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This week I’ve provided several descriptions of a Christian, and the qualities you’d expect them to have.
Descriptions are all well and good, but in reality none of us ever truly live up to what is expected of a Christian. In fact none of us ever live up to God’s expectations of us. And this is all because we are human, imperfect.
The good news is God knows we’re not perfect, accepts us as we are, and is willing to help us be the best we can be – It’s simply a learning process.
Have you ever looked for a definition of a Christian? Or maybe wondered why a Christian believes in Christ and in God?
A definition or description of a Christian is very well summed up by this quote by Frederick Buechner:
The cross and what is signifies is ultimately what a Christian lives for, and believes in. If it wasn’t for the cross, we wouldn’t have the reassurance that God carries us through every situation, good or bad.
Over the last few days I’ve been talking about how we need to live a Christ-like life so others will be able to see God through our words and our actions.
I don’t know about you, but when I think about spreading God’s message, I tend to think about people I don’t know, rather than family and friends who don’t believe in God. I know that’s wrong, as the people I’m closest to, who see and interact with me on a regular basis, are far more likely to see the real me and how I act and talk on a daily basis than someone I don’t know but our paths cross once or twice over a period of time.
My challenge for me and for you today, is to make sure those I love know I love God, and what He means to me, and what He can do for them. Because if I don’t tell them and show them, how can I expect someone else to convince them?!
Yesterday I spoke about how in life we need to experience ‘rain’ so that we can gain real life experience, as well as growing in our spiritual life. But when the ‘rain’ showers are particularly heavy and persistent, we may feel like we are drowning.
Matthew 8:28 (Living bible)
But Jesus answered, “O you men of little faith! Why are you so frightened?” Then he stood up and rebuked the wind and waves, and the storm subsided and all was calm.
As these words from Matthew’s gospel remind us, Jesus can calm the most persistent and heaviest of storms. We just need to believe he can calm our storms, because he will!
God is good, a hiding place in tough times. He recognizes and welcomes anyone looking for help, No matter how desperate the trouble. ~ Nahum 1:7 (The Message)
Today I want to follow on from yesterday’s post Open where I asked you whether you go to church ready and willing to be challenged and blessed by God. How about before you leave your house to go to church, do you pray? Do you pray that your heart might we open and willing to receive the holy spirit?
How will our hearts be open to receiving God’s message if we don’t pray for God to enter our hearts?
From the moment we first open our eyes in the morning, to the second we close our eyes drift off to sleep each night, are you conscious of God’s presence in your life?
Whether you are conscious of God’s presence or not, He is present in your life each day:
Above and below me
Before and behind me
In every eye that sees me
Christ be all around me
Above and below me
Before and behind me
In every eye that sees me
Christ be all around me
Whoa, whoa
Christ be all around me
So let God be a powerful and meaningful presence in your life, by trusting each and every minute of your day and night, to Him, because Christ is around you always.
Touch my mind – I’ll remember today; touch my heart – I’ll never forget.
We all have many relationships in our lives, some with people where we challenge one another on a work/employment level; some where we’re challenged physically, through taking part in a sport together; some where we support one another emotionally; some we’re lucky enough to find challenge us in more than one of these areas.
It’s true though, it’s those who reach out and touch our hearts, maybe because they support us or are a confidant, that we never forget.
Think about it, look back over your life, how many people who touched your heart at some point, are still either part of your life, or are still on your mind regularly?
What about those who maybe challenged your brain power, maybe a teacher/lecturer, I suspect you’ll either struggle to remember those in this category or if you can remember them, I doubt they’re people you think about very often.
When we’re children we go to school, where we are taught to read and write, and as we progress through school we taught about other subjects. I’m sure most of us, if not all, didn’t really like going to school, and in particular did not like doing our homework. However, in hindsight, I guess following up the teaching at school with homework to reinforce the learning from during the day, so that we remember at least some of what we’ve learned.
Homework may not have been something any of us liked having to do, but it did form a huge part of our learning process.
You’re probably wondering why I’m suddenly thinking about homework when it’s been a few years since I was at school or university, but I got thinking about how we go to church on a Sunday where we are taught about God and challenged to give our lives to Him, but we don’t get any homework do we?
Does this mean we only have to learn about God and the bible when we’re at church?
Far from it, just as when we were at school and had to follow-up our daily learning by doing homework, we must carry on learning about God, by praying and reading the bible in our own time, away from church.
Our relationship with God is a personal thing, individual to us, so we must spend quality time with God on a daily basis, and by doing this our relationship with God will grow, so carry on doing your homework and learning more about God.
2016 is almost over – For me for a change it’s been a year of no specific highs or lows!
Let’s have a look back over this year:
As far world events are concerned there’s been a lot of major tragedies, with many losing their lives. There have also been many celebrities from the world of tv/film and music who have passed away, causing much comment around the world about the number of celebs that 2016 has lost. For me it is sad how many celebs have died, but I’m not quite getting the huge outcry about it, as there are many friends and family who have also been devastated by the death of loved ones, and so my heart goes out to everyone who this year have lost a loved one.
What about from a spiritual perspective, how has 2016 been for you?
Has it been a year where your relationship with God has grown or declined?Sadly, I guess if we’re honest with ourselves, many of us, including me, will find we did not answer “Yes” to all those questions, but answered either “No” or “Sometimes” to at least one or two of these questions.
The good news is, no matter what we answered to those questions, we can make 2017 the year we answer “Yes” to all these questions by simply by trusting God to help us in every part of our life, not just the parts we’re choose to let Him into.
So as 2017 draws near, draw closer to God and let Him into every part of your life.
You’re all I want
You’re all I’ve ever needed
You’re all I want
Help me know you are near
