The year to save your soul

How is your soul doing today?

 

 

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age…” – Titus 2:11-12

I say Amen to that. Did you say, “Whatever!?”

I must admit that saying ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions is hard. We are under so much pressure to embrace the ungodliness of the world. Just watch TV for an hour or so or scan the magazine rack at your neighborhood grocery store.

Wait! On second thought, don’t because you will be inundated with impure messages and images – if not shamelessly titillating pictures of men and women meant to ‘intice’ you through sex.

It is really easy to give into your urges when you don’t take the time to train yourself to be righteous. Much of my life before becoming a christian revolved around satiating my carnal desires.

What a fruitless enterprise! I learned that the more I went running after such ungodly and worldly passions, the more I craved them and the more I ran after them. It was a vicious cycle that harmed me spiritually and physically.

Did you say it again? “Whatever, dude. I’m fine.”

You think you’re fine. You’re probably right. But… fine may not mean what you think it means in this case. Giving yourself up to ungodly and worldly passions does make you fine. Sacrificing yourself upon the altar of ungodly and worldly passions definitely leaves you fine:

F – Freaked Out!

I – Insecure

N – Neurotic

E – Emotional

In Paul’s letter to Titus, Paul urges Titus to teach men, women, young and old alike to do good for the sake of the gospel. To teach what is appropriate to sound doctrine; to teach older men to be temperate; to teach older women to be reverent; to teach young men to be self-controlled, etc.

Read Titus to get the full account. Once you do, ask yourself how you can apply Paul’s advice to your life. This is a time the world celebrates the coming of a new year.

People often make resolutions to be better in the new year than they were in the old year. All too often, those resolutions are broken before January gives way to February.

My resolution is for spiritual improvement. With God’s help, I can say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions in 2009.

How about you? Why not give it a try. If you don’t know where to start, reach out to someone who can help. You’ll find many helpers in the Washington D.C. International Christian Church. Check us out. Reach out.

Maybe 2008 wasn’t great. Just resolve yourself to not be F.I.N.E. in 2009.

What have you got to lose – except maybe your soul.

Christians must not suffer from historical myopia

“Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness and who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were cut and to the quarry from which you were hewn…” – Isaiah 51: 1

It’s easy today to forget who we are.

 Although for most, it isn’t necessarily harmful if we don’t know our family history. My family tree includes Native American, German and Mexican branches. However, not knowing the details of that lineage hasn’t kept me from living a “decent life.”

But as a Christian – as someone who has chosen to follow Jesus – not remembering history can be harmful. How can I truly be about my purpose if I don’t remember the history of our mission as disciples.

Israel was called to remember its roots in Isaiah 51. Since moving to the D.C. area, I’ve realized just how important it is in this day to remember from which rock we were cut.

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you… I am the vine;  you are the branches…” – John 15:4-5

• To reshape your life, conform your life to Christ

More so than ever, I know my purpose is found in a person – the Lord Jesus Christ. That can be so easy to forget when you’re worried about paying bills because you are unemployed. We can fall prey to the troubles of this world if we don’t remember. 

In a book on Christianity that I am reading, the author says it like this: If we don’t know our personal and communal histories, we are like children easily manipulated…Historical perspective is important for counteracting the tyranny of current opinions.

Current opinions? Of that there are many – many that persecute us who choose to make Jesus our Lord and many that scoff at our conviction to make the Bible our supreme standard for living (“Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in heaven” – Psalm 119:89).

For years, I now see that I was suffering from historical myopia. Are you? But I choose to no longer live that way. I have made tough sacrifices moving from New York to D.C. – selling my home, leaving a great job, uprooting my family to advance the kingdom. After two months, I am still looking for a job. God will provide in His time. Today it is about the mission.

 I – and all disciples – must remember we are a chosen people with a very real mission that hasn’t changed since the 1st Century:

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you…”  - Matthew 28: 19-20

What is really important? Without perspective, we will overvalue what is right in front of us (life’s troubles) and forget what is truly and universally important (saving souls, pleasing God).

• In a world of constant change, you can trust the unchanging Christ

Do you know what your purpose is? If you’d like some help making Jesus your purpose,  come check us out at the Washington D.C. International Christian Church. We meet at 10 a.m. every Sunday in D.C. and have several more intimate Bible discussion groups throughout the week.

Hope to see you there. (-: