~ Quick Check: How Are You Doing? ~
The “normal” Christian life—life as God wants it—includes a number of everyday activities. Unfortunately the “average” Christian life falls short of God’s desire for us. Here are a few of the daily activities of a normal Christian.
Daily reading of the Word of God ~ “Ezra read from God’s Word daily, from the first day to the last day” (Nehemiah 8:18). ~ Are you growing daily in your knowledge of God because of a regular pattern of being in God’s Word?
Constant prayer to the Lord about everything ~ “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). “I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere” (1 Timothy 2:8). “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7). ~ Are you in continual prayer?
Constant praising of the Lord ~ “There will be constant praise for Him. His people will bless Him all day long” (Psalm 72:15). ~ Are you in a constant worshipful attitude? Are you continually aware of all the blessings God sends your way?
Daily exhortation of one another ~ “Exhort one another daily, while it is called "Today," lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13). ~ Do you regularly go out of your way to seek opportunities to encourage another Christian? Are you mentally and emotionally helpful to your brothers and sisters in Christ?
Daily cross to bear ~ “Then Jesus said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels’” (Luke 9:23-26). ~ Is it your habit to put God’s will ahead of your own will?
Daily renewal of our spirituality ~ “We do not become discouraged—utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear. Though our outer man is progressively decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being progressively renewed day after day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). ~ Did you grow in your spiritual strength yesterday? Are you today? Will you tomorrow? Essential parts of the solution to spiritual growth are the regular activities listed above.
CONTEMPLATE: How are you doing in your Christian life? Would God evaluate your progress the same way? If you were on trial for being a Christian would there be enough evidence to convict you?
Showing posts with label average Christianity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label average Christianity. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The Christian’s 3 Choices
~ 3 Options from Romans 12:1-2 ~
The Christian makes daily choices as to whether he will be transformed into a Christ-like person, conformed into the mold of society around him, or a third option—become deformed!
“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2).
Transformed ~ This option is clearly what our Lord desires for us. We are transformed as we study the Word of God, spend in time in prayer, and train ourselves in spiritual disciplines. As we sincerely try to do the will of God, He transforms us.
The Hebrew word translated “transformed” is the same word translated “changed” in 2 Corinthians 3:18. This word is only used twice in Scripture in reference to Christians.
One of the many reasons that consistent transformation is difficult is that, as our passage says, we are “living sacrifices,” we have the ability to keep crawling off the altar.
Jim Elliot, a well-known martyred missionary, wrote: “One does not surrender a life in an instant—that which is lifelong can only be surrendered in a lifetime.”
Conformed ~ A second option comes easily as we “go with the flow” around us and become conformed to the pattern of the world around us. Sadly, this is often the case even within Christian groups. Sometimes this situation exists because there was never a decision to make Jesus Christ the Lord of one’s life. The free gift of salvation was received but then life goes on as if nothing significant happened.
When I was young I often heard someone described as a “spiritual giant.” I believe that is a completely erroneous term. To be transformed is “normal Christianity” as viewed from God’s eyes. To be conformed is “average Christianity” as we view the situation around us in developed countries. In other words, those who are truly transformed are approaching true Christianity and the rest of us are “spiritual pigmies” with regard to our Christian growth.
Deformed ~ The third and final option which is not specifically mentioned in these two verses is not good—we become deformed by trying to be transformed while we are willing to be conformed to the world in areas of our interests. Past generations referred to this a “carnal Christianity”—which is really an oxymoron! Entire local churches can be deformed and such is the case of the Laodicean church in Revelation 3:14-19 which God describes as lukewarm. In a stern warning He says He will spit them out of His mouth.
God grant us all the desire, perseverance, and grace to be transformed into His likeness that we should not be ashamed when He returns for us. Repentance is a requirement for salvation—transformation is our calling!
CONTEMPLATE: If Romans 12:1-2 is true for your heart and you make Proverbs 3:5-6 real in your life and use Colossians 3:17 for every decision, you can be guaranteed a happy, successful, and fruitful Christian life.
The Christian makes daily choices as to whether he will be transformed into a Christ-like person, conformed into the mold of society around him, or a third option—become deformed!
“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:1-2).
Transformed ~ This option is clearly what our Lord desires for us. We are transformed as we study the Word of God, spend in time in prayer, and train ourselves in spiritual disciplines. As we sincerely try to do the will of God, He transforms us.
The Hebrew word translated “transformed” is the same word translated “changed” in 2 Corinthians 3:18. This word is only used twice in Scripture in reference to Christians.
One of the many reasons that consistent transformation is difficult is that, as our passage says, we are “living sacrifices,” we have the ability to keep crawling off the altar.
Jim Elliot, a well-known martyred missionary, wrote: “One does not surrender a life in an instant—that which is lifelong can only be surrendered in a lifetime.”
Conformed ~ A second option comes easily as we “go with the flow” around us and become conformed to the pattern of the world around us. Sadly, this is often the case even within Christian groups. Sometimes this situation exists because there was never a decision to make Jesus Christ the Lord of one’s life. The free gift of salvation was received but then life goes on as if nothing significant happened.
When I was young I often heard someone described as a “spiritual giant.” I believe that is a completely erroneous term. To be transformed is “normal Christianity” as viewed from God’s eyes. To be conformed is “average Christianity” as we view the situation around us in developed countries. In other words, those who are truly transformed are approaching true Christianity and the rest of us are “spiritual pigmies” with regard to our Christian growth.
Deformed ~ The third and final option which is not specifically mentioned in these two verses is not good—we become deformed by trying to be transformed while we are willing to be conformed to the world in areas of our interests. Past generations referred to this a “carnal Christianity”—which is really an oxymoron! Entire local churches can be deformed and such is the case of the Laodicean church in Revelation 3:14-19 which God describes as lukewarm. In a stern warning He says He will spit them out of His mouth.
God grant us all the desire, perseverance, and grace to be transformed into His likeness that we should not be ashamed when He returns for us. Repentance is a requirement for salvation—transformation is our calling!
CONTEMPLATE: If Romans 12:1-2 is true for your heart and you make Proverbs 3:5-6 real in your life and use Colossians 3:17 for every decision, you can be guaranteed a happy, successful, and fruitful Christian life.
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