About Christ

It's time to get on my soapbox... Ah-hem....

Christ is central. Christ is King. All things were created through Him and for Him. As King, His commands are to be followed. His commands have benefits for life. Yet, in discussing the benefits of following Gods commands, we must not forget that they are just that - commands.

For instance, one might discuss the benefits of forgiving those who have hurt you. That you can better your life through forgiveness, and live in greater freedom as a result. Your forgiveness prevents you from being all you can be, you know.

While all this is true, we must be careful regarding the message we are believing, and relaying to others.

Forgiveness is more than just a self help, better my life, positive way of living. It is a godly way to live. It is the way to live that follows in Jesus footsteps, and it is the only thing that makes sense knowing how much He has forgiven us of. And, forgiveness is a command.

There are definite benefits to many of the commands of Christ... forgiveness over bitterness, giving over receiving, love over hate, joy over depression, faith over fear... All of these have great byproducts to the Christian life. But without Christ, they are just positive mental attitudes. Just attributes to add value to your life. It is Christ that brings depth and meaning to these virtues. It is for Christ and because of Christ that we forgive, love, have joy, etc. And, it is through the power of the Holy Spirit in a born again believer that enables us to truly walk all these things out in a heavenly way.

Without Christ, these things are little more than a humanistic path to a better life. A life that is all about me still. But when it's all about Christ, these virtues are commands, and flow naturally from the new life we have in Him.

So let's take heed and be careful today to keep Christ at the center of all his commands and benefits. If we don't, we flirt with the danger of becoming a church and a people that is little more than a social club, instead of the Bride of Christ.

Unfortunately, it seems to me that many have adopted this social club, better myself gospel that keeps me, and not Christ, at the center of my world.

I will step down from the soapbox, for now...

Church Bless God

God Bless America.

This is a common phrase in our nation. We desire God's blessings, and that we should.

Some have turned the saying around recently, recognizing the state of affairs in our nation, and instead are exhorting, "America Bless God." There is a recognition that America has left her founding faith and roots, and so the call is for a nation to return to her loyalty to Almighty God.

Though it is most definitely desirable for a nation to turn to the Lord, I believe we have a much deeper issue than America needing to return to the Lord.

I believe the Church needs to return to the Lord. Church Bless God.

The church is and always will be God's agent of affecting the world. We, as the church, are God's holy nation. Our loyalty is to the King of kings and a heavenly home before any earthly leader or country. So when we point to the fact that the U.S. is leaving her founding faith, I believe it's much worse, the Church has left her only good and necessary faith in Christ.

America was influenced by founding fathers with biblical standards and principals they lived by. That is why our fathers left the shores of Europe - for religious freedom - a deep commitment to God. In other words their commitment was to Christ before a nation, and a godly nation sprung up as a result. Again, the nation itself wasn't godly, but the people who governed her and protected her were.

Their ultimate loyalty was to God alone.

If we are not careful, we think America has been chosen as God's unique vessel through which He does His work on earth. America is not, the church is. And because of that, our nation sprang up with a godly heritage.

So, our answer as a nation is not for the nation of America to return to God. Our answer is in the Church, God's holy nation, returning to God himself.

As the church, we have fallen more in love with the world than with Jesus. We think the world is in shambles, but it would be better for us first to judge ourselves - there isn't much difference between the world and followers of Christ.

Many have heard the stats regarding the church. One in particular I recently read was that the divorce rate among Christians was highest in the "Bible Belt" of the U.S. (The Jesus Letters, Chap. 3, by David Ravenhill). I have heard too that divorce rates are around 50% more or less for those who are pastors in a church! And those are our leaders!

Yes, America is slipping away from her roots as a nation. However, I would venture to say that the Church, the Bride of Christ, has left her heavenly Groom. If there is to be hope for a nation, if there is to be hope for godly leadership in the world, the only hope comes from Christ and His work through His body, the Church.

Let's (the church) return to our roots. Let's repent of the sins we have committed. We must rededicate ourselves to living and serving by the commands of heaven. To live by the statutes of God's holy nation as revealed in His word. Let's turn from our other idols and loves, and fall headlong in love with our Master Jesus Christ once again.

Before a nation can be changed, the change must first exist in the church, God's agent of change, hope, and life to the world.

Church Bless God.