Today's Religion

I love what the late founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, Bill Bright said, "We should live our life in such a way that when we crossover into heaven God has very little changing to do." This truth is so timely for 2016. We have been inundated with today's religion that calls evil good and good evil. Christians cuss, drink to the point of drunkenness, carouse, live in jealously, and create strife with those around them. And rather than being ashamed of their behavior and grieved because of sin, they simply say, "I'm just being real." Jesus didn't die a brutal death, spend time in hell and endure the pain of having His Father turn His back on Him just so Christians could be "real" by glorifying their sin! In my opinion these Christians suffer from one of two problems: they are either lazy, rebellious and unappreciative or they are ignorant. It takes hard work, faith, and selflessness to try to live a life that grows less and less sinful each day. Jesus never once said, "It's okay, I'll heal you and I'll provide all of your needs. You just go ahead and keep sinning. Do what you want. Pay no attention to Me." No! Quite the contrary! When Jesus healed anyone, when Jesus spoke to anyone, when Jesus supped with anyone, when Jesus provided a need, He always, without exception, told them to "sin no more" or He encouraged them to obey the commands of God. 

Romans 13:12 says, "The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts (sin)." We are to put off the wicked deeds of sin, which go rampant at night, and live holy (set apart, different, righteous, pure) just as God is holy. Without the powerful help of Holy Spirit, we are incapable of living righteously. Our reliance must rest in Him because we are met each day with people who are hurt, angry, and controlling; people, who in their misery want to make others miserable too. We are afforded opportunity after opportunity to act like prodigals and without God's help we cannot keep from giving into that pressure. We also make decisions, all by ourselves, that prevent us from living lives that are glorifying to God. Because of discontentment and jealously we think that someone else's life is more appealing than our own. Perhaps their spouse is better looking than our's or seems to be more sexually assertive. Maybe they drive a nicer car or live in a bigger house. Or, could it be that they have a better paying or more prestigious job. What we don't realize is that they have problems, hardships and frustrations too. After walking in the shoes of your neighbor's for awhile, I promise you, before too long, you would want your shoes back. These attitudes, or perhaps fears, motivate us to do things that are sin according to Scripture. Many people have affairs, leave their spouses, quit their jobs, party hardy, neglect their children, lie, cheat and anything else to look better, feel better and promote themselves. People fool themselves, believing the lie that says to look cool, be cool, and measure up, you have to act like the world. So Not true.  

James 4:17 says, "Therefore, to the one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin." I remember the Lord ministering to me one morning in my personal quiet time. I was frustrated by the way Christians behave. I mean lets face it, when a person uses profanity most of them have to deliberately speak it. Granted for some, cussing is their native language, just like lying is satan's native language, but it is probably safe to say that these people really do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and in this blog we are talking about people who know Jesus...Christians. As God and I were conversing, He said, "They don't know, you (and other Christians) have to tell them. So here I am, for the many of you who simply do not know, I am telling you. God expects you to "put off the old man and all of his evil deeds and put on the new man who is alive in Christ." Scripture shows us over and over what sin looks like. It also shows us what a believer in Christ looks like. We are to get rid of filthy communication, gossip, slander, drunkenness, jealousy, carousing, hate, pride, greed, lying and the sin list goes on. 

If you are Christian, a true follower of Christ, one who is a disciple of Christ, then you are to strive for a sinless life. A life that pleases God. Large religious entities are telling us that "God accepts us just they way we are. Go ahead, do what you want, you are already forgiven." That is a half-truth! And a half-truth is a whole lie. Salvation and the forgiveness of sins, past, present and future are not to be used as a license to sin. We are free in Christ, but Galatians 5:13 tells us to "not turn our freedom into an opportunity for the flesh." In Scripture, "flesh" is to be carnal and carnality is to have an animalistic appetite for the world. If you would like, picture dogs that smell a female in heat. God loves us too much to let us stay the way we are when we first trusted in Him as Lord and Savior. We are to be a shinning light in a dark and pain riddled world. A world that is desperate for the love and forgiveness of Holy God. 

I can say like Paul, because I understand where he was coming from when it came to a life once embedded in sin, "I am the chiefest of sinners." I struggle everyday between doing the right thing and the easy thing. It would be so much easier to give into the pressures of being foolish. Acting ugly. Demanding my own way. Getting drunk when I'm angry or hurt. (Well, I don't really struggle with wanting to get drunk, but many of you do.) Looking for a better, more rewarding life...for all the self-satisfying, gratifying, and edifying reasons. Actually, my life is very good. Yet, am I ever reaching for more, knowing full well that God has more for me everyday? Yes! Still, I wouldn't want to walk in anyone else's shoes, but trying them on might be fun for 30 minutes -- that is until their reality sets in. The hard road is the high road. It is the road less traveled. The road that says, "I'm going to do the right thing because it is the right thing. It will glorify God, and hopefully, it will be a consistent and good witness to others. I want to encourage you today to be a believer that God delights in. One who strives to live a wholly, holy and pure life. We have sugar coated sin and discipleship with toxic waste. Don't believe the lie! God does love us; He does accept us; He does dance over us; He does forgives us, but He also wants His children to be holy and pure and righteous, because He is holy and pure and righteous. Is it hard? You bet it is! But Holy Spirit enables the children of God to do, be, achieve and become all that God intends for His kids to. And, He does it without added unnecessary and ungodly behavior. Woman Beautiful and Mighty Man of God, change your attitude toward your walk with and witness for Jesus Christ. Change your world! Be a positive witness for the Kingdom of God. Help them know that with God, all things are new, different, better. And be reminded of this, in the words of the Apostle John, 1 John 2:1-2, "My little children, (a term of endearment) I am writing these things that you may not sin. And IF anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins (the One who keeps us in God's favor, because He paid the ultimate price for our sins); and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world." The Bible doesn't say, "when" we sin, it says, "if" we sin. Strive for holiness. You are redeemed, bought and paid for in full, with the precious blood and life of Jesus Christ. 

Love and Sweet Blessings to you, Amanda  

(For holy and righteous Christlike living see the book of Colossians, the Holy Bible)