Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Having a Kingdom Attitude 21

As we come to the close of the Sermon on the Mt., Jesus has been teaching His disciples what it means to live on this earth with a Heavenly Kingdom mindset, and thus ensuring a less stressful life. In Matthew 7:13-27, Jesus will conclude His teaching by helping us see the difference between authentic and fake Christians. On this earth we are confronted by many who call themselves "followers of Christ" but their actions do not mirror their words. Jesus will use four metaphors to help us better spot the real from the fake Christian: two gates, two trees, two works, and two foundations. The whole lesson can be summed up in one sentence: "An authentic Christian walks in God's path, while producing good fruit cultivated by obedience to the Father."

In the first session (7:13-14), we see that authentic Christians persevere on a costly path. While the major chose the wide gate, few will take the small, narrow, unpopular way. Lk 13:23 tells us "to strive to enter the narrow door..." It is a choice for a man or woman to take the road that the majority of people refuse to walk. It is a costly and lonely road, but yet it is the true way to heaven (John 14:6). The second session (7:15-20) teaches us that authentic Christians produce good fruit. Note, the emphasis is not on "no fruit" but rather "bad fruit." We know that lost people bear no fruit, but the bad fruit is a direct reference to those who say they are one thing but their fruit shows otherwise. In the third session (7:21-22), we learn that authentic Christians practice Godly obedience. There will be many who have performed "works of obligation" and yet the Savior will say that they were "worthless works". The only good works are works of obedience. Just knowing God's name or doing good works will not get anyone into heaven. Salvation is only through the work of the cross and our acceptance of that work for the forgiveness of our sin. When we seek to enter heaven any other way apart from God's righteousness, then we are labeled as "fake Christians." Next, week will will look at the final metaphor, the two foundations. Until next time, keep walking close to Christ.

Monday, August 17, 2009

Calvary For Clunkers!

Let me pause this week from my series on having a Kingdom attitude to that of a subject that has gotten my attention these past few weeks. We have seen a certain government program get to be very popular to the American people, so much so that it has run out of money long before it was intended to. As we know, this program is known as "Cash for Clunkers." The government has invited Americans to trade in their old gas-guzzling car for a brand new, efficient running machine. Those who trade in their old car will then get a $4500 rebate toward the purchase of a new car; and boy have the old clunkers been turned in to the trash heap for the promise of something new.

As I thought about this program, I could not help but think that God Himself had a program already in place that was very similar to our government. In fact, the plan by God, offered to all mankind, gives us far more than any government program can offer, i.e. salvation from our sins and eternal life in heaven. Now I know some might think that the word "clunkers" is not a very nice word to describe man, but I would disagree. The apostle Paul could have very well used this word when saying, "Oh wretched (clunker of a man) man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?" (Rom. 7:24) Or the prophet Isaiah could have meant "clunker" when he declared in Isaiah 6:5 - "Woe is me, for I am ruined (a clunker)...!" Man is not naturally good, we are all born into sin, broken down clunkers. We run very shakily at best, and we are all truly guilty of being polluted by sin and polluting this word with our sinful actions and desires our whole life (Ps. 51:5; Rom. 3:23).

Yet the good news is this - God is offering us His best deal - "Calvary for Clunkers." God stepped out of heaven to this earth, and took on the form of man. Jesus lived a sinless life and willing went to the cross of Calvary to die for our sins; to take our place in death. Is. 53:12 states that He died for our sins on the cross. He was buried, and three days later rose from the dead (1 Cor. 15). He now offers this gift to all mankind - "Calvary for Clunkers." He has promised that when we turn in our old self, He will forgive us our debt and will make us a brand new creature in Christ. No longer do we walk in the path of sin (pollution), but we are to walk in newness of life in righteousness (Rom. 8). Isn't this a great program? Yet make sure you take advantage of this heavenly offering, because there is coming a day in each of our life that it will be too late to trade in your "clunker for Calvary."

Monday, August 3, 2009

Having a Kingdom Attitude 20

In our next passage, Matthew 7:7-12, we read one of the most important commands given to us by Jesus; and this command guarantees that we have a less stress life. Verse 12 is know as "The Golden Rule" - "Do for others as you would have them do for you." This verse may be familiar to us today, but in Jesus' day this kind of thinking was unheard of. The motto back then was like today's, "He who has all the gold makes all the rules." The "religions" and "philosophies" in Jesus' time taught the negative form of the Golden Rule. The Jewish rabbi Hillel said, "What is hateful to yourself do not to someone else." Confucius taught, "What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others." Do you see that the negative form focuses on self preservation? Yet Jesus turns man's selfish thoughts upside down by stating that a true child of God will be proactive, doing good for others in the same way they would want to be served.

In this passage Jesus gives us three reasons we are able to live out the Golden Rule in a fool's-gold world. First God has given His children His personal promise that if we are persistent (keep on) and progressive (ask...seek...knock) with our prayers then God will give us what we need (7:7-8). But if we are unwilling to show love to our fellow man, why should God answer our prayers? Second, we can live out the Golden Rule because God lived out the Golden Rule for us(7:9-11). God did not wait for man to do good to God, but rather He being the very definition of love, initiated goodness by providing the very best for us, Himself. This is exactly what He requires of us. Lastly, God's purpose for His children demand living the Golden Rule (7:12). When God's children live out the Golden Rule, they are imitating very the best quality of their heavenly Father. They are also living obediently to Scripture. The Golden Rule is not only a New Testament message, it is the very foundation for the 39 books in the Old Testament. Jesus' message to us is this: Kingdom living is only possible if you are a child of God. It is a supernatural calling that can only be accomplished by the Holy Spirit. Yet, when we practice the Golden Rule, it releases the love of God in our lives and in our world, to enable us to help others, even those who have hurt or hate us. When we walk in God's power, we can do for other's as we would like done for us; and in return live a less stressed life. Until next time, keep walking close with Christ.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Having a Kingdom Attitude 19

One of the most common statements heard in society is the following phrase, "Jesus say not to judge me!" Well, it is true that Jesus tells His disciples not to judge, it is clear that most quote this verse (Matthew 7:1, "Do not judge so that you will not be judged") wrongly. It is used to justify their sinful living rather than giving corrective exhortation. In Matthew 7:1-6, Jesus will uses the word "judge" to confront the idea of "judging the motives of other people" - an impossibility for man to do. The judging spoken of deals with a critical view of others while holding to an arrogant view of one's way of life. Jesus shows us that when we see people through our standards and our righteousness, we will be guilty of false judgment. Yet read carefully, Christ is not forbidding his disciples to distinguish between good and evil, truth and error (note 7:6). In this passage, Christ is mainly dealing with the motives behind the actions of the person judging. To judge without mercy, forgiveness, and love is to be a hypocrite.

In this passage Jesus makes two main points. First, judgment begins with a self-evaluation of personal motives (7:1-5). Before we point a finger to the other person to look inward before pointing outward. When we practice self-judgment, it will do three things: It will prepare us for our future judgment (2), it will prepare us for our present judgment (how we live today), and it prepares us to serve others. When we see ourselves as sinners, forgiven and saved by God's grace, then we can better help with humility those who have fallen as well. Second, judgment ends with self-discernment for the Gospel (7:6). In this verse it is clear that Christ's disciples are to make a judgmental choice with the Scriptures: Don't waste the gospel riches on antagonist and on abominations. Jesus warns His followers to be discerning on how they give out God's precious Word; none of us deserve God's Word, and yet there are some that through the constant rejection of God's Word forfeit the right to hear any longer (2 Peter 2:1-3; 12,22). All judgment on our part must begin by a humble examination of ourselves before God. When we take care of self we can be better suited, with the right attitude, to help those around us who are off track doctrinally, ethically, and morally. If we remember this command, then we will experience less stress in our dealings with our fellow man. Until next time, keep walking close with Christ.

Monday, July 6, 2009

Having a Kingdom Attitude 18b

As we continue to look at Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus is teaching His disciples that a life of worry is an enemy, a thief to the Christian life. Jesus teaches us that the more we worry, the more stress we will have in our physical and spiritual life; and the more we worry the more power we give the enemy to rob us of the joy that comes from walking in close fellowship with Christ. Let me list two more precious treasures that a life of worry will steal from the child of God (besides our perspective, worth, and faith). Worry will steal your testimony (6:31-33), it will make you look like a hypocrite and an idolater to the world. A Christian is to be one who depends on God for all their needs. We sing about it, we talk about it, we teach it....and yet most of us do not live what we are preaching. A worried attitude says to the world, "I don't believe God is truly over all, and I don't believe I can trust God completely." Bishop Fulton J. Sheen stated, "Worry is a form of atheism, for it betrays a lack of faith and trust in God." Jesus tells us not to worry over food, fashion, and life, because that attitude is the attitude of pagans who worship false gods.

Lastly, worry will steal your today (6:34). You may say, what do you mean "stealing my today." Jesus teaches us that each day has enough trouble, so worrying about tomorrow is not profitable for the work that needs to be done today. God will take care of our tomorrows. Work today for God's kingdom. Stop wasting time fretting over things that have not happened. We cannot work in tomorrow, we are only promised today. As the psalmist writes, "This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." With this passage, we can sum Jesus' teaching with this statement: "Worry is a sin that steals our perspective on material needs, it devalues us as God's precious creatures, it compromises our faith, it harms our testimony, and it takes away the joy afforded to us each day to pursuit God's kingdom and His righteousness. When you have God's perspective of life, you will have a less stressed life. Until next time, keep walking close with Christ.

Friday, June 26, 2009

Having a Kingdom Attitude 18a

Our next passage is Matthew 6:25-34, and our subject is worry. The cause of most of our stress in life is what we choose to worry about in life. When you look at all of God's creatures, who are the only ones that worship other gods, especially the gods of money and wealth? The lure of wealth and money has created a characteristic only seen in humans - worry and anxiety; and it is from worry and anxiety we have all sort of physical, mental, and emotional sickness. Jesus mentions the word "worry" six times in Matt. 6:25-34. The word worry or anxious speaks to the heart of self concern. The word in the Greek has implications of being pulled or drawn in different directions (very stressful). John MacAuther states, "Worry is a sin of distrusting the promise and providence of God and yet it is a sin that Christians commit perhaps more frequently than any other."

In this passage, Jesus teaches us that Christians will not be overwhelmed by worry when they always seek to live according to God's kingdom rules. Let us look at this passage and note what worry does to our lives; or rather what worry takes away. First, worry steals our perspective of what God's best is for our lives (6:25,27). To God, our lives are more important that food and fashion; yet we fall into the sin of worry when we try to take control of our own lives. Second, worry steals our worth (6:26,28-30). The Bible states that we are more valuable to God than birds or flowers; in fact the Father values His children above any created thing. Worry distorts the way you understand your worth to God. Third, worry steals our faith (6:30b). Worry says of God, "I don't think I can trust you with this matter in my life." Worry also chokes out spiritual growth (Matt. 13:22) and is an enemy to humility. Peter writes, "Therefore humble yourself under the mighty hand of God...casting all your anxiety on Him..." (1 Peter 5:6-7) We can learn to depend on Christ for all our needs, or we can choose to live a stressed-fill life. Next time we will look at two other areas of our life that worry tends to prey on. Until then, keep walking close with Christ.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Having a Kingdom Attitude 17

Our next step in this journey through the Beatitudes is Matthew 6:19-24. Jesus addresses the subject of money. I guess no other topic is the source of more stress than money. No one is surprise to hear that the number one reason for divorces and church splits is money. There are many "Christians" today who are moments away from walking away from family, friends, job, church, and maybe even God because of the stressors that arise from the misuse or lack of money. In this passage, Jesus will teach His disciples the proper way to view and use wealth and materialism without getting any ulcers. The key principle taught can only be lived out in a live of a mature Christian, and that lesson is: "One who values relationship with God over all material possession is genuinely committed to the Kingdom of God."

Money or material goods were given to us by God, not to be the cause of stress but rather to be used to bless our neighbors and our God. Yet in this passage Jesus points out the pitfalls that come from the pursuit of money and materialism in these following verses. First, materialism will enslave our heart (6:19-21). All earthy possessions are temporal while all heavenly investments are secure. Yet the issue at the heart of the matter is in what place is our heart's desire. The second pitfall to wealth is the fact that materialism will enslave our mind (6:22-23). If we have a "self-focused eye" with money, that will only bring us darkness; while a "God focused eye brings light." The third pitfall to wealth is that materialism will enslave our will (6:24). If our will is bent on accumulating wealth, we will be miserable. Yet if our will is given over to pleasing God, then we will experience great satisfaction and a less stressed life. Until next time, keep walking close to Christ.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Having a Kingdom Attitude 16

There is plenty of statistics found from secular university research that proves that prayers, chatting, yoga, and various forms of meditation can lower one's blood pressure and provide a person a less stressful life. While having a prayer life is note-worthy, I believe that for most who participate in religious activities, their prayer life has become a very stressful activity. If prayer is not properly understood and practiced, then the outcome can be more harmful to the body than good. In Matthew 6:9-15 & Luke 11:2-4, Jesus gives His disciples a glimpse of what a healthy prayer looks like. God has made prayer to be the "spiritual DNA" for the life of a Christian. Just as the composition of DNA consist of two long polymers called nucleotides, jointed together by smaller strains called ester bonds; so too prayer is main up of two main strains held together by six components. If these strains are missing, compromised, or not complete, then our prayer life will have major problems. In these verses we see that the two main strains of a healthy prayer are: Seeking only to Honor God (6:9-10) and Seeking only to Depend on God (6:11-15).

In the first strain we have three components: We pray in order to honor God's name, His kingdom, and His will. If your prayer request is missing one or all three, then you are praying a prayer that is not pleasing to God; simply put, it is a sick prayer. Every time we get on our face before God, our desire should be that every petition and request bring only honor to God's name, His kingdom, and be in line with His will for our lives. In the second strain, we too have three more components: We depend on God for our physical needs, for His forgiveness of personal sin, and His protection from prevailing evil. A healthy prayer is one that focuses on our dependence on God, not on what I can get out of God. My desire as a Christians should be to rely completely on God to take care of my personal needs. Humble myself to always seek God's forgiveness for my sin. Recognize my frailty and God's sovereignty over all, and call God's attention to keep my heart always focus on His way for my life. As a Christian, if my prayer life is healthy, then I will live a less stressed life in this world. Until next time, keep walking close to Christ.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Having a Kingdom Attitude 15

As we journey with Jesus through the sermon on the Mt., we are reminded that walking in God's Word is a sure way of having a less-stressed life. I am not saying that our obedience to God's Word eliminates all our problems in this world, but rather it provides peace of mind. When your relationship with the Father, Son, and Spirit is right, then your life is in the best possible position. In Matthew 5:5-8;16-18, Jesus will teach his children how they are to pray and fast. Again, we are reminded that if these actions are done with the right motives, then the blessings received will be great. Jesus teaches us that we must pray and fast, but only if our motives and attitudes promote God's glory and not our own flesh. The example used by Jesus is the religious crowd themselves who did all these "spiritual acts" only to be seen and heard by men. We ought to learn that when we pray, it is not about "repetition" but rather about the condition of our hearts that matter to God. Christians are expected to give, pray, and fast; but the question we ought to ask ourselves is "Why are we doing what we are doing?"

Jesus goes on to instruct us that the proper way of praying and fasting is to first, do it in secret before praying in public. This means we have no right to pray out loud in public if we do not have a private, prayer-closet life. Second, we should pray with sincerity. It is not about the quantity of words we use, like the hypocrites, but rather the quality of those words. Third, when we fast, act normal. The religious crowd wanted the lights, camera, and news media nearby to watch their religious acts. Christ teaches us to fast for God's eyes only. It is His opinion of us that matters most. With these three fundamental acts of worship, we will be tempted to promote self over glorifying Christ. Let us all be on guard that the things we do to worship Christ are done in a matter that bring glory to Him alone. And if this is our motivation, then our life will be less stressful. Until next time, keep walking close with Christ.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Having a Kingdom Attitude 14

The next passage we will look at is Matthew 6:1-4, as Jesus begins speak on the discipline of giving. Money and stress go together. I guess it could be argued that money is the cause of much of the stresses in our lives. Jesus does not use this passage or any passage to bash money, but rather it is the selfish use of money and wealth that brings great harm to one's self. In this passage we will learn that Christians must give, but only if their motives and attitudes promote God's glory and not their own good works. If we are not careful, we can become so focused on trying to please people or receiving praise from giving that we lose out on the true blessing that one will receive from God when they give. Jesus instructed His disciples, as well as you and I to do three things before we give. These three points of examination will greatly reduce our stress in giving, as well as motive our heart to have the right attitude when we give to God.

First, when we give, examine our motives (6:2,16;23:5-7). Most of the religious' groups gave to be seen and honored by men. Jesus states that if this is your single purpose for giving, then you have lost your reward in heaven. A hypocrite will seek man's approval over God's. Second, when we give, examine our manner of giving (Matt. 6:3). The religious crowd gave to be in the spotlight. They were self-righteous, self-centered, and self-serving in their giving. Giving just to make oneself feel good is not God's intent for giving. This leads to the last point, when we give, do it only for God's glory (6:2-4; 1 Cor. 10:31). Jesus tells us to give in secret, that way we avoid the glamor from men, we please our heavenly Father, and we are used to meet real needs. We should always give from a grateful heart and for the glory of God. When we have this attitude with all our possessions, then we will have a less stressed life. Until next time, keep walking closely with Christ.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Having a Kingdom Attitude 13

The next session is Matthew 5:33-37, in where Jesus teaches His children, "You shall not make false vows....but let your statement be, 'Yes, yes' or 'No, no'; anything beyond these is of evil." We have learned that Jesus will always side with life, scriptures, and marriage; next we will see that Jesus will always side with truthful talk. A few years back a book was published called The Day America Told the Truth. In this book we read about surveys taken in America about this cultures fascination with lying. In this book, 91% of those surveyed said that they lie on a regular basis. 86% said they lie to their parents regularly. 75% said they lie regularly to their friends. 69% said they lie to their spouses. Lying is glorified in our culture, and yet we wonder why we are such a stressed out society. Deception and lying only fosters an environment of stress and high blood pressure. In Matthew, Jesus commands His children to speak only the truth, because He is the author and source of Truth (John 14:6).

We see in this passage that Jesus is teaching us that the citizens of God's Kingdom hold truth to be sacred in every conversation, at all times. Why? First, because all oaths were sacred acts of truth (5:33). In O.T., all vows and oaths were entered into with sincerity and sacredness. When when Jephthah made a foolish vow, he fulfilled it (Judges 11:29-40). Numbers 30:2 reads, "If a man makes a vow to the LORD...he shall not violate his world...". Second, we learn that all oaths invite God into your situation. When one makes a promise, "pinky swears", or swears on God's name that what they are saying is truth, they automatically are calling God into that promise - because God is Truth. And if that oath was a lie, then you are directly assaulting God's truthful character. Last, Jesus instructs us that every oath should flow from a truthful heart (5:37, James 5:12). We should not manipulate the truth or mask the truth, Christians are to be men and woman of the Truth. And if we purpose to live this way, then you a guaranteeing yourself a less stressed life. Until next time, keep walking close with Christ.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Having a Kingdom Attitude 12

One of the most stressful situations of life is when a couple goes through a divorce. While there are some who leave their marriage with an attitude of "good riddance", most leave with great stress, almost equal to a death in the family. Stress is not confined to the individual alone, the shock waves of divorce can devastate parents, family and friends, and especially the children. Yet, every hundreds of couple each day choose to walk down this path - a path of great stress.

Well, Jesus talks about marriage and divorce in Matthew 5:31-32 & Matthew 19:1-9. As we read these verses it is clear that Jesus is opposed to divorce, why? Because just like life and Scripture, Jesus will always chose the side of marriage over divorce. In Jesus' days, the religious leaders treated divorce as common as drinking water, but Jesus taught marriage to be an institution ordained by God, and its purpose was to last till death separates one spouse from the other (19:6). As we look at these passages we see three things about divorce and marriage. First, divorce was never God's plan for man (Matt. 19:4-6). God's plan was for husband and wife to live in a relationship guided by Him and fueled by their self-denial and self-giving to each other. Second, divorce is always sinful for man (Matt. 19:7-8). There has not been one divorce where sin was not the underlying reason for it. Whether, selfishness, adultery, abuse, or neglect...all those reasons point to a sinful heart. Third, divorce is allowed only by God's grace (Matt. 19:9, 1 Cor. 7:12-15). Because of certain sins (sexual immorality & desertion) that severely break the one-union marriage covenant, God does allow divorce & remarriage to be granted. Notice, the exceptions are not reasons to quickly get a divorce, but a Christian is commanded to make every effort to forgive and seek restoration of their marriage. It is when the offending spouse continues to engage in constant, unrepeated behavior in which permission is granted. I would also argue that "unfaithfulness to the marriage covenant" includes sexual and physical abuse in the relationship. Scripture is clear that God expects us to choose life above any moral law.
In closing, let me make five points about marriage & divorce: 1. The church should defend Christian marriage at all cost. 2. Christians should not search Scripture trying to find an "out" for marriage, but rather seek forgiveness and restoration. 3. Divorce should always be the last resort. 4. God hates all divorce; He also hates abusive, manipulative, self-centered, and unholy marriages. 5. Christians should never trivialize marriage or divorce. They should strive to strength marriages as well as minister to those who are going through the grieving and stressful outcome of divorce. Until next time, keep walking close with Christ.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Having a Kingdom Attitude 11

In Matthew 5:21-30, Jesus deals with two of man's greatest sources of stress: anger and lust. These are the two most powerful, negative influences on mankind. How often do you open your paper or turn on the news and see one or both of these emotions being reported with negative consequences? With both anger and lust we see that if they are not recognized and dealt with internally first, then the continual consequences of anger and lust will lead to murder and adultery. Yet, when a person has a "Kingdom mindset" they will seek to deal quickly internally, before it manifest itself outwardly.

Today I want to focus on the 6th commandment, "Do not commit adultery." In this chapter Jesus was defend marriage convincingly; a union between one man and one woman at one time. Why does He defend marriage, because marriage is an object lesson of our relationship to Christ. The Pharisees prided themselves in not committing the "physical" act of adultery, but God could see their hearts and knew quite well that their mind and heart was a constant "peep show". Jesus states that if a man lusts after (stare, or continuous looking) a woman in his heart, then he is guilty of sin. When we hear of someone committing adultery, that was only the final step in a process of sinful, lustful thoughts of the heart. Jesus teaches us two was to keep this sin from destroying our marriages, first, we must be willing to remove what we cherish the most in order to protect us from evil. The right eye or hand was a person's best and most precious faculties. If your most cherished body part or electronic device is causing you to sin, get rid of it. Don't misunderstand this passage, Jesus is not justifying mutilation, because a blind man can still commit adultery. Second, we must remove sin quickly and decisively to protect us from evil. We do not ignore cancer, we cut it out completely; so too should the child of God do with any form of sin. Great stresses come when be allow our heart to hide sin; but you can also rest knowing that great relieve comes when we constantly repent of any and all sins, thus ensuring us a less stressed life. Until next time, keep walking close with Christ.

Monday, January 26, 2009

Having a Kingdom Attitude 10

As we continue to seek ways to have less stress in our life, it is safe to say that a Christian's stress level is measured by how they view God's Word. It must be frustrating to call oneself a "Christian" and yet see the Bible as a non-important book for everyday living. Most Christians are living their life apart from the teachings of God's Word, and it should not surprise us that those Christians have lives that are as or even more stressful than those who would consider themselves unbelievers. When we study the New Testament, it is clear that the religious leaders of the day, the Pharisees, although religious, they were stressed out dudes. They lived by the strict letter of their own rules. Their joy came from telling others what they could not do, and walking around town hoping that people would recognize their sacrifices and their spirituality (6:5). Well, the source of true joy and happy comes when we realize that we have been saved to walk in freedom and liberty, not to hold onto a bunch of rules.
Jesus speaks in Matthew 5:17-20 the importance of living our lives under the guidance of God's Word. If we allow God's Word to be our guide, it is not a weight, but it will free us from needless worry, and helps us walk in victory and joy. There are four principles for living by God's Word that Christians need to embrace. First, live under the dominate Word of God (5:17). Both the Old and New Testaments are for our edifying, one does not trump the other. If allowed, God's Word should dominate every part of our life. Second, we need to live on the firm Word of God (5:18). God's Word is permanent, secure, stable forever; it is the perfect foundation to build your life upon. Third, live by the relevant Word of God (5:19). It gives us both warnings and blessings for how we use it. God's Word never goes out of date. Last, we ought to live intentionally with God's Word (5:20). God's Word has purpose, and if we chose to live our religion to be seen by men, then we will be known as hypocrites. But if we live righteously according to God's Word, then we will have a less stressful life. Until next time, keep walking close to Christ.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Having a Kingdom Attitude 9

Many years ago, Elihu Burrit wrote, "No human being can come into this world without increasing or diminishing the sum total of human happiness, not only of the present but of every subsequent age of humanity." When we come to Matthew 5:13-16, Jesus teaches us that true believers should strive to make a positive mark on this earth. He compares Christians to two objects - light & salt. Jesus states that when Christians live with a Kingdom attitude, they have a major influence in this dark and decaying environment. Sin brought darkness, decay, and death, yet Christ brings light & life. Jesus states that "you" are salt. In Bible days salt was very valuable, not only in preserving and favoring, but also it was used to pay the Roman soldiers (here is where we get the phrase 'not worth his salt'). But what Jesus had in this verse is the idea of preservation. When Christians live, talk, and act as their Master, then the evil influences in this world are weakened. Salt prevents the entire earth from degenerating even faster. Christians have the effect of delaying moral and spiritual rottenness.

Christians are also called to be "little lights", reflecting The Light of the World, Christ Jesus. What does light do? If both attracts and repels. It reveals the right path. It exposes what is right and wrong. This is why God leaves Christians in this wicked world - we have a mission to reveal the way to heaven for all men. Jesus reveals that with such a calling there is also a danger with both salt and light. First, even though salt could never lose its inherent saltiness; yet because of impurities, the salt would lose its effectiveness and strength. How many Christians have allowed worldly pollution to corrupt their testimonies? Second, with light, the danger is that we hide our testimony, thus minimizing the value and effectiveness of the light. Oh friend, when we are obedient to God's mission on this earth as salt and light, then the end result is God will be glorified by the world through our lives; thus bringing us a less stressed life. Well, until next time, keep walking close with Christ.