Followers

Monday, August 6, 2012

HEY, HEY, IT'S M-O-N-D-A-Y!!!

Wow long time no see huh?! Ya I know. Life is crazy busy, but today I didn't have to go to work (YAY) so i get to write to you. I actually have something to say today, too! :)

It isn't exactly a feel good message, but hopefully it will be a message that makes you look at the topic differently and gets ya 'motivated' to make a change. It is something I have been dealing with personally with people in my life. I love going to my church because every time the Lord speaks through them to me and tells me exactly what I need to hear.

Do you consider yourself a Christian? If so, what does "Christian" mean to you?

Did you know that 84% of Americans claim to be Christian? WOW! In that case, we all must be doing our part as disciples by going out and making more disciples! Do you think that is the case? No...me either. If we were, then the world would definitely look a little different. I think what the statistics really mean is that 84% CLAIM to be Christians on their terms...not on Christ's terms.

Being a Christian is the same thing as being a Disciple. Our preacher said when he was younger he thought there was a difference. He thought that he was a Christian, but to be a Disciple you had to go through a training class! But that's not the case. As Christians we are supposed to be Disciples.
"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20
How many of us are doing this? This year I have recently started reconnecting with the Lord and I deal with a lot of the same things I write here about. I invite friends to church or encourage others to find a church, but when they give me an excuse as to why they can't....I let it go. In my head I think of all the things I should say...but I back off in order not to step on any toes. But let me tell you...whatever excuse you have will not be good enough when the Lord returns. That's what I should be saying because it's the truth. And I tell you this as someone who used to make excuses! But once I had that push and visited a church just once then I couldn't wait to get back the next Sunday! 

I can totally relate to "I'm exhausted from the week and I want to sleep in." or "We are going to go to the mall instead." I'm sure those were some of my excuses, too. I even hear "I'm a Christian...I pray to the Lord and I try not to sin." But that's not all there is to being a Christian (disciple). To be a disciple(christian) of Jesus, you must be committed to Him above EVERYTHING ELSE. This is where one of my favorite verses comes in. I've loved this verse since I was a teenager.

"He who finds his life shall lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake shall find it." Matthew 10:39

What does that verse mean to you? To me, it means giving up our own life, our wants, needs, etc, in order to live our lives for Christ and to live the lives He wants for us. This means giving up a few extra hours of sleep, the sale at the mall, the matinee at the theater, so on and so forth, in order to make time for Jesus. Taking up your cross means saying goodbye. You must be willing to give up everything! God gave you freedom, but He did not give you freedom so that you could do whatever you want. "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law fulfilled in one word, even in this : 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" Galatians 5:13-14

Jesus died on the cross for us. And if asked I'm sure many of the 84% of self-proclaimed Christians would say "I would die for him as well!" But...would you live for Him? It is easier to die for something than it is to live for it.

"People before things, people before projects, family before friends, husband before children, husband before parents, tithe before wants, Bible before opinions, Jesus before all." Jo Ann Leavell

I hope this gets your gears moving and thinking and I hope it motivates you to make a change. If I can ever be a listening ear for you in any case please let me know. I would love to grow as a Disciple (Christian) with you. Have a great week!

God bless

<3
Audrey

My fb page : https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oh-no-she-didnt/212208255556419?ref=hl

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