G
gideons300
Guest
Worldliness. How are we doing there? I know it might not be a pleasant subject to examine, and the truth is, discussing something like that where God's words and how we are living it out are often on opposite sides of the fence makes us darned uncomfortable.
Here is a good test to see if we as the church are being led by Christ or by the world around us. Which occupies the majority of our thoughts, our wants, our hopes and dreams? how do we spend our disposable income? What do we do with our free time?
What is our "treasure"? What MOVES us? Career? Kids? Money? Vacations? Cars? Sports teams? Hobbies? Food? Drugs? Sex? Our bodies and how we look? Clothes? Politics? Where is our treasure located? Because wherever our treasure is, there will be found our heart. This world or the next. Ultimately, after all the peripherals are cut away, that is what it boil down to... this world or the next. This kingdom or the kingdom to come. the God of this world, or the God of the Universe?
Does our treasure convict us or assure us that we are walking as those who are not of this world?
I think we have become numb, anesthesized to how far we have drifted, how much we let our eyes see, our ears hear, our bodies enjoy. I do not think we understand at all the call we all have to live as strangers and pilgrims in this life. Sojourners. Passers through. How are we doing?
We are all a part of the church that has mixed in so well with the world that one can hardly see any visual difference between believers and those outside the church. especially if they are upright and moral in their unbelief. Our divorce rate? Same as the world. 2.8 hours of TV a night? Check. Something is rotten in Denmark. And we do not want to be wakened up. Sorry. our house is on fire. Its time we awake from our dream that this life somehow matters in the eternal scheme of things.
Time to awake to righteousness and act like we are not our own, that we are bought with a price. No, we cannot do it, we do not even know where to start. It seems impossible, scary, demanding, NOT fun. But may I tell you all plainly? The most joy you can experience is found walking in the world to come in our hearts, eyes riveted on the one who is coming to gather those who are looking for Him, with NO hesitation. Those who hesitate? Others will be offered their places. Is that not what the word tells us?
The problem is, the fork in the road I speak of, the ultimate choice in each of our futures, is this:
Either we choose US, this world, OUR life, a little sin (just a little cause after all, I am only human), a life where our flesh is still in control but with our salvation always assured, in other words, what we have right now...
OR
We choose to cling to Him by putting off our old man, the one tied to this world, and to put on the new man, where the tentacles of covetousness simply are ineffective in swaying us from our goal, to serve God and help usher in His return, ushering in the REAL world.
Jesus said:
"A mans life does not consist of the abundance of the things that he possesses."
Do we get that? It consists of the abundance of the one who possesses US.
God has said that if we love the world, the love of the Father is not in us. Ouch.
One may not like these verses that convict, but the truth is, what the word is sharing here is dead on. I believe that every true Christian even KNOWS it to be true, that we are way too wordly, KNOWS they should be waking differently, not following and WANTING Madison Avenues or Wall Street's latest offerings or wanting life to revolve around THEM with God as an accessory rather than visa versa.. Most simply do not now how to "get there from here". There is a way, and it is easy for those who want to be freed from the love of this world, but do not know how. It is sure, and it is glorious. It is for you.
Blessings,
Gideon
Here is a good test to see if we as the church are being led by Christ or by the world around us. Which occupies the majority of our thoughts, our wants, our hopes and dreams? how do we spend our disposable income? What do we do with our free time?
What is our "treasure"? What MOVES us? Career? Kids? Money? Vacations? Cars? Sports teams? Hobbies? Food? Drugs? Sex? Our bodies and how we look? Clothes? Politics? Where is our treasure located? Because wherever our treasure is, there will be found our heart. This world or the next. Ultimately, after all the peripherals are cut away, that is what it boil down to... this world or the next. This kingdom or the kingdom to come. the God of this world, or the God of the Universe?
Does our treasure convict us or assure us that we are walking as those who are not of this world?
I think we have become numb, anesthesized to how far we have drifted, how much we let our eyes see, our ears hear, our bodies enjoy. I do not think we understand at all the call we all have to live as strangers and pilgrims in this life. Sojourners. Passers through. How are we doing?
We are all a part of the church that has mixed in so well with the world that one can hardly see any visual difference between believers and those outside the church. especially if they are upright and moral in their unbelief. Our divorce rate? Same as the world. 2.8 hours of TV a night? Check. Something is rotten in Denmark. And we do not want to be wakened up. Sorry. our house is on fire. Its time we awake from our dream that this life somehow matters in the eternal scheme of things.
Time to awake to righteousness and act like we are not our own, that we are bought with a price. No, we cannot do it, we do not even know where to start. It seems impossible, scary, demanding, NOT fun. But may I tell you all plainly? The most joy you can experience is found walking in the world to come in our hearts, eyes riveted on the one who is coming to gather those who are looking for Him, with NO hesitation. Those who hesitate? Others will be offered their places. Is that not what the word tells us?
The problem is, the fork in the road I speak of, the ultimate choice in each of our futures, is this:
Either we choose US, this world, OUR life, a little sin (just a little cause after all, I am only human), a life where our flesh is still in control but with our salvation always assured, in other words, what we have right now...
OR
We choose to cling to Him by putting off our old man, the one tied to this world, and to put on the new man, where the tentacles of covetousness simply are ineffective in swaying us from our goal, to serve God and help usher in His return, ushering in the REAL world.
Jesus said:
"A mans life does not consist of the abundance of the things that he possesses."
Do we get that? It consists of the abundance of the one who possesses US.
God has said that if we love the world, the love of the Father is not in us. Ouch.
One may not like these verses that convict, but the truth is, what the word is sharing here is dead on. I believe that every true Christian even KNOWS it to be true, that we are way too wordly, KNOWS they should be waking differently, not following and WANTING Madison Avenues or Wall Street's latest offerings or wanting life to revolve around THEM with God as an accessory rather than visa versa.. Most simply do not now how to "get there from here". There is a way, and it is easy for those who want to be freed from the love of this world, but do not know how. It is sure, and it is glorious. It is for you.
Blessings,
Gideon
