this is for you Christian

I read this the other day and it had me thinking...

“Morality by consensus. That’s the way so many of us live, avoiding the things we collectively determine are wrong while affirming the things we determine are right and good. By consequence, our morals are in constant flux, constant transition, as they respond and adapt to the spirit of the age. This is true outside of the church and, sadly, true even within Christian culture.

In The Discipline of Grace Jerry Bridges challenges us that “if we are going to make progress in the pursuit of holiness, we must aim to live according to the precepts of Scripture—not according to the culture, even the Christian culture, around us.” But we can’t do this if we don’t know what those precepts are and we can’t know what those precepts are unless we are immersed in the Word of God.”  http://www.challies.com/reading-classics-together/morality-by-consensus

What Christian disciplines do I put into practice?  

I have been on a journey to gain a greater understanding of Scripture.  Christian, shouldn’t we all be on this journey?  For any person who calls themselves a Christian, the Bible should be the beginning and end of all matters.  Unfortunately far too many years of my Christian life were wasted on not knowing why I believe what I believe.  Why do you believe in Christ?  This is for you, Christian.  Too many years of my Christian life were without growth.  

When an issue arises, I have learned to ask, what does Truth say?  And If I can’t say, then I seek it out.  A lot of issues are rising in this time of Decision 2012.  Issues come up everyday in culture, on TV, at the coffee shop.  Do I know what Truth says about this and that?

We will be held accountable for how we live this life.  Do you believe that?  Does the Bible really say that?  Yes!  (Rom14:12, Rom3:19, Luke12:48) 

Is my stance on ____________ (fill in the blank with any of the recent items on the ballot) glorifying to God?  Is God part of a party?  Do I know what Scripture says about these issues that are being voted on?  Or am I ignorant?  Am I careful not to twist truth to make it more kosher with culture {because shame on me if I hurt someone’s feelings or disagree (sarcasm)}  Am I careful not to twist Truth to make it easier for myself to swallow?  

This is what I ask myself in this season of decision, and all the other times in life.  

Growth as a Christian has to be intentional.  As I tell my students, if you want to become stronger, you need to lift weights.  Growth in anything does not happen over night and does not happen without intentionality.  If you are in love with someone, then you want to learn more about that person and honor that person in every way you can.  

It is no different for me as a Christian.  I should desire growth if I am in Love with my Savior.  But growth needs to be intentional.  I need to seek it out, make time for it, and dig deep (deep into his word).  And not just read the word and forget what it says, but be a do-er. (James 2:17)  

So, what does Truth say about______________ (fill in the blank with all the recent issues on the ballot)?  Do you know what Truth says about___________, and are you living that out?  This is for you Christian.  

Lastly: “Our acceptance by God the Father is based solely on His grace to us through Christ. His favor is never earned by what we do nor forfeited by what we don’t do. But we may say with equal emphasis that our progress in the pursuit of holiness is to a significant degree conditioned on our use of the disciplines that God has appointed for us. And they have been appointed by God. They have not been initiated by the ‘disciplined’ school of discipleship. They were initiated by God.” Jerry Bridges

"Loving God - really loving Him - means living out His commands no matter what the cost" Colson

"The Bible- banned, burned, beloved. More widely read, more frequently attacked than any other book in history. Generations of intellectuals have attempted to discredit it; dictators of every age have outlawed it and executed those who read it. Yet soldiers carry it into battle believing it is more powerful than their weapons. Fragments of it smuggled into solitary prison cells have transformed ruthless killers into gentle saints." Colson

make it a practice to know Truth.