Many believers do not count the cost of following Christ. One is told to accept the free gift of eternal life, repent of sins, join a church, and then learn to do the best one can concerning all the rest. One is usually not told about the cost of being a Christ-follower, nor does one have much of an idea of what God expects of them now that they are saved. Stewardship is entirely based on the first commandment, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Holy Bible, NIV, Mat 22:37). Stewardship is the product of one’s new worldview that is brought about by one’s conversion.
Through prayer we are able communicate the same with our loving father, Jehovah. We’re able speak to Jehovah as if pouring out our hearts to a close friend, parent or a spouse. Our meaningful prayers involves more than words though. Let turn in our bibles to Matt 22:37 Why Meaningful Prayers Involve More Than Words. “‘You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.’ So meaningful prayers involves loving Jehovah with our whole heart, soul and mind.
NOT BY FAITH ALONE By Akani Chibuike A feeling, conviction, or belief that something is true or real, without having evidence, is what we refer to as faith. When you have a trust or confidence in something or on some other person, then your faith is in full swing. In the biblical perspective, Faith is the evidence of a thing not seen and substance of a thing hope for. “And without Faith, it is impossible to please Him_ GOD, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He is and that He rewards those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6) The above verse in the New Testament has reduced many Christians to ‘sit down look’.
For many believers one of the most difficult and elusive things they ever encounter is determining the will of God for their life. Others seem to know the path God would have them travel, but hesitate to follow it. And some people quickly determine the will of God for them and immediately follow it. I was one of the people who didn’t know what God wanted from me specifically, until I started teaching Sunday school. I found out that I had a strong desire to read and study the Bible.
One of God’s greatest desires is to have relationship with His creation, man. He wants nothing more than to be loved and believed. Our love and belief is demonstrated through worship and godly lifestyle. Many people have a form of worship, but with no substance or true understanding of what it is all about. Many minimizes worship simply as the singing of songs, or leaving it up to the worship team to “set the atmosphere”, without any participation from the congregation.
Our focus as believers, for ourselves, is to love and worship God, to uplift Him in everything we do, to glorify Him in our lives, to love those around us, to be a light in a dark world, and to share God’s love with everyone around us. It ultimately comes back to us serving God and pleasing Him (Crabb, 1977, p. 21). As Psalm 144:15 states, “Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord”. Rather than seeking happiness, one should focus their efforts on seeking God. From there, true happiness will emerge.
The Importance of Fellowship with the Father 2 Tim. 1:12, John 17:3 • Do you know God, I mean really know Him? Are you Hungry for God? • Hopelessly infatuated with God, we have God on the brain. • Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness.
Whether or not we choose to pray or have faith in God or wise counsel, we must make a choice and be confident that we will be pleased and have peace with our outcome. This paper will focus on the Bull’s-Eye Approach of spiritual discernment and the reliance and faith in God through prayer, wisdom, and Godly counsel. Keywords: discernment, wisdom, prayer, faith Personal Position There are certain decision-making factors I consider when making career decisions. I am very solid and strong in my faith as a Christian; therefore I find it wise to seek Godly counsel before I make any decisions. Proverbs 11:14 (King James Version) says, “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” This scripture indicates that Godly counsel and wisdom help to provide safety in the decisions and choices we make.
Trinitarian theology is essential to the evangelic mind. We find the theme of Father, Son, and Spirit woven throughout our various Christian theologies in a masterful way. But what of the Atonement of Jesus Christ for the sins of the world? Where do we see the Trinity in God’s beautiful conclusion to his much larger redemptive story? The evangelic community seems silent when it comes to this region of theology and the Trinity.
David really believes this about God. We realize as we linger over these words that what David writes is not poetic exaggeration or theoretical theology. He has experienced God in these ways, heard His voice, followed His lead, felt His care. Beneath the beauty of his words there are solid convictions, formed in the crucible of crisis. I reason I know these things to be so about a man who wrote 1000 years before Christ is because he has left us clues right here in this psalm.