All in Christian

Do we say we have resolved ourselves to love and worship God with all of our heart, soul, body, and strength? If so then how is it that we can be arrogant, bitter, full of jealousy, and the other things that set us apart from Him? Do we say that Jesus is our Lord, and that we will be as He is, and obey His every commandment? If so then how can we not wash the feet of those who will betray us as Jesus did, feed the lambs of Christ, or turn the other cheek to our enemies? In this way we say one thing, and yet we do another... who are we?

How do we worship God? Is it by chanting, and singing certain hymns and songs? Is it by placing ourselves in a particular posture? Do we worship by reciting ritual creeds and prayers, or perhaps by performing certain ceremonies and liturgical acts? No, although these things might help us reach a state of worship they are not worship in themselves. Jesus tells us in scripture what it means to worship God... we must do so in Spirit and truth.

Does our Soul thirst for Jesus? Do we love God with a desire that is so strong we feel as though we would die if it were not satisfied? Do we pant for prayer, or long for our need for God to be quenched by immersion in His presence, like the desperate need for water causes desert wanderers to throw themselves into it; gulping mouths full like each might be their last? Can we smell the sweet fragrance of Christ as if we are a desert animal... catching the slightest scent of water from miles away? Does the faint fragrance of Jesus lead us across the parched expanse of life’s deserts as we seek His living water? This is how we should love God, and come to find Jesus.

Do we think that we come to know Jesus because of some accident, or happenstance? Perhaps we think that we sought Him out, and that it was by our own doing, and will, but none of these are true... we come to Him by divine providence. We know Him because God first loved us and has a perfect plan for our lives. We are given into the Hands of Jesus to be redeemed, and made righteous.

Today we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We remember the story of Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem, and seeking a room where there was none available. We recall how Jesus was born there, wrapped in swaddling cloth like a newborn lamb being prepared for sacrifice, and placed in a manger. Then we go to the pasture and listen with the shepherds as they are told of this miracle child, but how do we pray today? Do we pray in His name for the simple things we desire, or like Mary whose soul was known to pray fervently in the Holy Spirit as she anticipated His coming?

Tomorrow we celebrate the birth of Jesus, but today my mind is on the exhaustion of Mary. Full with child, and bearing the punishment of Eve, she has travelled a long way by foot and donkey to arrive in Bethlehem... she is exhausted, but tomorrow that will all come to an end with the final pains of childbirth and the cry of God’s own Son. Was that first utterance of Christ a prayer, and did Mary join Him in it?

The day of the year is approaching when we will celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, but without the sin that Adam brought into the world, and imparted to us, Christ’s arrival would not have been necessary, and His home would have remained in heaven. We honor this month the birth of our Redeemer by feasting and with great joy, not because He is paid the earth a visit, but because He defeated sin, death, and saved our souls.

Are there things we do that bring joy to God and the heavenly host? Before you think that there is nothing, and that no one like you could possibly cause celebration in heaven, think about what occurs when a soul is saved... even yours. The moment you repented of your sins and accepted Jesus as the Son of God, and your savior, there is incredible joy in heaven. You are worth that much.

Do you consume the Word of God as if it were your greatest joy? Does it satisfy you completely like a feast for your soul? When we are called by God, and declare His Son Jesus to be our savior, we find ourselves transformed, and that God’s Word has become the greatest delicacy at His table. We consume it with amazing zeal, and the mere scent of it causes us to long continuously for its taste. Does this describe our longing, or have we lost a taste for the Word after years of the same steady diet?

We say that we serve and obey God, and that we do His will when it is revealed to us, but how do we go about it? Do we approach our work by demonstrating faith, doing God’s will with joy, and serving Him with a fullness of heart? Maybe we make a checklist and dutifully perform every item? Or, perhaps we pick and choose just those things we find pleasure in? Doing the will of God isn’t meant to be a chore, or something done halfway, but an act of over abundant Love.

When we are actively engaged in spiritual warfare we are to stand firm against the enemy, the armies of darkness, but do we pray solely for our own deliverance? Certainly we pray for God to protect us, but any soldier knows that if those around him go down on the battlefield, or are not prepared for the battle ahead, then success is unlikely, and many others will fall. So how does this relate to us as Christians? Well, we are to pray for all those around us as we engage the enemy, and before that day, we are to have helped them in their training, and putting on their armor.

Do we know the difference between what we want, and what we actually need? When we are in prayer do we ask our Father for trivial things that would make people envious of us but do little to bring Him glory, or serve His purpose and will? How often is our precious time of prayer consumed by frivolous pleading for gold, a fine home, a new automobile, or some other worldly possession that is meant to satisfy our desires alone? Our God provides for us from his heavenly riches, and our needs are provided through Jesus Christ who owned no donkey, no house, and only wore a fine robe once... as he was being mocked before His crucifixion. So ask yourself again... “What are my needs?”

As brothers and sisters in Christ do we love one another as we should? Does this love spring forth from Jesus within us, and cause our faith to grow stronger as we exercise it? When we love, and are loved by others in Christ, we should thank God for this, and for them, because this is the light of our Savior shining forth from within us, and the love that God is giving us of Himself.

Where do we place our trust, what is the sure and stable foundation on which we confidently build our life, and to who do we turn in times of trouble? In other words... where are our roots established? The Bible is filled with references regarding roots, and specifically, where we put ours down, how deep they grow, and how well they support our spiritual foliage. In evaluating our faith we need to ask ourself about the health of our root systems because without them there is no lasting spiritual vitality, and no fullness in the fruit that grows from our faith.

As we choose our friends, are they righteous Christians that serve God each day, or do we choose friends that give little thought to the Lord? Are we more concerned with having moral friends who live for, and chase after, the seemingly wholesome things of the world, or are we drawn to Spiritual Giants... Saints... the children of God, who seek Him above all else? Moral companions might not lead us into worldly trouble, like evil people would, but they won’t help us enter into the gates of heaven, the presence of God, or walk with us in His ways. Friends like these won’t increase our faith. We must choose our company wisely, and find our delight in those who are led by the Spirit.