Wednesday, August 28, 2013 (10 years later!)

Why We Can't Afford to Be Normal by World Standards

"Understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.  For people will be loves of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless...not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying the power.  Avoid such people" (2 Tim. 3:1-5,).

Hey Gang:  When was the last time you went to bed on Saturday night with the excitement of knowing you would be going to the Lord's house in the morning and rubbing elbows with God's family, getting a transfusion of His Word, singing and rejoicing as you worship the Lord with your whole being?

 To some, who read these morning thoughts, the statement I am about to make may sound bold and even questionable:” Most Christians are powerless.’  Hey, wait a minute, Did Jesus not say, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and earth, and I will be with you always even to the end of the age and that we should go out and make disciples?’  (Matt. 28:18-19). 

 Pastor Gary Wilkerson, President of World Crusade Ministries wrote the following message to his sheep: "Consider what 'normal' Christianity looks like today in the typical believer  This person is a bit self-seeking, a little materialistic, somewhat consumerist.  Most of his daily choices are about improving his life.  That include his spiritual pursuits, from the church groups to the podcasts he downloads to the seminars he attends.

 There's nothing wrong with any of these things.  Our Lord wants our lives to be blessed.  But for some Christians these are nothing more than worldly pursuits.  They're about self-improvement, not the Kingdom of God.  And they can drain a believer of true gospel power."

 He went on to say: "To me, what passes for normal Christianity today must be an outrage to God.  It's not only powerless, it is also passionless, lacking self-sacrifice.  In other words. it is cross-less –and, therefore, Christ-less!  Don't misunderstand:  I'm all about God's grace, and I wouldn't lay an undue burden on anyone.  But it's time for the church to take a spiritual inventory to see whether our "spiritual" pursuits are leading us closer to God's heart or causing us to run in circles."

I would humbly suggest that the second option might be more dangerous to your spiritual health.  Why?   Jesus declares that to whom much is given, much is required.  For someone whose life doesn't match the biblical truth he's been taught, Judgment Day will be a little scary.

Many of us have to make a tough admission-  That we want to know God's way and to hear gospel truth - but we can avoid living it.  Sadly, church culture today encourages this kind of life.  It's acceptable to enjoy sermons and enter into worship - yet go home entirely unchanged. 

 Sooooo, Whatever happened to a life of total surrender to Jesus?  What happened to being willing to lay down our lives for the Gospel's sake?  Paul said of his own testimony: "My speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power" (I Corinthians 2:4).

 IF we aren't living a life empowered by God, we can't blame the Lord.  It isn't because His grace lacks power. The problem is with us.  Question for you to ponder Are You A Normal or Abnormal Christian by World Standards?

 Blessings,

Gramps