against Satan. One overriding connection found in all people who begin to backslide is that they slowly stop reading the Bible and praying like they should.
The purpose of this paper is to assist the new convert in his daily walk with God€¦
Chapter I.
Who is God?
Just a century ago this would have been a very silly question to ask in America, but sadly due to the work of atheist, Satan, and extreme liberals few in our country, or the world for that matter truly know God. Although many may have forgotten Him, this doesnt make Him any less powerful or real- My God does not change:
For I am the LORD, I change not;â€Â-Malachi 3.6
Recently, a group of radical feminist set out to change God€Â They created a new version (more like perversion) of the Bible that portrayed God as a Woman and instead of Adam being created first, Eve was. I have news for those women, God is still my heavenly FATHER and there is nothing they can do about.
God exists in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We know this because the Bible is very clear in dealing with this matter and constantly links all three as being God:
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: -Matthew 28.19
Each is as much God€Â as the other, yet each has a certain and specific work and duty. God the Father is the one whom we seek to have a relationship with. He is the Great Judge of all Humanity, and man stands condemned with his sin before this Righteous God. Jesus Christ is God the Son, and he made himself into flesh to pay for our sins. It is because of the shedding of God the Son blood on Mount Calvary that you and I can reach God the Father. It is God the Holy Spirit which does the work of God. The Holy Spirit serves as a witness to ourselves and others that we are saved. The Holy Ghost is to serve as a comfort to us during our pilgrimage through this lost and dying world.
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me. John 15.26
In this scientific age of wisdom€Â that we live in many believe that God and religion all together is simply an outdated superstition. From time to time I’ve even had people say things to me like “prove that God exist.â€Â A while back Princeton University issued an article that spoke about the religious beliefs of some of our nations “top scientists.â€Â Without fail each scientist spoke about how science has distinct limits, which can only be explained by a higher power and each testified of his personal relationship with Jesus Christ. These men understand that the world in which we live is so complex that the only valid way of explaining it is God created it. Far from being an “outdated superstition,â€Â Christianity is the very essence of our existence.
Along with our society attempting to disprove the existence of God, many try to disprove the plan of God and the purpose for Him creating us. Today the world says that God created us to have a good time and help people in the process, however we were created for only one purpose: To bring honor and glory to God. God created us for His own pleasure, He wants to have a meaningful relationship with us. Due to man’s sin in the garden a barrier was placed between God and man and that barrier is sin.
Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. –Romans 5.12-19For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; -Romans 3.23
Because of this barrier man was not able to have a true relationship with God… Man had a need- A need to reach God. However, truly reaching God was impossible for man, impossible until Christ came. It is the blood of Christ that tares down this wall of sin between God and man and enables us to have a personal walk with God:
For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. –II Corinthians 5.21…But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: -Romans 5.20To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory. –Ephesians 1.6-14
“the mystery of his willâ€Â- His will is to walk and have a relationship with us. Many people say things like “I don’t think that we should pray for ourselves, it makes us look self centered…â€Â The fact of the matter is that God gets pleasure from hearing our prayers and he wants to feel needed in our lives. God doesn’t save us just so we can go to heaven (heaven is a bi-product of salvation), God saves us so that we can have a relationship with him, so that he can be our friend.
And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. –James 2.23
So in answer to the chapter title, “Who is God?â€Â
He is our Creator------------ Genesis 1.1
He is our Controller-------- Psalm 84.3,11-12
He is our Care-Taker------- Jeremiah 2.11
He is our Communicator--- II Timothy 3.16
He is our Savior------------- Ephesians 1.5-14
Chapter II.The Facts About Man
Many would have you to believe that man is naturally good and the purpose of our life is to find that “inner good.â€Â This sounds appealing and even reasonable by itself, however when placed under the microscope of the scriptures this theory quickly evaporates.
As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. –Romans 3.10-12
Adam was created in a perfect environment and even he himself was perfect. He was created in the likeness of God. Man is the most different of all of God’s creations. What makes man different? Observe the following
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. –Genesis 1.10 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. –Genesis 1.12 And to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness: and God saw that it was good. –Genesis 1.18 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. –Genesis 1.21 And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good. –Genesis 1.25 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. –Genesis 1.31
Why did the Bible go from saying “It (God’s creation) was goodâ€Â in Genesis 1.10, 12, 18, 21, 25 to “it was VERY goodâ€Â in Genesis 1.31? The answer to that can be found in Genesis 1.26:
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. –Genesis 1.26
Up until the sixth day of creation it was God the Father doing all of the making- “God created…â€Â “God made…â€Â “God said…â€Â The creation of man involved the complete trinity- “Let US make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness…â€Â Man is the premier of God’s creation and he wants us to be in his likeness. And man was in the likeness of God until Adam and Eve took of the forbidden fruit. However, upon the sin of Adam and Eve in the garden all of humanity was cursed with this barrier separating them from God.
So how can sinful man ever match the likeness of God? By the blood of Jesus. When we get saved, God no longer sees us as a sinful and needy creature. From the moment of salvation God refuses to see our sins:
For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. –Psalm 103.11-12 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. –I John 1.9 Chapter III.
The Life of Jesus Christ
Many believe that the life of Jesus Christ began in Bethlehem some 2000 years ago, however Christ had his beginning when God the Father had his beginning, in the beginning! Christ is often referred to as “the Wordâ€Â as is the case in John 1:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Christ has always existed, even before being born in a manger Jesus Christ was in existence.
Another misconception people have concerning Jesus is that he was only a man. While it is true that Christ was 100% man during his earthly existence he was at the same time 100% God. Although he was man, he never ceased to be God. One preacher once said:
“-Jesus was so much man that he slept on the boat. Yet he was so much God that he arose and rebuked (silenced) the storm. MARK 4.35-41 -Jesus was so much man that he cried when Lazarus died. Yet he was so much God that he raised Lazarus from the dead. JOHN 11 -Jesus was so much man that he was hungry. Yet he was so much God that he was able to feed 5000 people with five loathes and two fishes. MARK 6.34-44
-Jesus was so much man that the Jews were able to crucify him. Yet he was so much God that he raised himself back from the dead. MATTHEW 27.50-28.6â€Â
A few months after I had gotten saved, a couple of Jehovah’s [False] Witnesses came by and visited my home. One of the lady’s told me that Jesus never claimed to be God- although I was certain that he was God I had only a limited knowledge of the Bible and I was not able to come back with an effective argument. I have now, however, learned that through the entire four Gospels (Matt., Mark, Luke, & John) Jesus made every effort to show the people that he is GOD. One cannot read the New Testament without coming to the conclusion that Christ said and said often that he was the DIVINE Son of God, sent to earth to save his people from their sins… Take for instance:
I and my Father are one. Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. –John 10.30-33 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. –John 5.18
As if that isn’t enough to make people believe Christ is God, notice what Thomas said when he met Christ after the resurrection from the dead:
And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. –John 20.28-29
If Christ was not God, wouldn’t it seem logical that instead of accepting Thomas’ praise Jesus would have rebuked him? The devil is attempting in everyway to discredit Christ and the sacrifice of his blood. Every new believer must realize this and be strong in faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Now that we established in our thinking that Christ is not only the Son of God but also God himself, we must now look at the work and purpose of Christ.
As already stated, man cannot reach God in his (man’s) natural condition- God is a righteous and just God and sin must be paid for:
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. –Romans 6.23
Romans 6.23 leaves an individual with one of two options- #1 allow the death of Jesus Christ to be the payment of their sin. Or #2- Pay for their sin themselves, by having their souls cast into an eternal lake of fire:
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. –Revelation 20.14
Many ask, “How can a loving God send anyone to Hell?â€Â
That question can be answered very easily- God doesn’t want anyone to go to hell. In fact, he even sent his own Son to die in your place to pay for yours and the whole world’s sin. If there is anyone who doesn’t want people to go to hell, it is God:
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. –II Peter 3.9 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. –Romans 5.8
So in essence God doesn’t send anyone to hell, men damn themselves by refusing to accept the sacrifice of Christ.
We must see Jesus Christ for who he is- He isn’t some genie in a bottle that we can have all of our wishes and wants met through his name, he is the Wonderful Son of God and Bridge between us and God the Father; I was in a church service just a few months ago and the pastor began praying for some of his wants and some of the wants of the church and none of the people’s needs. He made a bold and in my opinion dangerous statement- “In the name of JESUS, I command you to give me these things…â€Â
I realize that Jesus said many times to ask things in his name and he would give it unto us, however he was referring to Spiritual matters and personal needs. Is it wrong to pray for our wants? Not at all, but we must never be as this “preacherâ€Â was and treat Jesus Christ like he’s Santa Clause nor should we ever command Jesus to do anything for us- who are we to tell God to do anything? Acts 19.13-20 speaks of an incident where certain Jews attempted to cast out evil spirits in the name of Jesus, the results left them terrified, naked, and humiliated. We must be careful with how we use the name of Jesus Christ.
Not only is the work of Christ to save us, but it is also to sustain us or carry us. After salvation Jesus becomes, not only our Savior, our God, but also our friend. And just like any other friend, Jesus wants to have a relationship with him. The majority of new converts say the greatest thing they’ve experienced from their salvation isn’t a future in heaven or never going to hell but having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The Bible says that he “sticketh closer than a brother.â€Â How wonderful it is to know that no matter who on this earth may forsake you, Jesus will always be there for you.
When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. –Psalm 27.10 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. –Hebrews 13.5
Who is Jesus?
To the baker, he is the Bread of Life… John 6.35
To the philosopher, he is the Truth… John 14.6
To the architect, he is the Chief Cornerstone… Mark 12.10
To the sick, he is the Great Physician… Matt.9.12
To the salesman, he is the Merchantman… Matt.13.45
To the historian, he is the Rock of Ages… I Cor.10.4
To the lost, he is the Light of the World… John 8.12
To the shut-in, he is the Door… John 10.9
To the Greek, he is the Alpha an Omega… Rev. 22.13
To the farmer, he is the True Vine… John 15.1
To the dead, he is the Resurrection and the Life… John 11.25
I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. –Revelation 1.18 I will close this chapter by quoting some Bible verses which speaks about Jesus: His mouth is most sweet: yea, he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem. –Song of Solomon 5.16 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. –John 1.9-14 The following is a prophecy about Jesus Christ written about 738 years before the birth of Jesus: 1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? 2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. 9 And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. –Isaiah 53 Chapter IV.
The Truth Concerning Salvation
There is probably nothing in this world as simple as obtaining salvation; yet, there are hundreds of denominations preaching thousands of different ways to receive this gift. What makes our way so special you may ask? The fact that it comes directly from the Bible and the Bible alone…
First of all we must see that ALL are in need of salvation. I had a preacher tell me once, “People can’t get saved, if they don’t first realize that their lost.â€Â This is very true. The number one reason why people aren’t getting saved like they should is because they aren’t even aware that their lost. I go “door knockingâ€Â each week asking people if they’re going to heaven. Without fail I usually get an answer like “I think so.â€Â I always reply by asking “Why do you think so?â€Â Sadly very few are able to give an answer back, because they don’t know what they are counting on to get them into heaven. The Apostle John said that we shouldn’t live our lives worrying about whether we’re going to heaven or not:
These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God –I John 5.13
There is only one way to be 100% sure that you are going to heaven:
#1- Realize that God loves you…
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. –John 3.16
#2- Acknowledge that you are a sinner…
For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; -Romans 3.23
#3- Understand that sin must be paid for…
For the wages of sin is death; –Rom. 6.23 a
#4- Christ paid for your sin…
…but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. –Rom. 6.23 b
#5- Accept Christ’s payment for your sin…
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. –Rom 10.13
Sadly many people are counting on other things to save them (i.e. baptism, church membership, communion, good works, etc.) however Paul wrote that Salvation is a gift that we cannot earn:
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. –Ephesians 2.8-9
We are saved by God’s GRACE- He, sending his son to die for us. Through FAITH- Calling upon and believing in Jesus… Trusting his blood to be the only payment large enough to pay for our sins.
Understand that Paul described salvation as a gift- If I were to make you work to earn something is it truly a gift?
Another misunderstanding concerning salvation is whether or not we can loose it. A lot of people are under the false assumption that an individual can loose his salvation. I was speaking to an old lady once, who asked me to pray for her daughter. The lady said “I’m afraid that she has lost her salvation.â€Â I told the woman that salvation can’t be lost and she replied by saying “you only believe that so you can have an excuse to live like hell…â€Â Although many may use the belief of “eternal securityâ€Â as an excuse to sin the fact of the matter is that if someone truly gets born again he cannot sin in God’s eye’s- the blood of Jesus covers our past, present, & future sins:
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. –I John 3.9
Does this mean that if someone sins after “accepting Jesusâ€Â he was never truly saved? Not at all, it simply means that all of our sins have been paid for by the blood of Jesus and God will not bring them back up again.
The Bible says that if we are in Christ we become a “new creatureâ€Â not a “perfect creature,â€Â but certainly a new creature. Is it possible for this “new creatureâ€Â to backslide? Absolutely, and although they are still going to heaven it is important to know that they will have to pay for the consequences of their sins. I Corinthians chapter 3 speaks about how every Christian is going to be judged (not for heaven or hell, but for the rewards they will receive in heaven) by their works. Paul equates Jesus Christ as the foundation in this passage and our works to what is built upon this foundation:
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. – I Corinthians 3.11-14
Those who believe that trusting Christ gives them an excuse to do wrong first of all need to search and see whether or not they ever truly been saved. If they discover that they are saved they need to realize that just because and individual is saved he still must deal with the consequences of his sins.
For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth. –Proverbs 3.12 Just as any good father disciplines his children when they are doing wrong, God chastises (whips) his children in order to get us to the point of complete obedience. For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. –Hebrews 12.6-10 When Christians go astray God chastises us in order to “get us back in lineâ€Â. How does he chastise us? By allowing things (many times bad things) to happen to Christians in order to make them realize that they aren’t where they need to be and come back to the place of God. There is a great picture of the chastening of the Lord through the Prodigal Son in Luke 15.11-32 Chapter V.The Work of the Holy Spirit It has been said that, “we are Selected by the Father, Saved by the Son, and Sealed by the Holy Ghost.â€Â -This is a true statement. The purpose of the Holy Spirit of God is to bring comfort to Christians and to reassure us of our salvation. I’ve noticed that the majority of churches today place either an over emphasis on the work of the Holy Ghost or for fear of sounding charismatic, place an under emphasis on the Holy Ghost’s power. The fact of the matter is that the Holy Ghost is as much God as Jesus, yet he plays a different role in the Godhead. Contrary perhaps, to what one may think, the work of the Holy Spirit is not to make an individual pass out in a church isle or to make one speak in an unkown language or prophesy. In I Corinthians Paul gave the church orders on how to conduct its services. He spoke about speaking in tongues and prophesying and it is from those verses that the churches of today make their claim at being able to do such things. The fact is that the Bible still hadn’t been completed during the writing of I Corinthians and the church was still in its infant stage. I Corinthians was written in 52 AD, roughly 38 years before the last book of the Bible (Revelation) would be written. Therefore the church was without much of the Scriptures we have today. As a result God gave many of the church members the abilities to speak in unknown tongues and prophesy, abilities that the church of today has no need for, because we have the full and complete Word of God. Some believe that the Holy Ghost does not necessarily indwell every believer. I’ve heard of instances where an individual gets saved and then spends months trying to “get the Holy Ghost.â€Â The fact of the matter is the Holy Spirit of God comes inside every believer at the very instant of salvation and he takes up permanent residence inside you (He moves in for good!). Why do I believe this? ‘Cause the Bible said so, of course: But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. –Romans 8.9 It is crucial that the Holy Spirit indwell every believer, if he doesn’t then how can we get our prayers answered or have a relationship with God? Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. –Romans 8.26 It is the Holy Ghost that will raise us up to meet Jesus in the clouds on the day of the rapture.
The Holy Spirit serves as a witness, both to ourselves and to others that we are saved. The day that Christ ascended into heaven his disciples were extremely saddened, they were sad because Christ would no longer be on earth with them, directing and guiding them in all paths of truth. Little did they know that God was sending them the Holy Ghost to serve in the stead of Christ. It is through the Holy Spirit that we receive our power to do great things for Jesus.
Chapter VI.The Power of Prayer
I once saw a sign on a church billboard that read, “7 days without prayer makes one weak!â€Â Although that is a catchy slogan it is very inaccurate- Seven days without prayer literally destroys a Christian, one day without prayer makes one weak.
If there is one gift that we as Christians neglect to take full advantage of it is prayer. I stand in awe of what greatness the church of today could have if only it were to pray like it should. The Bible is extremely clear, with much prayer comes great power, and without much prayer comes extreme weakness.
During the short span of my ministry I’ve probably been asked questions about prayer more than all others combined, i.e. How often should we pray? How long? How do we get our prayers answered? Etc. I will seek to answer those questions by using the Bible as my only guide and comparing scripture with scripture.
What is the purpose of prayer? Contrary to what we have been taught from a child, the purpose of prayer is not to get what we need. The primary purpose of prayer is to spend time with God. Do you remember back in chapter one of this book, how we spoke about how God wants to have a relationship with you? One such way we have a relationship with God is through prayer. It is through prayer that we praise Him for just being God, and we thank Him for saving our souls, and after doing that we make our requests known unto him.
How should we pray? This is usually one of the first questions a new convert has. Many new believers feel that in order for God to hear their prayer they must speak in 17th Century English- “Behold, Thou art a most gracious and kind God…â€Â and of course they say to themselves, “I can never do thatâ€Â and as a result they get discouraged. God doesn’t want to hear any of us praying in old English he wants to hear our prayers in our own words. Too many times new Christians try to pray like their preacher or others whom they’ve heard but they really just need to speak to God in their own words.
In Luke chapter 11 one of Jesus’ disciples asked Jesus to teach him to pray. Why did he ask this? Because, he realized the tremendous blessing prayer could be to an individual and he wanted to make sure he was doing it right. Jesus responded by giving the model prayer (The Lord’s Prayer):
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heave. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.–Matthew 6.9-13 Notice the order of the above prayer:I. He praises God… Hallowed be thy name.II. He prayed for the will (plan) of God to be carried out… They will be doneSometimes God’s will may not be what we are requesting. When that happens simply trust that Gods plan is better.III. He prayed for his needs and asked for forgiveness… Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debtsIV. He prayed for others… as we forgive our debtorsV. He asked for God to steer him away from temptation… And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evilVI. He closes by again praising God…
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen
Observe how Christ commanded us to pray for ourselves before praying for others. Why do you believe he did that? I believe that he did so to remind us that we must first be right with God ourselves, before we can help others. I can have sin in my life and spend all day praying for someone else and God isn’t going to hear it, but the moment that that I pray to God to forgive my sin he then opens his ears to my prayer. Keep this in mind and remember that in order to be a blessing to others through prayer you must first be right with God yourself.
How often/long should we pray? Pray without ceasing. –I Thessalonians 5.7
Does this mean that we must always have our head bowed and eyes closed? Of course not, if so I wouldn’t want any Christians to be on the same road I’m driving on! It simply means that we must always have the spirit of prayer- we must feel like we our in the presence of God always. Observing this will keep us from committing a lot of sin.
Too many Christians say their quiet time with God is while they are driving to work or on their lunch break, but the fact of the matter is that having a deep moment of prayer requires deep concentration and meditation. Am I condemning praying while driving to work or on a lunch break? Not at all, in fact I believe that we should spend every spare moment in prayer, too much time is wasted doing trivial things during these times. However, I am saying that a Christian needs to find a quiet place, where they can spend time alone with God. Jesus recommended going to a closet and closing the door and turning out the lights!
How can I get my prayers answered?
The most beautiful thing about telling God our needs is not only does he hear our problems, but he does something about them. Proverbs equates him as a friend, and while most friends don’t mind to hear our problems there is usually nothing they can do to make the situation better, however Jesus not only hears our problems, but he also posses the power to fix our problems. How can he fix our problems? Firstly, he must hear our prayer- there are times that God won’t hear our prayer. What must happen for God to hear our prayers?
#1- We can’t have sin in our lives.
If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: -Psalm 66.18 When we come before God, we must come before him humbly and pure, without sin. If you have sinned, you must first repent (turn from) of the sin, then ask for forgiveness. Remember, God is a Holy God and he can not have fellowship with sin.
#2- We must pray in faith.
But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. James .6-7
#3- We must pray consistently.
Many times God will not immediately sometimes our prayer. Sometimes he waits to see if we will continue to pray or if we will loose hope and give up. A great illustration of this can be found in Genesis 32.24-32 where Jacob refuses to let go of the angel until he receives a blessing. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5.16 Chapter VII.Living the Victorious Christian Life
A great thing about the Christian life is that the ultimate victory is already decided. Satan looses and we win. Our victory was secured on a Sunday morning nearly 2000 years ago when Jesus Christ came out of a sealed tomb and arose a victor over death, hell, and the grave. It is because of Christ’s defeat over Satan on that fateful April morning that you and I have an eternal home in glory.
So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. –I Corinthians 15.54-57
We must always be conscious of this and remember that our salvation is secure. Although we cannot loose our salvation, a Christian can begin to backslide and fall away from the earthly blessings that accompany being a Christian. Because of this fact is important for a child of God to stand close and stay strong with him daily.
How can we be victorious in our daily walk? Simply, by obeying him. Obedience is the essence of being victorious in our day-to-day walk. Without obedience to him others cannot see the love of God in us:
If ye love me, keep my commandments. –John 14.15
Of course it would be impossible to make a list of all of the things we are to do and not do as a Christian, however I’m going to touch on a few.
The very first thing a new believer is commanded to do is be baptized. We are not baptized in order to receive salvation, the Holy Ghost, or any spiritual gifts (they come at the very moment we ask Jesus to save us). We are baptized to show our obedience to God. The Bible is very clear that the Apostle Paul (then Saul) was saved while traveling on the Damascus Road, however he was later (soon, but not immediately) baptized in Damascus. This shows us that salvation is separate from baptism. The new believer must be aware that baptism is not essential for salvation, but important for serving God.
Another thing new believers are commanded to do is be a witness for Jesus to everyone they come in contact with. In Mathew 28 Jesus gave what is called “The Great Commission.â€Â
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. –Matt. 28.18-20
Many act like this only applies to the preacher, however it applies to every person, whether recently saved or an old saint. How can we witness to others?
#1- By our behavior…
Other’s must see a changed life. For the new convert, especially, this is the most effective method of pointing others to Christ. If you were a drunk, liar, curser, etc. people must see a dramatic change in your life in order to take you (and your “new religionâ€Â) seriously. Your old friends may not accept your new lifestyle immediately, but if you live your life in a consistent God pleasing way for a long enough time they will begin to respect you and some may even follow your example and come to Christ.[A wonderful illustration that shows the power of a changed life can be found in Mark 5.1-20] Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. –Matthew 5.16
#2- By going to the lost…
Many times Christians wait for the lost to come to them, however the lost aren’t going to come to you. In the years that I’ve been preaching I can only remember just a few (very few at that) instances where I’ve had someone come to wanting to get save. All the other times I had to knock on doors and hand out tracks, confronting people with Jesus Christ. Many feel that we shouldn’t do this, they say that it makes us look like Jehovah’s Witnesses or vacuum salesmen, but we are commanded to go into all the world sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
I find it amazing that some churches support hundreds of missionaries in Africa and Asia (which is very commendable) yet never try to win the lost in their hometown.
And lastly achieving victory in our daily battle requires church attendance. Just this morning I was eating breakfast at the Waffle House and I over heard the two waitresses talking about a woman who wouldn’t work on Sundays. One of the women said something like, “I just don’t believe that you have to go to church every Sunday in order to go to heaven…â€Â Although she was very right, she fails to see that church meetings is the place where we as Christians receive our weekly help. We are in fact commanded to meet together as believers to worship God and it is during these meetings that God is most likely to speak to us and encourage us.
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. –Hebrews 10.25
Chapter VIII.This is God’s Word
Each year Americans spend over a billion dollars seeking after truth. They tune in every afternoon to listen to self-help people like Dr. Phil give advice, sadly these people fail to see that the answer to all their problems is probably stuffed away in their closet or hidden in a drawer. 98.3% of American homes have the Bible, yet only a small minority give it any attention. The true answer to America’s problem does not lie in having a Republican in the White House or a Democrat controlled Congress- America has the answer to all of her problems yet she is rejecting it daily. What makes the Bible such an ordinary or special book? Why is it called “The Good Bookâ€Â? Because, it is the Word of God.
Every word in the Bible was breathed (inspired) by God. God spoke to the human writers and they wrote, word for word, exactly what he said:
All scripture is given by inspiration of God… II Timothy 3.16When we hear the word inspiration we automatically think of it being used in the same sense that the word motivation is used. However, the two words are not interchangeable. The word inspiration comes from the Latin word inspiro which means the following: inspiro- The infusion of ideas into the mind by the Holy Spirit; the conveying into the minds of men, ideas, notices or monitions by extraordinary or supernatural influence; or the communication of the divine will to the understanding by suggestions or impressions on the mind, which leave no room to doubt the reality of their supernatural origin [Webster’s Bible Dictionary] It is crucial for a child of God to see the Bible for what it is- God’s infallible (without errors) Word, not man’s. Upon coming to this understanding everything is seen in a whole new light. We then see things as black and white and the gray areas disappear. From the very moment of man’s creation in the Garden of Eden Satan has set out to undermine the Word of God. He is constantly attempting to pervert and water down the Bible and one such way he is doing so is with the several Bible versions. There are literally hundreds of Bible versions in the English language today. Some argue that the NIV (New International Version) and ASV (American Standard Version) just place the Bible into simpler and easier to read words. Although the NIV and ASV may place the Bible into simpler words (which is questionable) they do so at the expense of the original text and consequently they leave words out. Words that God placed into the Bible for a reason. Many say that the KJV, NKJV, NIV, ASV, etc. are all the same, just written in different words. However, “things that are different aren’t the same.â€Â The newer versions leave out in their terminology “dead wordsâ€Â however these words have a meaning and were divinely placed in the Bible by an all knowing God, for a reason. View the following: Begotten comes from the Greek word pisteuo which means- to have faith, to entrust, believe, commit (to trust), put in trust with. Now Notice the differences between the KJV & New International Version of John 3.16:
King James VersionFor God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.New International VersionFor God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
At first glance the two texts seem to be saying the exact same thing, only in different words, however when one does a simple word study he soon realizes that they are saying two very different things. What is the difference between “only begotten Son (KJV)â€Â and “one and only Son (NIV)â€Â? Well let’s just take a look at how Mr. Webster defined the two:Begotten- a descendant with whom a great amount of trust has been thrust uponOne- single in numberOnly- single, this and no other The birth of Jesus is therefore no different than my birth using the NIV’s translation, for I too am the “one and only one sonâ€Â of my father. However, the KJV places a very distinct difference between the birth of myself and Jesus. According to the KJV Christ was sent here with faith from above to carry out a particular mission. Another example of how the NIV has changed the Word of God can be found in John 14.2
King James VersionIn 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.New International VersionIn my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
If one were to be reading John 14 out of the NIV, he would think that Jesus was preparing a room for him in heaven, while in all actuality the individual has a mansion awaiting him in glory. This is just another instance of how Satan has several “good peopleâ€Â fooled by thinking that the several versions are all the same thing, just in different words- Remember, “things that are different are not the same.â€Â
The final and perhaps most compelling illustration I will use against the new Bible versions is that they often simply leave out complete phrases of the Bible. Notice the differences between the KJV, ASV, & NIV in Colossians 1.14:
KJVIn whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: ASV in whom we have our redemption, the forgiveness of our sins: NIVin whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
…without shedding of blood is no remission. –Hebrews 9.22
In Chapter 3 of this book I said, “The devil is attempting in everyway to discredit Christ and the sacrifice of his blood. Every new believer must realize this and be strong in faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.â€Â I made that phrase without any thought of using it again in this chapter, however, I feel that the above translations only solidify the message that Satan is out to destroy the Christian faith, and he often does so with wolves in sheep’s clothing.
A new believer must be very careful and he must not be fooled into thinking that the only differences in all the versions are just the way they are worded. The devil is having a field day with all the confusion that has accompanied the new versions, be careful and do not fall into his trap. Read your Bible and read it often, meditating upon God’s word and promises.
But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. –II Timothy 3.14-17 Chapter IX.It’s More Than a Building When someone says the word church what comes into your mind? The average person immediately pictures a white building with a steeple, sitting alone in a field somewhere. Fortunately “the churchâ€Â is something much bigger than a building, it is in fact the body of Jesus Christ. Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: -Colossians 1.24 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. –Ephesians 1.22-23
God himself, created three institutions (The family, Civil government, and The local church). Each of these institutions has a specific role to play, i.e. it is the responsibility of the family, not the church or the government to raise its own children. It is the responsibility of the government to maintain public order and enforce laws, not the church or the family. The chief responsibility of the church is to reach the lost world for Jesus Christ. Dr. Clarence Sexton, President of Crown College of the Bible, has defined the local church as “a local group of baptized believers who have voluntarily joined themselves together to carry out the Great Commission of Christ.â€Â To refresh your memory, Christ gave the Great Commission to his disciples before ascending into heaven. It is listed below:
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. –Matthew 28.18-20
When did the church begin? Many are under the false assumption that the church has always existed and such Old Testament figures like Adam, Noah, and Moses are all members. This simply is not true, observe what Jesus said to Peter in Matthew chapter 16:
And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. –Matthew 16.18 Not has built or even am building, but WILL BUILD. Christ was speaking in the future tense. In order for the church to begin building Christ had to first be crucified, risen, and seated on the throne beside God the Father. Why, you may ask? All because Christ’s body is the church and in order for the church to be built his body had to first be broken and then restored.
The Church had its beginning on the Day of Pentecost (50 days after the crucifixion of Christ) and it will last for an eternity. –Acts chapter 2.
What is the purpose of the church? The New Testament local church has several responsibilities, but the primary purpose is to aid Christians in bringing lost souls to Jesus Christ. Jesus gave the Great Commission to Christians and it is through the church that we carryout this command. It is in obedience to the Great Commission that churches have door-to-door visitations days, support foreign missionaries, and preach to lost sinners in the community.
Not only is the church to carryout the Great Commission, but it is also to observe the two ordinances that Christ gave the church.
#1- Baptism: Baptism is a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ and is to be observed once and only once by Christians as a show of public obedience to God. There are many forms of “baptismâ€Â today ranging from immersion, sprinkling, dabbing, pouring, etc. However, the only true form of baptism is that of immersion. Why? Because as stated above baptism is a picture of the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ- An individual first walks into the water and then is pulled downwards towards the water (picture of Christ’s death), he is then immersed in the water (picture of Christ being buried), and lastly is raised up out of the water (picture of Christ rising from the dead). We do not believe that the water in the baptismal has any ability to wash away sins or to give special powers to those who touch it. We baptize new believers as a show of the first step of obedience in accordance to the scriptures.
#2- Lord’s Supper: The night before the crucifixion Jesus Christ observed the first Lord’s Supper with his disciples.
For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come. –I Corinthians 11.23-34
Again we do not believe that the bread that we break or that the wine (unfermented) we drink possess any special power, we simply do this from time to time as a show of obedience and in remembrance to the Lord’s sacrifice for our souls.
Who is in charge of the church? Jesus Christ is the head of the church. He is the sole authority of the church. He equates himself to a shepherd and the church to a flock of sheep. Whenever someone does wrong against the church they must realize that they aren’t sinning against an individual or organization, they are sinning directly against God, which carries severe judgment. Likewise whenever someone is a blessing to a local church they must realize that they aren’t blessing people, they are being a blessing and help to God. So the sole individual who is “in chargeâ€Â of the church is Jesus Christ.
Each local New Testament church has an overseer or bishop (the pastor). He is a man selected by the congregation to manage the assembly of believers. It is the duty of the pastor to decide the direction the church is going in, preach the Gospel, and manage the affairs of the church.
Along with the pastor each local New Testament church has a group of men to serve as deacons to the church. It is the responsibility of the deacons to see to it that the needs of the church are being met. There is no prescribed number for how many deacons a church should have and is generally based upon the size of the church.
In I Timothy Paul gave the qualifications of pastors (bishop) and deacons:
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. Likewise must the deacons be grave, not doubletongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things. Let the deacons be the husbands of one wife, ruling their children and their own houses well. For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. –I Timothy 3.2-13
Sadly the average pastor or deacon of today fall nowhere near this category, however the Bible is still God’s infallible and unchanging Word.
How is the church to be operated? The Bible says that God is a God of order and the way we conduct our church services is to follow this principle. Church isn’t to be a place of chaos or confusion but a place of worshipping God.
The Bible also instructs us that church meetings are to be a place where all saints get revived in the work of Christ. Too many times church gatherings turn out to be nothing more than a mere social interaction. Church is something entirely better, it’s the place we go to hear from God.
Chapter X.
Here Comes the Devil
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: -I Peter 5.8
Satan is real and he is attempting in every way to destroy your faith and testimony. A Christian should never underestimate the power of Satan, they must always remember that they are fighting in a war and Satan is the enemy.
Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. –Ephesians 6.11-13
What is the ultimate goal of Satan? Satan’s goal is not to overthrow the throne of God and conquer heaven, he lost that when Christ arose from the grave with the keys of death and hell. Satan is now attempting to take as many people to the lake of fire as possible. Since you have given your life over to Jesus, Satan knows that he cannot have your soul but he now sees you as a threat, whereas before (when you were lost) you weren’t giving any trouble. Satan will now attempt in everyway to make you miserable and question God, however with that said take great comfort in I John 4.4:
Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
A lot of people get in the habit of blaming the Devil for everything that goes wrong, but I’m afraid that we give Satan too much credit sometimes. If you go out for work one morning and your car doesn’t start don’t blame the Devil. Have you ever given any consideration that maybe it’s God?
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. –Romans 8.28
Look at the phrase “all thingsâ€Â that includes both the good and bad. Everything isn’t always going to be perfect for a child of God, but it’s great to know that no matter what happens we have a loving Savior watching out for us to ensure that “all things work together for good.â€Â
“All sunshine and no rain makes a desert.â€Â
We have to take into consideration that God sometimes chastens us and other times he allows bad things to happen in our life (even when we are obeying him fully) to make us more like Christ. With that said, stand strong in your faith and be bold for Jesus Christ remembering that Satan is powerless against a saint who has full faith and obedience to God.
Chapter XI.
The Christian Home
Sadly, America is full of problems today. Our children rank among the least educated of all first world countries, the unmarried teen pregnancy rate is the highest in the world, and the aids epidemic is sweeping across our land, all the while politicians are blaming each other for not spending enough money in certain areas to correct this problem.
The reason why America has came to this point isn’t because Ronald Reagan cut education spending or Bill Clinton’s healthcare plan failed, the true reason why America has came to this miserable place is because our nation’s divorce rate hovers around 45%. This means that nearly half of the people who exchange vows do not keep them “till death.â€Â This nation has lost the sanctity of marriage and until that is regained we will never again shine as a nation. The home is the very foundation on which a society is built upon and the American home has crumbled, therefore unless something drastic is done, America will herself crumble.
Too many parents attempt to blame Emenin or Howard Stern for the way their children turn out, while in all actuality their children turned out rotten simply because they followed the example set by their parents.
Although the average America home is in complete disarray the Christian home ought to be completely different. Our homes should stand out, as my father would say, like a sore thumb!
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. –Matthew 5.16
How can the Christian home stand out? Firstly, it must be centered around the husband and wife, not the parents and children. Too many relationships are based around the children and after the kids leave the man and woman become complete strangers- it is because of this that the divorce rate in couples over 45 has risen.
Furthermore, the Christian home must based upon the Word of God, “for other foundation can no man layâ€Â except Jesus Christ. He is the Rock of Ages and if your home is built upon him it will stand against the whiles of the devil. Having a home based upon the Word of God isn’t always the easiest way, however it is always the best way.
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as it is fit in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them. Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord. Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged. –Colossians 3.18-21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband. –Ephesians 5.21-33
And lastly the Christian home, involves discipline. Although many psychiatrist say that corporal punishment has no place in a modern society and that it leads only to low self-esteem and mistreatment, the Bible is very clear that we are commanded to train up a child in the right paths and the Word of God instructs parents to use this form of punishment. When done correctly it is a very powerful instrument in assuring a child is reared in the best way.
Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell. –Proverbs 23.13-14 He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes. –Proverbs 13.24 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. –Proverbs 29.15 Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying. -Proverbs 19.18 Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him. –Proverbs 22.15
The Bible is very clear that “good kidsâ€Â aren’t created coincidentally but rather they are a reflection of the parents. The Bible gives parents the sole responsibility for bringing children up correctly and each parent is going to stand before God and answer for the way they raised their children. The Biblical way is one of consistency and love and you as a parent must never fail in balancing the two. Failure to discipline correctly is a failure to love your children correctly.
Chapter XII.Dealing With the Issues of Today
Does it ever seem like the world is so much more complicated than it was in your parents day and that the difference between what’s right and wrong isn’t so black and white? If so, you are not alone, many people of today have that same feeling. My grandparents never had to deal with such moral issues as cloning a sheep or genetically modifying food. The world has become a very complex place to live in, fortunately there is a 2000 year old book that has all the answers to any question the 21st Century can throw at it.
Many skeptics of the Bible claim that the state of the world today only proves the Bible was written by man and is out dated, however they obviously haven’t ever read the book of II Timothy:
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. –II Timothy 3.1-13
The people of today have made a mockery of God’s plan for man in everyway- ranging from premarital sex, to homosexuality, to “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.â€Â
Whoever said that being a Christian was for weak people needing a crutch to lean on obviously never took into consideration 21st Century Christianity. Living a God pleasing life and taking a stand for Jesus in this day and age requires both courage and strength. Strength, that no ordinary person is born with, but strength which comes from being born again. Paul said that this world was only going to get worse as the end of time approaches and he also warned that many would fall by the wayside, however God’s Word never changes and what was wrong in your grandparents generation is still wrong in today’s age, no matter how many are doing it.
As the end of times near, you as a Christian should take great comfort in knowing that you have an eternal home awaiting you in Glory and that you have a heavenly friend with you here on earth. No matter what trials you may face or hard times you may go through stand tall and stay strong, for it is, but for a season. May you continue to Grow in Grace. Thanks for reading my book and may God bless greatly.
