UNDERSTANDING NEW CHRISTIANS IN PRISON
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life gives him a sense of control and safety, but both are completely false. Only God can give true peace, security and only he has all the control over life.
The new Christian who understands the latter wants God's way of life. He is willing and determined to break free of his current lifestyle and jump out in faith for a new life in Christ. Those who decide to live for Christ separate themselves from their own will and seek God's will. He will experience more growth and more changes in a shorter period of time than one who hasn't broken himself free. Then true security and peace will come into his life like never before. He will experience new found security and peace in every aspect of his life. This choice becomes obvious to others around him, especially his loved ones and close friends.
It would be nice to see all who come to Christ and enter into the saving grace of God let go of their old ways and completely seek God's will in their lives. But we all know that that does not happen. So, what can you do to help? How can you help the new Christian in prison break away from his old lifestyle and chose the path of growth in Christ? Again, communication is the key. Mentoring takes consistent communication. By broadening his horizons about a life in Christ through encouragement and example, you can make a huge difference in teaching him that trusting God for his security, peace and control is the wisest choice he can ever make for his life. Help him to be sincere in his walk with the Lord and to stay focused spiritually. It usually takes a new Christian three years to develop a strong foundation in the faith.
That's one thing I lacked growing up. Although my Christian family loved me dearly and we went to church and Sunday school, I didn't have any inner spiritual focus on God. I looked horizontally at a few of the people in our church who did nice things for attention or for their own image instead out of love for God and I could not do that. It seemed hypocritical to me and I had to 'be real'. Unfortunately, at the time, I chose to be rebellious instead of asking for help from others who could teach me the difference. I should have been looking upward or vertically to God instead of horizontally at a few wrong examples.
The same goes in prison. I have run into some who seem to be good brothers in Christ, but after a while, it becomes obvious that they were just putting on a front for personal gain.
Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. (Acts 20:30 NKJV)
This was an ongoing problem in the early church. The devil is always trying to draw away good Bible believing Christians to follow a false leader or doctrine. The evil one that the Bible says can appear as an 'angel of light' can bring destruction and distraction (lack of focus on God) in the most subtle ways. This is why good Christian truth needs to be continually promoted to your friend or loved one in prison. Stay very close to the new Christian in prison. Communicate consistently and with great love. It can't be said enough times.
When mentoring the new Christian in prison, be sure to teach him that although most Christians are sincere in their faith, there are those who are not and are just using religion to prey upon new Christians. A new Christian must be taught to be discerning of who is a true believer and who isn't. This will help your friend or loved one from befriending an
Dear Reader - are you at peace with God? If not, you can be. Do you know what awaits you when you die? You can have the assurance from God that heaven will be your home, if you would like to be certain. You can even have that assurance RIGHT NOW! Either Jesus Christ died for your sins, or He didn't (He did!). Are you prepared to stand before God on the Judgment Day and tell Him that you didn't need the shed blood of Jesus Christ on the Cross to have your sins forgiven and get in right-standing with God? We plead with you...please don't make such a tragic mistake.
To get to know God, to be at peace with God, to have your sins forgiven, to make certain heaven will be your home for eternity, to make certain that you are in right-standing with God right now ... please click here to help you understand the importance of being reconciled to God. What you do about being reconciled to God will determine where you will spend eternity, precious one. Your decision to be reconciled to God is the most important decision you'll ever make in this life, because in Christ, it is impossible to put a value on the worth of your soul in light of eternity.
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Remember: All that we do in this life comes back to our God-given purpose which is to serve and glorify God. The money and assets we accumulate, the fame and power we've attained or seek to attain - all of the things of this nature will one day pass away, but those lives of others we impact for Jesus Christ will last for eternity, and we will be rewarded for the part we helped play by impacting those lives ... for eternity. (Matthew 6:19-21 is our assurance)
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