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| Important steps toward christian growth... |
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"As newborn babes,
desire the sincere milk of the word,
that ye may grow thereby."
(1 PET 2:2) |
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(1) YOU SHOULD BE BAPTIZED as commanded by the Lord Jesus. This was the last command He left His apostles.
- "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, BAPTIZING THEM, in the name of the Father, and the son, and of the Holy Ghost." (Matt. 28:19)
- Mark 16:16 reads, "He that believeth, AND IS BAPTIZED, shall be saved..."
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(2) YOU MUST READ AND STUDY THE BIBLE DAILY.
- 1 Pet. 2:2 instructs, "As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word that YE MAY GROW thereby." The Bible is the inspired Word of God and must be read prayerfully... "laying aside ALL malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings." (1 Pet. 2:1)
- Job expressed so well HOW MUCH and HOW OFTEN we should study God’s word. "Neither have I departed from the commandment of His lips; I have esteemed the words of His mouth MORE than my necessary food." (Job 23:12)
- 2 Tim. 2:15 again instructs us, "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth NOT BE ASHAMED, rightly dividing the word of Truth."
- Hosea 4:6 warns us of the ultimate SHAME caused as a result of God’s people lacking spiritual knowledge. "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee." So, "grow in grace, and in knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever." (2 Pet. 3:18)
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(3) SPEND TIME EACH DAY PRAYING AND PRAISING THE LORD.
- "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."
- (Phil. 4:6) Also, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation." (Matt. 26:41)
- "Pray one for another." (James 5:16)
- "Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thes. 5:17, 18)
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(4) IF YOU CONSCIOUSLY FAIL THE LORD, CONFESS IT.
- "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness." (I John 1:9)
- If you seek the Lord’s forgiveness for sin after you have new life in Jesus Christ, He is ALWAYS faithful and just to forgive your sins and He will NEVER leave you... He hath said "I will NEVER leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Heb. 13:5)
- The Lord wants to bring you unto His perfection and help you to overcome the temptations of the world. He promised, "My grace is sufficient for thee, for My strength is made PERFECT in weakness." (2 Cor. 12:9)
- Turn to Jesus in times of temptation. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31)
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(5) ALLOW GOD TO GUIDE AND DIRECT YOU IN ALL THINGS.
- "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with Mine eye." (Ps. 32:8) When you read and study God’s word, this will help direct you. "Thy word is a LAMP UNTO MY FEET, and a LIGHT UNTO MY PATH." (Ps. 119:105)
- "As many as are LED BY THE SPIRIT of God, they are the Sons of God."(Rom. 8:14).
- The Holy Spirit will "guide you into ALL truth." (John 16:13)
- God has also blessed the Christian church with elders who are fitted guides of Christ’s flock. (1 Pet. 5:1-3; 2 Tim. 2:2) Their advice should be carefully considered and weighed.
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(6) FELLOWSHIP REGULARLY WITH THE CHURCH AND CULTIVATE CHRISTIAN FRIENDS.
- "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together." (Heb. 10:25) "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in the midst of them." (Matt. 18:20)
- You should cultivate Christian friends:
2 Cor. 6:14 instructs, "Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?" James 4:4 warns that "fellowship with the world is enmity with God, whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."
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(7) JOIN A CHRISTIAN CHURCH AND GENEROUSLY AND CHEERFULLY GIVE TO GOD’S WORK.
- Each Christian should seek to meet with a Christian church which is scripturally based; a church that preaches the FULL GOSPEL message of the RESURRECTED, LIVING Jesus Christ, who was GOD IN THE FLESH, born of a VIRGIN. They should also believe in the redeeming and cleansing power of CHRIST's BLOOD; they should teach the BORN-AGAIN experience, and the BAPTISM of believers, (after a personal decision for Christ), and practice the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
- You should support your church in ALL its efforts to spread the Gospel of Christ and to help support your ministers and their families. "For God loveth a cheerful giver." (2 Cor. 9:7)
- "Honor the Lord with thy substance and with the first-fruits of all thine increase." (Prov. 3:9). On the first day of the week let everyone of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him." (1 Cor. 16:2)
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(8) WITNESS TO OTHERS CONCERNING CHRIST.
- "Ye shall be witnesses unto Me...unto the uttermost parts of the earth."(Acts 1:8)
- &334;Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee." (Mark 5:19)
- "If thou shalt confess (profess – tell others) with thy mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Rom. 10:9)
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(9) SERVE THE LORD.
- "Go ye unto ALL the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."(Mark 16:15)
- Undertake some work for the Lord. Share the healing love of Jesus with others, visit the sick and those in prison, help encourage others who have fallen from the faith, and distribute tracts to the lost. Gospel tract distribution is something almost everyone can do. You should first carefully read the tracts to see if they are scripturally based and sound. Tracts are the "Word of God" and should be treated as such. They should be handed out prayerfully, courteously, and faithfully.
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