1. Ensure that the Church you will be a part of can identify what your calling is and can effectively prepare you for that walk. To do that you need a mentor not a friend. So, recognize that a good mentor is not one who will or is supposed to tell you what you want to hear, but will tell you what you need to hear in order to allow you to grow spiritually and in every other area – whether you agree or not, whether you like what they say or not. Your goal is to grow in the Lord, so that you can fulfill the purpose on your life; not find to find friends who say what you say and agree with everything you say and vice versa. Remember 1 Corinthians 4: 15

2. Always be willing to learn and to accept correction. Regardless of all you know, there is always more to learn; and not everything you already know is the truth. Realize also that the mind that is logical, analytical and skeptical will never embrace faith as something that makes sense. Faith is not supposed to make sense. The bravest person is not the one who climbs on a 200-storey building or walks across a high-wire without a safety net; the bravest person is the one who chooses to believe in and serve the True, Living, Almighty and Incomparable God regardless of what everybody else says, and despite the fact that He is not visible to us – all while keeping their eyes focused on reaching the eternal goal. Remember John 3: 16 – 17 and Philippians 3: 12 – 14

3. Don’t ever let your focus shift from your relationship with the Lord God, to other Christians and what they are doing or are not doing in their walk with Jesus Christ. That is a distraction! Do what you need to do for God and be whom He said you are to be for Him; and to know that you must continue to spend time with Him, read His Word. Remember, 1 Corinthians 15: 58.

4. Sometimes there are very painful experiences you will have as a Christian. Nothing exempts us from such circumstances, but having a relationship with God allows us to be confident in His capacity to turn things around and allows us to use what we have learnt to help others. Remember Philippians 4: 13.

5. Contrary to popular belief, God DOES NOT have to tell us everything; He DOES NOT have to explain Himself or His actions to us – He DOES NOT owe us an explanation on any issue. We owe Him our Trust, our Faith, our Service through Servanthood, WE owe Him our lives! So when He instructs, we move! You will know His voice – how He speaks to you, as you continually and consistently read His word and spend time with Him. Remember Isaiah 55: 9 and Proverbs 3: 5 – 7.

Pastor Dr. Michelle Lyston
www.rwominc.com
www.lystonvoice.com
www.rwominetwork.com