My best friend sent me this video this morning. It's one of the most powerful things I've ever seen. Watch it all the way through. It's an amazing representation of Christ's love and how real the temptations we face are.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Saturday, August 25, 2007
The No. 1 Enemy of Believers
Tonight I'm frustrated. I'm frustrated about a lot of things. Many of which I tried to run and fight out in 3 straight hours of basketball. It didn't work. The more I played, the madder I got. While there are many things on my heart, I am only going to talk about one. Most will say the answer to the title is other believers. While I believe they can be, I think religion is at the top of the list. I believe religion is the number 1 enemy of believers.
Somewhere along the line I think we've lost the point. We have a religion to ok whatever we feel at that moment. If we don't like something about one, we find a new one. We've lost sight of simply being a believer. Simply accepting Jesus into our hearts and lives and living for Him. How much more difficult are we making it? If you do studies on religion, most have come because someone got mad... so they made a new one. Check it out... it's true. Is religion sending people to hell?
I have something that's really bothering me and I want to be very vague about the people I'm talking about... no names, no relationships will be given. Someone in my family is working on changing their life. They recently got saved and they are going to be baptized in 2 weeks. Praise God! This decision was made entirely by this person and their own admission of their sin and their need for a Savior. This person grew up in a religion that believes you are saved upon baptism... and that's done as a child. That's it... period. No age of recognition, no salvation... sprinkled water and enter into heaven. I've always been fascinated by this belief. Where they find this to be biblically sound, I don't know. When this person told their other family about their salvation and baptism, they were criticized - not questioned about why, criticized.
I almost don't know what to say. Where do we miss what the Bible says? Let's take a look at Romans 10:9-10 - "9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. " I'm not here to debate salvation and what constitutes it, because only a person can know for himself, but it's written clearly in the scripture. My real problem is that religion is sending people to hell. We've created religions to tell us what we want to hear. Where do we miss the boat? If we sit and say that sprinkling water on a baby is my ticket to heaven then what was the point of Jesus dying on Calvary? Where is our point of recognition for our sins and our need to cry out to a Savior?
I have adopted a saying recently that I love. 'Reject Religion - Embrace Jesus'. I agree with that with all of my heart. I was broken tonight when this person sat across from me with tear-filled eyes... because his religion no longer meets up with this other part of his family. Where have we lost it? Where have we screwed it up? Instead of rejoicing with our brothers and sisters, we are offended because it doesn't line up with our 'religion manual'. I know I'm all over the place tonight, but I'm frustrated. I'm annoyed that the Christian community cannot join together. Instead, we pick petty arguments because whatever beliefs we have adopted don't seem to line up when what we should be doing... is following what God gave us - the Bible. The question isn't does it line up with what WE think... does it line up with what GOD thinks? He gave us the manual and instead of picking it up and following it... we make up whatever's easiest for us and whatever fits our needs. I'm not a fan of 'religion' anymore. I think church is important and being apart of a corporate body does wonders for your walk with Christ. I'm not saying 'Community Church' is the best and one that has a religion 'name' on the door is bad. I just think we need to know what we're practicing. Is the church I'm in based on the Bible and what the Bible says? I don't want to be labeled with religion. I simply want to be known as a believer, Christ follower, lover of Jesus. I want for people to look at my life and see Christ... not my religion.
Ephesians 2: 8-9
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
Somewhere along the line I think we've lost the point. We have a religion to ok whatever we feel at that moment. If we don't like something about one, we find a new one. We've lost sight of simply being a believer. Simply accepting Jesus into our hearts and lives and living for Him. How much more difficult are we making it? If you do studies on religion, most have come because someone got mad... so they made a new one. Check it out... it's true. Is religion sending people to hell?
I have something that's really bothering me and I want to be very vague about the people I'm talking about... no names, no relationships will be given. Someone in my family is working on changing their life. They recently got saved and they are going to be baptized in 2 weeks. Praise God! This decision was made entirely by this person and their own admission of their sin and their need for a Savior. This person grew up in a religion that believes you are saved upon baptism... and that's done as a child. That's it... period. No age of recognition, no salvation... sprinkled water and enter into heaven. I've always been fascinated by this belief. Where they find this to be biblically sound, I don't know. When this person told their other family about their salvation and baptism, they were criticized - not questioned about why, criticized.
I almost don't know what to say. Where do we miss what the Bible says? Let's take a look at Romans 10:9-10 - "9 If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. " I'm not here to debate salvation and what constitutes it, because only a person can know for himself, but it's written clearly in the scripture. My real problem is that religion is sending people to hell. We've created religions to tell us what we want to hear. Where do we miss the boat? If we sit and say that sprinkling water on a baby is my ticket to heaven then what was the point of Jesus dying on Calvary? Where is our point of recognition for our sins and our need to cry out to a Savior?
I have adopted a saying recently that I love. 'Reject Religion - Embrace Jesus'. I agree with that with all of my heart. I was broken tonight when this person sat across from me with tear-filled eyes... because his religion no longer meets up with this other part of his family. Where have we lost it? Where have we screwed it up? Instead of rejoicing with our brothers and sisters, we are offended because it doesn't line up with our 'religion manual'. I know I'm all over the place tonight, but I'm frustrated. I'm annoyed that the Christian community cannot join together. Instead, we pick petty arguments because whatever beliefs we have adopted don't seem to line up when what we should be doing... is following what God gave us - the Bible. The question isn't does it line up with what WE think... does it line up with what GOD thinks? He gave us the manual and instead of picking it up and following it... we make up whatever's easiest for us and whatever fits our needs. I'm not a fan of 'religion' anymore. I think church is important and being apart of a corporate body does wonders for your walk with Christ. I'm not saying 'Community Church' is the best and one that has a religion 'name' on the door is bad. I just think we need to know what we're practicing. Is the church I'm in based on the Bible and what the Bible says? I don't want to be labeled with religion. I simply want to be known as a believer, Christ follower, lover of Jesus. I want for people to look at my life and see Christ... not my religion.
Ephesians 2: 8-9
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
To Help Those That Don't Want It
Have you found yourself at that place? Are there those people in your life that you are desperate to help, but they don't want it? They don't find it necessary to be helped and instead of trying to to change they would rather stay on that destructive path? That's the place I feel in tonight. I feel like that one wanting to help that lost soul, but with no clue how to. I've been on the other side. I've been on that path of destruction and more pain I caused myself, in some sick way, the better I felt. When you've been to that place, you don't ever want anyone to have to feel that pain and hurt. When you've lived it, you want to save everyone you can from it.
How do you help those that have no desire to be helped? When do you step in and try to take over and when do you trust God enough to take care of His children? It's such a difficult balance and I don't know what side of that I stand on tonight. It's a constant battle. Where is the line of God wanting you to intervene crossed with the line of your own agenda?
I have one brother. One brother that I love so deeply and I don't know how to help. He's on a path of destruction and I don't know what to do for him. It's the most helpless I've ever felt. I don't know when my role is to step in and try to fix it and when I'm supposed to pray from a far. Is praying my cop out way of not tackling the issue straight on? Do I use prayer as a crutch so I don't have to confront the hard stuff? It's a hard battle I'm having trouble fighting tonight. Part of me wants to throw in the towel and say 'I've done all I can... the rest is up to him'... While another part of me wants to scream and yell at him and beg him to get his life together because I'm afraid the next time a phone rings it's to tell me he's dead.
I've been in his shoes. As I sit looking back I wish someone would have stepped into my life before it got so bad. I wish someone would have grabbed me by the face and told me what a mess I was making of my life. Sure, I look back now and think that... but would I have felt that way at the time? How would I have reacted to someone trying to step in then? I had a friend that I hadn't spoken to in years tell me they had to step away from me because they knew I wouldn't listen to them. They knew I had to find my own way.
Does he have to find his own way? How do you know the answer? If I try to step in will it push him further down this path and cause more damage if I just pray God's protection over him? What a delicate balance and a tough question I'm asking myself tonight. I do believe God honors the prayers of His saints and many times can answer a prayer many years down the road from when it's prayed, but I also believe God's prayers require some action.
So that's where I sit tonight. Confused between outward action and inward action. Do I try and fight this battle or do I allow the angels and demons to fight this one out? It's a fight I can't figure out, but I do know if I ever got that phone call... I could never ever forgive myself... for making the wrong choice.
How do you help those that have no desire to be helped? When do you step in and try to take over and when do you trust God enough to take care of His children? It's such a difficult balance and I don't know what side of that I stand on tonight. It's a constant battle. Where is the line of God wanting you to intervene crossed with the line of your own agenda?
I have one brother. One brother that I love so deeply and I don't know how to help. He's on a path of destruction and I don't know what to do for him. It's the most helpless I've ever felt. I don't know when my role is to step in and try to fix it and when I'm supposed to pray from a far. Is praying my cop out way of not tackling the issue straight on? Do I use prayer as a crutch so I don't have to confront the hard stuff? It's a hard battle I'm having trouble fighting tonight. Part of me wants to throw in the towel and say 'I've done all I can... the rest is up to him'... While another part of me wants to scream and yell at him and beg him to get his life together because I'm afraid the next time a phone rings it's to tell me he's dead.
I've been in his shoes. As I sit looking back I wish someone would have stepped into my life before it got so bad. I wish someone would have grabbed me by the face and told me what a mess I was making of my life. Sure, I look back now and think that... but would I have felt that way at the time? How would I have reacted to someone trying to step in then? I had a friend that I hadn't spoken to in years tell me they had to step away from me because they knew I wouldn't listen to them. They knew I had to find my own way.
Does he have to find his own way? How do you know the answer? If I try to step in will it push him further down this path and cause more damage if I just pray God's protection over him? What a delicate balance and a tough question I'm asking myself tonight. I do believe God honors the prayers of His saints and many times can answer a prayer many years down the road from when it's prayed, but I also believe God's prayers require some action.
So that's where I sit tonight. Confused between outward action and inward action. Do I try and fight this battle or do I allow the angels and demons to fight this one out? It's a fight I can't figure out, but I do know if I ever got that phone call... I could never ever forgive myself... for making the wrong choice.
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