The Incubation Period

When babies are born too early, they are called premature infants or preemies. Preemies are placed in an incubator. The incubator simulates the mother's womb in the way that it keeps the preemie warm, allows the preemie to grow and nurture. The preemie does not come out of the incubator until that nurturing and growth takes place. I like to call this the Incubation Period.
Many of us go through an incubation period and don't realize what it is. You may ask, "Carol, what are ...you talking about?" I am talking about a spiritual incubation period. Sometimes, we go through an incubation period (problems, a personal struggle) so we can take time out to be nurtured and grow within the Word. During that incubation period you may struggle in your finances, your relationships, struggle in life, period. That incubation period gives you an opportunity to allow God to nurture you, so you can grow in the Word and grow your relationship with God. Those who you believe you can depend on may fall away during your incubation period but that is alright because God is all you need. We have God to depend on. He wants us to lean and to depend on Him concerning all matters within our lives.

Many have asked me what have I done to cause many of my struggles. My answer today is I needed an incubation period. Thank you Lord for my incubation period! Thank you for the opportunity to learn more about You, to grow in You and to grow my relationship with You! Thank you for loving me and never leaving me! Thank you for allowing me to realize that You are all I need! Thank you Lord for taking me out of the incubator! This is my time and my season!. Thank you for planting the seeds within me so I may always have a harvest! Thank You most of all for your grace and your mercy!
I hope this message reaches someone who needs to hear this today. May God bless.

When Tragedy Strikes

     Life is filled with ups and downs, hills and valleys. Globally, we are faced with recent tragedies such as the deaths of young children left in cars, the fighting in Ukraine and Israel and  the airplane crash of Malaysia flight 17. First, I would like to offer my sincerest condolences to all of those who have lost loved ones within the aforementioned tragedies, as well as others not listed. May God grant you peace during your time of mourning.

     We as humans are born to die and leave this earth, but what about our spiritual lives?  When I learned of these tragedies, my first thought was to pray for their souls. In my prayer, I claimed that each of those individuals knew Jesus Christ and reached out to Him during their last moments. My next prayer was for the families and loved ones of those who died to receive God's mercy, grace, peace and comfort. No doubt, the pain, anger and void felt by those who mourn is simply unmeasurable but there is nothing left to do for those who are lost to us. My focus and concern  now rests on those left behind.

     As Christians, we are prime targets for Satan. He wants you to believe that God will not stand by His promises and that God's Word is a lie. He will use tragedies such as these to attempt to convince you of this. Satan's primary goal and only objective is to steal, kill and destroy. It is during these times that we need to hold-fast to what we know is true. What do we know?

          "Now may God himself, the God of peace, make you pure, belonging only to him. May your whole self - spirit, soul and body- be kept safe and without fault when our Lord Jesus Christ comes. You can trust the One who calls you to do that for you." I Thessalonians 5:23-24

            "I am with you and will protect you everywhere you go and will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you." Genesis 28:15

           "The only temptation that has come to you is that which everyone has. But you can trust God, who will not permit you to be tempted more than you can stand. But when you are tempted, he will also give you a way to escape so that you will be able to stand." I Corinthians 10:13

     As long as you do the will of Satan and live under the Spirit of the Law of Sin and Death, Satan will not come for you because he already has you. But, as long as we believe in Jesus Christ and live according to His word, then Satan will come after us with everything he's got. Once Jesus Christ died on the cross, not only did he save us from all of our sins but He also took Satan down. Satan no longer has a hold on you through sin unless you invite him. This is what the Word says:

            "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his great power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can fight against the devil's evil tricks. Our fight is not against people on earth but against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world's darkness, against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly world. That is why you need to put on God's full armor. Then on the day of evil you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing." Ephesians 6:10-13

          "Dear children, do not let anyone lead you the wrong way. Christ is all that is right. So to be like Christ a person must do what is right. The devil has been sinning since the beginning, so anyone who continues to sin belongs to the devil. The Son of God came for this purpose: to destroy the devil's work."         I John 3:7-8

     One cannot allow grief and anger regarding your personal tragedy, to separate you from the love of God for He cares for you. If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, there is no better time like the present. Psalm 91:14-15 says, " The Lord says, "Whoever loves me, I will save. I will protect those who know me. They will call to me and I will answer them. I will be with them in trouble: I will rescue them and honor them." Also, 2 Corinthians 4:9 says, "We are persecuted, but God does not leave us. We are hurt sometimes, but we are not destroyed." Satan may use this tragedy to come after you but you don't have to follow him. Instead, follow The One who created you, gave you life and has protected you even from the womb. He knows all about you and wants nothing but the best for you. You may be going through a storm right now but God cares for you and will not leave you to handle it all alone. Trust God and He will carry you through this and every other storm that lies ahead.

Prayer of Salvation
"Dear Jesus,

I believe in You. I believe You are the Son of God, that You died for my sins, and that You were buried and rose again as written in the Bible. I'm sorry for sinning against You. Forgive me for all my sins. Come into my heart. Take charge of my life and make me the way You want me to be. I repent of my sins. I confess You now as my Lord and Savior. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Thank You, Jesus! In Jesus' Name, Amen.



READ     *    PRAY    *     TRUST     *     OBEY  

Living in Your Faith

"Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen"( Hebrews 11:1). As believers in Christ Jesus, you have already exhibited faith in a man you have never met. You believe that He died on the cross for you and took your sins to the grave with Him. You also believe that he rose on that 3rd day and is preparing a place for you in heaven. This is the basis of Christian faith. Now, how much has your faith increased since you have taken this great leap of faith? Does it still go beyond what you can see? Does your faith go beyond what you can do?

You will find, as I have, that not all Christians believe or have the same amount of faith that you have. Some Christians still believe that God's grace and mercy is gained through what you do or don't do. Others believe regardless of what they do, God's grace and mercy are always available. Which do you believe? I believe what my Bible tells me. Everyone has to live according to their beliefs. Just because your faith isn't at the same level as mine and vice versa doesn't mean either of us is wrong. I cannot judge you for where you are in God and no one can judge me either. Judgment is God's job. But it is my pleasure to let you know that you don't have to limit your blessings from God.

The past year and a half has been a great struggle for me in the sense that I was unemployed with two small children to care for. I had no income since October 2013, was unable to gain an interview much less a job, I was losing the home I had for my family and my car was stolen. I was in a great deal of physical pain from the fall I had taken in March of the same year and was receiving little to no help from anyone I thought I could depend on.  I would always read my Bible but it was sporadic and I didn't really take the words and message into my heart. I didn't allow God's Word to manifest and reap a harvest.

Then one day while I was watching Creflo Dollar on TBN, I had an ah-ha moment. I realized I had to forget what I thought to be true all of my life. I would always hear in the church that faith without works is dead. It would be explained to me that you had to do something in order for God to do something for you.  Knowing all of the sins I committed in my lifetime, I thought there would never be anything I could do to gain favor with God. And I was right.

That ah-ha moment changed my life and allowed my faith to increase. Through Creflo Dollar, God allowed me to realize that there is nothing I can physically do to receive the blessings He has in store for me. I didn't save myself, I am saved through Jesus Christ. I didn't make myself righteous, holy, victorious, more than a conqueror, prosperous or worthy. God did it all because of my faith in Jesus Christ. So how would I receive what was mine? READ PRAY TRUST OBEY. I am not worthy to receive anything from God but because of my faith in Jesus Christ, I have everything the Word says that I have. I learned I had to read God's word, put Him FIRST above every one and everything, including my children, seek Him in all things; cast my cares on Him, leave them with Him and trust Him to work them out. (Little did I know at the time it was already done as a finished work of Christ Jesus on the cross. Hallelujah! but we will discuss that at another time.)

I used to tell my co-workers all of the time that God has equipped you with everything you will ever need to go through any obstacle or crisis you face. Little did I realize the same applied to my supply. What supply, you ask? God knew us before the world began. He knows what we like, who we are in our hearts, all of the things we have done in the dark and the light. In spite of our sinful nature, He loves us and wants the best for all of us. Being that He is our creator, He has a storehouse filled with all that we will ever need in this life. Look at it this way. That new Samsung Galaxy 5 you just purchased has multiple accessories available for it as well as replaceable parts.  All were created, designed by the manufacturer, Samsung. If you want  a new battery, Samsung has it. If you need ear buds, Samsung has it. If your new device doesn't work the way it should, what do you do? You pull out the manufacturer's guide to find a solution. Do you see where I am going with this? God is our manufacturer and has all of our replaceable parts (salvation, a renewed spirit) and accessories (blessings) available. All we have to do is use the manufacturer's guide He has provided (the Bible) to find the answers.

We all have a supply of our needs, wants, desires just waiting on us. We don't receive them because we limit ourselves through our beliefs Most Christians don't utilize what God has in supply because they still believe their matters are left under their own will, what they can or cannot do about a situation. Do you realize that when you take matters into your own hands, you remove it from God's? You stop Him from doing a great work for you. You are essentially telling God that He can't do it but you can. You end up blocking your own blessings.

I began to believe in my heart that God can and will do anything for me. He says it in His Word           (Matthew 6:25-34; Deuteronomy 28:11-13; Philippians 4:19; Psalm 24:1; Psalm 34:10; Psalm 23:1). Once I realized that I needed to depend on God and God alone, read His Word, trust in Him and obey His Word, I began to work hard on this revelation. I read my Bible more. I prayed more. I talked to God as if He was my best friend, Cindy. I cried to Him. I began to remove the wrong people out of my circle and remove sinful things out of my life. It was time for some spring cleaning  and I became Florence from The Jeffersons. Soon, things started happening for me. Little by little I could see how He had worked things out for me. The more I depended on Him and less on man, the more everything came into focus. Man gave me what he thought I deserved but God gave me what He promised to me.

My faith in Jesus today is unshakeable! Since October 2013, my children and I have not gone hungry or went without any basic need. God supplied it all! Any new obstacles that appeared in my path, I didn't continue to worry and pull my hair out because of it. I gave it to God and left it there. How did I leave it and not pick it back up? Every time the issue would come to my thoughts I would begin to recite the 23rd Psalm. By the time I would finish it, any anxiety, worry and/or fear I had disappeared. I focused my thoughts and spoke of God. It works! Just try it. You may have another scripture that speaks to your circumstance...use that. Just remember to focus on God. Speak to your situation using your "manufacturer's guide" and your worry will dissipate.

I still have storms. I still have a tendency to worry. Negative thoughts still enter my mind. That is just Satan trying to get me back to where I was. Not happening! I now have the tools to deal with such times. God never promised a easy path in life but he did promise He would help you through if you have the faith. Keep reading, praying, trusting, depending and obeying God and all that He has for you will be yours.

Prayer of Salvation

Good Morning Believers and Non-Believers Alike!

I feel compelled today to post about salvation. The prayer of salvation allows you to be free of sin, forever connect you with God the Father through  faith in Jesus Christ and to declare who you choose as the Lord of your life. This prayer, and all the like, frees you. How does it free you? 

Once you make the decision to align your life with that of Jesus Christ and not Satan, confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that you believe in Him, confess your sins and ask for forgiveness for your sins, then your spirit is freed from the Law of Sin and Death. The "steps" to salvation (not necessarily in this order) are not as hard as some would have you to believe. The following are the "steps" to salvation and the scriptures that provided the information I am sharing with you today:

1. Conviction of Sin - John 16:8
2. Repentance (turning) from sin to God - Luke 15: 7,10; 2Corinthians 7:10
3. Commitment of Faith to Christ - John 3:16, 36
4. Confession of Jesus Christ as Lord - Acts 2:21; Romans 10:9-10

To be saved or to receive salvation through Jesus Christ affords those who are Christians "salvation from the wrath of God's final judgment" Romans 5:9-10.

Being baptized, as an individual act, does not constitute being saved. In fact, baptism is a symbol of the salvation you have already received. Baptism is a public demonstration of regeneration (Titus 3:5; 1Peter 3:21). Regeneration is defined by the Holman Concise Bible Dictionary as the spiritual change in which God changes you from a condition of spiritual death to a renewed condition of holiness and life. This regeneration is noted in the Bible as, "put off old way of life; clothed with new way of life; process of having one's mind renewed in its thinking, reasoning and willing" Ephesians 4:17-32. This regeneration or spiritual change takes place when the steps to salvation have been completed, not simply through baptism alone.

What gives us the opportunity to be saved? Jesus Christ's completed work and his sacrificial death. The other day I was watching Joseph Prince on TBN (Trinity Broadcast Network) and he was testifying to a revelation he received of Jesus Christ on the cross. He had his creative team create a dramatization of this revelation. It will be hard for me to describe what I saw and I guess for him the feeling was the same. He stated he had issues with trying to make what his spiritual mind saw come to fruition in a video. The video showed Jesus Christ on the cross. You could see his body worn from the beatings and physical maltreatment He received. You could see the nails in His hands and feet, the crown of thorns on His head and His body saturated with His blood. Bruised but not broken, you can see Him, hanging there. His pain was not only from the beatings He received but also from the burden and pain of carrying our sins.

On the video, Joseph Prince allows you to visualize how our sins caused Jesus so much pain. As He hung there on the cross you can see His earthly body consume all of the world's sins: our lies, our fears, sloth, greed, gluttony, envy, idolatry, jealousy, promiscuity, sexual immoralities....all of them for all the world. As He consumed each and every sin we have and will ever commit, He cried out. As I watched the video, I believe the consumption of our sins caused more pain than the ripping away of His flesh.  Have you ever sat down and really thought about what Jesus Christ has done? Have you ever really thought about the fact that while He was on that cross He paid the price for the lives of everyone who would ever grace this earth? Oh, the burden and pain He must have felt.  My heart aches at the thought, which is small in comparison. I know how badly I would feel when I would take on my own sin. Imagine how He felt carrying everything for everyone.

With His death on the cross also died all of the world's sin for all time, past, present and future. All He requires is our faith and belief in Him. Below, you will find the prayer of salvation. If you have not already, I  urge you to say this prayer aloud not only because you owe your very existence to Him but also for your eternal peace.

Prayer of Salvation
"Dear Jesus,

I believe in You. I believe You are the Son of God, that You died for my sins, and that You were buried and rose again as written in the Bible. I'm sorry for sinning against You. Forgive me for all my sins. Come into my heart. Take charge of my life and make me the way You want me to be. I repent of my sins. I confess You now as my Lord and Savior. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Thank You, Jesus! In Jesus' Name, Amen.



READ     *    PRAY    *     TRUST     *     OBEY  

Being a Christian is a wonderful experience. One of thee most important aspect of being a Child of God is "The Process". I say this because everyone has a purpose and a destiny. Within the destiny comes the process. Inside of the process is something called trials, tribulations, testing of your character, and molding. God has to shape you and mold you to who he wants you to be and sometimes it is tough, but in the end it will be beneficial because God knows what is best. Always remember that the beauty does not lie in the destination, but the beauty are in the things along the way.

Min. Andrell Collier-Greene

Happy Birthday to Me!!!

Today marks 41 years God has blessed me to be on this earth. I thank you Lord for all 41 years, the bad and the good. I would not change a thing, especially the bad times. Why not the bad? The bad times teach me to appreciate the good. The bad times bring me closer to God. The bad times are tests that lay the foundation for my testimony.
Thank you Lord for another year! Thank you for allowing the mess in my life to become a message and making me the messenger! Somebody praise Him!!! I have yet another day to tell someone how awesome my God is!!! I am who I am because He is!!! Happy Birthday to me!!!!

I would like to take this time to introduce a guest author to Baby Christian! Min. Andrell Collier-Greene primarily caters to the youth but ministers to all. He has agreed to share his love of God and the Christian faith with each and everyone of us. Let us welcome, Min. Greene to Baby Christian!






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I'm Back!!!!

It is so good to be back here on my blog! It feels good posting again. I want to thank all of you for continuing to visit the site even though I have been on a hiatus. Thank you so much and may God bless each and every one of you!

Essential Knowledge - Answers

What did Christ do for you?

• He carried our weaknesses.
• He was wounded and crushed for our sins.
• He was beaten that we might have peace.
• He was whipped and we were healed.
• He assumed the guilt and sins for all of us.
• He died for our sins.
• He was crushed and filled with grief.
• He exposed himself to death.
• He bore the sins of many and interceded for sinners.
• He came not to be served but to serve others.
• He gave His life as a ransom.
• He laid down His life for the sheep.
• He was raised from the dead to make us right with God.
• He is the sacrifice for our sins. He takes away not only our sins but the sins of all the world.
• He has freed us from our sins by shedding His blood for us.

Answers found where?

• Isaiah 53:1-12
• Matthew 20:28
• John 10:11
• Romans 4:25
• 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
• 1 Peter 1:17-21
• 1 John 2:2
• Revelations 1:5-6

 READ         *         PRAY       *           TRUST        *           OBEY

Essential Knowledge - What Did Christ Do For You?

What did Christ do for you?



Hint:

• Isaiah 53:1-12
• Matthew 20:28
• John 10:11
• Romans 4:25
• 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
• 1 Peter 1:17-21
• 1 John 2:2
• Revelations 1:5-6

Essential Knowledge - Answers

Who is Christ?

• Wonderful counselor
• Mighty God
• Everlasting Father
• Prince of Peace
• The Word
• God
• The Light
• Son of the Father
• Good News
• God's own glory
• Represents God exactly
• Always the same
• Son of God
• Faithful witness
• Commander of all the rulers of the world
• Alpha and Omega
• Almighty One
• The First and the Last
• Son of Man
• Bread of Life
• Light of the World
• Gate for the sheep
• Good shepherd
• The resurrection and the life
• The way, the truth, and the life
• The true vine

Answers found where?

• Isaiah 9:6
• John 1:1-14
• Romans 1:3-4
• Hebrews 1:1-14
• Revelations 1:5, 17-18
• John 6: 27,35
• John 8:12
• John 10:7, 11
• John 11:25
• John 14:6
• John 15:1

Essential Knowledge - Who is Christ?

Who is Christ?


Hint:

• Isaiah 9:6
• John 1:1-14
• Romans 1:3-4
• Hebrews 1:1-14
• Revelations 1:5, 17-18

Essential Knowledge - Answer

What does God hate?

• All who do evil.
• Haughty eyes
• A lying tongue
• Hands that kill the innocent
• A heart that plots evil
• Feet that race to do wrong
• A false witness who pours out lies
• A person who sows discord among brothers
• Robbery
• Wrongdoing

Answers found where?

• Psalm 5:5
• Proverbs 6:17-19
• Isaiah 61:8

Essential Knowledge - What does God hate?

What does God hate?


Hint:

• Psalm 5:5
• Proverbs 6:17-19
• Isaiah 61:8

 READ         *         PRAY       *           TRUST        *           OBEY

My Favorite Prayers

Stormie Omartian has written many books on prayer. One of my favorites is Praying the Bible Into Your Life . Here are a few of my favorite prayers from this book. Enjoy!

Learn to Live by Faith

Lord, help me grow in my knowledge of You and Your Word so that I can live more and more by faith. Enable me to trust You so completely that I don't ever doubt Your presence in my life.

Amen.

 God is Your Strength in Troubled Times

Lord, I thank You for providing a place of safety in Your presence when I go through tough times. No matter what happens, I trust in Your goodness to me.

Amen.

Don't Compromise the Effectiveness of Your Prayers

Lord, I pray that I will always obey You and never give You any reason to not hear my prayers. Help me to repent the moment I am aware of sin in my life so that it does not cause any separation between me and You.

Amen.

Desire to Know God Better

Lord, help me to never forget for even a moment that the greatest thing in my life is to know You, and to understand more each day about all of who You are.

Amen.

Be Willing to Go Where God Leads

Lord, help me to always be able to hear Your call on my life. When You speak to my heart, enable me to be willing to go where You want me to go.

Amen.

Come Humbly to God and Confess Your Sins

Lord, show me where I have any unconfessed sin in my life so that I can confess it before You immediately. I don't want to compromise the blessings You have for me by failing to do so. Thank You for Your unfailing mercy and forgiveness.

Amen.

 READ         *         PRAY       *           TRUST        *           OBEY
 

Prayer

"Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16


Prayer is defined as a conversation with God; to intercede with or make a petition to God. Prayer is your personal time with God. Prayer allows you to talk to God just as you talk to your friends. You should let Him know what's on your mind, how you are feeling, and what issues you are dealing with be it large or small. Jesus taught the disciples how to pray and gave them The Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) as a guide. So, what guide do we use? What should you say while praying? How long should one pray? How often should one pray?

Prayer is one of the best tools God could've given us to use. It allows us to contact Him directly without having to have someone else intercede or speak to Him on our behalf. Prayer gives you the opportunity and ability to draw closer to Him and build your relationship with Him.

Think about it this way. How do you build friendships? You meet someone that happens to have the same or some things in common with you. You spend time together, go places together. When a crisis or issue arises, you reach out to this person you have connected with for support, guidance and an encouraging word. This is how prayer works. When you pray to God you are building an everlasting relationship with Him. There is nothing you can't tell Him that He doesn't already know. You can share your secrets, issues and cares with Him. He wants us to reach out to Him for EVERYTHING not just the big issues. This is how you build an intimate relationship with Him.

There is no noted formula for prayer that works for everyone. Our prayers should be as individualized as our lives. There are certain things you want to be sure to address when you do speak to God. Keep in mind, God does things for us that we know and some we may never know about for the betterment of our lives. We need to approach God with a thankful heart. Show your appreciation for what He has done for you by saying thank you for what you have and the blessing he has bestowed upon you both ,known and unknown.

Our God is a selfish God. We are to worship Him and only Him. Worship and adoration is what God seeks from us. Praise God for who He is to you, the life He has given and the promise for more in the afterlife.

Prayer is the opportune time to confess your sins to God. Sin is anything that goes against the will of God. Any transgression you may have can be freely shared with Him. When you confess your sins, you free yourself of the bondage that sin provides. Confession loosens the grip Satan has on you that is tied to that sin. One thing I must convey to you is that if/when you sin, that is the time you need to reach out to God the most. One of the biggest mistakes I have made in my life is to withdraw from God once I committed a sin. You have to realize that is what the devil wants you to do. He wants you to separate yourself from God so he can gain access to you. Nothing should separate you from God, not even sin. Yes, God hates sin but He loves you. He will never stop loving you. He will never stop providing for you. The devil would have you believe that you are not worthy of God's grace and mercy once you have committed a sin.. That couldn't be any further from the truth. God knows our origin. We are born sinners. He expects us to sin but He also expects us to come to Him once we have sinned, repent or turn away from the sin and ask for forgiveness.

Supplication is defined as the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly. Prayer is the best avenue to express to God the desires of your heart. You should not only ask for your needs but for the needs of others, for spirit renewal, for the salvation of souls and for the opportunity to  bring others to Christ.

Now, all prayers don't have to include all of the above. You can just simply pray to God and say thank you and that will be sufficient. Again, there is no formula for prayer but in order to build a relationship with God, its not a bad place to start. I have this book, "Praying the Bible Into Your Life" by Stormie Omartian. If you don't have the words or don't know how to begin, this book is a great reference. Along with today's post I will provide a few of my favorite prayers from the book.

My prayer today is that I hope I have reached someone today, given someone a new way to approach your relationship with God. I pray that someone has an ah-ha moment and begins to build this much needed relationship with our Creator. Many blessings to each of you!

READ         *         PRAY       *           TRUST        *           OBEY
 

Essential Knowledge - Answers

What does God love?

• Justice
• The Righteous 
• All those who love Jesus 
• Jesus 

Answers found where?

• Psalm 38:28
• Psalm 146:8
• John 14:23
• John 15:9

READ         *         PRAY       *           TRUST        *           OBEY

Essential Knowledge - Answers

What is God like?

• God is merciful and gracious.

• God is slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness.

• God is forgiving of every sin and rebellion

Answers found where?

Exodus 34: 4-7
John 4:24

READ         *         PRAY       *           TRUST        *           OBEY

Essential Knowledge - What does God love?

What does God love?


Hint:
Psalm 38:28
Psalm 146:8
John 14:23
John 15:9

Essential Knowledge - What is God like?

As a Christian, there are certain things you must know or at the least be familiar with known as essential knowledge. I will post 10 essential questions here on this blog, one a day, with the answers to follow the next day. The first question is:

What is God like?

*Hint: Exodus 34:4-7, John 4:24



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How Do You Live the Christian Life?

"So make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life. Then your faith will produce a life of moral excellence. A life of moral excellence leads to knowing God better. Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance and patient endurance leads to godliness. Godliness leads to love for other Christians, and finally you will grow to have genuine love for everyone. The more you grow like this, the more you will become productive and useful in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But those who fail to develop these virtues are blind or, at least, very shortsighted. They have already forgotten that God has cleansed them from their old life of sin."     2Peter 1:5-9 NIV/Life Application Study Bible

Have you ever wondered what steps should I take to make sure I am living the Christian life? Peter, one of Jesus' disciples, wrote 1 and 2 Peter. 2 Peter was written toward the end of his life. By writing these letters, he wanted Christians to be aware of the dangers of being a Christian as well as the benefits. Chapter 1:5-9 of 2Peter provides all Christians with the necessary steps to living the Christian life. Today, we will list and examine these steps.

God's power and promise are directly related to doing our part of being faithful and diligent. Faith is a direct reflection of our trust and full reliance on God. Our diligence is equal to the effort to do our part. Peter addresses 7 things we as Christians must do in our daily lives that exhibit our faith and diligence. Each of these items/steps are interdependent. This is not a check off list of items that need to be completed. These items are to be practiced daily, each dependent upon the other. Let's review these steps:

1. Virtue 
2. Knowledge
3. Self-Control
4. Endurance
5. Godliness
6. Brotherly kindness
7. Love

Virtue is defined as goodness or moral excellence. Christians have this unwavering need to do what is right. I'm not saying we as Christians always do what is right but the need to is always there.
In order to do what is right, we must first know what the right thing to do is.

Knowledge of who God is and what He can do is key. One can never know enough about God. Knowing who He is and what His involvement in your life can bring to your life not only enriches your life but the lives of those who come in contact with you.

The will to do what is right and the knowledge of what is right leads to Self-Control. People who know the Word are often overcome with pride, envy, unfaithfulness, deception, gluttony, greed or procrastination due to a lack of self-discipline. We all have met or know people that know the Word but who's lives are all in shambles. Self-control is a product of the Spirit. While having the need to do right, acting on that need and developing knowledge, one is expected to have control of oneself, both body and spirit.

Endurance in conjunction with self-control enables us to finish whatever tasks we have started, to prove our faith, develop character and mature in Christ.

Godliness is derived from enduring the self-control exhibited after gaining knowledge in doing what is right. Godliness is to walk in the way of Christ, to be merciful, loving, holy, true, good and patient.

Caring for our brothers and sisters demonstrates brotherly kindness.  As a Christian, the God in you affords you the ability to care for your brothers and sisters.

Brotherly kindness needs love. I'm not referring to the romantic love you have for your spouse but that agape love, unconditional love. We all know it take a lot sometimes to love the people you are related to much less a stranger. You must know that Jesus loves each of us unconditionally. We as Christians are duty bound to show and have this unconditional love everyone, even for our enemies.

Peter says the result of practicing these seven steps will allow Christians to grow in Christ, to become more productive and useful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, the ability to not stumble in your spiritual progress and the opportunity to look forward to a "triumphant entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ" (v.8-11).


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I's a Christian now!

We are all born into sin. There is absolutely nothing anyone can do to change that fact. When a child is born he/she is deemed a sinner through no fault of his or her own. It is an inherited legacy. God has given us a path to take on how to change that status. The path to salvation is Jesus Christ. Now, if you are a Christian, be it young or mature, you already know that Jesus is the way.

You took the plunge, made that walk down the aisle to the altar and repeated these words or something similar:

"Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins. 

Come into my heart.

I will make you my Lord and Savior." 

(Joel Osteen)

The next step in the Baptist church is Baptism and then receiving the right hand of fellowship from the members of the congregation. You received well wishes and a thousand "Praise the Lords!". Becoming a member of a faith based church is great! That allows you to fellowship with other believers and share in God's glory. But what do you do when you get home? Now what?

 Well, if you haven't already, get your hands on a Bible. The Bible is you map through this thing called life. It is your manufacturer's manual. Definitely a necessary tool, your lifeline.

1. Read the Bible you just bought. Possessing it is one thing, reading it is another. You have to pray and ask God for wisdom and understanding as you read His word and He will guide you.
2. Pray. Prayer is your hotspot, your wi-fi, your connection to God. There is no format to follow. Talk to Him as if you are talking to your best friend. There is nothing you can say that He doesn't already know about you. Bear your soul. Keep in mind, repetitive prayers are unnecessary. He gets it the first time. Be patient, be silent, be still....your answer is on the way.
3. Trust God for the things you cannot control. No matter how small or large your issue is, He wants you to trust Him to handle all of your issues.
4. Obey God in the things you can control. Basically, this means to ask yourself in all situations, "What would Jesus do?". 

There is no perfect human being. Don't try to be. Be the best person in Christ that you can. You will make mistakes. You will fall. The secret is to acknowledge the fall. Ask God for forgiveness. Forgive yourself and then move past it. You can't go forward while looking backwards. Even God can't change the past. Be safe, Be blessed! Until next time....

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Welcome to Baby Christian!

I am thoroughly excited about starting this blog! My name is Carol Jones. I am a 40 year old single mom of two children, Cydney (age 5) and Mark (age 3). I have been saved for most of my life, since the age of 19, but I really had no idea what role I was supposed to play in my new life. I had no idea how to start my new life in Christ. I didn't even know how to begin. I have been in the church since before I could walk. I began singing in the church tot choir at a very early age. My daddy is a Baptist Minister. So, one would think I would have this on lock, right? Wrong.

Even with all of that, I had no clue as to what I should do. So I lived the life of a young, single woman in college. Boy, I have made my fair share of mistakes as any other able bodied human has. (But how many of you know that our mistakes is God's plan.) It wasn't until my "millionth" test that things began to click for me, at age 40.

Within this blog, my goals are to share my experiences and my spiritual education with other baby Christians. I want to lessen the blow and the pressure young Christians feel once the euphoria of being saved wears off and you aren't standing in the safe haven of the church. I was stuck with the questions such as: What to do next?; How am I supposed to behave?; What should I do on a daily basis?; Why am I not slain in the spirit like others in the church?; Will I speak in tongues?; How do I hear God?

In time, we will discuss and explore each question and then some. Thank you for visiting my blog. Please feel free to post a question or a comment. I pray this blog will bring the answers and guidance for not only the readers but for myself as well. We as Christians are constantly at war and the baby Christians are prime target for Satan. Let's strap on our armor and win the war!

  READ       *        PRAY        *        TRUST        *        OBEY