Welcome to the Website of Full Gospel Business Mens' Fellowship International, Nigeria
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Welcome to the Website of Full Gospel Business Mens' Fellowship International, Nigeria
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B.
4 Things God Wants You To Do Christianity is first of all being.
Some people have the mistaken notion that if they do enough good deeds God will
consider them Christians. In actuality that is not true. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells
us that we are not saved by works, but by faith in Christ.
Paul goes on to say that because we have been transformed, will by virtue of our new nature perform good works. So doing
good deeds follows being. But in this chapter the "doing"
focuses not on good deeds, but actions which will help you grow as a Christian
so that you will live a Godly life.
(3)
Fellowship
with Christians.
Each one of these four things God wants you to do is essential to healthy growth
as a new person in Christ.
The Bible is the Word of God, and the Word of
God is a very important source of spiritual food. The Apostle Peter, instructing
new Christians such as yourself, said, "Like newborn babes, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it
you may grow up to salvation" (1 Peter 2:2). The Bible is spiritual
milk, and spiritual growth generally occurs in direct relationship to Bible
study. How does one begin to study the Bible? First
of all, if you do not already have a good Bible, invest in one. You will soon
treasure it as your most valuable possession. There are many versions to choose
from, but it is important that you begin Bible study with a modern edition such
as the Revised Standard Version, the New American Standard Bible or the
Amplified Bible. They are much easier to understand than the King James, and all
represent vast improvements on older versions. Once you have a good Bible, you will notice
that it is divided into Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament was written
before the time of Christ and relates God’s dealings with the Israelites and
mankind in general from the day of Creation. The New Testament contains books on
the life of Jesus and letters from various apostles of the first century, most
of which were written to new Christians throughout the Mediterranean and Asian
area of the world. Inasmuch as we are living in the New
Testament age, the place for you to begin to study is there, and not in the Old
Testament. A good book to start with is the Gospel of Mark, which is a terse
narrative on the life of Jesus. From there go on to 1 Corinthians and 1 John,
two of the most exciting letters on practical Christianity. How much should you read at one time? That
depends on you. The emphasis is on Bible
study, not just reading. Paul tells us to understand the Word (2 Timothy
2:15), and so it is important that you digest the words of the Bible and not
simply read them. Therefore, how much you read at any one time
is up to you. A good rule of thumb is to read at least a chapter or two per day.
Your own reading habits may indicate more or less. But however much you read at
one sitting, get into the habit of studying the Bible each day. There
is no better way to mature as a Christian. The application of God’s Word
to your life will soon amaze you with the power and love of our wonderful God
and our Saviour Jesus Christ.
Prayer is communication with God. Just as we
need to communicate with family, friends, and business associates to foster
healthy relationships, we also need to communicate with God to build a strong
relationship with Him. What is the nature of prayer? Some people
think prayer is just asking God for things we want. But it is more than that.
Paul gives us a perfect illustration of the nature of prayer in Philippians
4:6. He says, "Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer
and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Prayer is not only petition, that is, asking
God for what we need, but it is also worship.
It is a time of thanksgiving, when we express our appreciation to God for all He
has done for us. We enjoy saying "thank you" to someone who has done
something for us. Likewise, when we thank God for His blessings the very act of
giving thanks precipitates a release of joy in our hearts. And just as we like
hearing "thank you" from others, so does God appreciate His children
thanking and praising Him. Try it right now. Take a moment and thank God
for the salvation He has given you from your sins through Jesus Christ. You
will experience a Joy that is distinctive of the Christian life. There is also power in prayer. James 5:16
says, "The prayer of a righteous man has great power in its effect."
From cover to cover the Bible is laced with stories of great achievements
by mortal men who through prayer trusted God. Your life can tell the same story. How often should you pray? Paul says simply, "Pray
constantly" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). In other words, it is your
privilege to talk to God whenever and
wherever. You do not have to be in church to pray. Nor would you wait until
an emergency arises to pray. Rather, it is a good idea not only to communicate
with God throughout the day, but also to set aside a designated time period each
day for prayer. So get in the habit of talking to God. Pray
for your own needs and for others. Praise God for His goodness and love and
mercy. Payer
makes a difference even in the life of the most mature Christian.
It will make a difference in yours. As you experience answered payer you will
grow into a solid, dynamic person for Jesus Christ. Full Gospel Business Men’s Fellowship
International (FGBMFI) is an arm of the life of the church. It supports the
local pastors and their efforts to witness to the community of the Lord Jesus
Christ. Many people find that attending a local chapter of FGBMFI is spiritually
uplifting because of the fellowship and interaction of fellow believers. We
encourage you to participate. Regular
Church attendance is very important, especially for a new
Christian. You will need the fellowship and encouragement of other Christians as
you grow in Christ. That is why the book of Hebrews tells us, "let
us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to
meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another"
(Hebrews 10:24-25). Much of the help you will receive in your
Christian walk will come from Christian friends. Paul writes that we are to bear
one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2), and often God chooses to minister to us
through the love and prayers of fellow Christians. So it is very important that you establish a habit of church attendance. We
cannot choose a church for you only God can do that. But it should be a church
where there is love and concern, and where the Bible is faithfully taught as the
Word of God. If you are not yet acquainted with a church
in your neighborhood, first ask God to help you find one and then investigate
several for yourself until you locate a place where you feel at home. And
then watch how much God will bless you as you pray, sing praises to Him, and
fellowship with other people who have found the joy of knowing Christ as Saviour
and Lord.
To be a witness for Christ simply means to
tell others what Jesus has done for you. In the Gospel of John there was a man
named Andrew whom Jesus called to be one of His twelve Apostles. The first thing
Andrew did after heeding the call of Jesus was to go tell his brother, Simon Peter, that he had found the Messiah the Jews had been looking for (John
1:40-42). Peter also became one of Jesus’ Apostles. A witness is one who testifies or gives
evidence to that which he has seen or experienced. You can witness to others by
both your words and your deeds. Sometimes the greatest witness is by deed.
One who has received Christ and become a changed person is a dynamic witness to
his friends. But God also wants us to witness with our
tongues. Think about someone you can share your experience with, someone who
does not know Jesus. It might be a friend or a relative, perhaps someone in your
immediate family. Ask God to help you witness to that person. He
will! Obviously, witnessing about Jesus is a
benefit to those who have been witnessed to. Had not someone witnessed to you
about Jesus you would not be a Christian today. But there is another benefit of witnessing.
You receive a spiritual blessing just from sharing Jesus Christ with another
person. The person may not even accept Jesus as you did. In fact, you will run
into some people who will laugh at you
for believing in Jesus. But witnessing is a spiritual experience that brings
joy and strength to the inner beng of a Christian. Try itl You will be surprised how it will strengthen your faith and
determination to follow Christ.
So there you have it, four things God wants
you to do. Let’s review them again:
(1) Study your Bible. (2) Pray. (3) Fellowship with Christians. (4) Witness for Christ. All are valuable and necessary for Christian
growth. If you haven’t started doing,
get started today, and you will be thrilled at how the doing of these four things will add greatly to your being. |
Send mail to
admin@fgbmfi-nigeria.org with questions or comments about this web site.
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