How To Be A Better Christian

 

How To Be A Better Christian

1) Constantly Seek Jesus From The Word, Preaching, And Prayer

While You Avoid Temporary Pleasures From This Filthy World

     The first way to be a better christian is to seek Jesus from the Word, preaching, and prayer while you avoid temporary pleasures from this filthy world. When you are on your cellphone, facebook, or browsing the internet, don't allow the devil to tempt you to click any sinful ad or youtube video. You might get a temporary laugh or thrill when you watch an old sitcom or an old sports celebrity. Remember Ephesians 4:27 says Neither give place to the devil. And Galatians 5:9 says a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. It's sinful to watch old sitcom comedies where actors are drinking, gambling, and laughing about sin. The devil will get you to click an old youtube sinful video or chat useless gossip on facebook and then it will be hours before you realize all the time you wasted while you forgot to seek Jesus.  

     Right now make up your mind that when you get on the internet, you will only listen to preaching, read about the Word of God, and listen to praise and worship music. Remember if you want all your prayers answered, we must daily abide and live constantly for our Lord Jesus trying to save lost souls. Jesus said at John 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. If you constantly stay with Jesus, you will pray for the right things and God will give them to you. But when you continuously sin without repenting, your prayers are not heard by God. Psalm 66:18 says If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me.  

     When people sin the devil tells them no one is looking so just enjoy a temporary sinful thrill. But God constantly sees everything we do.  Proverbs 15:3 says The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. 2 Chronicles 16:9 says For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him. Matthew 10:26 says Fear them not therefore; for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. And Hebrews 4:13 says Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight; but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

A Story About A Pigeon That Teaches Us How To Be Better Christians

     A man in Massillon Ohio owned 65 pigeons. Every winter the pigeons flew south to St Louis Missouri. Every spring the pigeons returned to Massillon Ohio at a set time to the exact same place. One of the pigeons flew non stop for 500 miles to his owner in Massillon Ohio. Someone asked the owner How do you know that the pigeon flew non stop for 500 miles? The owner replied, Most of the pigeons that stopped to rest in a swamp had mud on their feet. But the pigeon that flew non stop for 500 miles came to Ohio with clean feet. 

     In other words, the pigeon that flew non stop for 500 miles to Ohio came home clean. This pigeon didn't stop for a temporary rest in the muck and mire of this filthy sinful world. This pigeon flew 500 miles to get home and never let up. Christians we need to be like this pigeon and keep a flapping and flying for our Lord Jesus and come in clean to heaven as effective christian disciples for Jesus. Always keep witnessing everywhere for Jesus telling people to get saved, repent, decide to stop sinning, confess that Jesus is God, and believe the gospel that Jesus died for them on the cross, was buried, and rose again. 

     Like the pigeon with clean feet, come home clean for Jesus and make a safe landing in heaven for the glory of God. Don't get down in the filth of this fading world and lose your testimony and witness for our Lord Jesus. Like the pigeon with clean feet, keep flying daily for Jesus with one glorious thought on your mind; Get home; Get home; Somebody named Jesus is waiting for me when I get home to heaven. 

     When the pigeon got home to Ohio, the owner fixed her a big meal and put her in the box. And when we get home in heaven to be with our Lord Jesus, Jesus is going to feed us with a blessed meal at the marriage supper of the Lamb and give us mansions to live in on a street of pure gold transparent glass in peaceful heaven forever. 

How To Be A Better Christian

2) Forget Your Sinful Past And Press Forward Daily To Jesus

     Next to be a better christian, forget your sinful past and press forward daily to Jesus. The bible tells us to put away and forget superfluity that is the wickedness remaining over in a christian from his state prior to conversion. In other words, don't return to the sinful things you used to do in the world before you got saved. James 1:21 says Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls. 

     Paul told us at Philippians 3:13 Brethren I count not myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Like Paul, forget the bad memories in the past of people that rejected your walk with Jesus; Don't be bitter toward anyone that rejects you and always forgive them when they return to receive the Jesus in you. But, don't waste time trying to witness to someone who rejects you and Jesus. There are thousands of lost sinners that need to hear about Jesus who will receive your ministry. 

     Be like the saved christians who used to practice curious arts that burned all their sinful books worth 50000 pieces of silver. Acts 19:19 says Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together and burned them before all men and they counted the price of them and found it 50000 pieces of silver. Like these christians delivered from curious arts, after Brother Bob got saved, I threw away hundreds of sinful LPs and cassettes along with decks of gambling cards and anything sinful in my home. Today if you visit Brother Bob's home everything in the house praises our Lord Jesus. Remember forget the things behind and press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 

     Jesus told us at Luke 9:62 No man having put his hand to the plough and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God. Don't worry about what your old sinful friends will say about you after you get saved. Just place Jesus first before your family and old sinful friends. Jesus said at Matthew 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Brother Bob's father told him in 1987 to make a choice; Either the family with the millions of dollars or Jesus; To the glory of God, Brother Bob chose Jesus and for 36 years Jesus has met all of Brother Bob's needs and blessed him greatly. 

How To Be A Better Christian

3) Plan For Eternity As A Disciplined Disciple

     Finally to be a better christian, plan for eternity as a disciplined disciple. A person that only plans for their life on earth is a fool; A wise person makes plans for eternity. To be a disciple for Jesus, we need to be disciplined followers of Jesus. He who submits to discipline is a disciple. 1 Timothy 6:12 says Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses. 

     Even when you don't feel like praising Jesus, praise Jesus anyhow. Give God a sacrifice of praise. Hebrews 13:5 says By Him (Jesus) therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name. Remember if we suffer with Jesus through persecutions and troubles from this world, we will reign with Jesus during the millennium. How comforting to say 2 Timothy 1:12 For the which cause I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day. 

     Paul said at Phillipians 3:8 Yea, doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may win Christ. Someone asked a christian I heard you gave up all your pleasures; The christian replied you heard wrong; I just found all my pleasures with Jesus and His Word; I gave up all my follies. 

     Remember your worst day as a christian is better than your best day as a lost person. Jesus said at Matthew 16:25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it; For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Friends remember when we choose Jesus instead of this fading troubled world, we can rejoice and say John 8:36 If the Son (Jesus) therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. Jesus gives us so much more than anything this world can offer; Hallelujah Ephesians 3:20 promises Now unto Him (Jesus) that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that worketh in us. Unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end, Amen. 

     I pray in Jesus name that this little bible study blesses multitudes all over this earth with great peace, joy, and strength. Feel free to email Brother Bob anytime at rz9tlm@gmail.com or write to Brother Bob Malkin, 2233 Pinetree Lane, Apt. N., Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068. (614) 604-7133. Till we all meet again soon to lift up our Lord Jesus, everyone have a blessed day in Jesus name.