Request for Mature Believers' Wisdom

[Username3000]

I would like to hear from mature Christians what the one most important thing they have learned thus far in their Christian lives is. What one piece of advice above all others would you give to us less mature believers.

I really look forward to the responses. Thank you.

 

[Wayne]

The Bible itself says that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (Prov. 9:10), a fountain of life (Prov. 14:27), the instruction of wisdom (Prov. 15:16), and by it, men depart from evil (Prov. 16:6).

I can't think of a better place to start the Christian life. Without it, everything else may end in futility.

On this subject, Jeremiah Burroughs' short work, Gospel Fear, is an excellent treatment, though just reading a book won't get you there. It will take much prayer, seeking the Lord, seeking to know Him better.

 

[Andres]

I don't know if I qualify as a "mature Christian" but I'm weighing in anyway .... I'd stress the importance of a solid, biblical, confessionally reformed church. I grew by leaps and bounds in my Christian walk once I began regularly attending a solid reformed Presbyterian church with good elders. Once a good church home is found, I'd also stress regular attendance on every Lord's Day. The Christian life was never meant to be one that we go about alone.

 

[Elizabeth]

That all can(and will, ultimately) fall away in this life. Family, money, houses, land, job, friends, etc. Christ will be all. As good a blessing as these things are, they are NOT Jesus. Do not make them idols in your life. Hold them loosely, with gratitude surely, but not with avarice.

 

[jwithnell]

Early on I received two pieces of advice that have been foundational in my life: know the revealed will of God as given in His word (as opposed to vague notion about God's plan for my life) and to interpret scripture with scripture. These are extremely basic, but I am extremely grateful to have had these very reliable principles to guide me through life, particularly in some recent difficult years.

 

[reaganmarsh]

I recently heard a dear friend of mine (an older pastor who is nearly to retirement age) preach on Jn 15, abiding in Christ. He made a statement in that sermon that struck me: "To abide in Christ means to abide in his word." There is more, but there is not less.

 

[Jack K]

Godly friends. If you find believers who are prayerful, generous, serious about following Jesus in all things.... then hang out with those people. It rubs off. The Christian life is lived out in community.

 

[py3ak]

Benedict's Rule has some good advice:

"And never to despair of God's mercy."

 

[earl40]

What I knew as a young man is that God plays for keeps and He does all He desires to do, and none can stay His hand. Now even though I believed this in 4th grade I am resting in His Son who I know, and can say like Paul "I know Who I believed in". This assurance grows with the more I learn and love The Son. Personally being a mere layman this board has taught me so much I sit in astonishment, and would not recomend any other easily accessible medium as we have here, which has so many good boundries (WCF) to sound teaching that can not be found anywhere else.

 

[Edward]

Know your limitations. Develop self awareness of your weaknesses (and strengths). Look for that beam in your own eye. And pray.

 

[Username3000]

Thus far we have:

Fear the LORD
Join a good church
Christ is all, and nothing else is
Know the revealed will of God in His word
To abide in Christ is to abide in His word
Godly freinds
Never despair of God's mercy
None can stay God's hand
Know your limitations/Pray

That is quite a list. I need to take each to heart.

 

[MW]

The longer we live out our Christian faith the more we see that life's problems are complex and the wisdom of God is manifold.

 

[Huckleberrylane]

Trust God, keep trusting God and always trust God for everything!

 

[Ask Mr. Religion]

Feed your faith by not neglecting daily Scripture study, rejoicing in hope, being patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer (Romans 12:12), fellowship with other believers, keeping stewardship of the secular and spiritual gifts God has given you, and with regular assembly with others to worship God, receive instruction, access the ordinary means of grace, and be subject to discipline (see also here, and Genesis 15:1-6; Prov. 3:5-8; Romans 5:1-11; Eph. 6, 1 Cor. 9:24-27; Hebrews 10:19-25, 35-39; Hebrews 11:1,6).

 

[KSon]

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5) For me, that often times takes the form of "Wait on the Lord: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the Lord." (Psalm 27:14). My flesh often erects paths and timeframes that are completely devoid of acknowledging, trusting, and waiting of the Lord's good hand of guidance and providence.

 

[BGF]

In all dealings with others I've found this to be indispensable:

Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger... James 1:19

 

[lynnie]

The father's house is a house of prayer. Not a house of endless planning and training and hyped up meetings devoid of prayer. Better to be a praying nobody in a church full of ordinary praying nobodies and with an ordinary, even mundane, pastor who prays fervently, than to be on the cutting edge of the church of what's happening now with friends in the inner ring of dynamic movers and shakers where prayer is minimal.