Nyquil Christianity II

Matthew 28:18–20 (ESV)

 

18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I've commanded you and remember I am with you each and every day until the end of the age.

For the church to be the church and be transformational in kingdom thinking she (which is you and me) must bow before her King and embrace the mission given to her.  Really folks its not that complicated of a commission we have but its been all but abandoned in trade for a false gospel of "ME". 

For those that would say this is the job or duty of the pastor or evangelist would be ignoring the very words of Christ himself.  For some who have been saved for 5, 10, 15 or more years and have not been discipled or been part of discipling others is again either selfish or naive.  Please hear my heart as I am not trying to make anyone upset but I believe its time for the body and mechanism of the church to grow up and take its rightful place on earth today.

I see so many Facebook posts of so much political things from Christians that are upset that this country is not running according to the constitution and I would agree BUT also point out our real home again is not here.  The kingdom we belong to and its King have written us a way, a constitution if you will to live by and we ignore it. 

It is said that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.  It is interesting that the Greek word for martyr is translated as witness in our language.  Yes sometimes like public speaking being a witness for Christ can bring a fear as big as death to us but the first step of making disciples is to bear witness preaching the gospel to all the nations.  Dare I say we can start in our back yards. 

In the first century the people that turned the world upside down where persecuted and feared for their lives.  Many were killed and martyred and scattered to save their lives.  In this intense time the church GREW and transformed the world.  Seeing much influence in the world today?  Seeing much being transformed?  Me either?  Why?  Is God hiding?  No....but the current representation of Christ on earth today, his body, IS!

Yes I want our country back to where it once was.  Yes I want schools run better and our economic system run more constitutionally but those changes wont come to the voters box before it first comes to the church through reformation and repentance and going back to our calling.  All of these wishes and hopes we feel in lack in our lives stem from running away from our basic calling.  We have again been distracted by self and our needs and desires in this present place and time and that has our advisory the devil dancing with pleasure. 

Bear witness for the truth today!  Become a disciple of Christ and enter back into your pilgrimage to the Kingdom of God and turn from the kingdom of this earth.  God Bless!

In His Service and Under His Mercy!

Brian

Nyquil Christianity

Have you noticed that Christ is being marketed as NyQuil?  You know the sniffing, sneezing, coughing, aching, stuffy head, fever so you can rest medicine.  Jesus has been reduced to a quick bottle that we run to on the shelf that we take a "swig" and hope that it takes away all those symptoms away.

When I hear prayer requests it is very personal centric and individual in nature and not much about kingdom work.  Kingdom work, Brian, what are you talking about?  Didn't Jesus come to blah blah blah....fill in your own answer here____________________________________________.   If you didn't catch that Christ spoke more on the kingdom of God than any other subject you need to go back and read those red letters...lol!  I don't say that to be harsh but its really a heartfelt suggestion.  Yes!  Please go read your Bibles!

Side note:  I find it odd that many can quote Oprah and Dr. Oz more than the Bible and or this author or preacher more again than the Jesus and yet say they follow him.  Its not the gospel according to ....fill in your favorite author here__________________________ or preacher here_____________________________________.  To be a disciple of Christ means to walk in the dusty footprints that he walked and guess what folks for this life that is not a bed of roses and cheesecake.  MMMMMMM Cheesecake!  Seriously his footsteps lead to a cross and on the way there is let down, betrayal, death, doubt, misunderstanding, ungratefulness, traps, schemes to harm, work, obedience to the Father, and so many more hardships that I barely recognize what's being sold as Christianity today!

I hope to be blogging my thoughts of kingdom living and walking the way of Christ and hope to get your input and thoughts as well.  The first thought I have about kingdom living is first after being born again we become citizens of heaven and this place is no longer our home.  So what you might be saying...I already know that.  Well, do you believe it and live like it?  Let me restate it another way.  If we were kingdom minded and lived with a mindset again that this place is not our home and that we are to keep our minds on things that are above and not on things that are on the earth as it says in Colossians 3:1 then we would have different attitudes, actions, speech, expectations, thoughts and prayers.

We are distracted by self.  Distracted by want.  Distracted by discomfort!  We want some spiritual Nyquil to swallow down and make everything easy and restful and that is just a false gospel being preached to often these days.  Becoming a Christian is not a get rich, healthy and wise self improvement for self program.  One can argue that we do improve as we grow and walk in those dusty foot prints of Christ as we realize as the Apostles finally did that they were not there own and that if their Lord was mocked, spit upon, judged and killed that they too would have the same fate.  Why would we feel now that our lives would be different and here's the key folks IF WE LIVE AS HIS DISCIPLE.

So when we live no longer for this place and for self we really have the first glimpse of kingdom living.  Its hard to imagine that this is the life and more abundant that Christ has promised us because we cant trust that this type of living can be fulfilling.  But trust me its easier than trying to hold on to all your stuff, all your ego, and all that you thought you built for yourself.  There is so much more I can write but lets stop here for now and lets see what you have to say.

In His Service and under His Mercy!  Brian