Yeah you know........
The more new stuff we learn about God the more it seems like we're just making stuff up as we go a lot of times. This is probably because of people who subconciously think that God doesn't talk to people anymore.
What chall thank?
That's true..
For instance, I grew up in an environment / at the time when christians were taught to associate alot with non-christians..
Or another example is when a group meets for whole night prayers: People give you that suggestive eye--that suggests that U'r not christian enough just because you are not jumping around & shouting as every1 else.
But if you were to sit down & analyze all the prayers prayed, you might find that the person who was praying slowly & not shouting could still recall most of the things s/he prayed 4/ about; was very sincere & certainly wasn't a copy cat like some in the house were...Those are all signs of maturity in Christ..having an assuarance of what you have & not relying on people to validate it..But it's Holy Spirit Himself who affirms everything.
On the 1st example of dissociating oneself with non-believers:
Then there's the group that's always saying Amen Amen...going to church..everything is just glory..they might as well be in heaven rejoicing with the angels.
What they miss is that we have been made Ambassadors of Jesus Christ for the time being here on earth..so we are people on a mission...we shouldn't be afraid to get "our hands in the mud" because "greater is He that's in us than he in the world"..albeit, satan is a very smart whatever he is..so we need to exercise caution when we reach out with the aim of evangelising to our non-christian fellow beings..& that caution is exercised by placing God 1st & asking 4 His guidance & protection always..But then of-course we have boundaries..but Only Holy Spirit can truly define each ambassador's boundaries..For instance, 4 1 reason or another, Holy Spirit can tell me to go & reach out to the teens in the clubs..to most christians, they'd think..now
is this dude still Christian
So maturing in Christ, takes 1 to cease trying to please people, but follow The 1 who has called him/ her & fully submit to Him & ask for wise counsel..because U could be doing the right thing, but with the wrong approach..so strategy is also very critical.
Then there are the traditional ways of evangelising that are well accepted--Crusade..every1 is ok to see you in those just because every1 knows what a crusade is...but do people ever stop & think what forces are there in a crusade when thousands & even millions of people are gathered & most have the most wicked of spirits? Why is being in such an environment ok, but when God tells you to go reach out to folks in clubs etc, you are frowned upon & are said to be bringing the church in2 disrepute..
Was it not Jesus who invited Zaccheus & dined with him at his house & said today salvation is come to your house.
Was it not Jesus who allowed the lady to wash his feet with her hair & pour all that perfume on him?
Was Jesus a man-pleaser or a man out to fulfil a vision?
Let us be like the 1 who sent us: Cross-focussed rather than controversy focussed.
Let's pray for the fellow brothers & sisters in ministries that seem to raise an eyebrow..
We are all part of the body..fulfilling a specific f(x).
In whatever we do, let's shew forth His praise & ask Him to draw us closer to Him..It is then that we will start to appreciate more the splendor of Christ & appreciate the way He has mobilised some of His servants to minister to the lost.
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