Seeking God: A 101 for Newbie’s.

I grew up in a family where Sunday's was a day to bum, splurge and bum some more. We didn’t go to church, we didn’t pray together as a family. I went to church through school. Yes I am one of those kids who went to a mission Academy where going to church and saying fifty (well not exactly) Hail Mary's while on your knees was compulsory. When I cleared high school that was the end of me and church.

I reached a point in my life where I knew I needed God. After my baby came, I knew my life had to change and I made a vow to bring her up differently. So I decided, to seek God's face hence started going to church. I also decided to dedicate (some churches baptize kids) my baby to God. I consulted my best friend at the time and he went like ‘well my bro is a pastor, lemmie introduce him to you and then he will just lay his hands on your baby and boom it’s done’. That’s how I met Pastor X and his beautiful wife. NO it was not as simple as that, and No I didn’t dedicate my baby that day or the next day or that year BUT that’s how my journey to Christ began and it’s a story for another day.

The million dollar question is how do you seek God? 

 So how do you purpose in your heart to seek him everyday of your life?

            1 .       Give your life to Christ and get baptized.

 I call it the trade at Calvary’s tree, this is where all your shame, sin, past and troubles are washed away. By his stripes we are healed of every single thing that tormented us in the past. (Isaiah 53) By giving your life to Christ and accepting Christ as your Savior according to Romans 10:9, you allow him to renew you, and make you a new creation. The bible says that when you give your life to Christ, you are born a new. No it’s not the old you that has changed, you are a completely NEW creation. 2 Corinthians 5: 17.

By being baptized you bury your past. It’s like putting a rubber stamp to your salvation because Jesus says that baptism completes salvation according to Mark 16:16. Please note that baptism always follows and never precedes salvation. (Acts 2: 38)

            2.       Find a bible teaching church

Find a church that teaches the word correctly. This is for growth. When you fellowship with others you will grow. Do not go on this journey man solo, join a cell group, join a church, join anything that will encourage you to read the bible and live according to God’s word.

God never intended Christianity to be me, God and my bible kind of lifestyle. The bible says that we need each other for many reasons. 1 Corinthians 12: 12-17

Find someone who can hold you accountable for your actions! I know am accountable to my pastor, a deacon I really cherish and most importantly my Home cell group. As irons sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another! (Proverbs 27:17)

       3.       Stop reading the bible in context.

Most people know Jeremiah 29: 11 but don’t know what Jeremiah 29: 12 says, true? Yes. Mrs Pastor made it her business to lead me to Christ and came to my house every single Saturday. So one time she came with a bible, (she gave me my first bible by the way,oh well my only bible) and said lets open 1^st John, so I went like (in my mind of course), ‘ok so there is a 1^st John’? Clearly I had never opened a bible in my life apart from the CRE we did in school.

Read the bible everyday. It does not matter if you don’t understand, just pick any verse and read. The Paul letters are really good for beginners especially Ephesians, Colossians and His letters to the Corinthians.

The bible is food for your soul. We have been reminded that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. Deuteronomy 8:3 and Mathew 4:4. Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation" (1 Peter 2:2).

          4.       Loose your old friends:

Bad company corrupts good morals. 1^st Corinthians 15:33

What gets you from raising your hands in worship on Sunday to ’dropping it like its hot’ on Monday? From quoting bible versus on facebook to ranting and posting how hangovered you are? Friends, if you keep old friends they will keep pulling you back to the way you used to live. The word teaches us not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14) because they will keep bringing you down! Beware and watchful of the accuser of the brethren because he might just as well use your old friends to tempt you to going back to your old self.

Do what you have to do to change your circle of friends. I had to deactivate my facebook account and stopped picking calls from some people. Yes it’s going to be very hard and lonely but with time your path will start crossing with believers and you will make friends again.

        5.       Pray

When I got saved my friend introduced me to a prayer session in church. So I closed my eyes and prayed, two seconds later I had said my amen, but people around me were rumbling on and on, so I closed my eyes again, two seconds later, I was done. That day, I spent my evening wondering what would this people be saying to God for a whole hour?

The secret to praying is not to cram the words or pray like the intercessors in church, it’s to allow the spirit to lead you according to Romans 8:26. God knows what you want even before you ask, he knows our every thought. The Lords prayer is a pretty good guide on how to pray, acknowledging God, giving thanks, repenting, asking, forgiving etc…

Finally everyone is bound to fall, we should not live according to the flesh, we should not conform to the ways of this world, but allow our minds to be transformed. Romans 12: 1-2. Turn from the inside out. Shut your ears to the worldly noise because people will doubt your salvation and mock you and talk behind your back especially if your past was not so good.

And remember that you are forgiven completely and he will remember your sin no more. (Hebrews 8:12)

My Pastor's words that keep me going. 'Every saint has a past and Every sinner has a future', so keep the faith!