Sunday, December 29, 2013

Being a Christian

God showed me last night why we have such a dependence on Pastors (especially here in America). It's because we feel we don't have time to be "bothered" with Jesus so we'll let someone else go to Him for us. Then we need them to tell us what to do while we go on living our lives - back to your regularly scheduled program. Here's how it looks... Monday-Saturday: you say, "I'm just doin me." Sunday: Pastor said we're fasting this week, so I guess I'm fasting. Next week, Monday-Saturday: "I'm just doin me." Sunday: Pastor said we should go out evangelizing, so I guess I'm evangelizing. And thus are my godly requirements fulfilled. But, being a Christian does not mean I go to church and follow my Pastor or leaders it means I follow Christ. "Christianos" is the Greek word for Christian which is used in the New Testament and means "a follower of Christ"1. In 1 Corinthians 11:1 Paul says, "Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." In the Greek follower is translated as "an imitator"2. How can you imitate someone when you know nothing about them? If you call yourself a Christian you need to get to know Christ intimately, the one you claim to be following. You many ask, "How do I do this Shyla?" I would say simply seek Him out for yourself. Talk to Him and wait for Him to talk back. "But I don't know what He sounds like?" This is where faith comes into play. Jesus said you do: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" (John 10:27). So who are you going to believe? Jesus? Or what you think? Remember, "for whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom. 14:23). We are to live our lives believing, no matter what it looks like, the words of God is the truth. "So, am I going to hear an audible voice as if I was talking to you?" I can't answer that. God chooses how He wants to speak to people, but I will tell you that if it's not an audible voice it will most likely be the voice that you hear inside yourself on a normal basis that you play off as just you thinking. God will use that "inner" voice to speak to you you just have to get out of yourself and say "I believe this is you Lord, so speak." Another thing I've learned is that God likes to use our imagination to show us things and even take us places (we call them visions). When you begin to tell God to speak to you and show things don't just dismiss those sometimes random images that flash in your mind. Ask God what it means or what He's trying to show you.

I pray that Christians would get tired of having hand-me-down and regurgitated words from those we esteem highly and would start going to their Father for themselves. He doesn't want to just use you as a drone to do His bidding, but He wants to get to know you and to have a relationship with His bride. Just as a warning remember what Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’" (Mat. 7:21-23).

1.“Christianos,” Blue Letter Bible, December 29, 2013, accessed December 29, 2013, http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G5546&t=KJV.
2.“Mimētēs,” Blue Letter Bible, December 29, 2013, accessed December 29, 2013, http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G3402&t=KJV.

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