Changing the Face of Christianity
We help you and fellow Christians to authentically love God and others
Today’s Christian and today’s Church has a problem. That problem is unintentional Christianity. By unintentional, I mean accepting the label as “a Christian”, yet not trying to “be” a Christian; not being intentional about your spiritual development and transformation into Christ-likeness.
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The Psalms can teach us how to pray. I started re-reading Psalms this week and was blown away by King David, the author of many of the Psalms in the Bible’s Old Testament.
As an example, let’s look at Psalm 6:6-8. “I am exhausted as I grown; all night long I drench my bed in tears; my tears saturate the cushion beneath me. My eyes grow dim from suffering; they grow weak because of all my enemies. Turn back from me, all you who behave wickedly, for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping!”
What struck me was how anguished David was and how he expressed that in prayer to God. David didn’t write polite, safe prayers. He poured out his heart, good and bad, to God.
David also expressed his desperate need for God and his total reliance on Him and his expectation that his prayers would be heard.
So, we can learn a lot from David through the Psalms on how to pray. It’s not a formula…it’s just authentic. Just talk with God. Share your thoughts, your pains, your frustrations, your excitement, and your hopes. And if that’s too formulaic, just cry out to God in whatever way makes sense to you. And know that God DOES hear you.
So, thanks King David for teaching us how to pray in a vulnerable, transparent way.
Luke 17:5-6
What IS the faith of a mustard seed. I always thought this meant having only a tiny faith. e.g if you had even just a little itty-bitty bit of true faith, you could do x. But reading it this time, I’m seeing it differently.
Put yourself in the position of BEING a mustard seed. What sort of faith must you have in order to simply survive and live?
You must have faith that you will be blown in the wind to a beneficial spot, that you won’t be eaten by the birds or bugs, that you will settle into a cozy spot in the ground, and receive rain from the heavens (not too much to be drowned, not too little to die, but just the right amount), and that you would be nurtured every day until you grow into a mature mustard tree, surviving all of the storms, wind, rain, hail, snow, and heat.
Isn’t that true faith? Trusting in God’s provision. Not wanting excess. Simply asking God for the basic needs of life, and expecting Him to take care of you, through His grace, love, and mercy.
Lord help us to have the faith of a mustard seed, whether that be a big faith or even just a little. Help us to HAVE faith in You!
Article re-printed with permission from Changing the Face of Christianity.
You’ve heard the phrase. You may have even seen it on a billboard: WWJD – “What Would Jesus Do”.
It’s a great way of saying, “I don’t know what I should do in this situation…but no matter, I should do what Jesus would do…so WWJD.”
So, we see a car stranded. Or we see a person in need. Or we have a conflict with a friend or family member. And we ask WWJD.
It’s great advice. Jesus is our role model…and it IS HE that we should emulate.
How many of us acknowledge what Jesus would do…but then don’t do it? It’s a BIG reason why non-Christians look at Christians and label us hypocrites.
We must not SAY one thing (talk the talk) and then NOT do it (not walking the walk).
So, I propose a NEW catch phrase: WIDWJWD – “Will I Do What Jesus Would Do?”
1 John 3:18 says “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”
To be a true disciple of Jesus Christ, we must take action. Until we do this consistently, outsiders will continue to look at us as all talk, and no action.
So in the coming weeks, start asking yourself: WIDWJWD! And let me know how it works out.
To learn more about how you can LIVE your faith and walk the walk, visit Changing the Face of Christianity.