Christianity without discipleship is always Christianity without Christ. It remains an abstract idea, a myth which has a place for the Fatherhood of God, but omits Christ as the living Son. … There is trust in God, but no following of Christ.
This also means as a Christian, a call in knowing Jesus Christ as LORD and being prepared by faith, spiritual maturity, character, and Fruit to develop our faith so we are ready for life and also His return.
The incarnation simply means God came to be a man. He was fully man while remaining fully God. That way He could identify with our plight in life. As He lived a normal human existence for over 30 years, He experienced all that we experienced, including all the emotions, relationships, and temptations. Therefore, we can never say to Him, Hey, God, You do not understand my situation or me!
We are called to get our minds lined up with God-His Way, His precepts, and His plan. We still have the old sinful nature residing within us. God declares us clean, but we do not become completely clean.
We are called to be understanding and patient! As "older" or more "mature" Christians we should gladly accept people who are "weaker" in faith.
To enter the Kingdom of Heaven requires the kind of trust and faith in Christ that a child has that they will be cared for. It also means to be dependent on God and not on self. Children cannot achieve or pay for their own way just as we cannot do so for our place in heaven.
How can I develop quality time with our Lord so I can become a deeper and more mature Christian?
Here are nine thoughts to get you pointed in the right direction:
Here are nine thoughts to get you pointed in the right direction:
The call Christ gives us is for us here is to move forward under His produce to produce the goods of "produce" by the Fruit of the Spirit with our faith. So, how can we do this? My proposal is that we do this from our committed and continual faith formation. The basics on how to grow closer to Christ and deeper in our walk with Him, and also how to draw near to the heart of God are the essential elements to put the "go" into action.
Why does John give us this preview of Heaven? Perhaps it is all about Hope, that vital fuel and stimulate necessary for all that we do successfully in life and for Him. It is also the fuel for us to be encouraged so we can encourage others-to prosper and grow in times of stress, suffering, and confusion. He has prepared a place for us; what is more wonderful than that?
When you take a look at our culture, fast food places on almost every corner and countless opportunities to eat whatever you wish, even a committed Christian may never consider Fasting. Yet, one of the classic, Christian aspects of growing deeper in the faith is Fasting.