So,
now you're a Christian.
Once you've become a Christian, it's a good idea to remind yourself
about some important things. This short list is meant to help encourage
you, and help you to keep going while you're still a "young" Christian.
Keep it somewhere handy.
1. You won't find out all the answers to all your questions
straight away.
Being Christian does not mean knowing all the answers about life -
knowing "all the answers" isn't the point. It's not your knowledge that
counts, but your friendship with God.
See Matthew 6:5-6
2. You will still sin from time to time.
Don't get down on yourself because you've failed again. The enemy,
the Devil, will try to convince you God doesn't live you anymore, you're
a low nasty sinner, etc. The fact is, God does hate sin and cannot tolerate
it, but is always prepared to forgive you if you are sorry.
See 1 John 1:8-9
3. Some people will take a dislike to you because of
what you believe.
People are threatened by Christians for many reasons - they don't understand
your beliefs, or maybe deep down they know it's true. Many think it is
out of date or old fashioned. You often find that non Christian people
will accept all sorts of things - immorality, pride, selfishness - but
not the idea that a loving God wants to give you new life! Our society
is marked by a tolerance of almost everything except Christianity
See Matthew 5:11-12
4. Most of your problems will not just "go away"
But now you are able to see them in a new light. A friendship with
Jesus Christ will not make life "easier". It is not the express route to
getting rich, becoming happy, popular, or having your hang ups magically
disappear. Rather, a Christian learns to trust God with their problems
instead of holding them in; we have God's promise that he is with us always,
and that includes during the tough times, during sickness, and everything
See 2 Corinthians 12:7-10
5. Don't trust your feelings all the time
Our emotions are up and down all day. They are good for telling us
how we are feeling, but no good for telling us about historical, biblical
facts. Just because you feel down or depressed even, the facts about Jesus
dying for you and all you believe, don't change. Your friendship with God
is constant, and independent of your emotions.
See Hebrews 13:8
6. Your sins have been forgiven
When you sin, you need to remind yourself of God's eternal love for
you, shown on the cross. He has forgiven you, and nothing stands between
you and him. The devil will try to convince you that you are still guilty,
that God still wants to condemn you. That is not true.
See Romans 8:1
7. You really are going to heaven
You can be sure of this, because it is God who has done the work and
opened the way. It doesn't count on your efforts or goodness, or how regularly
you go to church. It is God's gift to you. Would you accuse someone of
arrogance just because they've accepted a present? Nor is it arrogant to
accept God's gift of a place in heaven
See Ephesians 2:8-9
8. God hears and will answer your prayers
You have now become one of God's children. God always hears his children.
He always answers them, but you have to trust that He knows what is best
for you. The answer you get may not be what you expect!
See Luke 11:9-13 and Isaiah 65:24
9. God Loves you!
Important! God's live for you isn't based on how good or how talented
you are. It's not even based on how much you love him. His love never changes.
Just because it's a cold and cloudy day, do yo stop believing the sun's
there? God's love for you is the same even when you don't feel it.
See Jeremiah 31:3 or Joel 2:13 or Psalm 103:8-12
or Psalm 91 |