Many of you may have heard me say before; "I am high on Christian Crack, it's called Jesus." That is what I say when people ask me if I use drugs anyway. And I got thinking about this, and sadly, in a lot of cases is true. You know how when you go to a camp with your church, like a beach retreat, how you feel completely invincible from Satan? And you have that for about two weeks? But then, it goes away. There is a reason for that.
When you go to a camp they narrow down what you can or can not do. You are not supposed to watch TV, get on the Internet, read magazines about Celeberity gossip, bring Ipods or MP3's, and so on. The ENTIRE focus of a camp like that is Jesus, they set them up not to have any distractions. That is the point of them, to get away from all the things of the world. But, there is a reason that we fall back into our old ways.
Because we lose focus of God, remember those things that the camp doesn't let you have? Yeah, the television and stuff? Well, when we come back home, we start watching them, and the oops! A character on your favorite TV show says a bad word, or says a sexual joke. But it's just your favorite show, you think to yourself. But what we don't always understand is that yes, we were surounded by a GREAT and POWERFUL God, but there is an enemy. And he can bring us down, however slowly he has to. Because what he does, is he finds something that you like, i.e. a TV show, and he convinces you to let it slide...just this one time. And through that he takes one small piece of your mind, and another and another. Until finally you are back at the beginning.
You see, Jesus is not meant to be a drug, Christianity is a life style. So, why aren't we living it like that?
Philipians 1:27-30;
"Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflit which you saw in me and now hear is in me."
Let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ. You know, too often I hear jokes that shouldn't be said, I'll take that up a notch. Too often, I used to say such jokes. Jokes make fun of those that have chosen Homosexuality, or jokes about sexual immorality. I'll address the one on Homosexuality first;
You see, we as Christians are--or at least should be--offended when people take God's name in vain. But some of us make fun of these people. We have made a choice to follow God, that is our life choice! And they have made theirs. Do I agree with theirs? No, not at all. I hate that they would choose that, because that is not what God wants. But to make fun of them? That, that is not what we should be doing. At all.
In Matthew Jesus talks about what we say; in Matthew 12:34:
"Brood of Vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."
So, when I hear a joke that is morrally wrong, I think to myself; "What are the things of their heart?" Not to judge them, but only based on what they say. And I ask myself that, because I am trying to figure out how in the world I should respond. Usually, but not always sadly, I will say something to them. If I can do it in private, I try, but if I can only address it in the same public that they said it, then I will. I tell them this determine my next move. Because if they don't stop, I need to leave.
As it says in 1st Corinthians 5:11:
"But you know what I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, , or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--not even to eat with such a person."
I am not telling you to shun these people, but minister to them, and if they absolutely refuse. Then stay away from them.
As it says in 1st Corinthians 15:33:
When you go to a camp they narrow down what you can or can not do. You are not supposed to watch TV, get on the Internet, read magazines about Celeberity gossip, bring Ipods or MP3's, and so on. The ENTIRE focus of a camp like that is Jesus, they set them up not to have any distractions. That is the point of them, to get away from all the things of the world. But, there is a reason that we fall back into our old ways.
Because we lose focus of God, remember those things that the camp doesn't let you have? Yeah, the television and stuff? Well, when we come back home, we start watching them, and the oops! A character on your favorite TV show says a bad word, or says a sexual joke. But it's just your favorite show, you think to yourself. But what we don't always understand is that yes, we were surounded by a GREAT and POWERFUL God, but there is an enemy. And he can bring us down, however slowly he has to. Because what he does, is he finds something that you like, i.e. a TV show, and he convinces you to let it slide...just this one time. And through that he takes one small piece of your mind, and another and another. Until finally you are back at the beginning.
You see, Jesus is not meant to be a drug, Christianity is a life style. So, why aren't we living it like that?
Philipians 1:27-30;
"Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflit which you saw in me and now hear is in me."
Let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ. You know, too often I hear jokes that shouldn't be said, I'll take that up a notch. Too often, I used to say such jokes. Jokes make fun of those that have chosen Homosexuality, or jokes about sexual immorality. I'll address the one on Homosexuality first;
You see, we as Christians are--or at least should be--offended when people take God's name in vain. But some of us make fun of these people. We have made a choice to follow God, that is our life choice! And they have made theirs. Do I agree with theirs? No, not at all. I hate that they would choose that, because that is not what God wants. But to make fun of them? That, that is not what we should be doing. At all.
In Matthew Jesus talks about what we say; in Matthew 12:34:
"Brood of Vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."
So, when I hear a joke that is morrally wrong, I think to myself; "What are the things of their heart?" Not to judge them, but only based on what they say. And I ask myself that, because I am trying to figure out how in the world I should respond. Usually, but not always sadly, I will say something to them. If I can do it in private, I try, but if I can only address it in the same public that they said it, then I will. I tell them this determine my next move. Because if they don't stop, I need to leave.
As it says in 1st Corinthians 5:11:
"But you know what I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, , or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner--not even to eat with such a person."
I am not telling you to shun these people, but minister to them, and if they absolutely refuse. Then stay away from them.
As it says in 1st Corinthians 15:33:
“Do not be deceived: Evil Company corrupts good habits.”
Pretty much, be careful who you hang out with, but also, don't be someone that other Christians are uncomfortable around. Also, Jesus is NOT a drug. He is a lifestyle! Not to say that He is a religion, because He is not. He is a relationship.
The literal definition of Religion is; "Man, trying through works, to bind themselves to God."
No works of ours are good enough to do that. And that is why Jesus had to die.
Thanks for reading,
John Mark
