PRESIDENTdesk
A few days ago, a brother came to my office and asked me where I had filmed each “President’s Desk” video. I thought that there was something wrong with the background of the videos, but he explained that his son just wanted to know. As it turned out, his son came to know Jesus many years ago during a worship service where I preached, and his life was transformed. The father saw the great change in his son’s life and was extremely grateful. After I heard this, I thanked God from the bottom of my heart for His willingness to use my humble self to preach His word, and for the amazing grace that has come upon the man’s son, so that he received a new life and became a new person.
Why is it that after believing in Jesus, some people’s lives change completely, while others stay the same? Of course, after believing in Jesus, some brothers and sisters have more dramatic experiences, and others have comparatively dull ones. But no matter what, after believing in Jesus, life must continue to grow, like a baby growing after he/she is born.
The question is, after believing in Jesus, how does life grow? Is there a way to grow? I will illustrate this based on a baby’s requirements for growth. A baby needs at least 4 things: breath, milk, mother’s love, and exercise.
1. Breath (Prayer):
Express Faith
A baby, once born, needs to breathe. In the same way, when you believe in Jesus, the most important thing is to call on the name of Jesus and pray the sinner’s prayer to express your faith. Then you will continue to learn to express your faith and pray both at set times and continually, like breathing that cannot stop. The Bible says: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” (Ephesians 6:18) You need to have a set time for prayer, for example, praying in the morning, praying before meals, praying before bed. You can also pray at any time and in any place.
2. Milk (Bible):
Increase Faith
Besides breathing, a baby also needs milk. In the same way, after you believe in Jesus, “like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.” (1 Peter 2:2) Of course, you cannot drink milk your whole life and never grow up. You also need solid food, as Hebrews says, “In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.” (Hebrews 5:12-13) Only God’s words can give you faith in Jesus, and only through the Bible (God’s words), your faith will increase and your spiritual life will grow. Pick up your Bible to read! Read 3 or 4 chapters a day, then you will read through the entire Bible in a year. Reading through the Bible once every year is the most basic of Christian disciplines.
3. Mother’s love (Fellowship):
Support faith
Besides breathing and milk, a baby needs mother’s love. In the same way, after you believe in Jesus, you and other brothers and sisters need to “spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together…” (Hebrews 10:24-25a) You must join a church that will support your faith, to worship and fellowship together with brothers and sisters. If you live your life alone, you are like a small piece of coal, its fire easily snuffed out. But a pile of coals will burn for a long time.
4. Exercise (Witness):
Exercise Faith
When you receive love from God and brothers and sisters, you need to share with others. This is the exercise of a baby. It is important exercise for a baby to cry and laugh and move its limbs. In the same way, your witness is your exercise. When you share the love and grace God has given you with others, your faith will be exercised and grow healthily. Otherwise, if you only receive without giving, eventually you will become like the Dead Sea. You need to be a witness of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8).
Dear brothers and sisters, when you first believed in Jesus, you were a cute little spiritual baby. But after a year, two years, five years, or even ten years, are you still that little baby who never grows up? That is no longer cute. That is scary. Why are you not growing up? Firstly, maybe you have not believed in Jesus. Then you need to believe in Jesus as your Saviour now. Secondly, after believing in Jesus, like a baby, you need to have at least those 4 elements mentioned above, to help you grow into an adult, full of Christ.
A couple had two children that never grew up. At almost twenty years old, they were still as small as babies. One day, this brother went to the care center to check on his children. He stood in front of his children who could not speak, thinking to himself, “I came all his way to see you, but you don’t even react to me. What’s the use of your living?”
At that moment, a small voice said to him, “What about you? What’s the use of your living?” He immediately woke up, realizing he himself was also a useless Christian. So he wrote a book, calling on people to wake up.
Brothers and sisters, are you a useless Christian? Are you still drinking milk, or eating solid food?