Religious Journey

This is a Preview of the Book Entitled

The First Hundred Days

One Hundred Devotions for New Christians

By Edwin Ray Frazier, 2012
ISBN 9781462400966

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Preface

Beginning the Christian life is like a seedling sprouting in that there's much more to come: hot sun, cool winds, soaking rains and dry days. Through it all the believer reaches upward, growing new limbs and leaves. The First 100 Days provides some people fertilizer and cultivation for that important beginning.

I perceived a need for a daily devotional approach that would speak briefly and understandably to some basic building blocks of the Christian life. This work needed to extend over period of time long enough to call attention to several important subjects, but brief enough to encourage the reader to go on to other materials soon afterward. It's intended to be catalytic, thought provoking. Therefore it is not a manual for life, but rather a resource for your first few weeks, to orient you to the Christian life.

It's my prayer that our God will bless you and grow you in your first hundred days.

Edwin Ray Frazier

Contents

Preface

Contents

Introduction

Acknowledgements

Days 1-7 The First Week

1 First: Love the Lord

2 Second: Love Our Neighbor

3 Bible Study

4 Prayer

5 A Church Home

6 But I Say to You

7 Be Your Own Person

Days 8–14 The Second Week

8 Getting Oriented Through Personal Study

9 Getting Oriented Through Friendships

10 Relationships

11 Mutual Appreciation

12 The Witness Mentality

13 The Invader Mentality

14 The Stewardship Mentality

Days 15–22 Do Something Great

15 Do Something Great

16 Something Great is Inside Us

17 Don't Spend Life in Trivial Pursuits

18 When Work is Food

19 Leave a Mark

20 The Ship That Never Sailed

21 Life's Great Drive

22 The Oak in the Acorn

Days 23–38 Christian Characteristics Pages 28–43

23 Christian Characteristics

24 Love According to God

25 Joy: A Conscious Decision

26 Peace and Peacemakers

27 Patience With People

28 Kindness, Plain and Simple

29 Goodness: Still a Strange Thing

30 Faithfulness: True

31 Gentleness: Power Tamed

32 Self Control: Temper and Tongue

33 Holy Spirit Baptism

34 Forgiving Heart

35 Submissiveness

36 The Christian Coverup

37 Discretion

38 Bifocal Religion

Days 39–45 Troublesome Traps

39 Troublesome Traps

40 Getting Involved Too Quickly

41 Combativeness

42 The Misfit

43 Stunted Growth

44 The Survivor Complex

45 Feelings: We Can't Trust Them

Days 46–54 The Church

46 The Church

47 When 50+50=75

48 Worship: Where? How?

49 Changing World

50 The Church: Christ's Bride

51 Church = Hospital

52 Making Decisions at Church

53 Skeletons in the Closet

54 Harmony in the Church

Days 55–80 Bible Characters

55 Bible Characters

56 Abraham: Father of the Faithful

57 Jacob: God Has Become My God

58 Joseph: The Bratty Kid Turned VIP

59 Moses: Giving the Devil a Foothold

60 Joshua: Be Strong

61 Caleb: Give Me the Tough Task

62 Samuel: Dependable One

63 David: A Man After God's Own Heart

64 Solomon: Wise Man

65 Jehoshaphat's Model Prayer

66 Jeremiah: Prophet of Hope

67 Daniel: Deeply Devoted

68 Hosea: Prophet of God's Love

69 Amos: Prophet for the Poor

70 Habakkuk: Fussing at God

71 Matthew: The Kingdom of Heaven

72 John: Apostle of Love

73 James: Pillar of the Church

74 Peter: The Sincere Guy

75 Andrew: Bringing Others to Jesus

76 Paul: Innovator

77 Stephen: Sowing the Seed

78 Barnabas: Mr. Encourager

79 Timothy: A Supporting Role

80 Thomas: The Honest One

Days 81–85 Jesus and His Enemies

81 Christ Preeminent

82 Inner Religion/Outer Religion

83 Inclusive/Exclusive

84 Good Religion/Bad Religion

85 Grace/Condemnation

Days 86–3 Core Beliefs

86 Core Beliefs

87 The Primary Problem: Sin

88 The Primary Cure: Agape

89 Jesus, the Word of God

90 Cherish the Church

91 The Bible: Our Manual

92 Awesome God

93 Doing Our Own Thinking

Days 94–100 The Last Week

94 Love Thy Self

95 The Boomerang Principle

96 Go With The Flow: God's Flow

97 Stepping Up

98 When Religion Needs to be Fulfilled

99 Spiritual Student

100 Lifelong Student

Afterword

Biographical Sketch

About the Book

Bible Translations

Introduction

Eight freshmen, a professor, and his wife weighed anchor excitedly. Soon the endless sea surrounded their sail boat for 360 degrees as they launched into a new era of their lives. Their first sunrise on the ocean pictured an unforgettable time in our son's life. The five day trip was his orientation to the college chapter, leaving yesterday behind and sailing into tomorrow. For the freshmen it was a launching moment.

Becoming a Christian also is a launching moment. These hundred devotions are written to orient you to an exciting new chapter as your religious future dawns. Each devotion provides additional Bible passages for further study and reflection. Their purpose is to stimulate you to think, reflect, and grow spiritually.

The topics are selected and discussed as objectively as possible, hopefully to be appropriate for any of several Christian faith communities. My own perspectives however, are necessarily reflected at times. When that's the case, I encourage you to weigh the options and arrive at your own conclusions and convictions. The aim here is for you to gain strength for your future.

When our son started kindergarten he talked frequently about Thomas, a friend he had made. We were eager to meet Thomas' parents at our first PTA meeting. Imagine our surprise when we learned that Thomas and his family are African–American. We're Caucasian, and our son had never mentioned the color difference. We were glad that he came to that time in life without bad attitudes to prevent that friendship, and we tried to encourage the good attitudes that would continue to free and empower him in his future.

At this time in your life, I hope and pray that these devotions will help to instill those religious attitudes that will empower you and strengthen you for your future.

(Days 1 – 7: The First Week)

Day 6

But I Say to You

You have heard that it was said,

Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.

But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.

(Matthew 5:43 – 44 New International Version)

Religion is inward, spiritual. Six times Jesus made that one point in Matthew 5:21 – 48. Speaking about anger, adultery, divorce, vows, revenge, and loving our enemies, He first quoted old religious teachings about outward actions. Then in each case He commanded inward religion.

As a new Christian life takes shape, it's wise to give the greater emphasis to our inner spirits and attitudes. Outward obedience such as church attendance and giving thanks at meal times is good when those actions spring from a heart that leans toward the Lord.

Jesus' great difference from His enemies who arranged His crucifixion was that His religion focused on the inner spirit while their religion focused on outer actions. As time passes, many ministers and lay people alike are shocked and saddened to discover our own drift toward an outward focus.

Those twenty–eight but I say to you verses (Matthew 5:21 – 48) are powerful. We do well to hang them on the den walls of our hearts and gaze at them often in our Christian walk.

Prayer

Lord of my faith, I honor you as the one who is spirit, and who has begotten me as a spiritual being. Pilot the ship of my soul I pray, that I may steer a course diligently and accurately toward religion that is pleasing to you. Coach me and inspire me never to drift into the outward focus in matters of faith, but rather always to put the spiritual focus first. Amen.

For Further Study

A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 36:26 New Revised Standard Version)

He said to them, You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! (Mark 7:9 New International Version)

(Days 8-14)

Day 12

The Witness Mentality

You will be my witnesses.

(Acts 1:8 New International Version)

Often we can understand a truth more clearly by contrasting it to untruth. Jesus said that we are to take what we may call The Way of the Witness or The Witness Mentality. That's how we are to relate to others.

The contrasts are obvious. We are not prosecuting attorneys to put the most damaging spin on someone's behavior. We are not jury members to decide innocence or guilt. We are not judges to pass judgment and sentence others. We are not courtroom bailiffs to subdue the unruly. We are witnesses.

Like those who orchestrated Jesus' crucifixion, countless religious people act like judges or act in other inappropriate roles. They mean well in the beginning, but fail to stay in the role of witnesses.

As the twenty – first century gets under way, competitiveness and hostility surround us, tempting us into other roles. One way in which God's people are different and holy is that we refuse other roles in favor of the witness mentality. We think of ourselves as those who share honestly about who we are, the convictions we hold, and the commitments we have made.

Prayer

Lord of grace and peace, deliver me always I pray from the compulsion to judge or to prosecute. Mark before me the way of the witness, so that my influence may draw others to you, as you have drawn me to yourself. And as you mark the way, so I will follow in it. Amen.

For Further Study

I will mention the lovingkindnesses of the Lord and the praises of the Lord, according to all that the Lord has bestowed on us. (Isaiah 63:7 New King James Version)

Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. (1 Peter 3:15 – 16 New International Version)

(Days 23 – 38 Christian Characteristics)

Day 26

Peace and Peacemakers

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,

patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

(Galatians 5:22 – 23 New International Version)

God's people are peaceful. We are peacemakers. We're willing to work diligently for peace in complex situations. When it's like looking for a needle in a haystack, still we search diligently for peace and work toward it. We're trying to find some way to bring about peace: peace in the family, peace with the neighbors, peace to the ends of the earth.

The fruit that God's Spirit bears in our lives is only one kind, but it has these nine characteristics, in the same way that one apple has several characteristics: size, shape, color, weight, texture. Peace is one of the several characteristics that give evidence of the presence and activity of God's Spirit in our lives.

Where we see anger out of control, arrogance, lack of love and lack of peace, the devil is coming on strong and danger is at hand.

Like joy, peace is about our character rather than about our circumstances. Sometimes God calms the storm we're in. More often he calms us and gives us peace in the midst of life storms.

Prayer

God of peace, make me a peacemaker: a peaceful person first, and then a person who has increasing skills in the divine task of making peace. Call to my attention those relationships in which I perpetuate ill will, and transform my bad attitudes by your grace until I run after peace for all I'm worth everywhere and all the time. For Jesus' sake I pray, amen.

For Further Study

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men! (Luke 2:14 New King James Version)

Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, here's what you do: say nothing evil or hurtful; snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you're worth. (1 Peter 3:10–11 The Message)

(Days 55–80 Bible Characters)

Day 78

Barnabas: Mr. Encourager

Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas

(which means son of encouragement).

(Acts 4:36 New International Version)

Barnabas was an enabler, a starter, a quiet behind-the-scenes kind of guy who made good things happen. He sold a field and gave the money to the church, setting an early example of giving. When the Antioch church needed more competent teaching, Barnabas was the one who brought Paul in. Acts pictures him repeatedly in the role of catalyst, facilitator, cultivator.

Most of us couldn't do some of the outstanding things that Moses or John the Baptist did. But most of us could be a Barnabas, an encourager, an enabler. We can cultivate others who grow in God's garden.

There are fine Christian people who need a pat on the back. There are competent church members who need a little push and a little guidance to find their gift and start serving the Lord in a significant way. We may be able to provide an oasis of edification to a pastor who lives in a perpetual desert of parched and parching personalities.

If we're looking for a clear set of Christlike footprints, Barnabas left good ones.

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Prayer

Lord of encouragement I praise you that you lift me up based on who you are rather than on who I am. I see that grace in Barnabas, and I want to develop that in my lifestyle as well. Make me alert today I pray, to opportunities to make good things happen: to be a cultivator, a catalyst, an encourager. In Jesus' name, amen.

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For Further Study

Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus. (Acts 9:27 New International Version)

Both of them (Paul and Barnabas) stayed there with the church for a full year, teaching large crowds of people. (Acts 11:26 New Living Translation)

Afterword

By now you have taken some first significant steps as a Christian. You're beginning to grow some leaves of Christlike attitudes, some limbs of service for the Lord, and perhaps already beginning to produce spiritual fruit in your own life and in others.

Tomorrow is exciting and frightening. It's mysterious. Yet it's bright with hope because of yesterday. Yesterday the Lord broke up the planting ground, prepared it just for you, and set you as a tender seedling in the place of His choosing.

When God gave Joshua the command and the promise to be strong and of good courage (day 60; Deuteronomy 31:23), apparently God thought that Joshua should draw courage, grace, and great strength from that. We do too. Our future is exciting because it's His, and we are in His hands. He cares for us.

It's true that Jesus was a carpenter. But in an eternal sense He is also the Master Gardner, tending His seedlings. We can be excited and confident about all our tomorrows, for He is with us.

About the Book

Today's seedlings are tomorrow's giants. A seedling however needs a good first few weeks. We're talking about people of course: new Christians seeking good first weeks with the Lord.

The First 100 Days offers guidance and encouragement for new Christians who want their seedling faith to grow strong. It's a devotional approach with long meaning captured in short treatments of scripture, comments, and prayers. In spite of their brevity, these devotions are keys that open doors into great rooms of life truth. We've printed suggested Bible texts for further study along with each day's material.

Seedlings reach upward, stretch outward, and grow new limbs and leaves. We're talking about people of course. The First 100 Days provides the kind of fertilizer and cultivation that can help a tender young faith reach upward. As the child of God begins to walk with Him over life's hills and through the valleys, we claim His promise that the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day. (Proverbs 4:18 New American Standard Bible)

These pages and thoughts are offered in the prayer that today's seedling Christians will find that promise true in the future, just as today's giants in the faith have found it true in the past.

The First Hundred Days

Paperback   105 pages   15.00

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Edwin Ray Frazier, 4202 Appleton Way, Wilmington, NC 28412
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Thank you.