1 Cor 15:55-57 (NIV) "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
What is more dismal then the prospect of death? What is more depressing than the thought that our lives are nothing more than an infinitesimally tiny speck in the universe that briefly appears and then vanishes forever. Without God death is the most powerful force in the universe. Your life is no more meaningful than the life of a mosquito. Everything that you have done is doomed to go out of existence; can there be any ultimate significance? To what consequence is the world or man in the end? There can be no hope, no purpose for anything.
But God is real, and because He lives the loss of life no longer means that in death we become nonexistent. With God we have no fear of death, we have hope for eternal life, there is no longer despair because the good that comes from our lives will continue on in the next life.
However, because God is real then sin is also real. And as sinners we cannot live in the presence of a pure and holy God so we would still be doomed because death is once again our destiny. “But thanks be to God! who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” In Isaiah 53:5-7 the scriptures tell us how Jesus stole the victory away from sin and death. “He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter” and overcame death and the grave for us. Romans 5:18-19 explains it this way, Adam's one sin brought condemnation for everyone, but Christ's one act of righteousness brought a right relationship with God and new life for everyone. Because one person disobeyed God, all became sinners. But because one other person, Jesus Christ, obeyed God, all are made righteous.
What is there left for us to fear? Death no longer deprives us of our existence. The power of sin and death have been conquered, Jesus was victorious over both of them. Beyond that, He has restored meaning and purpose to our lives, we can now live for the same purpose He lived for, which was to love God with all our heart, with all our understanding and with all our strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:33.) Also to proclaim the good news to the poor, and to bind up the wounds of the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives, and release from darkness those who are in prison (Isa 61:1.)
Describe your feelings about death? Compare your feelings about death with the feelings someone without hope may have?
Thursday, July 30, 2009
John 3: 16-17
John 3:16-17 (NIV) “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. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”
In this verse, John explains in the Greek language that God loved the world with “agape” love. Agape is the Greek word used for unconditional love. God’s love is unconditional, as a matter of fact God is love, and His love is very different from human love. God's unconditional love is not based on feelings or emotions. He doesn't love us because we're lovable or because we make Him feel good; He loves us because He is love. He created us to have a loving relationship with Him, and He sacrificed His own Son (who also willingly died for us) to restore that relationship. Additionally, God’s love was not just for a select few, or for the saved. God’s unconditional love is for the “world” and all of us who have ever lived in it. Again in 2 Cor 5:19, the Bible tells us that “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ” He reconciled everyone to God by his death. Not just the elect, nobody was to be left out, the entire world is included. But not everyone in the world understands they are included or chooses to receive the reconciliation with God that belongs to them if they choose to embrace it.
Can anyone really comprehend "unconditional" love? It seems that the love parents have for their children is a close comparison to God’s unconditional love, or as close as we can get to it without the help of God's love in our lives. Parents continue to love our children through good times and bad times, and we don't stop loving them if they don't meet our expectations that we put on them. We choose to love our children even when they are pretty much unlovable. Our love doesn't stop when we don't "feel" love for them. In this way a parent’s love is similar to God's love for us, but actually God's love transcends our human definition of love to a point that is nearly impossible for us to comprehend. In Romans 5:8, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." In this verse and in John 3:16, we find no conditions placed on God's love for us. God doesn't say, "as soon as you clean up your act, I'll love you" nor does He say, "I'll sacrifice my Son if you promise to love Me." In fact, in Romans 5:8, we find just the opposite. God wants us to know that His love is unconditional, so He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us while we were still unlovable sinners.
Give some examples of God's unconditional love that you have experienced in your own life? Compare your examples of God's love and the differences between them and human love?
In this verse, John explains in the Greek language that God loved the world with “agape” love. Agape is the Greek word used for unconditional love. God’s love is unconditional, as a matter of fact God is love, and His love is very different from human love. God's unconditional love is not based on feelings or emotions. He doesn't love us because we're lovable or because we make Him feel good; He loves us because He is love. He created us to have a loving relationship with Him, and He sacrificed His own Son (who also willingly died for us) to restore that relationship. Additionally, God’s love was not just for a select few, or for the saved. God’s unconditional love is for the “world” and all of us who have ever lived in it. Again in 2 Cor 5:19, the Bible tells us that “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ” He reconciled everyone to God by his death. Not just the elect, nobody was to be left out, the entire world is included. But not everyone in the world understands they are included or chooses to receive the reconciliation with God that belongs to them if they choose to embrace it.
Can anyone really comprehend "unconditional" love? It seems that the love parents have for their children is a close comparison to God’s unconditional love, or as close as we can get to it without the help of God's love in our lives. Parents continue to love our children through good times and bad times, and we don't stop loving them if they don't meet our expectations that we put on them. We choose to love our children even when they are pretty much unlovable. Our love doesn't stop when we don't "feel" love for them. In this way a parent’s love is similar to God's love for us, but actually God's love transcends our human definition of love to a point that is nearly impossible for us to comprehend. In Romans 5:8, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." In this verse and in John 3:16, we find no conditions placed on God's love for us. God doesn't say, "as soon as you clean up your act, I'll love you" nor does He say, "I'll sacrifice my Son if you promise to love Me." In fact, in Romans 5:8, we find just the opposite. God wants us to know that His love is unconditional, so He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us while we were still unlovable sinners.
Give some examples of God's unconditional love that you have experienced in your own life? Compare your examples of God's love and the differences between them and human love?
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Genesis 28:12; John 1:51
Gen 28:12 (NLT); John 1:51 (NLT) As Jacob slept, “he dreamed of a stairway that reached from the earth up to heaven. And he saw the angels of God going up and down the stairway.”; Then Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God going up and down on the Son of Man, the one who is the stairway between heaven and earth."
Jesus, the Son of God, is the stairway to peace and spiritual healing on our Journey to heaven. Jesus described himself as the ladder in Jacob’s dream that bridged the gap between man and God. The ladder is provided by Christ's death for our sins. Isaiah 53:4-5, TLB. "Yet it was our grief He bore, our sorrows that weighed Him down. And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God, for His own sins! But He was wounded and bruised for our sins. He was chastised that we might have peace; He was lashed—and we are healed." All of us who have been touched by sin are in great need of spiritual healing. Forgiveness is ours for the taking, peace is found by making things right with God. Romans 5:1, (TLB) tells us, "So now, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith in His promises, we can have real peace with Him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us." However, it took years for sin to create deep festering wounds in our lives, and as anyone who has worked in the health field knows, wounds take 10 times longer to heal than they did to form. But Praise God, as we climb Jacob’s ladder each round takes us higher and closer to the spiritual healing the Bible promises us is ours on the quest to the Kingdom of God.
“Every round goes higher” So the second round of the staircase involves removing what causes the wound from our lives. This round of the staircase is obedience. Psalm 119:165, (NIV) "Great peace have they who love Your law, and nothing can make them stumble." Disobedience is what caused the spiritual wounds in our lives to begin with so it makes sense that obedience removes what causes the wounds to keep growing. Doing the right thing because it is what God wants us to do is the essence of righteousness by faith. Isaiah 32:17-18, (NIV) "The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever."
“Every round goes higher” So the third round in the stairway looks easy, but it is actually the most challenging part of the climb. It is finding peace by letting go of self. It is a battle within ourselves against God’s will in areas of our life where we don’t want to let go, but where we need to grow. Job 22:21, (TLB) "Quit quarreling with God. Agree with Him and you will have peace at last. His favor will surround you if you will only admit that you were wrong." Self putrefies in our wounds, but Praise God, removing self cleanses the wounds to allow healing to begin to take place.
“Every round goes higher” in this round God gives us discipline, which is the fourth round in the stairway of peace and spiritual healing. Hebrews 12:5-11, (NIV) "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Medicine on a deep wound stings and burns, discipline is the medicine providing the antiseptic environment necessary for the spiritual wound to keep infection out. Praise God, that Jesus is the Balm of Giliad, by trusting in Him, the Balm of Gilliad will heal the sin sick soul. Isaiah 26:3-4, (TLB) "He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in Him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord! Trust in the Lord God always, for in the Lord Jehovah is your everlasting strength."
What are some other steps on Jacob's ladder that you feel have been important on your spiritual journey? Share an example of some of the spiritual healing you have experienced on your Christian journey?
*Originally posted as a comment by Dan on Kingdom Quest Blog on July 29, 2009 3:47 PM
Jesus, the Son of God, is the stairway to peace and spiritual healing on our Journey to heaven. Jesus described himself as the ladder in Jacob’s dream that bridged the gap between man and God. The ladder is provided by Christ's death for our sins. Isaiah 53:4-5, TLB. "Yet it was our grief He bore, our sorrows that weighed Him down. And we thought His troubles were a punishment from God, for His own sins! But He was wounded and bruised for our sins. He was chastised that we might have peace; He was lashed—and we are healed." All of us who have been touched by sin are in great need of spiritual healing. Forgiveness is ours for the taking, peace is found by making things right with God. Romans 5:1, (TLB) tells us, "So now, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith in His promises, we can have real peace with Him because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us." However, it took years for sin to create deep festering wounds in our lives, and as anyone who has worked in the health field knows, wounds take 10 times longer to heal than they did to form. But Praise God, as we climb Jacob’s ladder each round takes us higher and closer to the spiritual healing the Bible promises us is ours on the quest to the Kingdom of God.
“Every round goes higher” So the second round of the staircase involves removing what causes the wound from our lives. This round of the staircase is obedience. Psalm 119:165, (NIV) "Great peace have they who love Your law, and nothing can make them stumble." Disobedience is what caused the spiritual wounds in our lives to begin with so it makes sense that obedience removes what causes the wounds to keep growing. Doing the right thing because it is what God wants us to do is the essence of righteousness by faith. Isaiah 32:17-18, (NIV) "The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever."
“Every round goes higher” So the third round in the stairway looks easy, but it is actually the most challenging part of the climb. It is finding peace by letting go of self. It is a battle within ourselves against God’s will in areas of our life where we don’t want to let go, but where we need to grow. Job 22:21, (TLB) "Quit quarreling with God. Agree with Him and you will have peace at last. His favor will surround you if you will only admit that you were wrong." Self putrefies in our wounds, but Praise God, removing self cleanses the wounds to allow healing to begin to take place.
“Every round goes higher” in this round God gives us discipline, which is the fourth round in the stairway of peace and spiritual healing. Hebrews 12:5-11, (NIV) "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Medicine on a deep wound stings and burns, discipline is the medicine providing the antiseptic environment necessary for the spiritual wound to keep infection out. Praise God, that Jesus is the Balm of Giliad, by trusting in Him, the Balm of Gilliad will heal the sin sick soul. Isaiah 26:3-4, (TLB) "He will keep in perfect peace all those who trust in Him, whose thoughts turn often to the Lord! Trust in the Lord God always, for in the Lord Jehovah is your everlasting strength."
What are some other steps on Jacob's ladder that you feel have been important on your spiritual journey? Share an example of some of the spiritual healing you have experienced on your Christian journey?
*Originally posted as a comment by Dan on Kingdom Quest Blog on July 29, 2009 3:47 PM
Sunday, July 26, 2009
James 1:2-4
James 1:2-4 (NIV) “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”
God took Joseph’s trials, the betrayal by his brothers, years of suffering as a slave, falsely accused of adultery, then cast in prison, and polished him. A rough gem stone is valuable, but after it has been cut and lightly hammered to knock off brittle, fractured material, and it has been put in a grinder that uses progressive abrasion using finer and finer grits of harder substances to polish the gem the process increases its value sometimes as much as 80%. After all that Joseph suffered, which caused him to be cut and polished spiritually, he grew to depended on God more and more. When he was ready God elevated him to the highest place next to the Pharaoh. Sometimes our trials can lead to our greatest blessings and God’s greatest victories.
Joseph’s story reminds me of a sermon I heard on Focus on the Family years ago. A minister was telling his story, he had been pastoring a normal little church and reached a plateau in his life and ministry when his life was turned upside down after he and his wife had a severely autistic child. To make a long story short, just having a child that severely handicapped made their home life terribly chaotic and their church was not structured to handle the noise and disruption of an autistic child. His frustration at God rattled his relationship with God and nearly drove him out of the ministry. But just like Joseph, his trials turned into triumph as he developed church programs that focused on how to minister to autistic children, a project that revolutionized his church and turned it into the largest congregation in the community and nationally recognized as a pioneer church for this kind of ministry.
Share what trials you have had in your life and how God turned them to triumph? Explain how those trials have made you into a more balanced person?
*Originally posted as a comment by Dan on Kingdom Quest Blog on July 26, 2009 12:10 AM
God took Joseph’s trials, the betrayal by his brothers, years of suffering as a slave, falsely accused of adultery, then cast in prison, and polished him. A rough gem stone is valuable, but after it has been cut and lightly hammered to knock off brittle, fractured material, and it has been put in a grinder that uses progressive abrasion using finer and finer grits of harder substances to polish the gem the process increases its value sometimes as much as 80%. After all that Joseph suffered, which caused him to be cut and polished spiritually, he grew to depended on God more and more. When he was ready God elevated him to the highest place next to the Pharaoh. Sometimes our trials can lead to our greatest blessings and God’s greatest victories.
Joseph’s story reminds me of a sermon I heard on Focus on the Family years ago. A minister was telling his story, he had been pastoring a normal little church and reached a plateau in his life and ministry when his life was turned upside down after he and his wife had a severely autistic child. To make a long story short, just having a child that severely handicapped made their home life terribly chaotic and their church was not structured to handle the noise and disruption of an autistic child. His frustration at God rattled his relationship with God and nearly drove him out of the ministry. But just like Joseph, his trials turned into triumph as he developed church programs that focused on how to minister to autistic children, a project that revolutionized his church and turned it into the largest congregation in the community and nationally recognized as a pioneer church for this kind of ministry.
Share what trials you have had in your life and how God turned them to triumph? Explain how those trials have made you into a more balanced person?
*Originally posted as a comment by Dan on Kingdom Quest Blog on July 26, 2009 12:10 AM
Friday, July 24, 2009
John 16:33
John 16:33 (NIV) "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Hopefully as followers of Christ we have all experienced the peace that comes from forgiveness and reconciliation through Jesus. But there are other real difficult situations where it is harder to find peace. In theory peace is always available for everyone in every circumstance. In practice finding peace during chronic illness, death, divorce, phobias, financial disaster, infertility, unwanted pregnancy, loneliness, or during verbal, emotional, or physical abuse is often much more difficult than in theory. God has never promised us that we would never have pain, suffering and problems. In fact without pain, suffering and problems we would never appreciate the joy of peace. Here are some suggestions for finding peace in the midst of suffering by June Hunt from “Hope For The Heart Biblical Counseling Keys” © 2005 by Hope For The Heart.
Receive the compassion of God.
• God understands your pain.
• God is aware of your needs and weaknesses.
• God loves you even more than you may love your own children.
• God’s compassion never fails.
Leave the past in the past.
• Don’t play the “blame game.”
• Don’t rehearse the “what if’s.”
• Don’t try to figure out what went wrong.
• Don’t assume responsibility for other people’s choices.
Entrust the future to God.
• God is the God of a second chance.
• God has a timetable different from mine.
• God is working continually.
• God has all the resources He needs to accomplish His purposes.
Exchange your pain for God’s peace.
• Choose to trust in God’s goodness.
• Choose to rely on God’s faithfulness.
• Choose to believe in God’s involvement.
• Choose to live in God’s presence.
Share some of the heartbreaks this world has inflicted upon you? Compare the peace you have found in Christ with the pain this world has caused you to suffer?
*Originally posted as a comment by Dan on Kingdom Quest Blog on July 24, 2009 10:24 PM
Hopefully as followers of Christ we have all experienced the peace that comes from forgiveness and reconciliation through Jesus. But there are other real difficult situations where it is harder to find peace. In theory peace is always available for everyone in every circumstance. In practice finding peace during chronic illness, death, divorce, phobias, financial disaster, infertility, unwanted pregnancy, loneliness, or during verbal, emotional, or physical abuse is often much more difficult than in theory. God has never promised us that we would never have pain, suffering and problems. In fact without pain, suffering and problems we would never appreciate the joy of peace. Here are some suggestions for finding peace in the midst of suffering by June Hunt from “Hope For The Heart Biblical Counseling Keys” © 2005 by Hope For The Heart.
Receive the compassion of God.
• God understands your pain.
• God is aware of your needs and weaknesses.
• God loves you even more than you may love your own children.
• God’s compassion never fails.
Leave the past in the past.
• Don’t play the “blame game.”
• Don’t rehearse the “what if’s.”
• Don’t try to figure out what went wrong.
• Don’t assume responsibility for other people’s choices.
Entrust the future to God.
• God is the God of a second chance.
• God has a timetable different from mine.
• God is working continually.
• God has all the resources He needs to accomplish His purposes.
Exchange your pain for God’s peace.
• Choose to trust in God’s goodness.
• Choose to rely on God’s faithfulness.
• Choose to believe in God’s involvement.
• Choose to live in God’s presence.
Share some of the heartbreaks this world has inflicted upon you? Compare the peace you have found in Christ with the pain this world has caused you to suffer?
*Originally posted as a comment by Dan on Kingdom Quest Blog on July 24, 2009 10:24 PM
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Galations 5:22-23
Gal 5:22-23 (NASB) “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”
At my lowest point of depression, no matter how hard I wanted to make myself feel better and stop feeling fear and anxiety I was incapable to change my own feelings. Because God was not controlling me; my feelings were controlling me.
Call me melancholy, or call me a wet blanket, but I am afraid of going on an emotional “joy” ride. Because I know from experience that at the end of the “joy” ride is a crash. I have learned that when I let my emotions (feelings) control my mind (thoughts) and my will (choices) I often have difficulty sustaining joy for a long period of time. This is a cycle very hard to regulate because when feelings are the controlling influence, the emotional high sends the pendulum swinging from joy to depression, leaving the individual feeling guilty in addition to depressed. “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again.” John 4:13
When joy feels as distant to you as the horizon across the ocean? And you are wondering whether you can ever regain joy in your life? The first thing to keep in mind is that joy is not a feeling, but rather is a gift to you from God! Here lies a much better way. Step 1, God teaches or refreshes our mind (what we think.) Steps 2, then we allow Him to direct our will (our choices.) Steps 3, then we allow Him to control our emotions. Jesus said, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:13 (KJV)
“For the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Neh 8:10-11 (KJV), God’s sustainable joy is “of the Lord,” it is not “of our feelings” or effort. It is a gift, if we ask for it then it is ours. It is a fruit of the spirit, and all we need to do is be connected to the giver to qualify for the gift.
Share an experience you have had with sorrow or depression? Explain the process you have gone through or are going through to re-discover joy?
*Originally posted as a comment by Dan on Kingdom Quest Blog on July 21, 2009 5:46 PM
At my lowest point of depression, no matter how hard I wanted to make myself feel better and stop feeling fear and anxiety I was incapable to change my own feelings. Because God was not controlling me; my feelings were controlling me.
Call me melancholy, or call me a wet blanket, but I am afraid of going on an emotional “joy” ride. Because I know from experience that at the end of the “joy” ride is a crash. I have learned that when I let my emotions (feelings) control my mind (thoughts) and my will (choices) I often have difficulty sustaining joy for a long period of time. This is a cycle very hard to regulate because when feelings are the controlling influence, the emotional high sends the pendulum swinging from joy to depression, leaving the individual feeling guilty in addition to depressed. “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again.” John 4:13
When joy feels as distant to you as the horizon across the ocean? And you are wondering whether you can ever regain joy in your life? The first thing to keep in mind is that joy is not a feeling, but rather is a gift to you from God! Here lies a much better way. Step 1, God teaches or refreshes our mind (what we think.) Steps 2, then we allow Him to direct our will (our choices.) Steps 3, then we allow Him to control our emotions. Jesus said, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:13 (KJV)
“For the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Neh 8:10-11 (KJV), God’s sustainable joy is “of the Lord,” it is not “of our feelings” or effort. It is a gift, if we ask for it then it is ours. It is a fruit of the spirit, and all we need to do is be connected to the giver to qualify for the gift.
Share an experience you have had with sorrow or depression? Explain the process you have gone through or are going through to re-discover joy?
*Originally posted as a comment by Dan on Kingdom Quest Blog on July 21, 2009 5:46 PM
Friday, July 17, 2009
Psalms 1:3
Ps 1:3 (KJV) “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
The question is am I connected? God desires for us, the tree, to be planted by the water of life. Jeremiah 17:13 says that The LORD (YAHWEH) is the spring of living water. Just as Jesus says in John 15:5 NASB “he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.” We are totally unable to produce fruit by trying real hard to produce it. However, it is a natural process of a vine connected to a branch to produce fruit automatically without even trying. Likewise a tree planted by the waterside bears a bumper crop year after year. Not because it tries harder than the other trees, but rather because it is connected to a never-ending supply of nourishment.
Jeremiah 2:13 NIV says, “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. “ This leads me to ask, do I trust in a pit that collects rainwater but cannot hold it? Have I built a religious experience in which to store truth, but it is a cistern that is worthless? I am thinking of a book my friend Shari recommended to me, “Christianish: What If We’re Not Really Following Jesus At All?” by Mark Steele. According to the author, symptoms of Christianish include: the right behavior, but for the wrong reason; going through the motions, but not going through the change; and knowing Christ’s words, but not always applying His truth. I think these are areas I need to focus on in order to vitalize my spiritual life.
But in a real world what are the practical steps I need to take in order to strengthen my spiritual life, and discover the source of living water and to forsake the broken cisterns. First, I need to accept that going to church, knowing the proper catch phrases, and even carrying a Bible isn't what makes me a Christian. I cannot be just going through the motions of what I believe I should do but rather allowing a true relationship with Christ to motivate me and change me. Second, I need to reconsider how I treat other Christians. Am I at times bashing people with the Gospel ("spitting Bible" instead of love). Do I try to make everyone bow to my spiritual rules and regulations and then in the process am I showing off and focusing on myself and what a great Christian I am rather than discipling people to Jesus and being attentive to the needs of others. Third, are there times when I need to learn how not to use Christianity to lecture or bully or berate non-Christians because of their sinful lifestyles. This kind of attitude portrays Christianity as judgmental, mean-spirited, spiteful and closed minded. In attacking society’s behaviors am I depersonalizing individuals by stereotyping them to their actions rather than discovering who they are as unique individuals that Christ died for?
Having a real connection to Christ is the water of life that Jesus offered to the woman at the well. And as His disciples returned looking down their noses at this sinful Samaritan woman, Jesus was trying to teach them to stop drinking from their own broken cisterns.
What does "really" following Christ mean to you? Compare the "water of life" experience with any "broken cistern" experiences you have mistakenly fallen into?
*Originally posted as a comment by Dan on Kingdom Quest Blog on July 17, 2009 4:48 PM
The question is am I connected? God desires for us, the tree, to be planted by the water of life. Jeremiah 17:13 says that The LORD (YAHWEH) is the spring of living water. Just as Jesus says in John 15:5 NASB “he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.” We are totally unable to produce fruit by trying real hard to produce it. However, it is a natural process of a vine connected to a branch to produce fruit automatically without even trying. Likewise a tree planted by the waterside bears a bumper crop year after year. Not because it tries harder than the other trees, but rather because it is connected to a never-ending supply of nourishment.
Jeremiah 2:13 NIV says, “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. “ This leads me to ask, do I trust in a pit that collects rainwater but cannot hold it? Have I built a religious experience in which to store truth, but it is a cistern that is worthless? I am thinking of a book my friend Shari recommended to me, “Christianish: What If We’re Not Really Following Jesus At All?” by Mark Steele. According to the author, symptoms of Christianish include: the right behavior, but for the wrong reason; going through the motions, but not going through the change; and knowing Christ’s words, but not always applying His truth. I think these are areas I need to focus on in order to vitalize my spiritual life.
But in a real world what are the practical steps I need to take in order to strengthen my spiritual life, and discover the source of living water and to forsake the broken cisterns. First, I need to accept that going to church, knowing the proper catch phrases, and even carrying a Bible isn't what makes me a Christian. I cannot be just going through the motions of what I believe I should do but rather allowing a true relationship with Christ to motivate me and change me. Second, I need to reconsider how I treat other Christians. Am I at times bashing people with the Gospel ("spitting Bible" instead of love). Do I try to make everyone bow to my spiritual rules and regulations and then in the process am I showing off and focusing on myself and what a great Christian I am rather than discipling people to Jesus and being attentive to the needs of others. Third, are there times when I need to learn how not to use Christianity to lecture or bully or berate non-Christians because of their sinful lifestyles. This kind of attitude portrays Christianity as judgmental, mean-spirited, spiteful and closed minded. In attacking society’s behaviors am I depersonalizing individuals by stereotyping them to their actions rather than discovering who they are as unique individuals that Christ died for?
Having a real connection to Christ is the water of life that Jesus offered to the woman at the well. And as His disciples returned looking down their noses at this sinful Samaritan woman, Jesus was trying to teach them to stop drinking from their own broken cisterns.
What does "really" following Christ mean to you? Compare the "water of life" experience with any "broken cistern" experiences you have mistakenly fallen into?
*Originally posted as a comment by Dan on Kingdom Quest Blog on July 17, 2009 4:48 PM
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