Hello everyone, with all the spring projects on the go, I didn’t realize I caught up with the last entries on the draft blog. Also, I started a personal bible study on the Book of Ezra that takes over an hour a day because I’m digging deeper into the scripture to ground me solidity in His redemptive plan and seeking His promises.
Another thought here, as much as I love the Morning and Evening devotional of Spurgeon that I usually post on Friday, I will cease posting them.
1. Genuine Love
How do you keep an eagerness for God and not live in continual spiritual sleepiness? Have you reached a point in your Christian life when you’ve said, “Is this it?” You might even have questioned your faith. Sadly, this will happen to us at one point or another. Getting ourselves into spiritual sleepiness is dangerous and unhealthy. One must fight to get out of that dormant stage, or sins will abound at every corner like a roaring lion ready to devour us from the little efforts made to stay close to Christ.
Our relationship has to start with God at the center of our life to extend our love to others.
Now that we have established that our relationship with God is the most significant part of our Christian life, we must learn how to love one another( John 13:34). I met many believers gifted in hospitality, mission work, servitude for their local church and a great love for their community, enough to inspire the most reluctant and inexperienced newborn believers such as I was in my early days. The love shared for one another was unbelievably comforting and peaceful.
In truth, this feeling of belonging to a local church deteriorated over time. Each time our family moved to another city, we felt outcasted and rejected by our fellow believers. It wasn’t entirely their fault; making short-term relationships with them was part of our doing.
2. Fervent in Spirit, Serve the Lord
If it is significant to devote our time to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ(John 1:1-3), we must build relationships with one another. “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). This can only be achieved by sharing the love we’ve for Christ and showing perfect courtesy toward all people (Titus 3:2). Yes, it’s risky, too personal, hurtful, and on a few occasions, burdensome. I’ve experienced all of those at one point or another. My beloved people, I have exhausted my energy mentally, physically, and spiritually, but I continued exercising in all good faith, for my task is: To love.
If you’re like me, you pour yourself into serving your local church in every possible way. By doing this, I’ve acquainted myself with many believers only in a few months. After that, it became evident that only a few individuals in the congregation ‘clicked’ with my temperament; I learned to appreciate their wisdom and knowledge of God for those believers who didn’t. Through them, I’ve learned it was significant to accept our God-given gifts and use them to build up each other. You see, even if we don’t have the same skills, goals, or temperament. Christ should be the center of our conversations.
Another danger I’ve seen in many churches recently is that many believers have become complacent and traditionalists. Their zeal for God was subdued to sinning in behaviour and opinions. Do not be surprised when an individual in this state of mind declares he/she isn’t a Christian. A very shameful and dangerous ground to linger with those who have no desire for God. “Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord” ~Romans 12:10 . So what should we do then?
The Sasquatch music festival 2009 shows one individual dancing alone. His persistent and rather comical dancing enticed others to join in the frenzy. It’s clever to watch. In the same way, as believers, we want to follow someone that will inspire us to grow and live for Christ. It’s a fact that we tend to copycat or emulate someone in behaviour or under cultural pressure.
This “perception-behavior link” refers to the unintentional, nonconscious effects of social perception on social behavior. Several consequences arise from the close link between perception and behavior. When we perceive the behaviors of others, we may proceed to unconsciously copy or mimic those behaviors
Sematic Schoolar
We should not have to dance foolishly to demonstrate our joy and love for Jesus Christ.
9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. 10 Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.11 Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. 13 Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality
~Romans 12:9-13
3. Rejoice in Hope
Rejoice that Jesus Christ was also tempted and understands our difficulties. In our afflictions, we tend to let our guards down, despair will sink into our hearts, anger will arise, and unbelief will disconnect us from God. We will go as far as to question God on everything, believing He doesn’t care at all. But that is a lie! God’s steadfast love endures, and he’s currently watching over us, sanctifying us in every possible way that we may glorify him. His gift of faith gives us the tools to endure anything thrown at us if we only believe it. “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” ~2 Corinthians 4:8-9.
Rejoice Jesus Christ has redeemed us and freed us from God’s wrath. We’re adopted daughters and sons of God. His unconditional love and mercy surpassed any other love man or woman gave. In our joy, we should thank God for his grace. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.
Rejoice in His sufferings because we would all be condemned without it. Our hope of salvation was revealed to us through scripture. A beautiful message of redemption and reconciliation is proclaimed worldwide (1 Peter 4:14). My dear Believers, lift your eyes to Jesus and praise His holy name, for you will not find better hope than the one Christ offered us on the cross. You’re free, no longer a slave. Rejoice in that promise!
4. Constant Prayer
Another sad fact is the absence of constant prayer. I’ve attended churches where there were no prayer meetings. But if they did, the prayer sounded feeble and like a medical convention, Praying for everyone’s mental and physical problems, forgetting that Jesus Christ is our Healer. There is nothing wrong with praying for healing for our friends and family, but we should respect God’s will. Our Creator should be revered before we go into supplication and confession. Remember the ACTS? “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake your steadfast love and your fervently pray.”
Further, we fervently pray with friends, spouses, and children but often fail to pray alone with God. Then how do we expect to understand His will or be convicted by the Holy Spirit through scripture? We cannot grow spiritually if we do not disconnect ourselves from this world. Being alone with God should give us a sense of assurance and intimacy with our best Friend. I’m as guilty as any of you, not seeking that much time with my Friend. But my consolation is that Jesus Christ forgave that lack of relationship with Him where I was at his feet like Mary. I rejoiced, cried, and poured my supplication and confessions to Him there. “Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.” ~Colossians 4:2.
Complacency doesn’t start in our churches; it begins in the privacy and comfort of our homes. Are we only praying when we’ve time or decided to do something else instead? Then we have given over to complacency. A dangerous place to be as a Christian.
The most dangerous prayer a human being could every pray, Lord, make me like Christ
~ Paul Washer
RESOURCES:
PrayingOverScripture 