Thoughts on Thursday...

Last week's blog concluded by asking the question, Will today be the day that you choose Christ?

I am going to believe that you did. "For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost." Luke 19:10

Whether you chose Christ for the first time and and were baptized, or you reaffirmed your calling by making an adult decision to accept Him as Savior, as it says in 2 Cor 5:17 "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come." 

Then you woke up the next morning and looked the same as you did before you chose Christ. And you may have acted the same, too. (But I hope not!) You may be wondering…am I really a new creation? The sun rises and the sun sets, but each day is a new day; and if you are in Christ, you are new!

But now you have to grow in this new creation that is you, or really to allow Jesus, the Christ, to grow in you. How? God never calls any Christian to a solitary life of faith, but He prompts us to grow together in prayer, worship, instruction, and encouragement.

Let's look at those four areas:

Prayer

Worship

Instruction

Encouragement

What is Prayer? 

n. In a general sense, the act of asking for a favor, and particularly with earnestness.
1. In worship, a solemn address to the Supreme Being, consisting of adoration, or an expression of our sense of God's glorious perfections, confession of our sins, supplication for mercy and forgiveness, intercession for blessings on others, and thanksgiving, or an expression of gratitude to God for his mercies and benefits. A prayer however may consist of a single petition, and it may be extemporaneous, written or printed.
2. A formula of church service, or of worship, public or private.
3. Practice of supplication.

(Source: 1828 Webster’s Online Dictionary)

Sounds like a lot of work, doesn't it! Let me give you some encouragement…start small. 

Find 15 minutes in your day to talk (also known as prayer) to God. A solemn address to the Supreme Being who just happens to be your Father! Why not begin with the prayer we call The Our Father (also called The Lord's Prayer).

Say it slowly; think of each portion of this familiar prayer.

Our Father, who art in Heaven,

Hallowed be thy name!

Thy kingdom, come;

Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread

and forgive us our trespasses 

as we forgive those who trespass against us;

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours

now and forever.

Amen.

Next week we will look at the second area to help us grow in our faith--worship.