Day 24: 50 Days of Impact

 

 

Growing up we have some sort of education, it could be that you never had official schooling yet you learned from the school of hard knocks. Or you may have had a grade 1-12 education, whatever the circumstances we all had to learn how to be a person. Our parents in, most cases, showed us right from wrong and we then decided how we would apply those principles our lives. Years go into becoming who you are. Then one day you accept Christ and become reborn in the faith, how can we expect new believers to know what it means to be a Christian?

“A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness, but physical discipline will drive it far away.”

Proverbs 22:15 NLT

 

 

This verse today I feel can be applied to the new Christian. Youngster referring to someone who is new to the faith. I don’t write this in judgment, just as an observation. Maybe a place where us ‘older’ Christians are failing as mentors.

 

I see new believers who accept Christ, yet aren’t taught the foundations of Romans 12:1-2. And yes, I understand that it takes time for a new believer to purge themselves of their old lives. Repentance defined is to stop what your doing and turn around. Now this isn’t the case of all new believers, some accept Christ and nothing is the same. Yet others accept Christ and continue to live their lives as nothing has changed. Yes, they have had a heart change, but the outward you would never know.

 

I think as mentors and believers we need to be bringing these new believers under our wings and discipline them as Jesus called us to do. They don’t generally know where to look or what scriptures show them how to live a life honouring to God. We don’t accept Christ and poof we have an expanded understanding of the bible and what it teaches. It takes time, and if they don’t have good mentors, they will continue in the same lifestyle they had before eventually wandering away from the faith, filling their lives with everything but Jesus. I don’t want to be responsible for that.

 

So as believers in Christ Jesus, those who have walked with him for years, let us be disciplined to share what we now and mentor the younger, so they won’t stumble and fall.

 

Dear Jesus, help us to be better mentors and disciples. We need to step up to the calling and love our younger believers showing them your word and guiding them in their new faith. Thank you, Jesus, for all you do for us, and all the people you are calling. We want to do your will. Holy Spirit guide us in this we pray. Amen

 

 

Day 40: Original 50 Days of Pray Revisited

Thoughts on Day 40: We hear of people won’t allow themselves or their kids to attend church as it will fill their minds with things that are counter productive to the world today. What they fail to understand is that church plays a role of community. What they will learn from the bible is not something new but an augmentation or focusing on what we were originally intended to be. This is scary for someone who thinks they are living a “good” life. We send our kids to school to teach them how to survive in the world, we send our kids to church or Sunday school to teach them how to thrive in the world.

DAY FORTY

He said, “Then you see how every student well-trained in God’s kingdom is like the owner of a general store who can put his hands on anything you need, old or new, exactly when you need it.” (Matthew 13:52 MSG)

If you grew up in a church setting, like I did, you may have sang songs like ” read your bible pray every day and you’ll grow grow grow”. Maybe back then you understood what the song meant or like me it was was a catchy song that you enjoyed.

In today’s scripture, we see that being a student and learning about Christ, through the scriptures are very important. There was a reason our Sunday school teachers were helping us memorise verses, singing songs about Jesus, and tell and retelling us stories from the bible.

If we can get these things embedded in our hearts when we need them most like a store owner, we can pull them off the shelf as required. What we stock our hearts with is what is available for us to share with others. Ever have a song it scripture come to mind at a time when you felt down? Ever talk to someone and a verse pops into your head? The Holy Spirit will use what you know and placed into your heart to reach others.

What is on the shelves of your life?

Dear Jesus, it is not too late for us to stock our spiritual shelves with good things. Show us scriptures in Your word that we should hold tight and try to memorise so that they will be readily available for use. Holy Spirit, use what’s on my shelves already and feel free to knock the junk to the floor. Amen