A couple days ago a friend called me to tell me about his western civilization professor and what he was teaching. It turns out this professor of history was using his stage to disprove Jesus Christ as King. My buddy was angry and so was I. I thought this was very cowardly and spineless of the professor to use his class to push points of inaccuracy on a bunch of impressionable kids. Just like Peter, my friend and I first reaction was to cut to someone’s ear off…to fight! But is this what Jesus would want us to do? No way!
It seems like we as followers always get angry when someone tries to verbally deny who Jesus Christ is. But do we as believers get so angry when we deny Christ by our own lifestyle? This should be a far greater source of anger for you. I feel like we followers need to take this passion against non-Christians and instead direct to our own
sinful flesh. Christ made it clear to us that we must love instead of argue and hate. Jesus was asking for forgiveness for the men who were nailing to Him to the cross. What more of an example do we need? Instead of fighting others who don’t follow Christ, we need to fight our sinful desires so we can be better examples of Christ for those same non-believers. Stop looking at others so harshly but look at yourself with that same harshness. Wage the war against your flesh not atheist’s. Remember how enraged Peter was in the garden of Gethsemane? When those Romans came to arrest Jesus, Peter was so mad that he pulled his sword and tried to kill one of them. That’s passion for Jesus! But what if Peter would have used that same passion 2-3 hours later against his flesh so that he would not have denied Christ three times? Use your passion for Christ the way He wants you to use it…loving others unconditionally. Christianity is not about looking outward but looking inward.
I hope my buddy who had this professor will pray for the ability to love this professor. You never know who you can or will be a light to. Reflecting Christ’s love, not hateful attacks will change people. Pray for the ability to sincerely love those who persecute us and Jesus.
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
Fighting other people, arguing with other people will get us no where. Jesus made this clear to his disciples.
Friday, February 18, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Turning Your Back
While Jesus Christ was walking on earth he had eternal perspective. Eternal perspective meaning, he made decisions on earth that mean something after death. Eternal perspective for you and I would be like trying to resist sin knowing we will be rewarded for it in Heaven. Jesus did not live for this world and the stresses of this world or to seek approval from anybody in this world. Jesus Christ had a mission while he was here on earth and that was to prepare people for their judgment, their eternal dwelling place. This was the cause of Jesus Christ and He wanted disciples that were willing to be the same way.
When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.
Then a teacher of the law came to him and said,
“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
Most of the people I have read this verse with think Jesus is asking too much of this man. Jesus is asking this man to leave his mourning family behind to follow Him. Why couldn’t Jesus just wait until after the burial and then let this man follow Him? It’s clear that this man wants to follow Jesus; he just wants to bury his dad? Right? But its clear Jesus was exposing this man for not completely wanting to leave his old life. Anyways, should Jesus Christ really have to wait on anyone? This man was still attached to the world he wanted to leave behind. I’m pretty sure if this guy was 100% in with Christ, Jesus would have made sure he was there for the funeral of his father. Either way, Jesus knows how eternity is going to go, he knew this man could possibly see his father again in the after life. This is the last account we have of this guy; he was gone after this story. So, its clear Jesus called it like it was. This man’s heart was not all there. Perhaps it was a case of this man hearing Jesus speak one time, the man was filled up spiritually after hearing the teaching, but soon after the word was choked out by the world. Why are you attached to this world, why do you put others ahead of Christ? Your wife, your kids, your mother or father, nobody should be ahead of Christ in your priorities. Christ said in Matt. 10:
Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
It’s so easy to love Jesus Christ. If you actively seek Him, and spend time with Him, if you read about Him and truly seek Him, I promise you will fall in love with Christ. Pray that the Spirit will reveal the truth to you about Jesus Christ, don’t take someone else’s opinion. Your eyes will be opened to this verse above and you will know that you could not love anybody more than Christ. You have to turn your back to this world and follow Jesus Christ unconditionally, this is not a task, your soul will rejoice and burdens will be lifted. Some people in your life will accept your calling and some people won’t, you will find out who truly cares about you. Bottom line is this, nobody in your life besides Jesus Christ has the power and authority to give you eternal life, to love you as unconditionally as He does, to carry you through your trials this life will present to you and nobody or no thing can come close to fulfilling you like Jesus Christ will. It’s time to turn your back on this world and follow Jesus Christ.
When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake.
Then a teacher of the law came to him and said,
“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.”
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
Most of the people I have read this verse with think Jesus is asking too much of this man. Jesus is asking this man to leave his mourning family behind to follow Him. Why couldn’t Jesus just wait until after the burial and then let this man follow Him? It’s clear that this man wants to follow Jesus; he just wants to bury his dad? Right? But its clear Jesus was exposing this man for not completely wanting to leave his old life. Anyways, should Jesus Christ really have to wait on anyone? This man was still attached to the world he wanted to leave behind. I’m pretty sure if this guy was 100% in with Christ, Jesus would have made sure he was there for the funeral of his father. Either way, Jesus knows how eternity is going to go, he knew this man could possibly see his father again in the after life. This is the last account we have of this guy; he was gone after this story. So, its clear Jesus called it like it was. This man’s heart was not all there. Perhaps it was a case of this man hearing Jesus speak one time, the man was filled up spiritually after hearing the teaching, but soon after the word was choked out by the world. Why are you attached to this world, why do you put others ahead of Christ? Your wife, your kids, your mother or father, nobody should be ahead of Christ in your priorities. Christ said in Matt. 10:
Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
It’s so easy to love Jesus Christ. If you actively seek Him, and spend time with Him, if you read about Him and truly seek Him, I promise you will fall in love with Christ. Pray that the Spirit will reveal the truth to you about Jesus Christ, don’t take someone else’s opinion. Your eyes will be opened to this verse above and you will know that you could not love anybody more than Christ. You have to turn your back to this world and follow Jesus Christ unconditionally, this is not a task, your soul will rejoice and burdens will be lifted. Some people in your life will accept your calling and some people won’t, you will find out who truly cares about you. Bottom line is this, nobody in your life besides Jesus Christ has the power and authority to give you eternal life, to love you as unconditionally as He does, to carry you through your trials this life will present to you and nobody or no thing can come close to fulfilling you like Jesus Christ will. It’s time to turn your back on this world and follow Jesus Christ.
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