Foundational Biblical Studies for New Christians
These are the words from the Lord's prayer in Matthew 6:9-13, taken from the King James Bible (Authorized version of the scriptures):-
The Lord's Prayer
King James Version (KJV)
These are the words from the Lord's prayer in Matthew 6:9-13, taken from the King James Bible (Authorized version of the scriptures):-
9 Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.
10 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
The Lord gave us an example of how to pray-but to pray this prayer constantly is vain repetition. Matthew 6:7
This is the pattern He taught us:
1. You are to exalt the Father
2.Thy kingdom come-refers to his 2nd coming to set up his millennial reign.
3. Ask for your necessities daily.
4. We ask forgiveness. We must forgive others. (Ephesians 4:32)
5. Pray for protection from the devil, and not be overcome by temptation. (1 Corinthians 10-13)
6. We are to give to the Lord- Glory, Power and Honor
7. Praise Him and make your request known.
8. You end your prayer in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. (John 14:13-14)
from pg. 23 of The Next Step for Growing Christians by Jack Chick
(you can buy this book, perfect for those new in Christ, for $4 on chick.com)
God's Will For Your Life
How can I be sure that I am in the will of God and not just influenced by my good intentions? A Christian who mistakes God's will for something else will remain intimidated by the influence of fear.
The will of God ultimately is the influence of God that breeds discernment which reveals the will of God verses one's good intentions. With that being said... how can a Christian be absolutely sure they are in the will of God?
#1: Be sure that you are already in the habit of obeying God (James 1:22 ). This is key. Obeying God consistently will protect you from self-deception and build your sense of discernment about others and the environment around you.
#2: Always determine that you will glorify God spiritually and physically. The Holy Spirit will use that ambition to weed out or diminish the strength of one's own understanding. 1 Cor. 10:31.
#3: Read and study the Bible consistently. This will help direct your steps away from darkness. Your orientation will be principle over preference. Col. 3;16
#4: Associate with Believers/Church in whom you can receive godly counsel. Don't under-estimate the experience of godly influences in your life. Psalm 1:1,2
If all four of the above are in place, you are ready to discern God's will through prayer and if necessary: adding fasting to your prayers. Phil. 4:6,7.
Ultimately, the Bible is the key. The Holy Spirit will always exhibit the undiluted sternness of the Word of God. Why? There is no greater necessity for the believer than an unflinching faithfulness to the Word of God. This will inevitably result in the withering of our personal preferences which will result in clarity of God's will in all matters of life... making void the taunting influence of fear.
Faithfulness to the Word of God accepts the fact that there are no other reserves to draw upon. All other means apart from the stern and sure admonition of God's Word will only leave us unpredictable, discontented and irrational. We are afforded God's demand to reject any and all substitutes for the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will never make this a matter of debate. God's Word and our obedience to it is the only pattern to knowing and enjoying God's will (Eccl. 12:13).
Sincerely, Dr. Arthur Belanger
How can I be sure that I am in the will of God and not just influenced by my good intentions? A Christian who mistakes God's will for something else will remain intimidated by the influence of fear.
The will of God ultimately is the influence of God that breeds discernment which reveals the will of God verses one's good intentions. With that being said... how can a Christian be absolutely sure they are in the will of God?
#1: Be sure that you are already in the habit of obeying God (James 1:22 ). This is key. Obeying God consistently will protect you from self-deception and build your sense of discernment about others and the environment around you.
#2: Always determine that you will glorify God spiritually and physically. The Holy Spirit will use that ambition to weed out or diminish the strength of one's own understanding. 1 Cor. 10:31.
#3: Read and study the Bible consistently. This will help direct your steps away from darkness. Your orientation will be principle over preference. Col. 3;16
#4: Associate with Believers/Church in whom you can receive godly counsel. Don't under-estimate the experience of godly influences in your life. Psalm 1:1,2
If all four of the above are in place, you are ready to discern God's will through prayer and if necessary: adding fasting to your prayers. Phil. 4:6,7.
Ultimately, the Bible is the key. The Holy Spirit will always exhibit the undiluted sternness of the Word of God. Why? There is no greater necessity for the believer than an unflinching faithfulness to the Word of God. This will inevitably result in the withering of our personal preferences which will result in clarity of God's will in all matters of life... making void the taunting influence of fear.
Faithfulness to the Word of God accepts the fact that there are no other reserves to draw upon. All other means apart from the stern and sure admonition of God's Word will only leave us unpredictable, discontented and irrational. We are afforded God's demand to reject any and all substitutes for the Word of God. The Holy Spirit will never make this a matter of debate. God's Word and our obedience to it is the only pattern to knowing and enjoying God's will (Eccl. 12:13).
Sincerely, Dr. Arthur Belanger
Biblical Christianity
1. Belief that absolute moral truth exists as defined by the Bible.
2. Jesus Christ lived a sinless life.
3. God is the all powerful and all knowing Creator of the universe.
4. He still rules the universe today.
5. Salvation is a gift from God and cannot be earned.
6. Satan is real.
7. A Christian has a responsibility to share their faith in Jesus Christ with other people.
8. The Bible is accurate in all of its teaching.
more to come soon
