Colossians 3:16-18 (New International Version)
16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
I'm not saying this verse says to make plans or not makes plans. I will say though that whatever it is I do, decide to make or to not make plans, I must do so with the glory of my LORD in mind. Not my own personal satisfaction. For it is in HIM and through HIM that I am justified which forces my thought patterns to mold into the likemindedness of Christ Jesus.
I have noticed, prominently, especially recently about my lack of concern for what I can bring to the glory of GOD through my situations and more for the concern of how happy each situation will bring me. Perhaps this is a confession of sin, more so it is meant to be a thought to consider. How we live our lives ought to reflect JESUS CHRIST in everything, literally everything, that we do.
Today a man and woman came into the weights class that I was teaching and I noticed two things. One, they had inquisitive looks on their faces and two they were looking for someone to talk to. In the gym I teach in, there are two full size basketball courts (which during the time I teach are taken up by a volleyball class) and the cage where the weights and exercise machines are. They came in the entrance and after a few moments of standing and searching they walked the width of the courts to the cage, at the entrance of which I say at my table. I stood up and introduced my self first and last name. PAUSE/side note. I find to be a lost art in the world today as more and more people only introduce their first name; doesn't everyone know you have a first and last name??? Introduce, by definition, means cause to know someone personally. This is not possible without a genuinely sincere initiation of allowing someone to know who you are with a first AND last name. Step down from soap box of blog... RESUME. What took me by surprise was after the man introduced himself and his wife, the question he asked me was "Are you a Christian?" I replied affirmatively and he then asked "Like a real Christian? 'Cuz there's a difference you know. Isn't there?" Of course there's a difference! He said he could tell by how I acted. I don't know how he could tell, but this was encouraging for me to hear. I'm not trying to brag and let me tell you how I am not bragging. I also was convicted of what he said. "'Cuz there's a difference, you know."
Let us not be taken advantage of, by the devil, in our moments we take for granted. For it is in every moment we live as Christians that we are Christians. We make a choice, in every situation, how we might live.
"If you have an hour, will you not improve that hour, instead of idling it away?" ....this is my conviction
I'm not saying this verse says to make plans or not makes plans. I will say though that whatever it is I do, decide to make or to not make plans, I must do so with the glory of my LORD in mind. Not my own personal satisfaction. For it is in HIM and through HIM that I am justified which forces my thought patterns to mold into the likemindedness of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 2:5-7 (New International Version)
5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
I have noticed, prominently, especially recently about my lack of concern for what I can bring to the glory of GOD through my situations and more for the concern of how happy each situation will bring me. Perhaps this is a confession of sin, more so it is meant to be a thought to consider. How we live our lives ought to reflect JESUS CHRIST in everything, literally everything, that we do.
Today a man and woman came into the weights class that I was teaching and I noticed two things. One, they had inquisitive looks on their faces and two they were looking for someone to talk to. In the gym I teach in, there are two full size basketball courts (which during the time I teach are taken up by a volleyball class) and the cage where the weights and exercise machines are. They came in the entrance and after a few moments of standing and searching they walked the width of the courts to the cage, at the entrance of which I say at my table. I stood up and introduced my self first and last name. PAUSE/side note. I find to be a lost art in the world today as more and more people only introduce their first name; doesn't everyone know you have a first and last name??? Introduce, by definition, means cause to know someone personally. This is not possible without a genuinely sincere initiation of allowing someone to know who you are with a first AND last name. Step down from soap box of blog... RESUME. What took me by surprise was after the man introduced himself and his wife, the question he asked me was "Are you a Christian?" I replied affirmatively and he then asked "Like a real Christian? 'Cuz there's a difference you know. Isn't there?" Of course there's a difference! He said he could tell by how I acted. I don't know how he could tell, but this was encouraging for me to hear. I'm not trying to brag and let me tell you how I am not bragging. I also was convicted of what he said. "'Cuz there's a difference, you know."
Let us not be taken advantage of, by the devil, in our moments we take for granted. For it is in every moment we live as Christians that we are Christians. We make a choice, in every situation, how we might live.
"If you have an hour, will you not improve that hour, instead of idling it away?" ....this is my conviction
you know crazily enough the top two verses are ones that i have been dealing with this semester or have been thinking about. First off i wanna say that it is awesome that you are doing this blog to express your opinions and beliefs, its just AWESOME. Secondly, to the good stuff,
ReplyDeleteI think that in your first situation, i.e. deciding to live life for christ and to do everything for his glory not anyone elses, i completely agree. I always find myself wondering whether or not i am living my life as god wants me too, and most of the time a huge NO gets slapped on my forehead. But how are we supposed to think about what god wants for us and how we will glorify him in everything we do when there are so many other things that life throws at us ya know? I just find myself completely overwhelmed by so many things that i rarely think about "well how am i going to glorify god by hanging out with my friends" or stuff like that. I mean, i know we are imperfect and we make mistakes and we sin, and we stray from the path. But how can we return to that midset where we remember that everything we must do we must do to glorify god? lol lots of questions no answers (sorry). In the next situation, what difference was he talking about, the man i mean, i mean i have had people ask me whether i am a christian just randomly (basically the same situation as you) because they said i acted differently or they could just "tell" i was a christian. But i guess the question i am asking is wat difference was he talking about?
i hope you are doing well jt! it was nice to see your new post and relate to it!
-siam
Shoot! Siam, this is a huge delay! I apologize for that. I want to address this situation right here:
ReplyDelete"I always find myself wondering whether or not i am living my life as god wants me too, and most of the time a huge NO gets slapped on my forehead. But how are we supposed to think about what god wants for us and how we will glorify him in everything we do when there are so many other things that life throws at us ya know? I just find myself completely overwhelmed by so many things that i rarely think about "well how am i going to glorify god by hanging out with my friends" or stuff like that. I mean, i know we are imperfect and we make mistakes and we sin, and we stray from the path. But how can we return to that midset where we remember that everything we must do we must do to glorify god"
I want to first point out that I meant everything I'm about to say out of love, and no judgement attached. We, as Christians, need to remember that we are sinners saved by grace. Without this, we cannot know what it means to glorify God. What I mean is, until we accept grace, and continually sit in the awe, wonder and amazement of grace we will not fully understand grace. I heard a great Tim Keller sermon recently which pointed out that "If you think you understand grace you don't, and if you think you don't understand grace you do." Meaning, we need to live in a constant state of continually trying to pursue this grace. Yes, we will stumble and yes, we will sin. However, His grace is what covers us. And it is out of this grace that we choose to live. Out of our humility, we choose to live in a way that is holy and humble to the LORD and unto others. We act of love, the same love that is bestowed to us from the LORD. So, our actions are a choice, which stems from our continual pursuit of Christ in the Gospel. Which brings me to your question "how do we return to the mindset...." We continue to pursue the LORD through the Gospel because we will never fully understand grace but we can always stand in awe, amazement and wonder of it and choose to live out of it.
In regards to your second question "But i guess the question i am asking is wat difference was he talking about?" I will be honest, I have no idea. I can only assume that something I did stood out to him. When you are Christian, have been raised Christian or have a Christian background you have developed a mindset that is inherently Christian. Therefore, you look and notice things about people that seem to be different. Not like in a weird way but in a way that makes you think, "hmmmm I wonder if...." This is my only explanation for it. Obviously there are people who claim Christian beliefs but do not practice the love and grace of the Gospel but I would argue that this is noticeable, even to those who aren't Christian. So, I can't tell you one thing that I did differently to this man and woman that is different from anyone else that I encounter... but something cued him in. Maybe I had read one of the gospels that morning ;)