I have been a Christian for as long as I can remember. But what troubles me greatly is that although I believe God forgives people, for some reason I struggle to believe God has forgiven me! Even though I know without a doubt I am a Christian, I walk in a way that still believes God harbors anger toward me, at least with certain sins. As if some sins are forgivable and others are not. Yet if somebody else said this exact same thing I'd think "That's ridiculous! Of course God has forgiven ALL of your sins." So why do I struggle to believe it for myself?
One time I was out with my mentor and friend and admitted this embarrassing fact about myself. Well it is embarrassing to me because I have been a Christian for 20+ years and it is one of the fundamental truths of our faith...and I STILL don't get it. Not to mention I went to church my whole life, a Christian high school, was involved in youth group, went to 2 different Christian Universities, a seminary AND am a pastor's wife...and I still don't get it. If I can't grasp such a simple concept, how will I grasp more? Anyway, her response was that, it's not like God looks down from Heaven and says about people: "you're forgiven, you're forgiven, you're forgiven, oh Julie Reimer?? Naw not you, you're forgiven, you're forgiven.." etc. Of course I know she is right, but it is hard to believe sometimes.
THEN I watched this video last week:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUUmhnOPBdE
Talk about life changing. The dumb part is that I have heard this my whole life...but didn't GET IT until now. How many times have I heard the Bible verse Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
In the youtube video, the pastor Matt Chandler makes a good point. It's not like Jesus went to the cross thinking we'd be perfect. He KNEW how messed up we'd be. He KNEW we are major screw ups. And like Matt says, THAT IS THE POINT OF THE CROSS! The cross isn't there for the perfect, it's there for idiots like us. You'd think I would of understood this years ago but I didn't. Well I understood the concept but didn't believe it. NOW that I get it, I can walk in the freedom Christ offers. I don't have to try to be perfect because that's not what the cross is about. No more striving. When the devil decides to plant lies in my head that God can't forgive me, I can rebuke them. When the devil says I'm not good enough for God, I can say that God wanted me in his family enough to send his son to die. I AM loved and I CAN walk in freedom. God DOES see me as perfect, spotless, blameless. Now to live in such a way that shows I believe it.
Tuesday, 16 October 2012
Tuesday, 9 October 2012
Lukewarm and Unwilling to Change?
I wrote a post awhile ago about lukewarm Christians. I re-listened to the sermon that inspired that blog. The sermon can be found here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBhqrtMqrv8
It is by Francis Chan entitled "Lukewarm & Loving It". Every Christian should spend 40 minutes listening to this sermon.
Daily I struggle to be on fire for God. I have all day to do whatever I want because I am not working or in school. I often think "Oh I could read my Bible" and then I spend time on the internet instead. Or I think "I could spend a good chunk of time in prayer right now" and instead I watch TV. I don't have to wonder, I know I am lukewarm.
A few things scare me about this.
First, what scares me is Revelation 3:14-18. It says: “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see."
Francis Chan brought up a good point in his sermon. He says "People will ask 'Well can't I be lukewarm and still a Christian?'" and Chan responds, "Does wretched pitiful poor, blind and naked seem like descriptive words for followers of Christ?" "I once was blind but now I'm blind"???
This terrifies me. What else terrifies me is the verses in Matthew 7:21-23.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Does this scare anybody else? Am I really saved? No wonder the Bible says work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12)
What else scares me? Is that I will likely wake up tomorrow and be the exact same person as I am today...lukewarm and okay with it. Shouldn't I do whatever it takes to be on fire for God? I'm not talking about works salvation either. I'm talking about begging God to set me on fire. Maybe I need to spend every waking minute begging God. Perhaps I need to fast until I am on fire. What also scares me is that I don't want to do all of this. Clearly I'm not as dedicated to God as he deserves. My EVERYTHING should be about God. It shouldn't be about trying to find time for God. My life should BE God. Why do we have this so backwards?
I can count on 2 hands the amount of people I have met who are passionately in love with God...who are so sold out, they'd do anything for God. Why can I count less than 10 when I have met hundreds of Christians? No wonder God wants to throw us up....we desire money and things and status and popularity and good looks and fun and comfort more than Him. We desire TV time and internet time and sports and relaxation and vacations and parties more than Him.
We want enough of God to feel comfortable but not too much of God to be changed. We keep Him at arms length until we need Him. I do it and so do you.
Are you willing to do whatever it takes to be on fire for God? Would you give up EVERYTHING for Him? Would you sell your house? Would you move to a remote area of the world to share the Gospel? Would you be okay if He took away your whole family? What about all of your friends? Would you give up the internet if He asked you to? How's about TV? Would you fast for 48 hours? Would you be willing to be beaten to death for Him? What about if He gave you terminal cancer...could you still praise Him and tell others about how amazing He is?
I think we forget as Christians that Jesus said "deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow me" (Luke 9) - that means YOU no longer matter. Pick up your cross means...YOU must die to your own will. We can't have it both ways. We can't half-heartedly follow God. You're in or you're out. There is no middle ground. Choose.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBhqrtMqrv8
It is by Francis Chan entitled "Lukewarm & Loving It". Every Christian should spend 40 minutes listening to this sermon.
Daily I struggle to be on fire for God. I have all day to do whatever I want because I am not working or in school. I often think "Oh I could read my Bible" and then I spend time on the internet instead. Or I think "I could spend a good chunk of time in prayer right now" and instead I watch TV. I don't have to wonder, I know I am lukewarm.
A few things scare me about this.
First, what scares me is Revelation 3:14-18. It says: “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17 You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see."
Francis Chan brought up a good point in his sermon. He says "People will ask 'Well can't I be lukewarm and still a Christian?'" and Chan responds, "Does wretched pitiful poor, blind and naked seem like descriptive words for followers of Christ?" "I once was blind but now I'm blind"???
This terrifies me. What else terrifies me is the verses in Matthew 7:21-23.
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’
Does this scare anybody else? Am I really saved? No wonder the Bible says work out your salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12)
What else scares me? Is that I will likely wake up tomorrow and be the exact same person as I am today...lukewarm and okay with it. Shouldn't I do whatever it takes to be on fire for God? I'm not talking about works salvation either. I'm talking about begging God to set me on fire. Maybe I need to spend every waking minute begging God. Perhaps I need to fast until I am on fire. What also scares me is that I don't want to do all of this. Clearly I'm not as dedicated to God as he deserves. My EVERYTHING should be about God. It shouldn't be about trying to find time for God. My life should BE God. Why do we have this so backwards?
I can count on 2 hands the amount of people I have met who are passionately in love with God...who are so sold out, they'd do anything for God. Why can I count less than 10 when I have met hundreds of Christians? No wonder God wants to throw us up....we desire money and things and status and popularity and good looks and fun and comfort more than Him. We desire TV time and internet time and sports and relaxation and vacations and parties more than Him.
We want enough of God to feel comfortable but not too much of God to be changed. We keep Him at arms length until we need Him. I do it and so do you.
Are you willing to do whatever it takes to be on fire for God? Would you give up EVERYTHING for Him? Would you sell your house? Would you move to a remote area of the world to share the Gospel? Would you be okay if He took away your whole family? What about all of your friends? Would you give up the internet if He asked you to? How's about TV? Would you fast for 48 hours? Would you be willing to be beaten to death for Him? What about if He gave you terminal cancer...could you still praise Him and tell others about how amazing He is?
I think we forget as Christians that Jesus said "deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow me" (Luke 9) - that means YOU no longer matter. Pick up your cross means...YOU must die to your own will. We can't have it both ways. We can't half-heartedly follow God. You're in or you're out. There is no middle ground. Choose.
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