“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” --Gandhi
I’m afraid that’s all too true even more today. In fact, the world has come to see us for everything we should not look like. In a poll by Barna researchers, Americans view Christians as judgmental, hypocritical, out of touch with reality, insensitive to others, and not accepting of other’s faiths. Christ countered each of these by forgiving, being genuine, truthful and aware, loving and inviting to members of all faiths.
I’m afraid that’s all too true even more today. In fact, the world has come to see us for everything we should not look like. In a poll by Barna researchers, Americans view Christians as judgmental, hypocritical, out of touch with reality, insensitive to others, and not accepting of other’s faiths. Christ countered each of these by forgiving, being genuine, truthful and aware, loving and inviting to members of all faiths.
God open our eyes to understand the revulsion of this.
The study shows that “American’s involvement in some type of
sexual behavior, including looking at on-line pornography, viewing sexually
explicit magazines or movies, or having an intimate sexual encounter outside of
marriage. In all, 30% or born again Christians
admitted to at least one of these activities in the last 30 days, compaired
with 35% of other Americans. In
statistical and practical terms, this means that the two groups are no
different from each other” (The Whole in our Gospel).
No different from eachother?!?!?
How can this possibly be?
We look nothing like our Jesus!
We can try to argue it, but the perception of the world were trying to reach screams back at us.
I dare you, Google image search 'christian' and see the impact we've really made.
I may be stretching, I have no biblical theology
foundations, but I think this is largely in part of our discipline. I once confessed to a ladies group that I had
been struggling and had not had my devotion time in four days. One by one the ladies present with me shared
that they also had either neglected their time with God several times that
week, or they never really had routine quiet time.
Discipline.
We were sharing all the struggles we had been having, not understanding
why it was so hard. It was because
without that time, we were doing it alone.
1 Peter 4 talks about suffering. In a discussion this weekend, this suffering
was compared closely to discipline. I
had never thought about this before.
This is not to say that they are the same, but comparable (again, no
bible scholar here, very flawed thinker making observations). Vs 13 says: “Instead be very glad—because these
trials will make you partners with Christ in his suffering and afterward you
will have the wonderful joy of sharing in His glory when it is displayed to all
the world”.
Without fellowship with other believers, we will grow
dull.
As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.–
Proverbs 27:17
Without prayer, we will grow sick and weak.
Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each
other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and
effective. James 6:5
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin
against you”. – Psalm 119:11
“My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all
times. 21You rebuke the arrogant, who are accursed, those who stray from your
commands.” Psalm 119:20-21
Instead of being defined by what I am against, I want to be
known by what I am for.
We must learn discipline. "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on,
however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have
been trained by it." Hebrews 12:11
~Katie~
After His heart
