2 Timothy 2:15 ESV
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
If you read the title then you know there are a lot of those out there. Church has begun to turn into a weekly motivational seminar. People are tithing and putting in offerings to feel better about their circumstances and shortcomings. Church is becoming a place of feel good messages and uplifting music. Where were the messages when Jesus went to the cross? Where were the flowery sermons when He laid down His life for our sins? To put it plain the Christian journey isn't easy, nor is it designed to have a happy ending. It's a journey that holds the testament of your strength, endurance, faith, and reliance upon God. Our time here on earth is a marathon to build us to become the people we need to be for God. (2 Timothy 2:5)
Christians are ambassadors for the Lord and we will be knocked about through life. That's just the truth. Nothing is guaranteed here, besides God's Love, Grace, and Mercy. Preaching to people that life as a Christian will be all good are all lies. There's a gospel song that says, "...nobody told me that the road would be easy", and it won't! Look at Jesus's sacrifice! Our lives are not designed to be lush but to be lessons.
Everyday there is a crucial lesson to learn from being a true follower of Christ. We can all attest to the goodness of God. Everyday we can praise Him for His Blessings, His Grace, and His Mercy. We can teach through our testimonies. We can empower others by sharing our struggles. We can lead by learning from our failures. Life is beautiful in that way. We grow through times of adversity. This leads me to investigate why modern ministries do not highlight the depths of struggles, endurance, and hope?
I am not saying being a Christian is a sad predicament, but let's be real-- soldiers do get beat up in the battle. Beat up but never overtaken.(2 Timothy 2: 3-4) You have to go through struggle to enjoy the pleasure of praising God. That's all I'm saying. What I want to relay is that being a follower of Christ is a multidimensional experience with your sole intent being to become more like Christ everyday. Everyday we can pick up our cross and facing the wilds of the world; while relying on God, teachings from the Word, and the Holy Spirit. The Bible cannot be watered down or altered to fit a predetermined narrative. Are modern ministries preaching/ leading us to salvation, or preaching to our emotions and our wallets? We can't pluck a verse and make it fit our agenda.
Leading God's people is serious business. There are genuine men and women of the cloth that are upholding the truth and leading with biblical based principles. I'm just a blogger here, but I do know that being called as a minister is a serious dedication to God and to God's people. In closing, be blessed and be encouraged. Know that not every message that feels good is good. Likewise, not all serious messages are bad and avoidable. In truth, reading the Bible along with God's guidance, and true Spirit led (filled) leaders/churches: are all a sure way to lead us in the right direction every time.
(Scripture for reference: 2 Timothy 2: 1-26)
コメント