Christians divorcing and then claiming that they are acting as Christians, so why isn’t God giving them peace with their children?

The divorce rate among Christians is the same as non believers.

Christians protesting at funerals that God is happy with deaths of soldiers side by side with Christians saying God is love.

Christians dressing like Beyonce’, Madonna, or any other ‘American Idol’ type person – and then wondering why nobody takes them serious when they talk about holiness.

Christians going bankrupt because they cannot afford the great and wonderful church that GOD WAS SUPPOSED TO PROVIDE FOR THEM.

Christians speeding down the road with the little fish on the back of their vehicles almost flying off.  What a witness to the officer that pulls them over.

I have an old book – IN HIS STEPS, by Charles M Sheldon.

The popularity of this book started the WWJD movement.  Of course, sometimes, it’s an embarrassment to see what folks with WWJD jewelry are doing, as they are ambassadors for Christ.  Sometimes I wonder if the WWJD crowd ever read the book.

Here’s the intro:

What would happen if members of your local church pledged for an entire year not to do anything without first asking, what would Jesus do?  An intriguing question, and the very one that motivated Charles Monroe Sheldon to write his Christian classic, In His Steps.

For some, following in Jesus’ steps caused misunderstanding and suffering: for all it meant an entire dedication of money, talent, and life’s work, rewarded by immeasurable peace and joy.

1 Peter 2:21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

1Peter then goes on to describe HOW Jesus walked.

Here is an excerpt from the book:

“The church was the first in the city.  It had the best choir.  It had a membership composed of the leading people, representatives of the wealth, society and intelligence of Raymond.”

I am weary with being invited to churches that have the best choir, the most people, the best youth ministry and Sunday School (so you never have to deal with your children while you worship).

I want a church that embraces the Word of God.  I want a church that asks “What would Jesus Do?” and they can KNOW what Jesus DID because they KNOW the Word of God.

The church we thought we would attend has had several things come up this year.

1. 3 million dollar expansion project…even though God has repeatedly closed doors.  So, everyone give give give!
2. Peace Peace when there is no peace.  Preaching about peace being Jews and Palestinians living together with no borders, America with no borders between Canada or Mexico.  People with nothing to divide them….that is Peace.
3. The first love in Revelations 2 is love of people.  It wasn’t return to your first love – the joy of your salvation.
4. Youth program was watching movies like Transformers to teach Biblical principles.

The people are wonderful.  The people love the Lord.  But where does this lead?

1. Owing a huge debt, when the present building could be paid off.
2. Forgetting that we are a peculiar people, set apart to God – there is a difference between Christians and the world. And true Peace comes from being at peace with God – salvation, which sets a person at odds with everyone.
3. God is love of everyone..forgetting that God is the Just Judge, and He will call each man into account.  God’s love is a tough love…not a fluffy good ol’ boy love.
4. Children are to be nurtured in the admonition of the Lord…the need to learn the ways of God from His word FIRST, not secular movies and tv shows.

Matt 7:13-14KJV Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait [is] the gate, and narrow [is] the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Matt 7:13-14 NLT “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way. But the gateway to life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it.”

ONLY THE NARROW GATE – SMALL, NARROW, FEW!!!

Broad is the gate that leads to…..apōleia

1. destroying, utter destruction; a) of vessels
2. a perishing, ruin, destruction; a) of money; b) the destruction which consists of eternal misery in hell

The wide way is EASY!  The path with Christ leads to persecution –

John 15:20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

And we are to have a DIFFERENT RESPONSE when the fight comes:

Matthew 5:10 Blessed [are] they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

This is the key – persecuted for righteousness sake.

John 15:21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.

The only way to be persecuted for Jesus’ name sake, is to be walking LIKE JESUS.

What would Jesus do when He was depressed? We know he went to the garden and prayed!

What would Jesus do when verbally attacked? We know that he held his tongue.

What would Jesus do if the congregation got to big?  He got in a boat…he sent them away….they all created home churches.

What would Jesus Do about paying taxes?  he paid them…supernaturally.

What would Jesus Do in a divorce situation?  Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit are what a family is supposed to represent…they are one, and they cannot be divided.

John 10:30 I and [my] Father are one.

Luke 4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

He REPRESENTED THE GODHEAD!!!

And it’s by being ONE with the FATHER, SPIRIT AND SON, that we can truly learn to walk in Christ’s steps as HE walked with God:

John 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

John 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Matthew 4:1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

Mark 1:12 And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.

And this is how we are to REPRESENT CHRIST obeying His Father, and being filled of the Holy Spirit:

Rom 8:14For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

How did Jesus walk?  What did Jesus Do? He fulfilled this:

Eph 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Eph 5:24-25 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

We have No excuses:

Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.

Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Moses pleased God – and he was the one that wrote the first five books of the Bible!

David pleased God – and he was the one that wrote most of the Psalms.

Peter, John and Paul pleased God – and they wrote most of the New Testament.

They DID NOT HAVE THE WORD TO TEACH THEM THE PATH! But, we do.

The rest of Romans 1 describes our country, and unfortunately, much of our ‘Christian’ identity.

WARNING WARNING WARNING!

Acts 28:26 ” ‘Go to this people and say, “You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.”

Acts 28:27 “For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'”

Rom 11:8 as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day.”

2 Tim 4:3-4 For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

2 Thes 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.

2 Thes 2:11-12 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Jesus NEVER took pleasure in unrighteousness.

I confess, I do.  Movies that do not represent Godly values.  Doing things that are not the best for my body, or not doing things that ARE the best for my body.  Gossip.  Selfishness.  Complaining. Nagging. Worrying. Laughing at jokes.

If I didn’t take some sort of pleasure in them I would quit doing them, right? As Dr. Phil would say “How’s that working for ya?”

It’s time to rise up and be the Christian that God defined….in His WORD made flesh.  That is What Jesus Did Do.  So, if we study what Jesus did do, in the whole Bible(Old and New) – we will have the answers ready for What Would Jesus Do, when we ask.  But the real question is, does anyone REALLY  want to do what Jesus Did?

And yet, that is the NARROW GATE, that is the NARROW WAY.

Matt 7:14 NIV But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

BE FOREWARNED BY THE 5 FOOLISH VIRGINS! We must keep our oil full until the Bridegroom comes…or we may hear:

Matt 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Matt 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Many…MANY…..

Matt 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

Matt 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Here is God’s promise:

Is 42: 5 – 6 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: I the LORD have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;

Is 42:7 To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, [and] them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

Is 42:8-9 I [am] the LORD: that [is] my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.  Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them.

God has a plan, and God will bring it to pass.  And we have a responsibility:

2 Chron 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

This promise is addressed to God’s children, called by God’s name.  Who more responsible than those that go by the name of Christ?

We are not without help…God gives us many promises of His help…the point is, we must do as Jesus did…and turn towards Our Father, and focus on the WORD of God, so that we can know how to walk as Jesus walked.

Is 50:7 For the Lord GOD will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

Four commandments have to deal with our relationship with God.

One commandment deals with our relationship with our parents.

Five commandments deal with our relationship with others.

God has a lot to say about our relationship with Him…because He is a jealous God!

God, through Jesus, told us that blaspheming the Holy Spirit is without forgiveness…so, God is not happy with anything that blasphemes His name.  He will not shame us, and we should try to live so that we do not shame His name.

Phil 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but [this] one thing [I do], forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

Phil 3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Phil 3:15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.

We have been given everything we need to walk IN HIS STEPS.  It is my prayer that every decision I make, I will begin with What Would Jesus Do? What Did Jesus Do?  And then to say YES, LORD, and walk in that path, no matter how narrow or straight.

We need to make sure our ears are open, our eyes are open, and our hearts and minds are discerning God’s way.  I pray each person that reads this will KNOW that Jesus is Lord of their life, and that they hear His voice, and follow Him.  I KNOW that MY redeemer liveth – do you?

Thanks for joining me in this journey,

In His hands and under His wings,

~Christi

Ps 63:7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

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