In Search of a Christian

I've been reading The Irresistible Revolution living as an ordinary radical by Shane Claiborne. I'm only into it 5 chapters and it has really stirred my heart. I'm ready to be an ordinary radical. I wanted to share a portion of chapter 3. So here we go! Enjoy!

In Search of a Christian

I remember when one of my colleagues said, "Shane, I am not a Christian anymore." I was puzzled, for we had gone to theology classes together, studied Scripture, prayed, and worshiped together. But I could see the intensity and sincerity in his eyes as he continued, "I gave up Christianity in order to follow Jesus." Somehow, I knew what he meant.

I wondered what it would look like if we decided to really follow Jesus. In fact, I wasn't exactly sure what a fully devoted Christian looked like, or if the world had even seen one in the last few centuries. From my desk at college, it looked like some time back we had stopped living Christianity and just started studying it. The hilarious words of nineteenth-century Danish philosopher Soren Kierkeegaard resonated in my thirsty soul:

The matter is quite simple. The Bible is very easy to understand. But we Christians are a bunch of scheming swindlers. We pretend to be unable to understand it because we know very well that the minute we understand, we are obliged to act accordingly. Take any words in the New Testament and forget everything except pledging yourself to act accordingly. My God, you will say, if I do that my whole life will be ruined. How would I ever get on in the world? Herein lies the real place of Christian scholarship. Christian scholarship is the Church's prodigious invention to defend itself against the Bible, to ensure that we can continue to be good Christians without the Bible coming too close. Oh, priceless scholarship, what would we do without you? Dreadful it is to fall into the hands of the living God. Yes, it is even dreadful to be alone with the New Testament. (Soren Kierkegaard, Provocations: Spiritual Writings of Kierkegaard, ed. Charles E. Moore (Farmington, PA: Plough, 2002), 201.

I knew we were not going to win the masses to Christianity until we began to live it. So I went on a quest. I went looking for a Christian. I looked around hoping to find someone else who might be asking, What if Jesus meant the stuff he said? And I kept coming across dead people. (pages 71-72)

After reading this I connected with it. I see how lots of dead people can talk Christianity, but living it seems to be a dead end. Just the other day I was talking to a stranger, and listening to his words he spoke. Within the first 5 minutes he used the Lord's name in vain and a couple of other choice words that Christians should not speak. In our conversation he claimed to be Christian. How does foul language represent Christ? Are we not called to bear good fruit?

Over time I've become discontent living in "Disneyland America", sad but true is some Christians seem to have forgotten that this is not our home. Are we just passing through or are we planning to stay forever? Instead of seeking Christ we seem to have decided to seek our own desires. Did we forget that the Bible says "this world is passing away"?

Church, let me encourage you. Our lives should reflect Christ. Our walk should match the Word. Let's live in away that shows we are rich in God and poor in the things of this world. Many unbeliever's are looking into the church and seeing no difference between their life and a believer's life, causing them to think why do I need this Jesus Christ? They don't understand that we are born separate from God. They don't understand that Christ brings us home to God. They don't understand that you can't serve God and money, nor love the world and Christ. They don't understand and neither does the church.

Let's take the words of Jesus seriously. Let's be living sacrifices in this fallen world. Christ must become greater; we must become less. Let's get it and live it!

Keep pressing, keep praying, keep growing in the Lord!

Necessity of Systematic Theology

I've been reading and studying systematic theology. I've been coming across some good stuff. Wanted to share with you why systematic theology is and should be important in your daily walk with God. In the book, "The Moody Handbook of Theology" they discuss 3 points of the necessity of systematic theology. Enjoy and keep pressing, keep praying, keep building up the Kingdom of God!

NECESSITY OF SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY

1. AS AN EXPLANATION OF CHRISTIANITY - Systematic theology is necessary as a researched and studied explanation as well as a systematic organization of the doctrines that are foundational and necessary to Christianity. As a result of systematic theology, Christians are able to have a clear understanding about the fundamental beliefs of the Christian faith. The Bible was not written in a doctrinal outline; hence, it is important to systematize the parts of the Bible to understand the doctrinal emphasis of the entire Bible.
2. AS AN APOLOGETIC FOR CHRISTIANITY - Systematic theology enables Christians to defend their beliefs rationally against opponents and antagonists to the faith. Early in the Christian church believers used their systematized beliefs to address opponents and unbelievers. This is perhaps even more important today with the emergence of humanism, Communism, cults, and Eastern religions. The systemized doctrines of the Christian faith must be researched, delineated, and presented as a defense of historic Christianity.
3. AS A MEANS OF MATURITY FOR CHRISTIANS - Systematic theology is an assertions of Christian truth; these same truths are essential to the maturity of believers (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Paul's writings make it clear that doctrine (theology) is foundational to Christian maturity, inasmuch as Paul normally builds a doctrinal foundation in his epistles (e.g., Eph. 1-3) before he exhorts believers to live correctly (e.g. Eph. 4-6). Also many Christians have faithfully attended church services for decades and yet have little understanding of the major doctrines of the Christian faith. Yet a knowledge of correct doctrine is important in Christian maturity; moreover, it protects the believer from error (cf. 1 John 4:1, 6; Jude 4).

REQUIREMENTS OF SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY

INSPIRATION AND INERRANCY OF SCRIPTURE

• No adequate theology is possible without a belief in the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture. If this doctrine is abandoned, reason becomes the source of authority and reason sits in judgment upon the text of Scripture.

How You Walk?

Proverbs 27:19
As water reflects a face,
so a man's heart reflects the man.

The Bible is clear that the way you walk will be a true reflection of your heart. It's easy these days to talk a big talk, but in the end your reflection will be shown through your actions. Words can be deceptive, misleading, rationalizing...But our actions are the very words that the heart will speak.

How are you as a Christian living your life out before the eyes of the world? Are you living with the reflection of Christ or with the reflection of the world? Do you have a hunger for God's Word, God's holiness, a desire that all you do, you do it for the glory of God? How long have you been a Christian? Over time have you changed? Are you becoming a Romans 12 Christian?

You see, when God saved you He doesn't just leave you alone. Imagine a child going to kindergarten for the first time, do you just pull up and drop them off and say, have a great day and I'll see you after school gets out. If you get lost just ask a stranger for directions. Does this seem correct? NO WAY that would be a major disaster, quite possibly that child would never want to go back. My point is this, if God is going to save you from His wrath through the blood of Christ, wouldn't He change you to be more like Christ? Wouldn't God give you a new heart with new desires, new joys, a new attitude, a new song in your heart?

God gives us everything we need, His Son, His Word, His Holy Spirit as tools that will help us along the path of life when we choose to live for Him. Over time we as Christians should be seeing some change come into our lives. We start to do things differently, talk differently, handles problems differently. We see the world through new eyes. Our heart starts to beat for the lost. Our greatest desire is to be sold out for the greater cause of Christ. Our love for the things of this world fade, and our love for the Lord increases.

We can only be two types of Christians.

• "FC" - fake Christian
• "LC" - Legit Christian

We as Christians should be living in a way that reflects the image, the love, the mercy, the grace of Christ. We should be growing up into mature Christians, Christians that would look and act that they belong to God's church. Let’s be 2 Timothy 2:15. Let’s be pure and holy, set apart to do God's work.

God elects (chosen), then justifies (declared guiltless), then sanctifies (make holy), then glorifies (reign with Christ) us in the life to come.

Bottom line is if your faith has not changed you, it has not saved you. Meaning if your a "LC" on Sundays, but Monday through Saturday your an "FC" there is a real problem. Let's abide in Jesus' Words. We are only fooling ourselves if we think that the impure things, impure people of this life are fit for God's Kingdom! So ask yourself, are you fit for God's Kingdom?

An American Tragedy : How Not To Finish Your One Life

I will tell you what a tragedy is. I will show you how to waste your life. Consider a story from the February 1998 edition of Reader's Digest, which tells about a couple who "took early retirement from their jobs in the Northeast five years ago when he was 59 and she was 51. Now they live in Punta Gorda, Florida, where they cruise on their 30 foot trawler, play softball and collect shells." At first, when I read it I thought it might be a joke. A spoof on the American Dream. But it wasn't. Tragically, this was the dream: Come to the end of your life--your one and only precious, God-given life--and let the last great work of your life, before you give an account to your Creator, be this: playing softball and collecting shells. Picture them before Christ at the great day of judgment: "Look, Lord. See my shells." That is a tragedy. And people today are spending billions of dollars to persuade you to embrace that tragic dream. Over against that, I put my protest: Don't buy it. Don't waste your life. (John Piper, Don't Waste Your Life, pg.46)

Mark 8:36 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?

People, truth be told, we will all stand before Christ for the life we live here on earth. And a life lived apart from God will be spent in eternity hell apart from God. You might ask, what does hell looks like?

Matthew 22:13 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

Don't Waste Your Life! Jesus Christ saves us from the American Dream!

Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

A Tragedy In The Making

You may not be sure that you want your life to make a difference. Maybe you don't care very much whether you make a lasting difference for the sake of something great. You just want people to like you. If people would just like being around you, you'd be satisfied. Or if you could just have a good job with a good wife, or husband, and a couple of good kids and a nice car and long weekends and a few good friends, a fun retirement, and a quick and easy death, and no hell -- if you could have all that (even without God)--you would be satisfied. That is a tragedy in the making. A wasted life. (John Piper, Don't Waste Your Life, pg. 45)

Is your life making eternal differences? Are you taking your love for the world and transferring it into your love for the Lord? Are you saved?

1 John 2:15
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

Mason David

On March 30th @ 1:27pm the Lord brought Mason David into this world. What a joy it was. The birth of a child is a true miracle and mystery of God. He weighed 7lb. 13oz. and was 20 1/4" long. I was able to have 2 weeks off to enjoy some of the early process. I praise God for a safe delivery and fast recovery for my wife. Children are a blessing from the Lord!

Guard Your Eyes Against the World's Many Temptations

Another great devotion that I had to share. Taken from Above all Else - Directions for life - Pg. 78-81. Enjoy and keep pressing into Jesus!

Look straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. Proverbs 4:25 NLT

It's inevitable: today you will be tempted by somebody or something - in fact, you will probably be tempted on countless occasions. Why? Because you live in a world that's filled to the brim with temptations and addictions that are intended to lead you far away from God.

Here in the 21st century, temptations are now completely and thoroughly woven into the fabric of everyday life. Seductive images are everywhere; subtle messages tell you that it's okay to sin "just a little"; and to make matters even worse, society doesn't just seem to endorse godlessness, it actually seems to reward it. Society spews forth a wide range of messages, all of which imply that it's OK to rebel against God. These messages, of course, are extremely dangerous and completely untrue.

How can you guard your heart against society's tidal wave of temptations? Be learning to direct your thoughts and your eyes in ways that are pleasing to God...and by relying upon Him to deliver you from the evils that threaten you. And here's the good news: the Creator has promised (not implied, not suggested, not insinuated - He has promised!) that with His help, you can resist every single temptation that confronts you.

When it comes to fighting Satan, you are never alone. God is always with you, and if you do your part He will do His part. But what, precisely, is your part? A good starting point is simply learning how to recognize the subtle temptations that surround you. The images of immorality are ubiquitous, and they're intended to hijack your mind, your heart, your pocketbook, your life, and your soul. Don't let them do it.

Satan is both industrious and creative; he's working 24/7, and he's causing pain, heartache, trauma, and tragedy in more ways than ever before. You, as a Christian man of God, must remain watchful and strong - starting today and ending never.

A tip for guarding your heart
You live in a society where temptations are everywhere. Your task is to avoid places where you might be tempted to disobey God.

God's Words of Wisdom

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13

The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations. 2 Peter 2:9

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Ephesians 6:11

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin. Hebrews 4:15

Summing it up
Because you live in a temptation-filled world, you must guard your eyes, your thoughts, and your heart - ALL DAY, EVERY DAY!