Where's our walk with Christ?

[BryanW92]

God changes us, God gives us strength, courage, undersanding for our walk with Christ. Why do we call ourselves Christians Percador? Because we have faith in Christ? No, we have faith in God and in Christ so that our WALK can lead us to the same footsteps as Christ did. Being a Christian is being a follower of Christ. You need faith to follow Christ, but that's not the same as to WALK WITH HIM, to walk the WAY he did.

Have you ever tried to walk through thick tropical brush? It's impossible. Literally impossible. Even if its only a few feet high, you just can't get through it because everything is grown into a tangle.

So, how do you get through it? You get a machete and start swinging. The guy with the machete is going to work very hard and the people who follow work very little. They follow in his footsteps, but cannot possibly get through the jungle as he did because he already cut the trail!

Jesus cut the trail for us. He has unlimited strength and skill to cut through the thickest jungle. But, you are just walking on his path.

Now, some people are stubborn and independent. They don't want to take Jesus' trail. They want to cut their own. They tire. They stop in the jungle, unable to continue and they die. Or Jesus cuts a path to them and brings them back to his path.

But, we can never walk the path as he did...precisely because he did. Praise God for that. Don't insult him by saying that you can do it by yourself and all you needed was an example in the form of Jesus or a compass in the form of the Holy Spirit. You and I can't even wield his machete for an instant.

 

[RBPerry]

Wesley also said, "Love God with all your heart and love others as yourself and all the rest is just commentary"

When salvation comes, also comes a change of heart. Sometimes that change is slow, other times immediate. You can't judge your fellow Christians based on your own criteria because they are at different levels of maturity, or lack of. In the perfect world we would all live perfectly sanctified lives free of the temptations and problems life throws our way, but this isn't the perfect world and we aren't perfect people.

You want to know how weak many American Christians are. Preach a sermon that goes a few minutes past the norm and watch some in the congregation start looking at their watches. Must be wondering if they are going to need to wait in line at the restaurant for lunch. Spiritually we have a lot of the walking dead in our congregations today. When you start preaching about a change of heart many don't have a clue as to what your are talking about.

 

[RobFranco]

Have you ever tried to walk through thick tropical brush? It's impossible. Literally impossible. Even if its only a few feet high, you just can't get through it because everything is grown into a tangle.

So, how do you get through it? You get a machete and start swinging. The guy with the machete is going to work very hard and the people who follow work very little. They follow in his footsteps, but cannot possibly get through the jungle as he did because he already cut the trail!

Jesus cut the trail for us. He has unlimited strength and skill to cut through the thickest jungle. But, you are just walking on his path.

Now, some people are stubborn and independent. They don't want to take Jesus' trail. They want to cut their own. They tire. They stop in the jungle, unable to continue and they die. Or Jesus cuts a path to them and brings them back to his path.

But, we can never walk the path as he did...precisely because he did. Praise God for that. Don't insult him by saying that you can do it by yourself and all you needed was an example in the form of Jesus or a compass in the form of the Holy Spirit. You and I can't even wield his machete for an instant.

I love your analogy. Very good But it's not about saying we can do it by ourselves, that's why Jesus came to the Jews, beacuse the Jews didn't know the path, they didn't know the way. But because of Jesus we now know the path to where we're going, thanks to Christ. Nevertheless, it is a walk but in the correct path, and by walking with Christ, aren't we walking the same path he did? "I am the Way" he said, and if we follow his path, we can lead others AS HE DID to the right path. That's why after John 14:6 Christ said, "....and if you believe in me, you will do the same WORKS i've been doing (swinging the machete to clear the way for others) and GREATER works you will do."
I understand that for our humble respect to Christ we bring ourself lower to him, because we are, but remember he came to serve us, just like we should server others equally as Christ did for us.

 

[RobFranco]

Wesley also said, "Love God with all your heart and love others as yourself and all the rest is just commentary"

When salvation comes, also comes a change of heart. Sometimes that change is slow, other times immediate. You can't judge your fellow Christians based on your own criteria because they are at different levels of maturity, or lack of. In the perfect world we would all live perfectly sanctified lives free of the temptations and problems life throws our way, but this isn't the perfect world and we aren't perfect people.

You want to know how weak many American Christians are. Preach a sermon that goes a few minutes past the norm and watch some in the congregation start looking at their watches. Must be wondering if they are going to need to wait in line at the restaurant for lunch. Spiritually we have a lot of the walking dead in our congregations today. When you start preaching about a change of heart many don't have a clue as to what your are talking about.

Very true brother. I can see the Christians in this forums are the more dedicated ones. I love to be a part of you guys

 

[BryanW92]

I love your analogy. Very good But it's not about saying we can do it by ourselves, that's why Jesus came to the Jews, beacuse the Jews didn't know the path, they didn't know the way. But because of Jesus we now know the path to where we're going, thanks to Christ. Nevertheless, it is a walk but in the correct path, and by walking with Christ, aren't we walking the same path he did? "I am the Way" he said, and if we follow his path, we can lead others AS HE DID to the right path. That's why after John 14:6 Christ said, "....and if you believe in me, you will do the same WORKS i've been doing (swinging the machete to clear the way for others) and GREATER works you will do."
I understand that for our humble respect to Christ we bring ourself lower to him, because we are, but remember he came to serve us, just like we should server others equally as Christ did for us.

There's a whole paragraph there:

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

You will do works like him and even greater works, but it will be through his power. You may be cutting a new trail and wondering why the brush is just melting like butter. He's still cutting. You still follow him.

This leads into the obvious: that we are his hands and feet. He doesn't carry us around like babies. We have to walk and sometimes run to keep up. We have to push cut brush aside. We have to reach out and grab others to pull them along. This is our work. It is our glorious work and not something to be ashamed of because he is doing the hard work. I call myself a Christian because I work on his path, in his wake, but I let him lead always.

 

[RobFranco]

There's a whole paragraph there:

12 “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

You will do works like him and even greater works, but it will be through his power. You may be cutting a new trail and wondering why the brush is just melting like butter. He's still cutting. You still follow him.

This leads into the obvious: that we are his hands and feet. He doesn't carry us around like babies. We have to walk and sometimes run to keep up. We have to push cut brush aside. We have to reach out and grab others to pull them along. This is our work. It is our glorious work and not something to be ashamed of because he is doing the hard work. I call myself a Christian because I work on his path, in his wake, but I let him lead always.

That what you just said is very powerful. If only 3 billion of us Christians understood that the power of Christ is within each of us individuals, imagine the difference the world would be.

 

[BryanW92]

Wesley also said, "Love God with all your heart and love others as yourself and all the rest is just commentary"

When salvation comes, also comes a change of heart. Sometimes that change is slow, other times immediate. You can't judge your fellow Christians based on your own criteria because they are at different levels of maturity, or lack of. In the perfect world we would all live perfectly sanctified lives free of the temptations and problems life throws our way, but this isn't the perfect world and we aren't perfect people.

You want to know how weak many American Christians are. Preach a sermon that goes a few minutes past the norm and watch some in the congregation start looking at their watches. Must be wondering if they are going to need to wait in line at the restaurant for lunch. Spiritually we have a lot of the walking dead in our congregations today. When you start preaching about a change of heart many don't have a clue as to what your are talking about.

Many are weak because they are not taught well. They learn that a simple prayer given on a whim saves them. They learn OSAS and/or predestination. They learn that church is just a place of entertainment.

My favorite Wesley quote is this:

Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon Earth

When I set out to become a Lay Preacher, I told myself that I would be one of those hundred. This is why I'm leaving the UMC. The professional clergy no longer "fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God". It is becoming a spiritual desert as those who follow Jesus wherever he goes are leaving and those who see Jesus as little more than a waiter with a tray full of grace are staying.

In the Methodist revival days, people would spend weeks at a camp meeting, refusing to let it end until the Holy Spirit ended it. You're right. Today, you go over 10 minutes and they start looking at their watches...and during football season, they leave so they can get a good seat at the sports bar!

 

[BryanW92]

That what you just said is very powerful. If only 3 billion of us Christians understood that the power of Christ is within each of us individuals, imagine the difference the world would be.

Just imagine the power of Christ in RobFranco! Let everyone else work out their own mission. When you've completely poured yourself out and there's just nothing left of YOU, then you can worry about the other 2.999999999 billion Christians. As long as you still have some strength left, whatever you see laid before you is your mission. If someone is called to help, they will.

 

[RobFranco]

Just imagine the power of Christ in RobFranco! Let everyone else work out their own mission. When you've completely poured yourself out and there's just nothing left of YOU, then you can worry about the other 2.999999999 billion Christians. As long as you still have some strength left, whatever you see laid before you is your mission. If someone is called to help, they will.

Beautiful. But let's not forget bro, its a walk. Faith leads to Christ, but our walk is what truly matters. Like you said, Christ opened up the pathe for us, we must walk through it. I believe we should preach more about our walk with Christ more so about our faith in God.

 

[FanthatSpark]

amen brothers. iron sharpens iron, you two remind me of that verse Prov.27:17

 

[BryanW92]

Beautiful. But let's not forget bro, its a walk. Faith leads to Christ, but our walk is what truly matters. Like you said, Christ opened up the pathe for us, we must walk through it. I believe we should preach more about our walk with Christ more so about our faith in God.

The church has more walkers without faith than faithful who don't walk. When I preach, I preach to both because both groups need renewal.

But remember, the walk is just a metaphor. It's really your life. Your. Life. Find faith that can't be pushed aside and live on mission, and you will preach to all who see you. You may be the only bible that many people will ever read. No one is going to be led to go on mission (not "A Mission", but just mission--whatever God calls you to do) by a faceless guy on the internet.

I know too many people who serve because of their politics. They desire to help the homeless or feed the hungry because that's how their politics tell them they should be. They wind up resenting people, while reducing them in their own minds to something pitiful that they help. They quickly lose the love because they never had Jesus as their motivator. They start demanding that others help them for the same reasons because they're tired of doing it.

No, mission always comes from faith. And faith will not let you ignore your mission.

 

[RobFranco]

The church has more walkers without faith than faithful who don't walk. When I preach, I preach to both because both groups need renewal.

But remember, the walk is just a metaphor. It's really your life. Your. Life. Find faith that can't be pushed aside and live on mission, and you will preach to all who see you. You may be the only bible that many people will ever read. No one is going to be led to go on mission (not "A Mission", but just mission--whatever God calls you to do) by a faceless guy on the internet.

I know too many people who serve because of their politics. They desire to help the homeless or feed the hungry because that's how their politics tell them they should be. They wind up resenting people, while reducing them in their own minds to something pitiful that they help. They quickly lose the love because they never had Jesus as their motivator. They start demanding that others help them for the same reasons because they're tired of doing it.

No, mission always comes from faith. And faith will not let you ignore your mission.

I like that Bryan, i really do.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Jesus said simply "you must be perfect because your heavenly Father is perfect". He didn't say it is impossible. (for God.) it is doable, and done.
there are not, btw , even 1 billion, let alone 3 billion on earth serving God by faith in Jesus Christ.
the remnant spoken of all through Scripture is much fewer, by each persons choice they make for themselves - not anyone else's choice, just their own.

 

[BryanW92]

Jesus said simply "you must be perfect because your heavenly Father is perfect". He didn't say it is impossible. (for God.) it is doable, and done.
there are not, btw , even 1 billion, let alone 3 billion on earth serving God by faith in Jesus Christ.
the remnant spoken of all through Scripture is much fewer, by each persons choice they make for themselves - not anyone else's choice, just their own.

How many is your estimate?

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Luke 13:23-30

The Message (MSG)

23-25 A bystander said, “Master, will only a few be saved?”
He said, “Whether few or many is none of your business. Put your mind on your life with God. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires your total attention. A lot of you are going to assume that you’ll sit down to God’s salvation banquet just because you’ve been hanging around the neighborhood all your lives. Well, one day you’re going to be banging on the door, wanting to get in, but you’ll find the door locked and the Master saying, ‘Sorry, you’re not on my guest list.’
26-27 “You’ll protest, ‘But we’ve known you all our lives!’ only to be interrupted with his abrupt, ‘Your kind of knowing can hardly be called knowing. You don’t know the first thing about me.’
28-30 “That’s when you’ll find yourselves out in the cold, strangers to grace. You’ll watch Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets march into God’s kingdom. You’ll watch outsiders stream in from east, west, north, and south and sit down at the table of God’s kingdom. And all the time you’ll be outside looking in—and wondering what happened. This is the Great Reversal: the last in line put at the head of the line, and the so-called first ending up last.”

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

Luke 13:23-28

Amplified Bible (AMP)

23 And someone asked Him, Lord, will only a few be saved (rescued, delivered from the penalties of the last judgment, and made partakers of the salvation by Christ)? And He said to them,
24 Strive to enter by the narrow door [force yourselves through it], for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able.
25 When once the Master of the house gets up and closes the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door [again and again], saying, Lord, open to us! He will answer you, I do not know where [[a]what household—certainly not Mine] you come from.
26 Then you will begin to say, We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets.
27 But He will say, I tell you, I do not know where [[b]what household—certainly not Mine] you come from; depart from Me, all you wrongdoers!
28 There will be weeping and grinding of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves being cast forth (banished, driven away).

 

[BryanW92]

Luke 13:23-30

The Message (MSG)

23-25 A bystander said, “Master, will only a few be saved?”
He said, “Whether few or many is none of your business. Put your mind on your life with God. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires your total attention. A lot of you are going to assume that you’ll sit down to God’s salvation banquet just because you’ve been hanging around the neighborhood all your lives. Well, one day you’re going to be banging on the door, wanting to get in, but you’ll find the door locked and the Master saying, ‘Sorry, you’re not on my guest list.’
26-27 “You’ll protest, ‘But we’ve known you all our lives!’ only to be interrupted with his abrupt, ‘Your kind of knowing can hardly be called knowing. You don’t know the first thing about me.’
28-30 “That’s when you’ll find yourselves out in the cold, strangers to grace. You’ll watch Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets march into God’s kingdom. You’ll watch outsiders stream in from east, west, north, and south and sit down at the table of God’s kingdom. And all the time you’ll be outside looking in—and wondering what happened. This is the Great Reversal: the last in line put at the head of the line, and the so-called first ending up last.”

Yes, but what scale is this going to be? A million saved? A thousand? 12? 144,000? Are the odds so bad that it isn't even worth going to church tomorrow?? I mean, I am far from perfect, so is this all a waste of time?

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

What does Scripture say clearly. For your sake read it thoroughly, intensely, while praying desperately trustin and relying on Father to reveal the truth , all about salvation.

For those who on judgement day are told "be gone from Me(by the Judge), I never knew you" , for them, everything in their life was futile and empty, without hope because they did not rely on Yeshua's Faithfulness and trust in ABBA to complete His Work and Plan in them.
He, Yeshua, Jesus, tells them why they failed, but on judgment day it is too late.
That's one part of God's Plan, why He says in Scripture, "judge yourself now, today, so that you won't be judged later when the judgment is much more severe".

 

[BryanW92]

What does Scripture say clearly. For your sake read it thoroughly, intensely, while praying desperately trustin and relying on Father to reveal the truth , all about salvation.

OK. That makes sense.

Jesus isn't going to say "I don't know you" to people who were imperfect in life as long as they placed their trust in him for their entire life after their justification.

 

[yeshuaslavejeff]

correct, and realize it is a real and living trust, not a mental acceptance.
look through Scripture, O.T. and N.T., and see what most all the faithful DID, especially in the N.T., after they were immersed i Yeshua.
their lives were completely changed, and quite noticeably to others. they were able to, and proceeded to , please God with their faith by doing the works God appointed for them to do, generally as well as specifically. no couch potatoes, no! and no pew warmers... they became unselfish helpers , workers, givers, as Christ declared..