Back to the basics the moment we first believed -Raphael Mndalasini

BACK TO THE BASICS
THE MOMENT WE FIRST BELIEVED

This work is dedicated to the people that I met
at Lilongwe CCAP Youth Ministry and the catechumen
3 Back to the Basics- The Moment We First Believed| Raphael Mndalasini

All Scripture quotations unless stated otherwise are taken from the HOLY BIBLE,
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION ® Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984 by
International Bible Society. Used by permission of International Bible Society.
Abbreviations as used in this booklet
NIV- New International Version
KJV- King James Version
ASV- American Standard Version
Cover Photo: www.publicdomainpictures.net
Copyright© 2014 by Raphael Mndalasini
Some rights reserved. The author reserves the right to be recognized as the
copyright owner of this work. This booklet cannot be reproduced, photocopied,
transmitted and redistributed in any media or form without prior written or
express consent from the author or publisher.

Table of Contents
Foreword ............................................................................................................ 6
Introduction ....................................................................................................... 7
Part One ............................................................................................................. 8
The Basics Of Our Faith ..................................................................................... 8
Prayer .............................................................................................................. 9
The Word Of God ......................................................................................... 13
Fellowship ..................................................................................................... 16
Witnessing Christ .......................................................................................... 19
Part Two .......................................................................................................... 25
Faith, Hope, And Love ...................................................................................... 25
Faith .............................................................................................................. 26
Hope ............................................................................................................. 29
Love .............................................................................................................. 32
Part Three ........................................................................................................ 35
This One Thing ................................................................................................ 35
I Want To Believe .......................................................................................... 36
I Want To Believe Again ................................................................................ 36
Nothing But His Strength .............................................................................. 37
About Ezekiel Books ......................................................................................... 38
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................... 39
About The Author ............................................................................................ 40

FOREWORD
It is evident worldwide that many people after coming to Jesus Christ as their Lord
and Savior, do backslide. Vigorous men and women, who even came to the point
of mentoring others as well as delivering fellow possessed peers are now far to the
opposite side. Many of such backsliders question themselves how, where and when
it happened in their lives. They even do not know what to do for them to revive
their spiritual lives.
Raphael Mndalasini has attempted to give answers to such dilemma by writing this
inspiring book “Back to the basics”. Raphael has tried to help the readers know
how to check foundational aspects of their walk with Jesus Christ. By doing so
people may come back to the basics of their original foundation of faith. In this
booklet, the author reveals that for one to go back to basics of faith, needs to focus
on prayer, studying the scriptures, fellowshipping with others saints, witnessing for
Christ and discipleship. The guiding principles should always be faith, hope and
love as narrated by Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 13. All people without Christ,
saved sinners still living in sin and saved people longing more spiritual powers are
asked to take action accordingly.
In this period where the devil is determined to cheat young men and women so
that they become his tools to fight against God’s eternal plans for them, the book
“Back to the Basics” will save as a foundational spiritual material during youth
meetings in all Christian Churches everywhere. This is a highly recommended
material for both unsaved, backsliders and active saved people of God. Here is a
booklet for discipleship of Christian laborers of the vineyard.
Rev. Bossman S. Chitheka
Lilongwe C.C.A.P

INTRODUCTION
We begin our Christian walk at one point or the other. When we accept Jesus
Christ as our Lord and Savior there are people who encourage us to pray, study
God’s word, fellowship with others, and witness to others about Christ. These are
the basics that shape our walk with the Lord. However, somewhere along the way,
we neglect these basics and no wonder we have difficulties living a more victorious
Christian life. It is for this purpose that if we have left that path then we should get
back to the basics and seek a fresh start.
Getting back to the basics is not a restraint from growth but rather an attitude to
keep us in check of the foundational aspects of our walk with Christ. We should
therefore allow ourselves to live a more balanced Christian life. This is a life where
we pray earnestly, study God’s word sincerely, meaningfully help others to grow in
Christ through fellowship, and passionately share about Christ to others. Each day
we should rekindle the fire that we caught the moment we first believed.
Back to the Basics- The moment we first believed is a three-part booklet that
explores on prayer, the word of God, fellowship, witnessing Christ and discipleship
as our basics of faith. The second part gives a closer view of faith, hope, and love.
The final part is a call to action of three groups of people. The first being people
who have never accepted Christ , the second group comprises people who have
accepted Christ but are convinced their lives are not sincere before God , and the
third group is made of people who believe they are faithfully serving God but want
divine strength to do more for Him. It is time to go back to the basics of faith and
resurrect the passion we received that time we first believed.

PART ONE
THE BASICS OF OUR FAITH

PRAYER
No child of God can contest the significance of prayer in our daily walk with the
Lord Jesus. Prayer forms the very breath we have in the presence of our Lord
Almighty. The first time we believed we were encouraged to talk with God through
prayer. It is certain that prayer is the direct line that keeps us in touch with God
who is not only a Father to us but a Friend also. Prayer brings out our sincere
dependence upon the Supremacy of God and the Sufficiency of His grace. Even
our Lord Jesus Christ in His earthly ministry took a hard line on prayer that the
results of each day’s work were amazing.
In Matthew 6v9-13 the Lord left us a model of prayer that reveals the power
within our prayers to the heavenly Father. In the Lord’s Prayer we learn that prayer
has the ability to stir our conscience to the relationship we have with the Lord God
Almighty as our Father. In knowing that we are the children of God we have the
confidence that what belongs to Him is also ours. God our Father though highly
exalted above everything lowers Himself down to our level meeting us at the point
of prayer to hear our petitions. This gives us the boldness to know that whatever
we ask He hears us and we receive if we ask according to His will. “Our Father in
heaven” is the greatest promise of every good thing we have in Jesus Christ.
The Lord’s Prayer also teaches us that prayer draws us to marvel at the Majesty of
God. “Hallowed be your name” reminds us that the God of heaven and earth is
worthy of our praise and adoration. He has exalted His Name and Word above
everything. It is befitting that we praise our Lord for He has ordained praise in our
hearts for His goodness endures forever. “Let them praise the name of Jehovah;
for his name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and the heavens “(Ps
148:13 ASV).
Prayer allows us to attract the divine presence and authority of the Lord God
Almighty. “Your kingdom come” is a call to surrendering our lives to the
Lordship and influence of God’s kingdom. The dominion of the Lord endures

forever and gives us a sure foundation to rest upon our faith in Him. Prayer thus
influences us to adopt lifestyles of the kingdom of righteousness and holiness.
Prayer awakens us to the truth that the Lord our God is Sovereign for He does
whatever pleases Him. In prayer we have the boldness to say “your will be done
on earth as it is in heaven”. Sometimes we have questions as to why God might
have never brought an answer to that prayer or might look not interested to
intervene in our issues. The more we avail ourselves in the place of prayer we will
realize that the Lord never ignores our petitions. He is always working out
something better for us knowing that “many are the plans in a man’s heart but it
is the Lord’s purpose that prevails” (Proverbs 19:21). Prayer opens our
understanding to accept the Sovereignty of our God.
Prayer connects us to the divine providence of our Father in heaven. “Give us
today our daily bread” is asking from a God who has made provision for
“everything we need for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3). He is the Lord who
gives us food at the proper time and when He opens His hand, we are satisfied
with good things that are kept in store for the righteous. The Lord will never be
mistaken to give stone for bread or snakes for fish. Prayer brings us in contact with
glorious riches in Christ that He supplies to all of our needs.
It is through prayer that we have a rare opportunity to ask for the forgiveness of
sins from the Lord who is slow to anger but quick to show us compassion.”Forgive
our debts” is being broken for the overwhelming shame that sin brings into our
lives. This is the confidence in the Lord who has the power to forgive sins
according to the riches of His grace. The forgiveness of our Lord is of much effect
in our lives taking the same measure “as we also have forgiven our debtors”.
Prayer is the ultimate channel for the Lord’s forgiveness upon our lives.
Prayer enables us to experience God’s faithfulness when temptations come our way.
” Do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil” is being sure that the
Lord is able to make us stand firm and that He is faithful not to let us be tempted
beyond what we can bear. The Lord Jesus Christ told the disciples “pray so that
you will not fall into temptation” (Mark 14:38) and this remains true even to us.
Prayer builds a hedge around our lives against the influence of the evil one. It is

through prayer that we can cry out to God for the salvation of our souls amidst
great temptations.
The Lord Jesus Christ has commanded us to pray in His name and this is the key
that unlocks every promise attached to prayer. The name of Jesus Christ is the seal
of authority to every prayer we present before the Father. The name of Jesus gives
us access to the fullness of God that consumes every lack within us and that our joy
is made complete. In His goodness the Lord Jesus told us the route to answered
prayer by saying “my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name” (John
16v23). We have the greatest assurance that the Father in heaven is faithful enough
to honor the words of our Lord Jesus Christ. Today we can pray in the name of
Jesus Christ and receive from our Father every good thing we have in His beloved
Son.
We should also remember to always pray in the spirit as Paul wrote to the
Ephesians Church “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers
and requests” (Ephesians 6v18).It is by praying in the Spirit that we can know the
mind of God and thus pray according to His will. The Holy Spirit helps us to
discern truths about the supernatural realm and it is Him who perfects our prayers
to the Father. We should therefore surrender our natural self to the presence of the
Spirit in order for our prayers to prevail so much.
Our plans for each day have to include seeing more of us in prayer. We might
have lost the energy for prayer but the Lord offers us a fresh start to persist in
prayer. The Father in heaven has humbled Himself so much to meet us at the
point of prayer. The strength from God’s presence will give us the new lease of life
to face each day with hope. We cannot afford to let go of the significance of prayer
in our daily walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.
CONSIDER THESE QUESTIONS
a) Is prayer still relevant in your life?
b) Do you find any encouragement through prayer?
c) Do you want to pray more than you have done previously?
d) Are you able to call others to the place of prayer?

e) Can the Lord teach you to pray effectively?
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I want prayer to still be relevant in my life for the many
years to come till I appear before you in glory. Help me to find deep
encouragement in praying more to you. Give me the strength to pray even more
today and teach me to pray effectively. Join my heart with others in the faith in
calling upon your name in prayer. In the name of Jesus Christ, I have prayed,
Amen.
READ MORE
Mark 1:35
Luke 6:12
Acts 1:14
Acts 4:31
Ephesians 1:15-17
Ephesians 6:18
Colossians 1:9
1 Thessalonians 5:17
1 Timothy 2:1, Philemon 6

THE WORD OF GOD
We can still recall from the first time we said yes to the Lordship of Jesus Christ
that the friends who shared us the good news of salvation encouraged us to read the
Bible more often. They did not mention it out of tradition but rather out of God’s
truth that His word is a lamp to our feet and a light for our paths. The word of
God carries with it an eternal value that builds in us the life we receive from the
Lord Jesus Christ. We “have been born again…through the enduring and
living word of God “(1 Peter 1v 23).As we engage ourselves in prayer we cannot
neglect the importance of God’s word in our lives.
The word of God releases upon us faith to believe the redeeming work of Christ
“who gave Himself a ransom for all men” (1 Timothy 2v6). The word of Christ
brings to us the message of the cross which is the power of God to everyone being
saved. It is evident that the word of God is inspired to make us “wise for salvation
through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3v15). God’s word is the wellspring of
faith towards the righteousness of the eternal Father.
God’s word is the truth that changes and sanctifies us for His purpose and pleasure.
In changing our lives the word of God as light broadens our vision along the paths
of righteousness and holiness. This is the light that exposes the misdeeds of the
world “for God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1v5).
This light challenges us to “have nothing do with the fruitless deeds of
darkness” (Ephesians 5v11) that we may enjoy fellowship with the Father and with
His Son Jesus Christ.
The word of God enriches our understanding of the God we have come to know.
It is through the word that we understand the Lord has given us great and precious
promises through Jesus Christ. Our knowledge of these promises empowers us to
“participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world” (1
Peter 1v4).It is for this reason that if the word of Christ dwells in us richly will be
effective and productive in the knowledge of our Lord. God’s word grows our
knowledge of the amazing relationship we have with the Lord God Almighty.
God’s word provides enough detail for the reason of our hope in Christ. Fully
equipped with the word we can prove from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

In this generation where God is considered less important we can find our basis
from the word of God that is living and actively capable of judging the thoughts
and attitudes of the heart. The word of God is capable enough to shut down the
hatred towards the eternal godliness and righteousness of God.
Today is the best time to make studying of God’s word the very part of our lives in
fellowshipping with the Lord. The word of God has to translate to us the abundant
life of Christ as every form of unbelief edges away from us. Let us allow God to
open our eyes of understanding that we may see the wonderful things of His
eternal word. We need God’s word even more for us to learn of the promises that
give us hope for the inheritance stored up for us in heaven.
a) Is the Word of God still relevant in your life?
b) Do you find any encouragement in studying God’s word?
c) Do you want to study God’s word more than you have done before?
d) Are you able to study God’s word with others?
e) Can the Lord teach you to study His word effectively?
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I want your word to be relevant in my life for the many
years to come till I appear before you in glory. Help me to find deep
encouragement in studying your word and let its fullness dwell in me. Give me the
strength to study your word even more and open my eyes to see the wonderful
things you have promised in your word. In the name of Jesus Christ, I have prayed,
Amen
READ MORE
John 15:3
Romans 10:17
Hebrews 4 :12

John 17 : 14
Acts 19:28
Colossians 3:16
Colossians 1:5

FELLOWSHIP
Fellowship provides us with a sense of belonging to the household of faith to which
our God has called us through Christ. The Lord our God designed fellowship as a
place for us to grow in the salvation we have received from Him. He wants us to
appreciate how much effect His grace has upon others who have also believed that
together with them our joy might become complete. It is for this reason that the
first time we believed we were encouraged to frequently meet with other believers.
Fellowship connects us to the abundant life expressed through the many gifts that
the Lord has put in every believing person.
First, our fellowship with God extended to other believers gives us the full
assurance of salvation. Our natural family gives us identity and it is this identity
that instills in us the element of security. This is also true to our fellowship as
believers where we witness the stories of other people who have been changed by
God’s grace. The testimonies of these people assure us of being saved too and that
the Lord’s grace is not of vain working in us. It is in the beautiful light of
fellowship that “the blood of Jesus… purifies us of all sin” (1 John 1:7) helping
us more and more to contain the reality of the work of salvation in us.
Second, fellowship provides us a place to grow in our faith in Christ. Growth and
maturity of the life we receive from the Lord Jesus Christ do not happen just
overnight. There are processes that we need to go through for us to grow and
mature in the faith. It is without doubt that fellowship offers us the place to receive
mutual edification and encouragement. Fellowship introduces us to people who
through the tests of time have matured through faith and their hearts are open
wide to welcome others coming to connect to the fullness of Christ. It is through
fellowship that we learn the traditions of the Christian faith. We can grow in our
faith if and only if we are joined together with other believers.
Third, fellowship helps us to approach life challenges differently. Fellowship allows
us to experience love that casts away our fears about the tough times we go through
in this life. The courage that we see in others who have endured hardships gives us
the strength to face yet another day with hope. Fellowship proves to us that we

have received the Spirit of boldness, love, and that we are not exempted from
challenges and difficult times.
Lastly, fellowship releases upon us the abundant life of Christ as each one of us uses
the gifts that we have received from the Lord. It is fellowship that translates the
Lord’s words that “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the
full”(John 10:10) into reality. This abundant life flows from the body of Christ
which is His fullness. Fellowship, being an experience we can not neglect in the
Church, helps us to tap into the fullness of Christ as each one of us exercises the
gifts of the Lord. We were made to belong together and given gifts to enable us fit
together in the family of God. Fellowship is the key that unlocks the doors for us
to live through a full, abundant, and quality life freely given us from the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Let us choose to remain connected to the fellowship of believers whether in our
local church or elsewhere. Our goal has to make fellowship more meaningful
through our participation in the divine work of the Lord. This is possible only if
we accept that we were meant for the body of Christ and without this body we
cannot be filled with the fullness of Christ. Let’s get back to value fellowship as we
did the first time Christ made our lives His home. Significant fellowship is what we
need for us to live with hope today and the years ahead of us.
a) Is being part of fellowship still relevant to your life?
b) Do you find any encouragement in sharing your life through fellowship?
c) Do you want experience meaningful fellowship in your life?
d) Are you able to call others to the fellowship of believers?
e) Can the Lord help you find significant fellowship?
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I pray that you refresh my understanding of fellowship. I
pray that I have the faith to find encouragement sharing my life with others who
have believed. I desire to experience fellowship that is significant in my walk with

You. Lord, give me the strength and courage to invite others to the fellowship of
believers that together we might find hope in Christ. In the name of Jesus Christ, I
have prayed, Amen.
READ MORE
1 Peter 4:10
2 Timothy 1:7
Hebrews 10:25
Ephesians 4:2-3
Romans 15:4
Acts 2:42-47

WITNESSING CHRIST
The Lord has never left us without witness. Since the creation of the world, His
greatness is revealed in what He has made. When we have believed upon the word
of truth we are included in Christ and we become a new creation made to reveal
the wonders of God’s great salvation. The Lord Our Father puts the testimony He
has given about His Son in our hearts that we might bear witness to it. It is for this
reason that the moment we first believed we were encouraged apart from praying
to God, studying the word and fellowshipping with other saints that we should also
witness Christ to others.
First, witnessing Christ to others is born out of our good response to the gospel of
God. We are unashamed to tell others about Christ for we know His message is the
power of salvation to everyone who believes. The promise is that everyone who
believes fits in the salvation of our Lord Jesus and is no longer subjected to eternal
punishment in hell. We tell others about Christ saving our lost souls because it is
good news and no one keeps good news to himself. Witnessing Christ to others is a
result of us being ransomed from sin into the saving arms of Christ.
Second, witnessing Christ to others solidifies our understanding of God coming
near us to build a personal relationship with us. The truth of God sinks into our
lives whenever we search the Scriptures. It is this truth that prompts us to testify
about our Lord Jesus Christ even as the Holy Spirit testifies also about Christ. We
speak of the things we have believed and our hearts are filled with assurance that as
His word abides in us He also abides in us. It is because Christ has come into our
lives to give us an understanding “so that we may know Him who is true” (1
John 5v20).
Third, testifying to others about the Christ is the task that every believer has
received from the Lord Jesus. Apostle Paul challenges us by saying” I consider my
life worth nothing to me, if only I may…complete the task the Lord Jesus has
given me- the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” (Acts. 20 v24).
These words of Paul should encourage us to seek the highest goal of witnessing
Christ to the nations, the peoples, the tribes around us in season and out of season.

Everything we have in this life to live for is to know Christ and sincerely making
Him known to other people.
Fourth, witnessing Christ is a task we should do more often that “we may be
mutually encouraged by each other’s faith” (Romans 1v12).Each time we should
long to see our brethren in the faith and tell them how much the grace of God is
working in our lives. This is the basis of testimonies in our gatherings or inner
circle meetings. In our testimonies we will learn how others find strength amidst
great trial and the outpouring of thanksgiving from the heart that has seen the
victory of the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us therefore never tire to bring up the
testimony of Christ to our fellow believers for the benefit of all.
Additionally, witnessing of the gospel of Jesus Christ should not be “simply with
words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction”
(1 Thessalonians 1v5).The reason is to save the hearers of the message of Christ
from resting their faith on our wisdom but to put their trust in God’s power. This
is the power that brings deep conviction that we are reconciled with God through
Christ’s death on the cross. It is the Holy Spirit who leads people to believe upon
Jesus and receive mercy from God. Therefore, let us depend upon the Holy Spirit
to give us divine ability to witness the gospel with power.
Lastly, witnessing Christ to others puts a mark or memorial in God’s presence. It
pleases the Lord to write our names in the Book of remembrance for honoring His
name by speaking more often about Christ. Malachi puts it right by saying “Then
those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened
and heard. A scroll or remembrance was written in his presence concerning
those who feared the LORD and honored his name” (Malachi 3v16).In eternity
God Almighty remembers us for boldly speaking to other people about Christ.
We can live better for our Lord Jesus if we embrace testifying about Him as
everything we have to live for in this life. Every aspect of our lives has to bear
witness of the saving power of the name of Jesus Christ. Our testimony will
encourage others in the faith and more importantly God will forever remember us
in eternity.

a) Is witnessing Christ to others still relevant in your life?
b) Do you find any encouragement in sharing the message of Jesus Christ to
others?
c) Can the Lord help you find strength to witness more about Him?
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I pray that you refresh my knowledge and understanding
about witnessing Christ to the nations around me. Lord, give me strength and
courage to speak more often about your kingdom and the power of Your salvation.
Help me Lord to take witnessing Christ as the task I have to complete in this life.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I have prayed, Amen.
READ MORE
John 15:26
Romans 1:10-12
Matthew 24:14
Mark 16:15-16
Luke 24:45-49
1 Corinthians 1:18, 2:1-4
Acts 1:8
Colossians 1:19-23
1 Thessalonians 3:2-5
2 Timothy 4:2
Philemon 6, Revelation 12:11

DISCIPLESHIP
We often have people who come to believe upon Jesus Christ as their Lord and
Saviour but always find it hard to catch up with growth and maturity in their
new walk with God. These people find themselves to be two or three more steps
behind everyone they consider to be a Christian and no one is available to give
them the answers to their questions about their new found faith. Many who are
already in the body of Christ enjoy preaching and witnessing but find it time
consuming to care for the new converts. What we are missing in our day and
age is an unwavering commitment to the ministry of discipleship.
Discipleship is a lifetime commitment to teach, help, and train new converts to
a firmer and fruitful walk with the Lord. It is also a path that leads us to invest
in lives whom God has called to be followers of the living faith in Christ. In
giving us an example the Lord Jesus walked with the disciples for three years
until he was satisfied they were spiritually steadfast and able to disciple others(2
Timothy 2:2).A new convert can never move on to maturity without a spiritual
father who understands the wisdom of biblical truths. The matured disciple
maker should impart truths about grace, salvation and righteousness, that the
Lord has revealed in His word so that the newly converted person or disciple to
understand the divine plan of God to humanity.
It is important that a disciple must be made to understand that eternity is
guaranteed to every believer like him or her (1Pet. 1:4-5). A disciple has to be
assured that the moment a believer departs from this life, one is automatically
face to face with the Lord for ever (2 Cor. 5:8). Resurrection body will be given
at the rapture, a body like that of the resurrected Christ without sinful nature (1
Cor. 15:35-45) and will forever be free from the slavery and temptations.
Biblical teaching is very essential to the disciple. God’s plan to new converts is
that they are to be glorifying God in time to time so that they realize the peace,
happiness, and contentment that come from learning Bible doctrine. The
absolute truth of God’s word becomes the measure of their conscience,
thinking, and mental attitude. Biblical doctrine is the mind of Christ. When a
convert is lead to know who Christ is really, one begins to share His thinking (1

Cor. 2:16). God’s command is that believers must be thinking divine viewpoint
so that His gracious purpose can be fulfilled in their lives.
These new converts must be allowed to grow so that they will be strengthened
in their faith ( Acts 14:21-22), they will be prepared to serve God by building
up the body of Christ (Eph. 4:11-14), they will be able to begin to demonstrate
the fruits of the Holy Spirit in their lives (Gal 5:22-23), they will be able to
develop endurance and patience in times of temptation and trials (Col 1:11-18)
and they will grow in grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ so that their lives will
bring glory to God (2 Pet 3:18).
For the discipler to achieve discipling the converts, there is a need to have a
courageous heart (1 Thess. 1:2-3), a mother’s heart (1 Thess. 2:7), a father’s
heart (1 Thess. 2:11-12), a one’s own sharing heart (1 Thess. 2:8), a blameless
heart (1 Thess. 2:10). This will assure them of love and acceptance (1 Thess.
2:7-8), security and protection ( Col 1:9-10, Acts 15:36, 1 Cor. 4:17, 2 Cor.
2:9, 1 Cor. 10:13, 1 Thess. 3:1-3), spiritual food (1 Pet 5:2, Jude 20-21, Acts
20:32, 1 Pet 2:2-3) and fellowship with others (Heb 10:24-25, Eccl. 4:9-12).
New converts should not just be left alone the moment they come to the Lord.
There are so many things they need to undergo. They need to learn to love
others (John 13:34-35), to live a joyful life (John 16:24), to know what God’s
will is and then to do it (Romans 12:2), to understand and live a life of faith
(Gal 2:20), to know how to distinguish good and evil (Heb 5:14), to know how
to explain his/her faith to others (1 Pet 3:15) and to learn to obey God’s
commands (1 John 2:3).
a) Are you willing to take another step of making disciples?
b) Do you believe the Lord has given you the power and authority to impart
His word to the nations around you?
d) Can the Lord help you find courage to invest in discipleship?

PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I pray that You create in me a willing spirit to accept the call
of discipleship. Lord, give me strength and courage to invest my time and resources
in helping others know You better. Today I commit my life to the great
commission. In the name of Jesus Christ, I have prayed, Amen.
READ MORE
Matthew 28:18-20
Acts 15:25-26
2 Corinthians 6:17-18
2 Corinthians 12:15
2 John 9
2 Peter 1:3-11
Ephesians 5:1-2

PART TWO
FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE

FAITH
The Scriptures contain deep truths that show us how from the beginning the Lord
has been working to reveal faith unto us. Faith is at the very core of our salvation
and the life we have in Christ Jesus. The Lord has given us faith as a gift that we
might receive the “grace of God that brings salvation” (Titus 2v11). Faith has
come to take away the boasting that resulted from the works of the Law. It is faith
that gives us the freedom to partake of the righteousness of God regardless of being
Jew or Gentile. Faith is the new Law of the Spirit that liberates us from the holding
of worldliness into a life that bears fruit to the Living God. Today let us again learn
about our faith in Christ.
One, faith is surrendering our self-sufficiency to the sufficient grace of God. The
Lord has set a lasting memorial for the men and women written in Hebrews
chapter eleven who were commended to have walked by faith. In their weakness
they expected strength from God, in their distress they saw God as their rock and
fortress, when hardships came their way they believed “a righteous man may have
many troubles but the Lord delivers him from them all” (Psalm 34v19), and
when persecuted they rejoiced knowing that the Lord was their great reward. The
people in Hebrews eleven gave up what could define them as men of valor, wise
kings, rich rulers, and men of exploits to the enduring place of faith in God. In
their example we find faith as a place of God’s sufficiency.
Second, it pleases the Lord that our faith should grow. Paul in his epistle to the
Thessalonians wrote “We ought always to thank God for you…because your
faith is growing more and more” (2 Thessalonians 1v3).The more we open our
lives to the learning of God’s word, faith builds in us. Faith that has grown widens
our reach for perfection in the promise of Christ’s life in us. It is through this
perfection that we will be without any lack knowing that faith has connected us
into the generosity of our God who gives to all without finding fault. It is time we
should aim to grow in our experience with faith.
Third, faith becomes more authentic with our works. Faith without any evidence
of works is without life and therefore without impact. Our deeds have to reflect the
life and purpose we have received from Christ that is to reach for the hopeless and

restore hope in them. Our confession of faith has to be made more certain by
actions that prove we have believed in a merciful God. Faith has to be followed by
deeds.
Moreover, faith has undetermined worth greater than choice silver or gold. This is
the great treasure in our earthen bodies. Faith points us to our eternal inheritance
that can never spoil or fade. We can therefore not dare to walk away from the faith.
The journey of faith to our eternal inheritance may seem long but we will one day
reach the finishing line. This faith is worth fighting for and keeping till we receive a
glorious and rich welcome into the kingdom of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Faith is more than the precious things of this world.
Lastly, faith has a goal, a purpose that we should wait to receive. This is the
promise of faith that we receive salvation of our souls through the name of Jesus
Christ. The Lord has said that “whoever believes in Him shall not perish but
have eternal life” (John 3v16). Eternal life is to know the true God and Jesus
Christ whom He sent to proclaim the Word of life. The Lord our God has written
His testimony on our hearts that He has given us eternal life. We have this promise
as a sure foundation that holds us till we see the deliverance of our Lord from this
dying world. Faith is a place of our salvation.
We can therefore surrender to faith and grow everyday in it. We should find
comfort and encouragement in the promise of faith even as our actions will prove
that we have believed in a God who has let mercy to triumph over judgment .We
should continue fighting a good fight of faith till we finish the race marked out for
us .In our fights we have confidence because we know Christ is the author and
finisher of our faith. Let us not walk away from the faith.
a) Is your faith still worth fighting for?
b) Do you find your faith worth sharing?
c) Do you want experience news levels of understanding the faith?
d) Is faith made certain through your works?

e) Can the Lord increase your faith?
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, today I commit my heart to learning about faith. I pray that
you increase my faith as I surrender my lack to your sufficient grace. Dear Lord,
help me to overcome my unbelief. I believe Lord; help me to believe even more. I
pray to never walk away from the promise of faith. In the name of Jesus Christ, I
have prayed, Amen.
READ MORE
Hebrews 11:1-39
Ephesians 2:8
Ephesians 3:17
Philippians 1:27
Philippians 3:9
1 Thessalonians 3:10
1 Timothy 1:19
1 Timothy 3:9
1 Timothy 4:9
James 1:3
James 2:17
1 Peter 1:7-9
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 13:7
1 Corinthians 13:13

HOPE
Hope is what gives us the energy and audacity to say goodbye to today and wait on
for our tomorrow to come. We live each day expecting a better outcome from life.
The substance of the things hoped for builds and gives us the courage to remain
hopeful. Hope is what yields faith in us. We might have lost hope but this is a
great time to choose hope as our best companion.
First, we should understand that Christ being in us is the hope of glory. If ever we
are living for Him in this present world, our desire is to inherit the more glorious
world which our Lord has promised to every person who believes. The world may
encourage us to have hope but it does not offer full understanding of hope that is
lasting. It is only the Lord Jesus Christ who aligns our lives to an enduring hope.
This is better hope.
Second, “hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love
into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given” (Romans 5:5).This
hope helps us live each day confident that the Lord has accepted us regardless of
our backgrounds be it race, religion or in any way we may think. He has purposed
that we embrace this hope resting on His eternal love. This is the love that calls us
to forsake our ways to follow the path that leads to peace with God by being
justified through faith in Jesus Christ. We can therefore walk heads held high
knowing the Lord has welcomed us into His heart without considering the barriers
that limited us from receiving abundant life.
Third, it is possible that at one stage in life we will reach our limits of hope. This is
a season we think we are done and that we are as good as being dead. It is a time
we look for alternatives to take the place of our hope in what the Lord Almighty
can accomplish in us. The hope in us dies. Graciously, the Lord appears on the
scene and pours out faith into our hearts to believe that He has the power to fulfill
His promises. The Lord Almighty resurrects hope in us that we should experience a
turn around.
Lastly, hope is our best companion through the thick and thin of life. Hope abides
forever with us. Even when our best resolves, talents, and aspirations cease to

function hope will still come knocking at our door. We might have given up hope
but it does not mean it will give up on us. If we hear hope calling from the outside
let us gladly open the door and welcome hope into our lives. Hope is what we need
each day.
Perhaps our dreams, aspirations, plans, relationships, and passion for God might
have died and we surrendered hope to fear and failure. The Lord is able to restore
hope in our lives that we may live in the place of rich fulfillment. He is not only
looking at us enjoying good life on this earth but also that we focus on the hope
that is stored up for us in heaven.
a) Do you still have hope or you are hopeless?
b) Is your hope in life based on eternal things of God?
c) Do you believe the Lord has the power to accomplish what He promised
you?
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I commit my life to a fresh experience with hope that
endures forever. I might have wavered through unbelief but today I pray that you
restore my life to rest my hope on your eternal and precious promises. I believe you
are able to accomplish what you said you will do for me. In the name of Jesus
Christ, I have prayed, Amen.
READ MORE
Colossians 1:27
Romans 4:18-25
Romans 8:24-26
1 Corinthians 13:13
Hebrews 6:11,18,19
Hebrews 7:19

Titus 2:13
Job 14:17, 19:25, 33:26-28
Psalm 31:24, 71:5, 130:7
Jeremiah 17:7, 29:11

LOVE
God is the very definition of love and without Him we can never experience the
true warmth that love brings. It is from the beginning that God passed to us the
message of love when He created man in His own image and gave him everything
for life and godliness. This message of love is made firmer in the history of time as
Jesus Christ came to save mankind. The Scripture puts it correctly “for God so
loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in
Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). In His teachings the
Lord Jesus Christ reminded His followers of the greatest commandment to say
“love each other as I have loved you” (John 15:12).Is learning about love worth
it as we search to get back to the basics?
First, “God is love….and we love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:16,
19).It is God who pours out His love into hearts through the Holy Spirit that we
should be able to pass beyond the natural love into a love for the things that are in
Christ Jesus. It follows that the Holy Spirit rearranges our natural passions to be in
line with the divine will of God which is good, pleasing, and perfect. If we are able
to honour God today it is because He humbled Himself first to our level even to
the point of death on the cross that we may still say “His love endures forever”
(Psalm 136).
Second, the Lord Jesus Christ has commanded us to love one another and this is
the greatest commandment. Our love for one another is a beautiful exchange as it
leaves us without any owing to the righteous demands of God’s Law. The love of
God extended to others around enables us to walk and live in the light of life. It is
in this light where we do everything in our best interest not to take advantage of
our brethren or wrong them. We can truly live to please God when we have
opened our hearts wide to love others deeply with the love of Christ.
Third, “love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).In an unexpected response
to the insults thrown upon Him, the Lord Jesus Christ prayed to the Father in
heaven and said “forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”
(Luke 23v34).These words were enough evidence that He had poured out His life
for the “sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isaiah

53:12).If the Lord Jesus being in such deep anguish and rejected state showed His
love then we too can go out each day to love the worst of the people in our society.
We can sincerely go out there and conquer every form of evil with the good that
God has shown us.
Finally, the love of God compels us to share everything we have received from
Christ. Paul writing to the Thessalonians said “we loved you so much that we
were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as
well, because you had become so dear to us” (1 Thessalonians 2:8).This is love
at its best when we make every effort to make known to others the wonders of
God’s word and additionally share with them the good things we have pertaining
to this life. It is such love that invites us to our knees to continually pray for our
brothers and sisters in the Lord for strength and courage. This is love worth
finding.
God’s love abides forever and He has instructed us to love another. We can
certainly overcome the evil around us with good because love tells us. The love of
God is the right substance to help us serve better in the kingdom. Let us therefore
abide in love as the Lord Jesus Christ has taught us.
a) Do you love God?
b) Do you love other people?
c) Can the Lord help You love Him and others deeply?
PRAYER
Dear heavenly Father, I commit my life to love You more. Help me Lord to find
strength to overcome evil with good. Lord, I pray that You help me love others
deeply and quicken my life to share the good things You have given me.
READ MORE
Romans 12:9-21

Colossians 1:3-6
Titus 3:4-5
John 13:34-35
John 15:13-14
1 John 3:16
1 John 4:11
2 John 4-6
Ephesians 3:17-18
1 Corinthians 13:1-13

PART THREE
THIS ONE THING

I WANT TO BELIEVE
You have never given your life to Jesus Christ that He should be Lord and Saviour,
and after reading this booklet you are saying in your heart “I want to believe”.
The good news is that whoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.
The word of salvation is near you. Friend, take the bold step to make a good
confession of what you have accepted in your heart taking Jesus Christ to be the
right path for the salvation of your soul. In your response to such faith, please pray
like this:
Father in Heaven, I accept that I am a sinner and without your mercy I am
lost and doomed to eternal hell .I believe that Jesus Christ died for all that If
I live today I should no longer live to myself but to Him who was raised
from the dead. I now receive Jesus Christ as my Lord and personal Saviour.
In the name of Jesus Christ, I have prayed, Amen.
The prayer is not an end in itself but a step towards building an enduring
relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ. Seek counsel from a mature
Christian in your local church, find time to pray and study the word of God with
others. It is my prayer that the Holy Spirit to work in you both to will and to act.
Amen.
I WANT TO BELIEVE AGAIN
You have given your life to Jesus Christ but your walk has not been that right.
There are areas that you have compromised in your faith and you are saying in
your heart” The one thing I want is to believe again”. There is grace for you
friend. The Lord Jesus Christ is at the Mercy Seat waiting for us to call for help in
our times of need. If you mean it to renew your commitment to a sincere walk
with the Lord, please pray like this:
Dear Heavenly Father, I accept that if I ever needed You then it is now. My
walk with You has not been that right as I have pursued my own ambitions.
Today I surrender my life for the renewing of the mind as I believe Jesus
Christ is all I need in this life and in eternity. Let the Holy Spirit remind me

of your sacred truths that I should abide in faith, hope, and love. In the
name of Lord Jesus Christ, I have prayed. Amen.
NOTHING BUT HIS STRENGTH
You might be the one person who is serving God faithfully and after reading this
booklet your life has been inspired to do more. You want to know Christ even
more and the power of His resurrection. You are saying “the one thing I need is
nothing but His strength”. You want strength to overcome more. You want
courage to pray more, study God’s word more, fellowship with others more, and
witness Christ to others even more. Friend, take a bold step of faith to pray for
God’s kindness over your life. Please pray like this
Dear Father, I thank You for keeping me safe and sound within the bounds
of Your promises. I thank You Lord for sustaining me amidst great trials and
temptations. Lord, I pray that You give me strength to overcome more and
more, to passionately study the word, intimately pray more, fellowship with
others with meaning, and sincerely share the gospel of Christ. In the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ, I have prayed. Amen.

FEEDBACK
We will appreciate any feedback you give after using this booklet. Share us your
thoughts and experiences after using the booklet we provided you. The lessons you
have learnt through reading and studying this booklet if shared with us will help us
a lot. Feel free to send such valuable feedback to the following email addresses and
telephone numbers
Email: ezekielbooks@gmail.com or rmndalasini@gmail.com
Mobile: +265(0) 999 650 187
ABOUT EZEKIEL BOOKS
Ezekiel Books is part of a wider mandate to create and distribute literature that
advances the values of the Christian faith. Our goal is to revitalize the writing and
reading of authentic Christian literature and making it available through any
possible media.
We currently operate a blog called Ezekiel Books that branches into three separate
blogs namely the Poetic face which is exclusive for poetry; Express Purpose is for
articles covering a wide range of topics, and finally Letters to Ezekiel which is
exclusive to excerpts from the Letters to Ezekiel collection.
The blog address is http://ezekielbooks.blogspot.com

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This booklet would not have been possible without the grace of the Lord working
so effectively to see its release. There were so many delays but the Lord Jesus Christ
gave me the courage to write despite the refusal of other life’s demands.
I express my sincere thanks to Rev. B.S. Chitheka, resident minister of Lilongwe
CCAP, for accepting to write the foreword to this booklet. I am humbled that out
of his many engagements the Reverend did find time to go through this booklet.
Thanks to Madalitso Chikumbanje whose contribution to this booklet is very
difficult to calculate. He made reviews of the manuscript and proved to be reliable
for the editorial task that was set before him.
Thanks to my family residing at Biwi that during our evening devotions we were
able to find encouragement in whatever is written in this booklet. We shared on
prayer, the word, fellowship, faith and hope. Those evenings were quite amazing.
Finally, thanks to everyone who has been part of Lilongwe CCAP Youth Ministry
for this booklet is dedicated to them. These are people who have contributed so
much to my upbringing in the faith. This dedication is a mark to future
generations that serving Christ is all we have to do in this life and that a youth
ministry in any congregation remains a vital place where people can build firmer
foundations in the faith. At the catechumen I have met amazing people who have
challenged me to seek the Lord even more and this work is also dedicated to them.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Raphael Mndalasini is an author, speaker, entrepreneur and
pastor. He champions creating opportunities, inspiring
individuals to live bigger than their dreams, passionate about
reaching to the younger generation with the gospel of Christ, and intimate with
writings that have a personal touch. It is from early years in his life that the author
cultivated deep interest in writing. He believes written works are significant to
preserve knowledge that we can pass on from one generation to the next
Raphael Mndalasini has authored Letters to Ezekiel, Who Can Find a virtuous
woman (Bible Study notes on Proverbs 31), and When My Heart Fails (Bible
Study notes on Psalm 73) plus several articles.
Raphael was born in Lilongwe and grew up there in the suburbs of Biwi. He began
his journey as a Christian during the time he attended secondary education at
Chipasula between 2001 and 2004 .He attributes to the radical change that
happened in his life as a result of the work of a student ministry called SCOM
(Student Christian Organization of Malawi).
He reckons that through being involved in SCOM a passion to share God’s truth
and disciple young people was born. Today Raphael is an active member of the
youth ministry at his local church. He is also part of the Worship Team and spends
time teaching at the Catechumen.
Raphael Mndalasini is an Information Technology professional who graduated
from the University of Malawi in 2009. He has two siblings Kate and Peter and he
lives in Lilongwe. In his spare time the author likes to read, write, follow current
affairs, and listen to gospel music.

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