BECOMING A MATURE CHRISTIAN

Its important to be raised up in the teachings and faith of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are not sure if you have a personal relationship with Jesus use the lion link at the top and on the hidden sidebar to the left. That page gives instructions on how to become a Christian.

The Bible teaches that all should attend a Bible believing and teaching congregation (church) every Sabbath (Friday at sunset to Saturday at sunset) or Sunday worship service. The Bible also teaches us to learn the Bible by attending an adult Bible study or meeting each week. Also pray continuously, meditate regularly, fast occasionally, read and/or listen to the Bible Daily Bread Devotional (BDBD) by clicking the farmer cultivating his field (weeding) at the top of the page and in the hidden sidebar to the left, and study the Bible (Old and New Testament) every day as you live out the life God has planned out for you. Use the FREE BIBLE STUDY HELP offered on this site. That is the link of the bookworm reading in the top bar or in the hidden side bar to the left of this page. Reading the Bible also helps us grow in Christ. The written Bible (World English Bible - WEB) is on this site. Use the link of the man reading the paper. The audio Bible (New International Version - NIV) is on this site too. Use the link of the mic.

Several years ago I discovered the Christian Examin meditation that is believed to originate from the apostles and the Benedicts. It is based on the truth that Christ is in me all the time and always active in me and my life. I have found Examin important in my spiritual walk with Jesus.

The Examin contains 5 simple steps that are similar to these. They can be modified a little to your personality.

1. Have a heart of gratitude, examining and thanking God for specific things that he did in the last 24 hours.
2. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal what he was doing in my life and character for the last 24 hours.
3. Think about all that I said and did in the last 24 hours, examining what motivated me to say and do those things.
4. Ask the Holy Spirit to forgive me where needed, change my character where needed, and help me change behavior where needed, and make amends where needed and is appropriate.
5. Thank the Holy Spirit for all he will do for and in me in the next 24 hours and help me see, understand, and accept it.

The parchment is one of many from "The Sayings of the Desert Fathers", this one found in modern Iraq dating from pre-5th century A.D. They are typically in the form of a conversation between a younger monk and his spiritual father, or as advice given to visitors. Beginning as an oral tradition in the Coptic language (pre-modern Egyptian), they were only later written down as Greek text.

The codices, an ancient hand-written manuscript in the format of a modern book, were extremely popular among early Christian monks starting from men forced to hide from Roman persecutions against Christians in Egypt. They appeared in various forms and collections for several hundred years.

The Egyptian Desert Fathers were early Christian hermits, ascetics, and monks who fled to the wilderness to escape persecutions while others later dedicated their lives solely to God. While monasticism gained massive traction in the third and fourth centuries, figures like St. Paul of Thebes (227-341 A.D.), considered the first Christian monk/hermit began retreating to the Egyptian desert to escape Roman persecutions as early as the mid-third century. Other's include Saint Anthony the Great (251-356 A.D.), Paul the Simple (225-339 A.D.), Saint Pachomius the Great (292-348 A.D.), and Saint Hilarion (291-371 A.D.). Saint Jerome wrote about these and other early monks/hermits.

Godly Sorrow Leads to Life
   Ancient Christian Steps (see comments on the parchment above)
Below is based on John Cassian's (360-435 A.D.) "The Rule of the Master" (5th century A.D.), the source of St. Benedict's (480-530 A.D.) "12 Steps of Humility", chapter 7, in his book "The Rule" (6th century A.D.). John Cassian's concepts are drawn from the ascetic traditions of the "Egyptian Desert Fathers," monks who date back to the 2nd century A.D., which are based on Luke's Gospel (oldest found copy is ~125 A.D. in codex format), Proverbs (oldest copy is a Dead Sea Scroll dating to 3rd-century B.C.), and 2 Corinthians 7:8-11 (oldest copy of 2 Corinthians is dated 175-225 A.D.).   

1. Receive the Gospel
  
2. Accept the Gospel
  
1. Accept and be sorry for self induced sinned, separating oneself from the Loving God, and inability to do anything to remove that sin with one's own ability. Fear God's judgment of my guilt.
  
2. Accept that only the Benevolent God can remove my sin and guilt through Jesus' selfless sacrifice in my place. Accept the Gracious God's unmerited forgiveness.
  
3. Admit my sin and helpless state to Merciful God, knowing Righteous God is just in his judgment. Humble yourself before Almighty God.
  
4. Ask Righteous and Loving God to remove my sin and give hope for eternal life in union with Christ Jesus. Ask for forgiveness for all sin. Ask Just God to establish a righteous relationship with him through his One and Only Son, Jesus.
  
5. Ask Omnipotent God to take absolute and total control of my life. State, "I submit all control of my life totally over to the One and Only Lord God Almighty and his One and Only Son, Jesus. I will obey God's will and word."
  
3. Begin Active Change
  
1. Pray, read and study the Holy Bible, meditate on God and the Bible, and worship God your Father regularly.
  
2. Attend a Bible believing and loving congregation for corporate worship and fellowship.
  
3. Persevere in the strength of God's Spirit during hardship, persecution, and trouble. Remember the hope of eternal life in Christ Jesus.
  
4. Take a moral inventory according to the Bible, admitting wrong especially regarding your actions toward other people. Morality's basis is Jesus' love and righteousness.
  
5. Ask God to help working to stop doing wrong and start doing right. Make positive changes especially regarding love towards others and hating sin in yourself.
  
6. Ask God to help make needed character changes as you make positive changes.
  
7. Seek to make amends with people harmed because of your sinful and selfish ways, but only when they are open to it.
  
8. Help people in love and respect as God directs. Find God's place for you to serve his church, even in minimal tasks, not for self-benefit, but for the benefit of others, whether all or for one.
  
9. Be ready to kindly and respectfully share your faith in Jesus and what you believe, defend the weak and helpless, and refrain from selfish praise.
  
10. Dress and appear modestly while not being eccentric so that your presentation does not hinder your witness about Jesus and what you believe.

Listen to the above comments.

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