Discontent
I was just going to go on to bed tonight, but I have a thought on my mind that it seems must relay itself to my blog. I think that it has been brewing in my mind for some time now, but only recently has it started to become clear.
It has to do with the matter of the Kingdom Of Heaven. I have sought many answers for it, wondering what it's full purpose meant for us down here on earth. It seems there is more to living the imitated life of Jesus than many have seen. It seems that the whole paradigm needs a shift, and that shift must take place to fill an unrested place in the heart.
The shift I refer to is that of the eternal perspective. But let me elaborate. For some time now, I have been trying to get involved in a small group with a Christian center (preferably with a church), so that I may have community. I had thought on several occasions that I had found just the thing I was looking for, and was willing to settle into being a part of 'The Group'. But many doubts arose in my mind. And those doubts must be given accountance for.
First of all, I have doubts to the so called by me 'secondary requirements for true Christianity'. It seems to me that it has become all to natural to attach to faith the works that Paul so adamantly teaches against in the New Testament. Faith does not require an extra dose of 'Holy Spirit Baptizing', finding my gift (prophesy, healing, etc.), or anyting else so aligned. I believe that I am Christian basically and fundamentally from the fact that I can do nothing to save myself, and that I look to Jesus to do it for me. There is no other condition for living a life full of Christ. Now, side note: I'm not saying that all of the fore-mentioned things are false, or that they are meaningless, I simply am saying that they do not save me, nor do they fulfill my identity in Christ. He is the only rock on which I stand.
Number two, is that I have felt a real loss of community, in many small groups and churches. There is no comradery among so called 'Friends', more than to meet for an hour on a weeknight. When I look back to the Bible, I see that Jesus didn't go out by Himself to save the world. He chose and brought along 12, that's right, 12 disciples. That's an even dozen! Jesus knew that without a fellowship of believers, love would fall fallow. He also knew that a cord of three strands is not easily broken. And I too believe that a fundamental part of growing in Christ is that we need people. And we need to accept people with all of their quirks and abnormalities, for in doing this, we find the essence of Christ.
And lastly, I have felt that people have lost vision for people. Sometimes in Church I want to get up and say, 'Where has the heart gone? Does no one care that this world is not the end? That it is going to fall, and be destroyed? Have you lost sight of your mortality, and that this is the only time before Heaven to make an impact?'. I know that there are many good people out there, who are living 'Christian lives', and are doing the right things, talking the talk, but where are the people who are walking the walk? Jesus said that if we were really followers in Him, that we would see that this world is not our home, so we should not get comfortable. He said to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. Life is good, but people are dying, while we live in prosperity. What good will wealth or a good job or anything else do, when our life is over, and we are standing before God? The only thing that's worth dying for is Jesus, and that's the only way to really live. It means (at least for me, and I'm still discovering what it means) that my purpose in life, is to serve God, by loving the lost, and encouraging the weary. I have struggled for a long time, because I have taken my talents, and put them before God. I have said, 'Since I am so good at this, I must do it, since I shouldn't waste talent'. I now know that I owe my talents to God, as it was Him who gave them to me. I realize that if I am able to give them to Him, he can mold those gifts into His perfect will. And in realizing that, I see that art is good, science is good, all knowledge is given by God, but these things, used for the purpose of themselves, makes them purposeless. So, I know that the only thing I can now claim to have is Jesus, and His love for me.
I hope I haven't ranted and raved to much, it's just that my mind is both learning, and being confused at the same time, and I must ask truthful questions.
I am out of energy for tonight, so until next time,
Yours Truly,
Joel
It has to do with the matter of the Kingdom Of Heaven. I have sought many answers for it, wondering what it's full purpose meant for us down here on earth. It seems there is more to living the imitated life of Jesus than many have seen. It seems that the whole paradigm needs a shift, and that shift must take place to fill an unrested place in the heart.
The shift I refer to is that of the eternal perspective. But let me elaborate. For some time now, I have been trying to get involved in a small group with a Christian center (preferably with a church), so that I may have community. I had thought on several occasions that I had found just the thing I was looking for, and was willing to settle into being a part of 'The Group'. But many doubts arose in my mind. And those doubts must be given accountance for.
First of all, I have doubts to the so called by me 'secondary requirements for true Christianity'. It seems to me that it has become all to natural to attach to faith the works that Paul so adamantly teaches against in the New Testament. Faith does not require an extra dose of 'Holy Spirit Baptizing', finding my gift (prophesy, healing, etc.), or anyting else so aligned. I believe that I am Christian basically and fundamentally from the fact that I can do nothing to save myself, and that I look to Jesus to do it for me. There is no other condition for living a life full of Christ. Now, side note: I'm not saying that all of the fore-mentioned things are false, or that they are meaningless, I simply am saying that they do not save me, nor do they fulfill my identity in Christ. He is the only rock on which I stand.
Number two, is that I have felt a real loss of community, in many small groups and churches. There is no comradery among so called 'Friends', more than to meet for an hour on a weeknight. When I look back to the Bible, I see that Jesus didn't go out by Himself to save the world. He chose and brought along 12, that's right, 12 disciples. That's an even dozen! Jesus knew that without a fellowship of believers, love would fall fallow. He also knew that a cord of three strands is not easily broken. And I too believe that a fundamental part of growing in Christ is that we need people. And we need to accept people with all of their quirks and abnormalities, for in doing this, we find the essence of Christ.
And lastly, I have felt that people have lost vision for people. Sometimes in Church I want to get up and say, 'Where has the heart gone? Does no one care that this world is not the end? That it is going to fall, and be destroyed? Have you lost sight of your mortality, and that this is the only time before Heaven to make an impact?'. I know that there are many good people out there, who are living 'Christian lives', and are doing the right things, talking the talk, but where are the people who are walking the walk? Jesus said that if we were really followers in Him, that we would see that this world is not our home, so we should not get comfortable. He said to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. Life is good, but people are dying, while we live in prosperity. What good will wealth or a good job or anything else do, when our life is over, and we are standing before God? The only thing that's worth dying for is Jesus, and that's the only way to really live. It means (at least for me, and I'm still discovering what it means) that my purpose in life, is to serve God, by loving the lost, and encouraging the weary. I have struggled for a long time, because I have taken my talents, and put them before God. I have said, 'Since I am so good at this, I must do it, since I shouldn't waste talent'. I now know that I owe my talents to God, as it was Him who gave them to me. I realize that if I am able to give them to Him, he can mold those gifts into His perfect will. And in realizing that, I see that art is good, science is good, all knowledge is given by God, but these things, used for the purpose of themselves, makes them purposeless. So, I know that the only thing I can now claim to have is Jesus, and His love for me.
I hope I haven't ranted and raved to much, it's just that my mind is both learning, and being confused at the same time, and I must ask truthful questions.
I am out of energy for tonight, so until next time,
Yours Truly,
Joel
posted by Eucharisto at 9:37 PM
2 Comments:
Wow, you made some good points. I get the feeling that you could sympathize with Leslie Philips when she sings "My fear is to leave here without ever having really arrived".
Yes, indeed! I know that it is by God's Grace alone that we ever have the chance to 'arrive'. But my prideful self would want to make, at the least, a modest dent in the world.
Post a Comment
<< Home