We all want to be good at what we do in life! We want to be a good friend. We want to be a good Mom, Sister, Daughter, and the list goes on! But when it comes down to it, what we do for Christ is what will last. The things we do in the name of Christianity (good or bad) will be something we have to answer to before God one day in heaven. So what are the keys to being a “successful” Christian? Let’s take a look:
The key to an effective ministry
And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.
Acts 11:21
Without the Lord’s hand in every aspect of our ministries, none of them will be effective to reach others’ hearts. We can prepare eloquent Bible studies, sing lovely gospel songs that should minister to hearts of those that hear them, and decorate a Church that looks warm and inviting. But if we don’t pray and get God’s involvement in it all, it will be worthless. Anything done in our own power may sound or look good, but will it reach people’s hearts? After all, that is why we do what we do. Not to be seen, or heard, or complimented. But for the furtherance of the gospel of Christ.
The key to having faith
That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
1 Corinthians 2:5
We must trust in God, more than we trust in man. Our whole relationship with God is based on that which we have not seen with our eyes. If you could trust Him enough to save you, why do you feel that you cannot trust Him to lead you through your trials? Too often we turn to friends, or other people FIRST for advice, or comfort, instead of giving our worries to God, and asking him to guide us in our choices, and how we handle the problems of this life. After all, God is the one with the power to change the whole situation for His glory and for your good anyway!
The key to living a clean life
Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
2 Corinthians 7:1
The words “perfecting holiness” can be misleading here. Our modern English makes us think when reading this verse that it means we can one day be perfectly holy. That’s not the original meaning of these words. These words mean “accomplishing moral purity”. In a continual fashion, we must seek forgiveness for sins (we’re all guilty of them). Our motivation for doing this is having a reverential fear of God. Knowing that He hates sin, and knowing that, as a father with a child, He is disappointed with us when we do wrong, we should fear being in a position to do those things. This fear of God is a sign of a healthy relationship with Him. When we stop fearing the judgement of God in our lives, we become numb to the sins that begin to pile up. This is a dangerous place to be, and can lead to us walking away from the Church and neglecting our relationship with God totally.
All of these ‘keys’ require purpose. As Daniel purposed in his heart to serve God, and not cower to societal norms around him, we must also purpose in our own lives to live godly. To stay as clean spiritually as we can, continually asking God to show us areas we can work on. To rely on God when we can’t understand a situation that has come up in our lives, and to perform our ministries for God with prayer, and a full reliance on God to touch the hearts of others with our meager efforts for Him.
Praying for you this week as you endeavor to be a “successful” Christian! ~Kristin