Monday, July 18, 2016

Are the Christians of Today too Comfortable?

Are Christians Too Comfortable?

Romans 12:2 (NLT)
"Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

Proverbs 6:6 (NLT)
"Take a lesson from the ants, you lazybones.  Learn from their ways and become wise!"

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

1 Timothy 4:1-8(ESV)
"Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, through the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.  For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.  A Good Servant of Christ Jesus.  If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.  Have nothing to do with irreverent, silly myths. Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come."

Compassion Indianapolis is an organization that recognizes different states that are serving others admittedly for their beliefs.  I was part of the effort to help my city become one.  I have never really been a part of a religious organization without Christ being at the center and was a little skeptical at first; but I found that actually, it allowed me not only to step back and embrace the many differences with love and respect, but also to be bold in my walk with the Lord.  While the effort encouraged us to reach out to others in need, it also enticed us  to do that  through encouragement rather than persecution or condemnation.  

Are the Christians of today too comfortable?  My youth pastor told us once that something is wrong with us if we are comfortable.  I didn’t understand this at the time, but later realized that stepping out of our comfort zone creates humility.  We are all human, so our souls need to be constantly fed and nourished just like any other part of our body, so as to not stunt our spiritual growth.  When they are not nourished it is like someone who is told to lose weight, but does not put in the recommended exercise and still expects results.  Putting into practice the spiritual discipline of being willing to be taught and led nourishes our souls; it grows and sprouts abundant fruit for a healthy spiritual growth.  

Many Christians focus solely on their beliefs and don't bother learning about the beliefs of others as if they do not care about other religions, but how will our ministry be effective if we do not understand what others believe?  Isn’t it better to come to a shared level of understanding before sharing the gospel or discussing it rather than simply judging them?  Instead of saying they are stupid in their thinking, why not strive to understand why they think that way?  Simply preaching may bring some to their knees, but oftentimes we make judgments without looking at the full story.  When we come to a better understanding of where people  are, there is room for God's work.  This also leaves room for us to share our views in a two-way conversation instead of pushing our understandings on them.  Too often misunderstandings play a role in both race and religious tension among the world today.  They may be wrong, but isn’t that God's place to judge?  As believers we need to know what others believe so we can have intelligent discussions, finding a common ground to better share the gospel, instead of being defensive.

When we neglect to put what we know to be true into practice both outside and inside the church it cheapens God's grace.  We are called to be salt and light, but most people like comfort; however how does one grow if they strive to be comfortable all the time.  Churches appealing too closely to the preferences of the people will leave a sense of comfort, discouraging change and with good intent Change can be good.  We need people that will spur on others  to be the “salt and light” both inside and outside of the church, even if that is hard.  Yes, our faith is not based on what we do, but instead on a response to or as Mike Donehey puts it "an overflow" of the faith we have in Christ.  He explains it best in another video, "We are the cathedrals that house God's spirit...The coolest part about my purpose...is to bring Jesus with me to my job [whatever you do]".  I find that often when going through a struggle or when God asks me to do something big, I complain and start to question God, making excuses as to why I can't.  I want God to show up in certain ways that will comfort me, to take away the pain, or to support my plans  in life.  There is nothing wrong with that, but why not instead ask Him what He wants?  Just ask and He will make it known.  For who knows us better than the creator of the universe?  We receive this deep connection with the Lord through grace alone and deserve nothing.  When we ask Him what He wants of us, we begin to see life differently and form a stronger bond with him.  Is it any better than asking for help?  No.  He says in Matthew, “ask it will be given”, but when you ask God to see it from His angle you open up new space.  .  You never know what He could be teaching you.  

          This year I have been trying to take action with what God has instead of looking at the end goal and feeling overwhelmed.  Through prayer and seeking the Lord more, he has begun to plant all sorts of ideas in my head, not only directing my future, but gives me little ideas or inspirations each day.  We can all impact the world in some way (big or small) wherever we are.  Sometimes it's the little things in life that matter the most.  There are times I may not know, nor fully understand His plan or even why I am to do this or that, but if I just let go with trust and obedience, I will see the way.  It sounds so simple and it is, but still requires great stamina and discipline.  With Christ anything is possible and he can give us the stamina and discipline we need to serve him.

Compassion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmRoyqDDs1g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wktlwCPDd94

 Do Something - Matthew West

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_RjndG0IX8

We are Cathedrals Mike Donehey Video Journal

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0l2UmNy5wA&list=PLrq5kfc63lHdyJ7sHMNwKKqGXmMO4G-OA

Too Comfortable

http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=JMFM9MNU


3 comments:

  1. I really appreciate your reminder that it takes humility to take ourselves out of our comfort zone. Instead of relying on our own strength, we must rely on God’s strength. In fact, you could argue that simple obedience to the Lord oftentimes requires us to do uncomfortable things. For instance, in Genesis 22 we see God’s test for Abraham’s faith—offering up his only son Isaac as a burnt sacrifice. Abraham obeyed God because he had faith that even if Isaac were to die, that the Lord would keep His covenant and create a great nation from him. If we could capture even a tiny bit of Abraham’s incredible faith, I bet we would think less of our own comfort and live in obedience to God’s Word more often. And part of developing our faith, like you mentioned, is to pray for things that God loves. In the case of evangelism, that could include a greater enthusiasm for the gospel, boldness in sharing it, and a greater love for the lost.
    You also mentioned that when you encounter struggles, you find yourself complaining and questioning God. If you could think of a specific example of when you felt yourself doing this and explained that in detail, I think you could help your readers relate to you so much more! I think we all are willing to admit that we question God sometimes, but we do so in different ways. And I feel like if you were to share something tangible on how you’ve done that in the past, we could all profit in seeing how someone in your situation turns away from doubt and grows more in their faith in Christ.

    ~Dustin

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  2. Thank you so much for the feedback. I'm glad you were encouraged. My initial goal was to find an outlet for the things in life I have struggled with, but my hope is that it encourages people in the faith and brings others to Christ.

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