Faithful Christian: Where To Buy Guidance And Support

Being a Christian is about accepting God's gift of love and leading a good Christian life. To become a more faithful Christian, one must be a follower of Jesus Christ and dedicate themselves to being more and more like him. This involves making time for daily prayer and devotion, reading the Bible, and asking for forgiveness when you sin. It also means being committed to your spiritual routine and spending time with other believers.

There are many resources available to help Christians strengthen their faith, including books such as Becoming A Faithful Christian by Eddie Cloer and Michael Knappier, and online articles such as How to Remain Faithful to God in a Faithless World by Ellen Hopkins, and How to Be Faithful to God by Dr. Gary Linton. These resources offer guidance on how to stay committed to your faith and live a life that aligns with God's word.

In addition to these resources, you can also find support and community by connecting with a church and joining Christian forums or social media groups. By seeking guidance, surrounding yourself with other believers, and staying dedicated to your spiritual practices, you can become a more faithful Christian.

Pray and ask for forgiveness

Praying and asking for forgiveness is a crucial aspect of the Christian faith. It is important to recognise that we all need forgiveness and that it is easier to forgive others when we acknowledge our own need for forgiveness.

Asking for Forgiveness

As humans, we all fall short of God's glory and make mistakes. When we sin, it is important to admit our sins, ask God for forgiveness, and strive to turn away from those sins. In 1 John 1:9, the Bible assures us that "if we confess our sins, [God] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

> Heavenly Father, I come before You with a repentant heart, acknowledging my sins and shortcomings. I confess my need for Your forgiveness and mercy. Wash me clean, O Lord, and create in me a pure heart. I trust in Your unfailing love and rely on Your grace to restore and renew me. Thank You for the forgiveness I find in Jesus Christ. In His name, I pray. Amen.

Forgiving Others

Forgiveness is a powerful act that can bring healing and reconciliation. Jesus taught us to forgive others as God forgives us. In Ephesians 4:32, the Bible says, "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

> Dear Lord, I thank You for the power of forgiveness. I choose to forgive those who have hurt me and release them from any resentment I hold towards them. Help me to extend Your forgiveness and love to others. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Forgiving Yourself

In addition to forgiving others, it is also important to forgive yourself. We all make mistakes, and holding on to guilt and shame can be detrimental. Recognise that God's forgiveness is a gift of grace, and extend that same grace to yourself.

> Heavenly Father, I come before You, burdened by my mistakes and shortcomings. I release the weight of guilt and shame I carry. I ask for Your forgiveness and healing. Grant me the strength to learn from my mistakes and grow into a better person. May Your boundless love and grace wash over me, renewing my spirit and granting me peace. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

A Prayer for Repentance

Repentance is an important part of the Christian journey. When we feel convicted of our sins, we can turn to God and ask for His mercy.

> Dear Heavenly Father, Let the words of Psalm 51 be my heart’s cry today, “Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.” I repent of my sins and accept Your forgiveness. Thank You for making me whole again. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

A Prayer for a Forgiving Heart

Sometimes, it can be challenging to forgive, especially when we have been deeply hurt. In these moments, we can pray for God to give us a forgiving heart and help us let go of bitterness.

> Lord, I struggle to forgive those who have wronged me. I ask for Your help to release the hurt and anger I carry. Give me a heart of compassion and understanding. Teach me to love and forgive as You have loved and forgiven me. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Remember, forgiveness is a process, and it may take time to heal and fully forgive. Continue to pray and seek God's guidance on your journey towards forgiveness and restoration.

Read and meditate on the Bible

Focus on God's Word

In the Psalms, we are exhorted to fix our eyes on God's ways. As humans with many distractions vying for our attention, meditation frees us to fix our eyes on Jesus and tune out distractions, even if only for five minutes. Focusing on what we're reading in Scripture provides clarity when we pray.

Understand What God is Communicating to You

In meditation, we seek to understand how the God of the universe is speaking about Himself, our world, and our hearts. We can begin by praying with the psalmist, "Make me understand your way!" This is a prayer God delights in answering. Ask questions like: Why is this passage important? What do I need to know? What does it say about God? What does it say about me? How does this reading point to Jesus?

Remember All That God Has Accomplished

The whole Bible is one grand story that points to Jesus Christ from beginning to end. When we meditate on Scripture, we remember all God has done in His great redemption story, how He sent Christ to save a people from their sin. In meditation, we ponder the work of God's hands in our own lives: how He saved us, the opportunities He's given us to share the good news, and what we've learned about who God is.

Worship God

Once we've meditated to focus, understand, and remember, our hearts will be inclined to worship. We pause to lift our gaze to the excellencies of Christ, to bend our eyes off the world, and to express thanksgiving and adoration when we pray. Meditation leads to delight when the Holy Spirit inclines our hearts to see and savour how glorious God is.

Apply the Bible to Your Daily Life

When we slow down to meditate, we are better able to understand how to apply the Bible. We ask, "Now what must I do?". For example, if you're reading about how God saved us by His mercy, you might praise God for sending His undeserved lovingkindness in Christ. You might also ask for His help in loving someone who's hurt you with the mercy you've received.

Be patient and kind to yourself

In both the Old and New Testaments (Leviticus 19 and Matthew 19), we are taught to "love your neighbour as yourself". This implies that self-love is a given. It is normal and natural to care for yourself and place value on your concerns and desires.

But why? What makes you so important? What is it about you that validates your inclination to self-preservation and fulfilment?

Well, you are created in the image of God. His likeness is embedded in the depths of your consciousness. What makes you, YOU, resembles God Almighty. How humbling is it to know that we "inherited", so to speak, our best traits – what makes us the glory of creation – from God the Father of spirits?

Your soul, that eternal part of you – the part that endures beyond this finite life – is worth more than all the riches and masterpieces, fame and fortune this world has to offer. Nothing is worth losing heaven over. Hell is not worth the fancies and fantasies of this life. Each individual soul, yours and mine, is that important.

Jesus died for you. He made you worth it all. He sacrificed himself for you with all of your flaws, and in doing that, he made you perfect. And that is why you are worth it. So, are you worth being kind to? Yes. Are you worth being kind to yourself? Absolutely!

• Take care of your body. It's the temple of God. You only get one physical body to inhabit in this life. Use it wisely. Nourish it. Exercise, take vitamins, and eat foods that help it work best for you. Treat it respectfully and it will serve you well as you serve others.
• Feel pretty. Queen Esther spent months preparing herself for the king. Ruth was encouraged to make herself attractive for Boaz. It's ok to want to look nice. Feeling good about yourself helps fuel your work and service.
• Provide time for prayer. God knows your needs and wants. He has also commanded us to communicate with Him. Prayer can be life-changing. Oh, how worries can be swept away if we only gave them to the Lord.
• Find mental relief. Maybe you need alone time, away from kids, students, co-workers. Even our Saviour needed a break every now and then. We can become emotionally exhausted, which can lead to physical exhaustion. We can wear ourselves down and really not be fit to do good for anyone else because we first are not kind to ourselves.
• Express emotions. This is especially true for females. We need to get these vibes, whether good or bad, out and in the open. Watch a sappy movie and let the waterworks open wide. Listen to some comedy. Scream to no one (if you can get a moment alone). Sing. Loud. In the car or in the shower. Find a trustworthy friend to confide in. Weep with those who are weeping. Rejoice with those who are rejoicing.
• Do something you enjoy. David played the harp. I have a feeling he enjoyed it. Maybe it helped him express emotions or bring him peace in the midst of great turmoil. Maybe you like to scrapbook, colour, crochet, play basketball, travel, hike, etc. Enjoy the beauty and abilities God has given you. Do not take them for granted.
• Spend time with friends. Proverbs speaks quite a bit on friendship. "Iron sharpens iron." Good friends make us better. What a blessing to have those around us to remind us of the good and challenge us to improve.
• Read for pleasure. Reading is good for the mind. We can learn new things. We can learn from our past. We can learn how to be better in various facets of our lives.
• Recognize what you are good at. Self-evaluation. Self-examination. You are good at something. Maybe it's a small thing. But start with that. Find what you are awesome at. Let that fuel the flame of confidence to try new things and improve areas that are lacking.
• Forgive yourself. God forgives. He asks you to forgive others. How can you truly believe and be confident in His grace if you are not willing to forgive yourself? Who am I to not let go of something I have repented of if God no longer holds it against me?
• Encourage yourself. In the face of death at the hands of his people, King David "encouraged himself in the Lord" (I Samuel 30:6). Sometimes you might be your only cheerleader. Sometimes I might be my only comfort or source of positive self-talk. Even at your darkest or loneliest, remember to give yourself some credit.
• Remember you are a child of God. This is the greatest gift in the world, right? To be the daughter of the Almighty Father and sister to the Lion of Judah. Be kind to the child of God.

Being a Christian doesn't mean that you're not allowed to question who God is or how He works in your life. However, instead of allowing these questions to pull you away from God, lean on your faith, talk to fellow believers, and read God's word to try to find the answers.

Many Christians go through times when they don't feel as close to God, especially if something happens to make them question their faith. Take your time to reflect on why you feel distant from God. Think about times you felt very close to Him. Then, try to figure out how to return to that close relationship.

Remember, your faith doesn't necessarily have to look like anybody else's. For instance, you might believe that the stories in the Bible happened exactly as they're described, or you might believe that they're meant as metaphors to guide God's followers.

Be faithful to your church

Being a faithful Christian means being loyal, steadfast, and dependable. This includes being faithful to your church.

God's house is the church. Hebrews 10:25 exhorts us not to give up meeting together, but to encourage one another as we see the day of His return approaching.

Being a faithful church member means being welcoming, open, loving, and kind to outsiders who venture to enter a place of worship. It also means being there for people when they need you, standing behind them when they're in trouble, and supporting them even when they make decisions you disagree with.

Being faithful to your church means being faithful to prayer. Pray for individuals and individual needs in your congregation, and for wisdom for your pastors and leaders.

God has given us time, talent, and treasure. We should be faithful with these resources and use them to serve one another and further His kingdom.

If you are a Christian, loving your local church and being committed to it should be a top priority. This means being involved in different opportunities your church offers, intentionally encouraging folks in your congregation, and making worship a priority, even if you are unable to meet in person.

Being faithful to your church means assuming the best and not the worst of them, knowing that the same Holy Spirit that is at work in you is at work in them.

Be faithful in your relationships

Being faithful in your relationships is about upholding loyalty, steadfastness, and dependability. It is about being there for people, not just when all is well, but also when things are messy and challenging.

Faithfulness in a relationship means unwavering loyalty, trust, and commitment to your partner. It involves physical, emotional, and mental fidelity. Physically, it can mean refraining from engaging in romantic or sexual activities with anyone else. Emotionally, it can mean staying connected to your partner and not forming deep emotional bonds with others. Mentally, it can mean maintaining a commitment to your partner in your thoughts and fantasies.

Faithfulness is paramount as it builds trust, one of the foundations of a healthy and long-lasting relationship. Trust can offer emotional stability, allowing for vulnerability and open communication, which can enhance understanding and conflict resolution. Faithfulness can also boost self-esteem and eliminate fears of rejection, ultimately ensuring the relationship's longevity.

• Effective communication: Share your thoughts, feelings, and concerns. Open and honest communication can prevent misunderstandings and strengthen emotional bonds.
• Trust and transparency: Share passwords, financial information, and other important details. Transparency can encourage trust and remove suspicions.
• Spend quality time together: Whether it's a cozy dinner or a romantic getaway, prioritizing time together can strengthen your emotional connection.
• Respect boundaries: Understand and honor your partner's limits relating to personal space, privacy, or individual interests.
• Show affection and intimacy: Physical touch and closeness reaffirm your emotional and physical commitment.
• Resolve conflicts gracefully: Address conflicts maturely and find solutions together, rather than holding onto resentment.
• Express love and appreciation: Regularly express your love and appreciation. Small gestures, like saying "I love you" or leaving surprise notes, can demonstrate your commitment.
• Be honest: Keep your word and promises. This is crucial for building and maintaining loyalty.
• Keep confidences private: Nothing kills loyalty faster than divulging secrets.
• Side with your partner: Support your partner in public, even if you disagree. Discuss your disagreements in private and present a united front.
• Keep your partner's needs a priority: Make sure your partner's needs are met, even if it means sacrificing your own wants.
• Accept your partner's weaknesses: We all have weaknesses, so accept your partner's imperfections and work together to help them become a better person.
• Be mature during disagreements: Know when to walk away and cool down. It's okay to agree to disagree and respect each other's positions.
• Walk away from temptation: Accept that you will find others attractive, but consciously choose to stay committed to your partner.
• Take responsibility: Own up to your mistakes and answer any questions your partner may have. Don't make excuses or rationalize your actions.

Faithfulness in the Bible

The Bible emphasizes the importance of faithfulness and loyalty in relationships. Proverbs 3:3 states: "Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart." Being faithful involves steadfast devotion to your beliefs, commitments, and relationships. Faithful people are dependable, trustworthy, and honest. They keep their word and promises, and they can be counted on in good times and bad.

Benefits of Faithfulness

Faithfulness is rare and valuable, like gold. It can provide hope, reassurance, and new life to those who are struggling or discouraged. It builds trust, increases dependability, and strengthens relationships. It can even save lives, as exemplified by the sacrifices made by soldiers, sailors, and Marines to protect their comrades.

Frequently asked questions