Why The "Panicking Christian"?

Like most Christians, I occasionally find myself in a borderline, all out panic about something which I already knew, but seem to have forgotten or that I only knew in my head, as opposed to my heart. And mercifully, God decides to show me what is really going on or what it is that I needed to know, before I completely lose my mind.

So the writing within is just that. It is that which God has shown and taught me while I was typically in one of those times in my life. Since the way in which He has chosen to reveal things to me tend to be fairly easy to follow and understand, I am sharing them via this format. That said, I take no glory for any of this. It is God whom has given me the ability to write, and it is He who has given me the content to write as well and He who saved me by His glorious grace in the first place.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Hitting a plateau?

Plateau (according to Webster's): a relatively stable level, period or condition. Also a level of attainment or achievement.

In some fitness circles, plateau also has another meaning.

Take bodybuilding for example.

You may be doing well, work outs seem to be going great and you seem to make gains of all manner on a regular basis. The amount of weight you can move goes up, as does the ease with which it moves for you. You notice physical changes in your body as you grow consistently. Then it happens. You hit a plateau.

When you reach that level, the noticeable gains in all areas seem to fade away. You continue to strive and work hard, but to no avail. So what do you do? Does this mean you have gone as far as you possibly can? No, it does not. What it means, is that your body has become use to the variety and intensity of work that you frequently stress it with. So, if you want to move forward - go beyond where you are now - you need to make some changes. Typically, that will involve doing different exercises, doing more or fewer repetitions, altering weights used, adding or subtracting days you work out, or one of many other factors. But the big key, is that you MUST change to grow. Staying in that same, comfy place will not produce dramatic gains any longer. You may be able to come back to this place and routine eventually, but for the moment, you must leave it.

Personally speaking, I have had times in my life in which God seemed to speak to me on a very regular basis. Times in which the changes within myself have been not only many, but noticeable even to me. And I have to tell you, those times were (and are) amazing. Just the intense feeling of closeness with my God each and every moment of each and every day. Amazing seems like far to small a word to describe it, but it is definitely a good start.

But not every day is like that. While there may be times that are that way, there are also other times which seem slower, or even feel almost distant. Feeling like you are "praying through mud". I know I am not the only one to feel that way or have gone through it.

Now sometimes I have found that He merely wants me to live out what I have learned recently with Him - almost like on the job training. Other times, it has been some circumstance in life that has distracted me from my life with Him - it is a good thing He does not change nor does He get distracted, so He is always there when my sanity returns and I turn my eyes back to Him again.

But there are other times. Times in which I have hit a plateau. I have been going through motions and time spent with Him and have been answering whatever call on a fairly regular basis, only have everything seemingly grind to a halt. I'll be honest here. My first response is not that this is about something I have to change or do differently. I frequently look outward first. And a good chunk of the time, eventually, I have to come back around to look in the mirror.

I too, am a creature of habit and I get comfy in where I am and the way things are going. I get set in a routine, that while it does work in the beginning, ceases to show results as my comfort level rises. The intentional time I spend with God becomes little more than routine. "Ok, Lord, going to spend my time with you today so get ready to give me some good stuff now". Sound a bit limiting, does it not. So what to do?

Well, taking a hint from the fitness group, perhaps it is time for a change.

(Now I have known people who were against "change" because they felt they were someplace or involved with something that they felt God had led them into. The problem is, while God does not change, His plan and creation are constantly in motion, therefore, while He may have set something up yesterday, He may require it to be gone today. Assuming that God wants everything to stay the same and stable in your comfy place, is not exactly in keeping with who He is and how He works. So if you find yourself against change, double check your motives vs His will.)

It may be that a change is needed with regards to time spent or bible study. It may be something a bit more that is needed. Perhaps some issue that you know you have to face but have been putting off needs taken care of. Maybe He is calling you to make a major life change - a serious shift in direction. Regardless of how great or small it may be though, change is needed. Since God Himself does not change, guess who that leaves? (Hint - peek into the mirror).

Monday, November 22, 2010

A Christmas Message?

Kind of cheating a bit here as this is an older piece that I actually had put up on my Facebook profile, but it seems appropriately timed so re-posting in here:

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So here's the deal...
I am a Christian. That is, I am a follower of Jesus Christ who is my Lord and my Savior. You, the reader, may or may not be. It is because of His birth, life, death and resurrection that I have life beyond just having air going in and out of my lungs every couple of seconds. So in a very real way, every day I live is both Christmas and Easter to me.

Perhaps you do not believe. Ok. Allow me to point out a couple of things for you.

Well known verse - John 3:16 "For God so loved the world He sent His one and only Son..."
Just because you do not believe, does not change the fact that that event has happened.

Jesus died on the cross to pay the price for YOUR sins.
Whether you believe it or not, that event has happened as well.

There is nothing you have ever done that He will not forgive if you turn to Him.
Whether you believe it or not, that is true.

"ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) ... again, whether you believe that or not does not make it any less true.

"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9). Again, true, whether or not you choose to believe it is up to you.

The truth is not the truth because you choose to believe it or not. The truth is the truth because it is true.

If you choose to believe that east is actually north, that does not make it so. The world does not care where you think or feel north is. North is north.

"every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God."(Romans 14:11)
Does not say every believer does it? Eventually, all will stand before Him and have to make an account of their lives on this world. But you have a choice. You do not have to step up all alone. Christ Jesus will stand before you and intercede on your behalf - kind of like giving you immunity; and regardless of the life you have lived, you will have LIFE.

But you do not have to believe it.

But that does not make it any less true.

While people are busy writing notes about whether to say happy holidays or merry Christmas, consider this my Christmas message.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Christ-like

So it has been a few days since have posted, but have no fear am still here.

So what is it that is on my mind today? Well, the changes we go through during our walk with God. Kind of a far reaching topic but am only focusing on a part of it.

Now we all know that there are many traits which God desires His children to possess. Like any earthly parent, He desires His children to "grow up" to be of good character. The unfortunate part of this can be our response to this desire. Let's use self-control as an example.

Now self-control on its' own can be a good thing, but it is hardly always a Spirit enabled trait. Muslims and Buddhists exercise self-control all the time. New recruits in basic training learn self-control. Those who may gather for a Tuesday night meeting at Weight Watchers also exhibit self-control. So what is the difference between these, earthly examples of self-control and say the self-control that comes from the influence of the Holy Spirit in our lives?

There are no shortage of believers who, when they start to think they may need more self-control in their lives (or any other trait), will do the very same thing as those listed above. They will focus on what they desire or think they need and try to force it into being. Does not exactly sound Spirit enabled, does it? Probably, because it is not.

New neighbors have moved in next door. After that little awkward phase that comes with meeting new people (for many of us anyways), you find that you really like them. You have a number of shared interests and you just seem to click. You find yourself spending a fair bit of time together. After a while, someone points out that you have taken on some of their mannerisms. You did not intentionally try to start acting like them or using terms they use. It just happened as a result of you spending time with them - with you focusing your time and attention on them.

If you had of intentionally been trying to force yourself to be like them, you would be merely mimicking them, but by focusing on them as a person, you have actually changed a slight bit.

This is the difference.

We, as followers of Christ, are not changed by forcing ourselves into change. We are changed because we spend time with Him. It is out intentional focus on Him that causes the change - and that change being that we start to take on His traits. So it is not by focusing on the trait that we change but rather by focusing our attention on our Lord that we change. I know for myself, that the biggest changes in me have come not by brooding over my own short comings but rather, by spending more intentional time with God - putting more time, energy and focus into my relationship with Him.

So if you are seeking to be more Christ-like, do not focus on what you see that is not right or that you think needs changing. Instead, try putting a bit more effort into spending more time with the one you want to be like. You may find those efforts far more effective and life changing than anything else you could focus on.

May the grace of God keep you well.

(A thank you to Steve Adams (Faith Baptist Church lead pastor), who, through our discussion recently, helped in making this post possible)