There is no magic formula to Christian growth. It is a work that God does in us & for us. There are things we can do, though, to join Him in that work...
Read the Bible.
If you do not have one, get one! If you can have only one Bible, make it a translation, not a paraphrase. Make sure it is in your language. That may sound odd, but just because you can read it doesn’t mean it is written in your language. The King James Bible, for example, is written in Elizabethan English, not current-day English, so not all its words mean what you think they mean. For instance, the word “let” in current-day English is a “yes” word… “to allow”. In Elizabethan English, the word “let” is a “no” word… “to not”, like the way the word “let” is used in tennis. If you are reading the King James Bible & a verse says “let”, you might think the verse is allowing something when it is not. This will get confusing! There are people who died so that you could have the Bible in your own language. Don’t let their deaths be in vain! Long ago, God spoke to us in many ways; in these days, He mainly speaks to us through His Word, the Bible. Once you have a Bible, read it regularly, just as you would want to hear regularly from someone you love. Hebrews 4:12 tells us that “…the Word of God (the Bible) is living & active & sharper than any two-edged sword & piercing as far as the division of soul & spirit, of both joints & marrow & able to judge the thoughts & intentions of the heart”. The Bible is like no other book! It can answer your questions & speak to your problems, no matter how modern they are. It can reveal God’s heart & yours. It can show you God’s will & help you make wise decisions. It is how you hear from God.
Pray.
I Peter 5:7 says to “Give all your worries & cares to God, for He cares about what happens to you.” Ephesians 6:18 tells us to “Pray at all times & on every occasion…”. God loves you & wants to hear from you. He invites you to talk to Him about anything at any time. When you pray, you talk to God; when you read the Bible, God talks to you. Prayer + Bible reading = a divine conversation!
Go To Church.
Don’t just go…be regular & get involved! Make sure it is a church where the Bible is preached. Ephesians 5:35 tells us that Christ loves the church & gave up His life for her. Show that you love & are committed to Christ by loving & committing to a local church. Many in today’s culture don't want to commit…to a job, church, marriage, family. They shop around, hopping from place to place & person to person. Christians live in today’s culture, but they don’t share its values. Joining a local church is one way to show this. Being a church member formally connects us to God’s family. Hebrews 10:25 encourages us to “…not neglect our meeting together, as some people do…” There are certain areas of Christian growth that happen best in the context of the church & being accountable to other Christians. If you don’t have a church in mind & live near Salem Presbyterian Church, we would love to be your church home. Just let us know. We’d love the chance to tell you our story & hear yours! If you are a member of a different church but find yourself near Salem Presbyterian Church on any given Sunday, let us be your church away from home!
Visit UsShare.
Share with others the story of how you became a Christian or how you are growing as a Christian. If you had the cure to cancer, would you keep it to yourself? You have the cure to hopelessness; share it! One of the last things Jesus said to His disciples (which includes you, if you are a Christian) is “…Go into all the world & preach the Good News to everyone, everywhere” (Mark 16:15). There are certain areas of Christian growth that happen best in the context of obeying Jesus.
Give.
Put your money where your mouth is. There are many examples in the Bible where God directs people to give to Him a tenth (or 10%) of what they have. This is what we call “God’s tithes”. It’s an outward sign that we know that ALL we have comes from God, belongs to God & is under God’s control. “Our offerings” refer to giving above & beyond God’s tithes. And we’re not just talking about money when we talk about God’s tithes and our offerings; we’re talking about all that He has given (your resources, skills, talents, etc.). How can you take what God has given you & use it for His glory? In Malachi 3:10 God says to His people, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse… If you do…I will open the windows of Heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Let Me prove it to you!”
GiveReady to take the next step? Join us this Sunday or connect with our church leadership to learn more about growing in your faith at Salem Presbyterian Church. We're here to support you on your journey.
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