For a year and a half, social media has been a black eye for Christian conservatives thanks to hypersensitive politics that let you down. Many conservatives have withdrawn altogether from Facebook and Twitter because they don’t believe that others disagree with them, worse yet—others may be right! I don’t know how much longer this country will last with all of its hatemongering.
At first, even I got sucked into the childish feuding but decided to keep my opinions to myself except for my blogs. Typically I don’t do politics, for the express reason we’ve seen over the last year; politics are all about making people happy, even if it’s just ourselves—Christianity focuses on God ABOVE and what He says is good.
Despite what many conservatives believe, Christianity isn’t about getting everything we want: government, money, greatness, or dreams. None of which are God’s promise to us, they only leave us feeling lonely. But, He does take the bad in life and make it good (Romans 8:28).
Furthermore, Christianity doesn’t condone hate speech just because we think we believe in God. Truth is if some Christians really did follow Jesus, they wouldn’t be saying the garbage they spew; words that are more indicative of Satan than Jesus (Matthew 13:15, John 8:44).
Our Rabbi taught to love thy enemy, humble ourselves instead of being prideful because of who we think we belong to, it is better to give than to receive. Our faith is to give more than we expect to get! This is why we need to watch out for false teachers in the house of God.
When we were young, our carnal (sinful) nature constantly craved more. Little kids’ persistence to get more leaves them feeling lonelier. But as we mature we understand life does not revolve around us and our selfish wants. Mature believers understand that the focus of sin is self regardless of whatever it is, especially if it feels good.
Jesus described Satan as a thief who comes to steal kill and destroy. He’s always been about it, but Jesus described Himself as a Good Shepherd Who always gives and is willing to lay down His own life for others, even if they don’t deserve it: He has never failed.
Our Rabbi taught his followers that life does not consist of acquiring more; He taught that we are to give more—everything and it is not optional. Humility and sacrifice are the fruit of truly being saved; they aren’t what we do to be saved. The late Billy Graham wisely stated, “I am not going to heaven because I am a preacher. I am going to heaven entirely on the merit of the work of Christ.”
Jesus taught the traditional Jewish custom of giving without receiving anything back. Thus, mature Christians know not to give to get, mature Christians know our true reward is in Heaven with God. Heaven is paradise restored to how it was in the beginning, man walking alongside God and talking with Him.
The world is obsessed with greatness and getting more stuff now. The true church is supposed to be different, as one pastor stated, “Counterculture.” if we aren’t doing the opposite of culture we are doing the opposite of Christ, which is the spirit of the antichrist.
The four Gospels point that we know what love is because God gave His only begotten Son (Matthew 3:17, Mark 9:7, Luke 9:35, John 3:16), God gave His Son although He knew we can never repay Him the debt we owe. We don’t go to heaven because we have more here; we go because Jesus gave everything here to get this right.
That is our example to follow, less here is more in heaven and more here is less in Heaven (Matthew 18:1-5). Not what some prosperity teaching television evangelist. They clearly don’t understand how the kingdom of God works or how earthly pleasures only make us feel lonely. At this point we need to remember that Jesus taught His disciples to give in secret and not boast about what they’ve given, or else they would receive the only blessing for their acts of kindness—God won’t give them any more (Matthew 6:3-6).
The best writers know the rule that less is more. They have mastered the craft enough to say more by writing less. Spiritually mature people understand we are more like Christ when we have less of this fallen world, all you gotta do is have faith (2 John 15-17). Those who fix their minds on Heaven don’t need as much of this world because it isn’t their home.
God kicked Satan out of heaven for wanting more and seeking greatness, this world works that way because it is under Satan’s principles. This is why Jesus taught that His followers would love Him wholeheartedly and run from other shepherds; who only kill the flock.
Head knowledge gives us a false sense of security. The apostles warned that in latter times even the so-called “elect” in the church would turn away from sound teaching to whatever made them happy, they would trade the goodness of God for the goodness of this world (2 Timothy 4:3). They don’t want to follow Christ’s teachings they want to be good and happy now, not holy, that is better to take than to give!
1 Comment
I like to think of it in terms of a conduit, God working through us. What He gives we try to share with others.