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
2 comments:
Thanks Brian, sometimes our prayers are self centered. The people who rushed at Jesus for healing and fish and bread were self centered as well. We do need a Kingdom vision to get beyond ourselves. Too often my self centered prayers are only about my discomfort. Paul knew that life here was crappy but also got the Kingdom vision that nothing would ever separate him from the power and grace of Jesus. When I think about some of the stupid crap I have prayed for over the years it is embarrasing but somehow He still calls me to Himself in spite of my shallowness.
Yep I too am chief among sinners in this case..... Breaking out of that and looking above!!
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