I was 3rd grader when I was introduced to a Christian Church that shares not a religion but a relationship with the Savior Christ Jesus. It was vague though for a so young mind to understand, yet little by little and over the time, I was able to see the clearer picture… until, I then could grasp the always-talked-about TRUTH.
Along doing things to deepen and ignite the faith seeded in, I learned the significance of which to motivate and to devote to so as to experience God moving in my life. Like said, when you seek, you shall find… and so as the Father to my desire to seek more of Him. He let me understood how it is to be in His dwelling place, floating in joy and peace. It seemed as if reaching for Him has not even been a task to toil on. Not to mention that several of the Christians that time were just either (1) ablazing in faith or (2) dead cold. No lukewarm and mediocre are in a noteworthy percentage then. In fact, to know who’s Christian and not was just so apparent that many could easily tell. Not certain though if it was about the clothing or attitudes or whatever. It doesn't really matter big.
Anyway, that was the last scene of the movie I remember before I took a turn. I had to be out of the church to pursue some priorities and opportunities I didn’t weigh good, I could tell, and had to be totally drowned into the worldly pleasure of recognition, contentment and sins. This is whole different story to tell but to make it short, I had to be out for a while to see what’s out and enjoyed it and when got tired and wounded, I went back in and tuned to the movie I was watching.
I went back to the church after 5 long years and tried to reconcile with God and renewed my acceptance of salvation. And as I stay on, I was a little puzzled of where did the story go and it seemed several things happened and new sets and twists associated along. Too many to mention… but what painted most in my mind is the vast increase in number of Christians from all walks of life. And praise be to God that He allowed and helped the gospel through in many people. Even friends I know, who I met again with, were already involved and even leading groups for same purposes in other different churches. But to my surprise, they that lead the small groups for Jesus are the same people who sing seculars in loud, and drink liquors and smoke and should I say, are WORLDLY.
Not being a conservative, perfect and sinless Christian because I am actually not and I am an "open-to-every-possibility" type of a believer, but the remarkable transformation of what I know and what I experienced just startled me to deep. Was I left behind of new trends in Christianity or was I just being an unintelligible critic that rides pessimism?
In my pursuit, it takes several researches to be read and several more studies concerning both sociology and God’s words to be looked on and deeper, more stable prayer life to build before I understood what’s going on. And the fact is, there really was a twist in the story so abrupt that the story became so vague and led to the total loss of the original storyboard. Now, a "mediocre" is introduced big and the "lukewarm, religious Christianity" is just everywhere.
Just recently, I was forwarded by dear sister in Christ with a link to a blog-study entitled Theo-tainment vs. Discipleship (http://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/mCraven/11635336/). As I went on, the indistinct reality I am looking at all this time suddenly became clearer to me – it is true that Christianity grew mile wide yet just an inch deep. Church has become a place of professing faith in Jesus Christ yet not actually following Jesus. Yes. It became just an empty place where people would fellowship but without nurturance and spiritual maturity pursuance. Sad fact.
True to words, "mile wide and inch deep" Christianity is very evident in today's world. With its growing popularity, more in RELIGIOUS aspect and not in a RELATIONAL facet, makes it more difficult for many, especially new Christians, to really know what and how it is to have a true relationship with Jesus Christ through faith that works. In fact, in a youth group of 10 once asked "Whose Christian here?” about 7 or 8 might raise an excited hand up. But once further solicited with "How they say so?” mostly will just say "Because they attend the church," and nothing else.
In simple terms, many are Christians in "TAG" but "REAL" ones are becoming rare.
However though, this is not an issue of who's in or out of REAL and RELATIONAL Christianity. This is rather an issue of calling unto God to help us correct whatever is wrong that may soon become a TRADITION that could already be hardly altered due to practice and thought that all these are the right thing to pursue. And of course, those who understand, then, have to do ways to really fulfill the Great Commission.
This shook me to my feet. I might be just one of those who help in mile-widening the Christianity and ignore the depth to truth. Search heart and God opens the door to the truth when we knock. Seek more of Him and grow wide and deep!
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Living a Positive Christian Life
In the concluding exhortations in the Book of Hebrews, Paul did tell of things a Christian should be doing and should possess as to live a life for the glory of God above. It basically composes three parts of instruction and each has supporting elaborations.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR A BODY LIFE
A. Express brotherly love. Paul assumes that there is a brotherly love amongst Christians and he called for it to continue.
.....a. Entertain strangers. Hospitality is an important virtue that a Christian should possess. A wonderful way to fulfill this command is to meet and befriend strangers at church, and to entertain them with hospitality.
.....b. Remember the prisoners. Look unto the people who are still blinded by the world for they too have to know the gift of salvation through the gospel of God.
B. Honor marital love. God is the judge of all men and fornicators and adulterers are enemies of Him.
.....a. Marriage. Through this commitment the Bible celebrates the sexual love.
C. Contentment. Paul further took special attention to contentment over covetousness.
.....a. Be content of what you have. Covetousness is the opposite of contentment. Often though, covetousness and greed are excused or even admired in today’s culture, and are simply called “ambition
.....b. “The Lord is my helper.” Real contentment comes only when we trust in God to meet our needs and to be our security. It is amazing that we are often more likely to put security and find contentment in things far less reliable and secure than God Himself.
D. Follow Leaders. We are told to recognize and follow godly leadership in the body of Christ, leadership that is shown to be legitimate by faithfulness to the word of God and by godly conduct
INSTRUCTIONS IN WORSHIP
A. The enduring principle. Jesus is the same and this unchanging nature of Him could be inferred from His deity, even if it were not explicitly stated. God doesn’t change over the ages, so neither does Jesus, who is God
B. Following the rejected Jesus. The difficult job of bearing His reproach is easier when we remember that the city or society we are cast out of is only temporary. We seek, and belong to, the permanent city yet to come.
C. Our sacrifice.
.....a. Offer a sacrifice of praise as fruit of our lips
.....b. Do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
D. Obey your Leaders. Cooperative conduct is not only a joy to leaders, but it is profitable for the whole body
CONCLUDING REMARKS
A. Request for prayer. The writer to the Hebrews considered it important that others pray for him. We all need and should welcome the prayers of others
B. Pronouncement of blessing. This is a blessing in the style of the priestly blessing of Numbers
C. Grace for all. This is a fitting end for a book that documents the passing of the Old Covenant and the institution of the New Covenant: Grace be with you all indeed, under what God has given through the superior Savior, Jesus Christ! Amen!
INSTRUCTIONS FOR A BODY LIFE
A. Express brotherly love. Paul assumes that there is a brotherly love amongst Christians and he called for it to continue.
.....a. Entertain strangers. Hospitality is an important virtue that a Christian should possess. A wonderful way to fulfill this command is to meet and befriend strangers at church, and to entertain them with hospitality.
.....b. Remember the prisoners. Look unto the people who are still blinded by the world for they too have to know the gift of salvation through the gospel of God.
B. Honor marital love. God is the judge of all men and fornicators and adulterers are enemies of Him.
.....a. Marriage. Through this commitment the Bible celebrates the sexual love.
C. Contentment. Paul further took special attention to contentment over covetousness.
.....a. Be content of what you have. Covetousness is the opposite of contentment. Often though, covetousness and greed are excused or even admired in today’s culture, and are simply called “ambition
.....b. “The Lord is my helper.” Real contentment comes only when we trust in God to meet our needs and to be our security. It is amazing that we are often more likely to put security and find contentment in things far less reliable and secure than God Himself.
D. Follow Leaders. We are told to recognize and follow godly leadership in the body of Christ, leadership that is shown to be legitimate by faithfulness to the word of God and by godly conduct
INSTRUCTIONS IN WORSHIP
A. The enduring principle. Jesus is the same and this unchanging nature of Him could be inferred from His deity, even if it were not explicitly stated. God doesn’t change over the ages, so neither does Jesus, who is God
B. Following the rejected Jesus. The difficult job of bearing His reproach is easier when we remember that the city or society we are cast out of is only temporary. We seek, and belong to, the permanent city yet to come.
C. Our sacrifice.
.....a. Offer a sacrifice of praise as fruit of our lips
.....b. Do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.
D. Obey your Leaders. Cooperative conduct is not only a joy to leaders, but it is profitable for the whole body
CONCLUDING REMARKS
A. Request for prayer. The writer to the Hebrews considered it important that others pray for him. We all need and should welcome the prayers of others
B. Pronouncement of blessing. This is a blessing in the style of the priestly blessing of Numbers
C. Grace for all. This is a fitting end for a book that documents the passing of the Old Covenant and the institution of the New Covenant: Grace be with you all indeed, under what God has given through the superior Savior, Jesus Christ! Amen!
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
The Old and New Covenant
The first parts of the Book of Hebrews focused on the discussion of the Old Testament agreement with God and the revised covenant through Christ Jesus. Chapter 8 clearly defines the amendment of the covenant of God that is it’s ineffectiveness and weakness and uselessness that many still went unfaithful to Him. Now He made another so that all may know that He is the God and this will be spread throughout the nations.
The term covenant refers to a binding agreement. In Hebrew this translates to “to cut”. This is the reason why during the Old Testament animals were being killed and sometimes cut into two shedding their blood in preparation of and showing agreement with making the covenant. This is very true in many of the stories in Old Testament like in Exodus where people has to offer sacrifices and the High Priest has to offer this inside the Most Holy for his sin and the people. The covenant during that time was when God put the Israelites out of Egypt and helped them through. But many falls short and immediately forgot their pledge to God so God has to be doing new ways and new covenant.
This was when God made the covenant in the minds and hearts of His people and whoever abides and accepts and perseveres would be forgiven of sins and inherits the promised salvation. God sent forth His only Son not as human to sacrifice for sins once and for all when He has to offer himself as atonement for the sin of all the earth.
It all along happened with an oath to make Jesus a priest forever that guaranteed us of better covenant because He lives forever. This makes Him save anyone completely because whoever comes to God through Him He always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. The oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
Old agreement was made less intricate when Jesus has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Holy is the Lamb!
The term covenant refers to a binding agreement. In Hebrew this translates to “to cut”. This is the reason why during the Old Testament animals were being killed and sometimes cut into two shedding their blood in preparation of and showing agreement with making the covenant. This is very true in many of the stories in Old Testament like in Exodus where people has to offer sacrifices and the High Priest has to offer this inside the Most Holy for his sin and the people. The covenant during that time was when God put the Israelites out of Egypt and helped them through. But many falls short and immediately forgot their pledge to God so God has to be doing new ways and new covenant.
This was when God made the covenant in the minds and hearts of His people and whoever abides and accepts and perseveres would be forgiven of sins and inherits the promised salvation. God sent forth His only Son not as human to sacrifice for sins once and for all when He has to offer himself as atonement for the sin of all the earth.
It all along happened with an oath to make Jesus a priest forever that guaranteed us of better covenant because He lives forever. This makes Him save anyone completely because whoever comes to God through Him He always lives to intercede for them. Such a high priest meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. The oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
Old agreement was made less intricate when Jesus has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to do away with sin by the sacrifice of himself. Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Holy is the Lamb!
Saturday, July 10, 2010
True Worship
Worship is defined as the reverent devotion and allegiance pledged to God. It comes from the Old English word “worthship,” which denotes the worthiness of the one receiving the special honor or devotion.
Developing a habit of worship is so much more than just singing. Worship is living in a way that brings glory to God. It is our response to all that God is and does.
John 4: 23 – 24 says, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”
God seeks true worshipers. And how could we be true worshippers?
A. Worship in Heart - True worship is not giving God lip service. It is an issue of our hearts being completely devoted to God.
1. Worship takes place in the heart
2. Not orchestrated by man or instrument
B. Worship in Spirit – True worship is to offer you body as living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Romans 12::1 talks of this as spiritual act of worship.
1. With understanding. To worship with understanding, we must be able to comprehend what is said and done. We must appreciate the significance of each act of worship and think about what we are doing as we worship
2. Orderly. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 14:33, "God is not the author of confusion..." and later in the same chapter, "Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:40). We should have an expedient order to our worship services, so that all may know what to expect and do at the appropriate times.
3. Reverent. Our manner of worship should reflect our respect for God and other worshippers. We are gathered to worship and praise Almighty God; therefore, we should act, speak and dress in the very best way of which we are capable. We should bring the best before God and show the highest degree of respect for Him.
4. Sincere. It should spring from a holy life. We should look forward to the moment when we can assemble with the saints and worship God. Also, our worship is not done to be seen of men, but is offered to please God. Further, our worship should reflect a life of holiness. One cannot continue to live a sinful life and at the same time offer holy worship to God.
5. Edifying. Our worship should be edifying to one another as we assemble to provoke one another unto love and good works. Any act of worship which is not directed to God is misdirected and is not in spirit.
C. Worship in Truth - To worship in truth is to worship based on God’s Word. The Bible is the final authority on who God is, and how we are to approach Him.
1. Teaching and preaching the Word
2. Giving
3. Partaking the Lord’s Supper
4. Prayer
5. Singing
God will accept only one kind of worship: true worship!
Developing a habit of worship is so much more than just singing. Worship is living in a way that brings glory to God. It is our response to all that God is and does.
John 4: 23 – 24 says, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”
God seeks true worshipers. And how could we be true worshippers?
A. Worship in Heart - True worship is not giving God lip service. It is an issue of our hearts being completely devoted to God.
1. Worship takes place in the heart
2. Not orchestrated by man or instrument
B. Worship in Spirit – True worship is to offer you body as living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. Romans 12::1 talks of this as spiritual act of worship.
1. With understanding. To worship with understanding, we must be able to comprehend what is said and done. We must appreciate the significance of each act of worship and think about what we are doing as we worship
2. Orderly. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 14:33, "God is not the author of confusion..." and later in the same chapter, "Let all things be done decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:40). We should have an expedient order to our worship services, so that all may know what to expect and do at the appropriate times.
3. Reverent. Our manner of worship should reflect our respect for God and other worshippers. We are gathered to worship and praise Almighty God; therefore, we should act, speak and dress in the very best way of which we are capable. We should bring the best before God and show the highest degree of respect for Him.
4. Sincere. It should spring from a holy life. We should look forward to the moment when we can assemble with the saints and worship God. Also, our worship is not done to be seen of men, but is offered to please God. Further, our worship should reflect a life of holiness. One cannot continue to live a sinful life and at the same time offer holy worship to God.
5. Edifying. Our worship should be edifying to one another as we assemble to provoke one another unto love and good works. Any act of worship which is not directed to God is misdirected and is not in spirit.
C. Worship in Truth - To worship in truth is to worship based on God’s Word. The Bible is the final authority on who God is, and how we are to approach Him.
1. Teaching and preaching the Word
2. Giving
3. Partaking the Lord’s Supper
4. Prayer
5. Singing
God will accept only one kind of worship: true worship!
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