FOOD FOR TEENS:THE LIFECYCLE OF A CHRISTIAN part two

Hello dearly beloved, happy New Year, I welcome you into the year 2019. I believe you are growing in the grace and wisdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We continue from last month edition… 

Stage 2 :The matured or the perfect believer. (1st Corinthians 2:6-26) 

From verses 6-16 of 1st Corinthians, Apostle Paul began to open our eyes to see the attributes of a matured believer is absolute dependence on the Holy Spirit for direction and wisdom to become productive. The matured Christian is more interested in breaking into the intelligence, the wisdom and the counsel of God for every situation. Romans 8:14, “For as many are led by the Spirit of God, they are the Sons of God.” 

Below are some qualities of a matured believer. 

1. Their ultimate goal is geared towards the kingdom. Everything a matured Christian does is not for himself/herself per se but to fulfill the will of the Father. They understand that in their everyday lives they can be a demonstrator of God’s power to the world around them through their words and actions. This is how they bear fruits. These are they who bring forth fruits in every aspects of their lives. 

Proverbs 11:30 tells us that, “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth soul is wise.” It is the fruit that is borne by these types of Christians that attracts unbelievers to seek salvations and encounter Christ. Like the butterfly they demonstrate grace and productivity. 

I heard a story of some guys who preached the gospel to a Muslim man and after they finished, they asked him “tell us the one thing you want God to do to prove that He is really who we have told you He is.” He told them his parents had been separated for a long time, that he wanted them to reunite. 

The Christians told him to go home that it is done. That same weekend, his mum called him and all their siblings that their rent has expired but she’s not renewing because their father has called her to come back home, and he was shocked and said so this gospel is really true. 

2. Matured Christians are they that know their God. Jonah said something striking in Jonah 4:2, “And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O lord, was not this my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore, I fled before unto Tarshish: For I knew that thou art a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness and repented thee of the evil.” Even in hid complaint he was in-depth knowledge of God, they know His ways and his acts. 

3. Matured Christians are examples; (1st Timothy 4:12). Their lives are prototypes of success by which other Christians live and emulate. 

4. They are successful; Daniel 11:32, “As such do wickedly against the covenant shall he corrupt by flatteries: but the people that do know their God shall be strong and exploits.” 

These are the people who truly unbelievers want to emulate; they are the ones that bring many souls because of their result. Choose the type of believer you want to be, the caterpillar or the butterfly. 

See you next month and God bless you in Jesus name.