How does a person prepare for an encounter with God. Praying and reading the Bible are an important part of this journey. All the scripture and prayer in the world won't get you any closer until a person submits to becoming born again, or baptized by full immersion in water. Any born again Christian can conduct a baptism.
Living in a Christian family doesn't make anyone a Christian any more than flying in an airplane makes them an eagle. The ritual of baptism, a public declaration of a love for and a pledge of obedience to Christ are what makes someone a Christian. It's not enough just to believe. Satan believes. Satan's demons believe.
This important step has more benefits than just getting a ticket to Heaven. It also carries with it responsibilities. By declaring Jesus as your Saviour, you are pledging to turn your back on sin. God expects an extremely high standard of behavior, so this includes giving up lying, swearing, smoking, alcohol, drugs and even gossiping.
Being sinless isn't easy. Satan is constantly littering our paths with temptation. The good news is, God sent the Holy Spirit to whip us into shape to become Heaven-ready. He fills us up, makes crucial changes right down to our DNA and makes us squeaky clean from the inside out. This, according to John 14:15-18.
After a while, we don't enjoy the same old sins that we used do. We stop laughing at dirty jokes, quit smoking and start to work harder, both at home, at church and in our jobs. We spend more time in Christian fellowship, studying the Bible, praying and leading people to Christ.
Another Christian practice is that of fasting. There are two ways to observe a fast. One is the water fast, in which no food is taken from morning until evening, only water and very dilute fruit juice. It is important to spend time in prayer and reading scripture, otherwise you are just on a diet. The other method of fasting is the 21-day Daniel fast. This involves a very strict vegan regime. No sugar, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, animal products or leavened bread are allowed.
The other choice of Christian fast is modeled after the prophet Daniel. It goes on for 21 days and involves a very strict vegan regime. No animal products are consumed, as well as alcohol, sugar, artificial preservatives or sweeteners. Only unleavened bread in the form of rice cakes, wholemeal tortilla wraps, etc., may be consumed. Fortunately, potatoes are considered vegetables and are therefore permitted! As with a water fast, prayer and spending time reading the Bible are required.
Praying, reading the Bible, fasting and tithing are all means of getting an encounter with God. Tithing is the practice of giving 10 percent of all earnings to the church, meaning to God, from whom we ultimately get everything we have or need. Although the first tithe took place in the Old Testament when Mielchizidek collected a tithe from Abraham, it was a covenant thing, and not just an old Testament thing. A covenant is eternal.
Living in a Christian family doesn't make anyone a Christian any more than flying in an airplane makes them an eagle. The ritual of baptism, a public declaration of a love for and a pledge of obedience to Christ are what makes someone a Christian. It's not enough just to believe. Satan believes. Satan's demons believe.
This important step has more benefits than just getting a ticket to Heaven. It also carries with it responsibilities. By declaring Jesus as your Saviour, you are pledging to turn your back on sin. God expects an extremely high standard of behavior, so this includes giving up lying, swearing, smoking, alcohol, drugs and even gossiping.
Being sinless isn't easy. Satan is constantly littering our paths with temptation. The good news is, God sent the Holy Spirit to whip us into shape to become Heaven-ready. He fills us up, makes crucial changes right down to our DNA and makes us squeaky clean from the inside out. This, according to John 14:15-18.
After a while, we don't enjoy the same old sins that we used do. We stop laughing at dirty jokes, quit smoking and start to work harder, both at home, at church and in our jobs. We spend more time in Christian fellowship, studying the Bible, praying and leading people to Christ.
Another Christian practice is that of fasting. There are two ways to observe a fast. One is the water fast, in which no food is taken from morning until evening, only water and very dilute fruit juice. It is important to spend time in prayer and reading scripture, otherwise you are just on a diet. The other method of fasting is the 21-day Daniel fast. This involves a very strict vegan regime. No sugar, artificial sweeteners, preservatives, animal products or leavened bread are allowed.
The other choice of Christian fast is modeled after the prophet Daniel. It goes on for 21 days and involves a very strict vegan regime. No animal products are consumed, as well as alcohol, sugar, artificial preservatives or sweeteners. Only unleavened bread in the form of rice cakes, wholemeal tortilla wraps, etc., may be consumed. Fortunately, potatoes are considered vegetables and are therefore permitted! As with a water fast, prayer and spending time reading the Bible are required.
Praying, reading the Bible, fasting and tithing are all means of getting an encounter with God. Tithing is the practice of giving 10 percent of all earnings to the church, meaning to God, from whom we ultimately get everything we have or need. Although the first tithe took place in the Old Testament when Mielchizidek collected a tithe from Abraham, it was a covenant thing, and not just an old Testament thing. A covenant is eternal.
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