Wednesday, May 28, 2008

Living--Not Just Playing The Part

Read the following passage and be reminded of who we are called to be if we are serious about who we say we are:

5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.
10Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, 11and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.


What does it mean for us who so often think we "have this Christian life down?" You mean we actually have to keep living all these Jesus traits? Isn't that kinda hard? But wait--verse 9 says that "if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins." How many folks who show up to the church building 3 times as week exhibit this brother or sister who has simply forgotten what they have been saved from? Let us all keep reminding each other and allowing ourselves to be reminded by HIS word daily! We need to live the part--not just go through the motions.

God Speed,

Bruce

Sunday, May 18, 2008

Church As Usual?

Do we often find ourselves just "doing church as usual?" We go to the building once, twice, or even three times a week. We make most of the major church functions, fellowships etc. We tithe. And yet, we sometimes find ourselves just flat dead spiritually. Why is that?

We sometimes just seem to have lost our way. We cannot remember the last time if ever that we led someone to Christ. We cannot remember the last time we spent time with a lost person who is not like us. We find ourselves treating God as if HE were some divine diety way up in the sky--and not a loving Father who longs to have an intimate relationship with us.

Our life in Christ was meant to be--and can be--better than this.

With more conversations with God, more personal time in the word, and more time serving other people in love and humility--we can begin to turn the corner. God can then begin to really feed our spirit to become more and more like Jesus. Oh, yeah yeah what day that will be!!

Let us not be about "church as usual." Let us be all about living out God's word every day!

Blessings,

Bruce