All in Christian

What is the state of your life right now? Are you proud of where you are in your faith at this very moment? When you address your actions of the past, even the last few hours, how do they make you feel right now? We hate the word “now” because it requires immediate action. We put off changing our lives, we neglect a marginal faith, we postpone a look at where and who we are. We say, tomorrow I will begin to __________. How do you complete this sentence within the bounds of your life? Jesus says NOW is the accepted time.

Do you fret over the condition of the country and this world? Do you wring your hands and cry out “Lord! Lord! Look at what is being done and the harm there is to your people!” Well if you do, then stop! Ours is to trust in Him who created all things, and to leave princes and principalities to He who established them. We are like the grasses that cover the earth. We may brown with drought, but we have faith in the showers. The trees will wither and die, but the grass returns with the rain, dark clouds and lightning are the harbinger of mercy.

Do you wake up in the morning with a song of faith in your mind and a melody on your lips? Is it a lyric that only God could ever put together, and you know right away that it is the ballad of your life today? I like to listen to music alone in a quiet place with my earbuds in, and my eyes closed; it moves me. Prayer is meant to be like that... a quiet place, a still about you, the earbuds of prayer carrying Christ’s voice into your ears, and the lyrics of heaven softly ushering you before the throne. Is this how you pray?

Do living waters flow from you? Are you filled with the Holy Spirit as Jesus had said, and become the source of a flood... not a trickle, but rivers of living Water? If you are able to contain the desire to spread the good news of the gospel, then you have not yet found the source of the waters that Jesus spoke of, and there is more for you to believe will come. These are the waters of life which will be offered by both the Spirit and the bride of Jesus Christ.

What shape is your home in? I am not talking about the condition of the physical house you live in, but rather the spiritual roof you and your family live under. Are you providing a sound structure of faith that will shelter and protect you and your family for generations to come? As parents we must first look after our own faith and salvation, but then we must provide an example and instruction for our children. What shape is your spiritual house in today?

Do you think God has abandoned you when you are in a season of suffering in your life? Do you look to Him and cry out in anger at your pain? Does doubt come from your strife, or, even the mere endurance of hardship... or do you trust in Him all the more? There is a mystery in suffering; we wonder why God uses adversity and pain to teach us some of faith’s most valuable lessons.

How do you view those who don’t know God and who have no relationship with Jesus Christ? Do you walk past them and look for a tender spot in the heart of others, or do you begin to pray for their salvation? When a fellow believer falls on hard times, do you say a quick prayer and then go about your life, or do you sincerely pray for their relief every day? We say we want to be like Jesus and yet so many of us don’t follow Him in one of His most basic characteristics... we don’t intercede in prayer for others. Jesus is the Great Intercessor.

What nourishes your faith? What does you Spirit consume for strength? When we go to the Lord’s table we are feeding our souls His flesh and blood, and this sustenance bring us life, eternal life. To consume the body of Christ is to bring Him inside us... to allow Him to dwell within us. Communion, it is the life giving force of the Christian experience.

How do you begin your day? When the alarm clock sounds, or you just wake up of your own volition, what are the things of your morning routine? Mornings are a special time. The world is fresh, and indeed so are we; so how do you greet the new day? Do you wash your face, Shower, dress, get a cup of coffee, or make breakfast? Where in your routine have you relegated prayer? Where is your time of devotion? When do you greet God? Is it first, last... at all?

Do you stand at the foot of the hill and listen to Jesus teach? Do you watch Him enter Jerusalem and celebrate the fact that you know Him? Are you in the upper room and marvel at His foot washing and the words surrounding the bread and the wine? Well all of these things are amazing and wonderful but in each case you are a bystander, yet when you are filled with the Holy Spirit then suddenly the life of Jesus moves from before your eyes to a place deep within you. You cease being a watcher, a marginally practicing Christian, and become one with Christ.

Can we perform miracles today? I can’t tell you how many times I have heard that question asked, but by merely posing the question we are pointing to the reason why so many ask it in the first place... faith, or the lack thereof. Have you reconciled yourself to the fact that miracles were a thing of the past, or do you grasp hold of this gift and see them performed today?

Do you understand how precious you are to God? As you go about the process of worshipping Him, and building your faith in Him, do you realize that He is working to bring you to Himself with even greater vigor? We readily accept that Jesus is the Son of God, but can we actually admit to ourselves that God could love the fallen men and women we are? Can we accept that the blood of Christ was freely offered, and has completely cleansed us? Can we receive the gift of grace without question?

Are you searching for a secret to successful prayer? Do you think that there must be some hidden formula that would allow you to pray powerfully? Well, I think Jesus dispelled secrecy and hidden truths when He taught His disciples to pray the Lord’s Prayer, but if you want additional instruction look to Mark 11 and you will find two prayer hacks that will increase your understanding of praying.