Matthew 11:12 And from the time John the Baptist began preaching until now, the Kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and violent people are attacking it.
As I sit here today there are many places in this world where our faith and belief is under attack. Yea this may not be one of those, "make you feel good" messages. Actually I kept fighting God in this one. I really didn't want to write about this verse because it's not all sunshine and roses. I sat here at my computer for probably 20 minutes just mentally arguing with God about this. I searched for other verses but nothing grabbed me. There were no words coming from my fingertips and the page lay blank and desolate. So here I go. People our faith and beliefs are under attack around the world. Satan wants to crush the message we carry. We are dangerous to him and he wants nothing more than to silence us. He fills us with fear and doubt, and he does his best to lie to us about who we are and what we can do. This world is full of depressed and overstressed people who have lost site of the truth. We have believed that we are powerless and live with a victim mentality that is ruining God's plan. What ever happened to fighting for what we believe in? What ever happened to standing up for what we believe in?
Listen we do not need to physically pick up weapons and fight an army, but we do need to pick up our Bibles and use the word of God as our sword. So many of us believers live such weak and pitiful lives (trust me I am including me in this). We walk around with our head hanging down and playing the victim. We cry and moan, complain and whine over and over again about our lives. We even talk like this to God. Do we have a reason to cry? Yes. Do we have a reason to moan? Yes. Do we have a reason to complain? Yes. Do we have a reason to whine? Yes. But what are we doing about it? To me it is pointless to sit around whining and complaining about our circumstances. Instead we need to lift our heads to heaven and pray, "God listen these circumstances I am in right now suck! But you know what? I know that you are more powerful than my circumstances. I know that through these circumstances, you will teach me and grow me in my faith and belief so instead of changing my circumstances, change me." Can you imagine how awesome that would be for God to hear that prayer instead of the ones we usually pray? "Oh God the circumstances in my life are just too hard for me to bear. I can't go on like this any more. I don't understand why you are punishing me?"
We need to be violent people for Christ. Not physically pick up weapons and go to war, but energetic, bold, confident and courageous Christians who are spreading the word about Jesus Christ. We need to fill social media with the message of Jesus Christ. We need to pray out loud in restaurants. We need to stop our cars on the street corner and give that homeless man a few dollars. We need to stop and pray for someone who is hurting. We need to show our friends and everyone we meet who Jesus Christ is, not just talk the talk, we need to walk the walk. "Oh but my friends won't like that. They may be offended." Really? Who is more important in your life your friends or God? Who do you car about impressing the most? Your friends? Or God? Are we prepared to stand our ground and testify to our faith no matter what the cost? When times get rough are we going to run and hide or are we going to stand up for who we believe in? It's time we take a stand! It's time to stop playing the victim and stop complaining, do something about it. Be a living example of Jesus Christ where ever we go. Our actions, our words need to be bold and courageous and confident and filled with the love of Jesus Christ, not judgement.
You know what may happen if we start acting this way? Sure we may lose a few friends. People may thin we're weird. People may even snicker and point fingers at us, but the main man, God Himself, will be smiling down on us. If it's just Jesus and me, I'm okay with that. I don't need friends who won't accept me for who I am. I don't need to be accepted or approved by anyone but God! I have lost friends, but that's okay because a true friend will accept me for who I am. The kingdom of God is under attack and if we do not take a stand for who we believe in, than I wonder is God will take a stand for us? You know, God has done so many amazing things for me and I am so grateful for all the blessings in my life, to thank Him I need to be more like His Son, Jesus Christ. Not just in word but in deeds. So today I am going to take a stand. I am a believer in God and His son Jesus Christ. The blood of Jesus Christ has washed me of all my sins and I now have the Holy Spirit of the living God inside of me. Love me or hate me, I don't care. I am a child of God! Redeemed and sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ, I will stand boldly, confidently, energetic and courageously and say,
JESUS CHRIST IS MY LORD AND SAVIOR!
Lord, forgive me for the times I played the victim. Forgive me for not taking a stand for you. Today I have been filled with a boldness, a confidence, energy and courage to take a stand for you. You have stood for me and by me so many times, so today I paying you back. I take a stand for Jesus. May I be a witness to others today and everyday, in your heavenly name I pray, amen!
No comments:
Post a Comment