Post by benshelpmeet on Mar 19, 2008 16:27:33 GMT -5
These are a few questions that often come to my mind when thinking about Christianity today.
Who is God?
What does God desire from those who call themselves Christian?
What does God desire from real born again believers?
Is God truly real to you?
Does God work in a real obvious way in your life?
Do you think pleasing the Lord outwardly is good enough?
Do you think church attendance,bible reading, prayer, giving of your money, giving some or alot of your time to church life is going to win you merit with God?
Have you come to the point where you do all these things, plus you try to dress right and not be involved with questionable things, and God still seems far off?
Are you pleasing to God yet? Is He real? Does He work clearly in your life and guide your path?
Or are you just gun barrel straight (with your doctrine, and even your walk) but your twice as empty?
Who is this God you serve?
Is He the God of heaven...God of creation, Lord of Lords and Kings of Kings?
Is He your Friend?
Does He walk with you...and talk with you, and guide your footsteps?
Or is he the god who watches TV , or movies with you, the god that doesn't care if you dress immodest (just a little bit), and have immodest and improper thoughts, doesn't mind if you don't love your spouse preciously or not , does not mind if you do not prefer others over yourself, or care if you love the brethren like you should much less love your neighbor or the lost like you should, doesn't care if you go to worldly places, where really a christian shouldn't condone going , he doesn't really mind if you have worldly ''christian'' friends, worldly magazines, trendy fashions, hair do's, make up, jewelry, etc. , worldly desires, books...etc...
Is he the kind of god that goes with you to a carnal church, sits with you while you listen to a carnal messenger, who does not really have control over his on flesh, in areas like TV, movies, worldliness, ''football'', sports, music, a man that contradicts the teachings of God, and is not careful in his own life and walk, this messengers family is often worldly and not a good example, this god sits with you while you listen to compromising music, church with compromising people, and most of all he understands that you are weak too and just a product of your environment, not expecting you to rise above and honor him?
Is that the kind of god you serve?
Or do you serve the kind of God that is pleased only with your outward appearance and lip service, and outward deeds, but does not expect your heart to yearn after Him and the truths He teaches in His Holy Word?
Does God not expect you to love Him with your whole heart, expecting you to please Him in very thing you say and do?
Does God not expect us to walk in His Fullness? In Power and Strength, as Priest and Kings, Saint's of God, More than conquers through Jesus Christ our Lord?
Does God expect you to Love your Enemies, to Do Good to those that do Evil to you?
Does God expect men to Love their wives as Christ Loves the Church?
Does God expect wives to do their husbands good all the days of their lives, to reverence them, obey them, respect and honor them?
Does God expect parents to bring their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, to chasten and teach them when they do wrong, to love them deeply like none other on earth could, to not provoke them to wrath, to nourish them with spiritual food and physical food, to educate them , to tech them character, honesty, integrity, hard work, kindness, gentleness, to be meek, etc...
Does God expect His children to walk with Him in truth?
Does God expect us to seek Him until we find Him?
Does God want to be real and vibrant in our life?
Did He come that we might have life more abundantly?
Is your life more Abundant? Spiritually? Spiritually alive?
What kind of a witness for Christ are you? to your friends?...to the Lost?...To the Religious Lost?
Are you seeking to win the Lost, Dead in Christ, the Deceived?
Do you you realize that time is running short?
That Eternity is real...and Final.?
Are you a Sober Minded Follower of Christ?
Or are you somehow deceived yourself, just in a religious system...doing your best to please God with your outward deeds?
Do you want all God has for You?
Do you know that their are many Christs in this world, leading people astray in their dead works?
Do not fall to the false religious spirit of the age, serve the Living God!
The God who has sent us a Comforter, who Heals us, gives us Peace, Walks with us, Guides our path, Provides our needs, Protects us, Strengthens us for the Spiritual battle, Who gives us Rest, Who sticketh Closer than a Brother, Who Forgives our transgressions, Who gives us the Power to become the Sons of God, Who helps us Walk by Faith not by Site...oh what a Mighty God we serve.
Do you serve this God?
Or do you make excuses and live a weak , powerless life full of religious obligation, feeling tired, weary, lonely at times, living in defeat, distress, unfruitfulness, bitterness, confusion, striving with men, running the rat race...
What's it all about? Searching for truth, real christianity, purpose, comfort, brotherly love, peace, answers from God to your questions?
What should a christian do?
Draw nigh unto God... Call out to God... Seek Him with your whole heart, ask Him to become a real vibrant working part of your life, ask Him to guide your path.
God is alive and real, religion is dead it's bondage, week and anemic... Find the Lord, Serve Him , Make a difference in the lives around you, become a disciple of Christ, Free to walk uprightly, Free to live for Jesus, Be salt and light to those around you, be bold in the Lord, Speak up for God.
Become a prayer worrior...pray without ceasing...talk to God like He cares, like He is Your friend...because He does and He is. ( you know the sad thing is most people who call them self christians really do not have much of a desire to be a prayer worrior...it's not very appealing to them...to their flesh )
We are to take up our cross and follow in His footsteps. This is not pleasing to our flesh, but when we obey the Lord He brings Peace and Joy to our lives, that this world cannot give.
Every thing you see around you...everything that you can touch, feel, smell, see, hear...it's all temporal...it is all not reality...it's all going to pass away... The only thing that is real is the spiritual, the eternal...that's what we will take with us when we die, that is what we will be judged for when we stand before God.
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Jer 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Heb 2:13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Psa 56:11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
Deu 5:33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.
Deu 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
Mic 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
2Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
1Pe 3:11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
Act 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
Act 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
Act 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Act 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Act 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
Act 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Act 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
Who is God?
What does God desire from those who call themselves Christian?
What does God desire from real born again believers?
Is God truly real to you?
Does God work in a real obvious way in your life?
Do you think pleasing the Lord outwardly is good enough?
Do you think church attendance,bible reading, prayer, giving of your money, giving some or alot of your time to church life is going to win you merit with God?
Have you come to the point where you do all these things, plus you try to dress right and not be involved with questionable things, and God still seems far off?
Are you pleasing to God yet? Is He real? Does He work clearly in your life and guide your path?
Or are you just gun barrel straight (with your doctrine, and even your walk) but your twice as empty?
Who is this God you serve?
Is He the God of heaven...God of creation, Lord of Lords and Kings of Kings?
Is He your Friend?
Does He walk with you...and talk with you, and guide your footsteps?
Or is he the god who watches TV , or movies with you, the god that doesn't care if you dress immodest (just a little bit), and have immodest and improper thoughts, doesn't mind if you don't love your spouse preciously or not , does not mind if you do not prefer others over yourself, or care if you love the brethren like you should much less love your neighbor or the lost like you should, doesn't care if you go to worldly places, where really a christian shouldn't condone going , he doesn't really mind if you have worldly ''christian'' friends, worldly magazines, trendy fashions, hair do's, make up, jewelry, etc. , worldly desires, books...etc...
Is he the kind of god that goes with you to a carnal church, sits with you while you listen to a carnal messenger, who does not really have control over his on flesh, in areas like TV, movies, worldliness, ''football'', sports, music, a man that contradicts the teachings of God, and is not careful in his own life and walk, this messengers family is often worldly and not a good example, this god sits with you while you listen to compromising music, church with compromising people, and most of all he understands that you are weak too and just a product of your environment, not expecting you to rise above and honor him?
Is that the kind of god you serve?
Or do you serve the kind of God that is pleased only with your outward appearance and lip service, and outward deeds, but does not expect your heart to yearn after Him and the truths He teaches in His Holy Word?
Does God not expect you to love Him with your whole heart, expecting you to please Him in very thing you say and do?
Does God not expect us to walk in His Fullness? In Power and Strength, as Priest and Kings, Saint's of God, More than conquers through Jesus Christ our Lord?
Does God expect you to Love your Enemies, to Do Good to those that do Evil to you?
Does God expect men to Love their wives as Christ Loves the Church?
Does God expect wives to do their husbands good all the days of their lives, to reverence them, obey them, respect and honor them?
Does God expect parents to bring their children up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, to chasten and teach them when they do wrong, to love them deeply like none other on earth could, to not provoke them to wrath, to nourish them with spiritual food and physical food, to educate them , to tech them character, honesty, integrity, hard work, kindness, gentleness, to be meek, etc...
Does God expect His children to walk with Him in truth?
Does God expect us to seek Him until we find Him?
Does God want to be real and vibrant in our life?
Did He come that we might have life more abundantly?
Is your life more Abundant? Spiritually? Spiritually alive?
What kind of a witness for Christ are you? to your friends?...to the Lost?...To the Religious Lost?
Are you seeking to win the Lost, Dead in Christ, the Deceived?
Do you you realize that time is running short?
That Eternity is real...and Final.?
Are you a Sober Minded Follower of Christ?
Or are you somehow deceived yourself, just in a religious system...doing your best to please God with your outward deeds?
Do you want all God has for You?
Do you know that their are many Christs in this world, leading people astray in their dead works?
Do not fall to the false religious spirit of the age, serve the Living God!
The God who has sent us a Comforter, who Heals us, gives us Peace, Walks with us, Guides our path, Provides our needs, Protects us, Strengthens us for the Spiritual battle, Who gives us Rest, Who sticketh Closer than a Brother, Who Forgives our transgressions, Who gives us the Power to become the Sons of God, Who helps us Walk by Faith not by Site...oh what a Mighty God we serve.
Do you serve this God?
Or do you make excuses and live a weak , powerless life full of religious obligation, feeling tired, weary, lonely at times, living in defeat, distress, unfruitfulness, bitterness, confusion, striving with men, running the rat race...
What's it all about? Searching for truth, real christianity, purpose, comfort, brotherly love, peace, answers from God to your questions?
What should a christian do?
Draw nigh unto God... Call out to God... Seek Him with your whole heart, ask Him to become a real vibrant working part of your life, ask Him to guide your path.
God is alive and real, religion is dead it's bondage, week and anemic... Find the Lord, Serve Him , Make a difference in the lives around you, become a disciple of Christ, Free to walk uprightly, Free to live for Jesus, Be salt and light to those around you, be bold in the Lord, Speak up for God.
Become a prayer worrior...pray without ceasing...talk to God like He cares, like He is Your friend...because He does and He is. ( you know the sad thing is most people who call them self christians really do not have much of a desire to be a prayer worrior...it's not very appealing to them...to their flesh )
We are to take up our cross and follow in His footsteps. This is not pleasing to our flesh, but when we obey the Lord He brings Peace and Joy to our lives, that this world cannot give.
Every thing you see around you...everything that you can touch, feel, smell, see, hear...it's all temporal...it is all not reality...it's all going to pass away... The only thing that is real is the spiritual, the eternal...that's what we will take with us when we die, that is what we will be judged for when we stand before God.
James 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Jer 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Heb 2:13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.
Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
Psa 56:11 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
Deu 5:33 Ye shall walk in all the ways which the LORD your God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.
Deu 10:12 And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee, but to fear the LORD thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the LORD thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
Mic 6:8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?
2Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
1Pe 3:11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
Act 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
Act 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
Act 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Act 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:
Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
Act 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.
Act 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Act 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.