A Genuine Believer

My heart became concerned for the fate of Christians today as I heard on national radio that many Christians are leaving their belief and church.  When questioned why, their response devastated me.  Christians believe they can no longer identify with their leaders, teachers, etc.  The people surveyed indicated that if their leaders would show more vulnerability and acknowledge their own shortcomings, they would feel more at ease in discussing their individual problems.  These Christians feel unworthy to continue their path in Christianity.

To some degree I understand their remarks, for I have witnessed first-hand how Christians can degrade others for their lack of faith.  My Pastor says I am one hundred percent in the mercy category; that may be why I feel empathy towards the overwhelmed brother and sister in Christ.  I never want to be unsympathetic or to cause others to feel misunderstood.  I have seen people shy away from prayer meetings, intimidated by the “faith believers” preaching to them, when what was required was the need for prayer.  Truly, should we not exemplify the love and compassion of Jesus to all?  Instead of condemning people for what you perceive to be unbelief, pray for their faith to arise, and allow God to do HIS work in them.

John 3:17 – For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

When we find ourselves in desperate situations, we may need our fellow believers to help lift our hands to the Father, for at times we lack the strength to do so for ourselves.  It is then that we must get in the Word of God and seek His promises to stand and know that He IS God and that every promise is given for us to behold.

Every believer must make the choice to grow up.  The author of Hebrews wrote about spiritual immaturity:

Hebrews 5:12-14 – You have been Christians a long time now, and you ought to be teaching others, but instead you have dropped back to the place where you need someone to teach you all over again the very first principles in God’s Word. You are like babies who can drink only milk, not old enough for solid food. And when a person is still living on milk it shows he isn’t very far along in the Christian life, and doesn’t know much about the difference between right and wrong. He is still a baby Christian! ¹⁴ You will never be able to eat solid spiritual food and understand the deeper things of God’s Word until you become better Christians and learn right from wrong by practicing doing right.

It was Paul that told Timothy to “stir up the genuine faith within him” (2 Timothy 1:5-6).  We would do well to do the same.

Even Jesus challenged His disciples in Luke 9:41 – “Then Jesus answered and said, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you and bear with you?…”  It was in verse 1 of the same chapter that Jesus had given them authority, so He was questioning their faith.

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Although I can relate to the longing to see authenticity in leadership as the ones did in the radio survey, the problem with this mindset is that they are looking to man and not to God.  We must remember that the only person that walked the face of the earth that was perfect is Jesus.  Only God can help individuals with their chaotic lives and broken hearts.  God alone knows every detail of our paths; He has ordained our steps.  So, would it not be best to seek HIM for our help?  Or have we become a society expecting the church to feed us spiritually and not require ourselves to do the hard work?  I can promise you this, if you dig into the Word of God for yourself, you will glean more and remember more.  You will receive the unconditional love of an Almighty God that strengthens your faith for the impossibilities of life.

The survey the national radio station completed only announced the top answer.  We know there are numerous reasons why people walk away from God and the church.  The frightening reality is they have lost their reverent fear of God.  Heaven and hell are real, and the ultimate choice is ours.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

• Psalms 111:10 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.
• Proverbs 1:7 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
• Proverbs 9:10 – The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

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In a world full of turmoil, we need the true gospel of Jesus Christ shared and exemplified, not a watered-down version.  The latter has allowed us to forsake the fundamentals of the absolute truths.

A sincere and genuine believer stands firm in their faith and does not allow man to sway them.

A true and genuine believer knows and understands God’s Word and does not allow the world to change its absolute truths.

What are the absolute truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ?  It would be easy for you if I sat here and gave you those fundamental truths.  However, if you study the Word of God for yourself, you will glean the entire truth for yourself.

The book of Galatians is truly relevant today, for Paul was persuading the Galatians not to identify with compromising religions of that day and called them back to the pure gospel.

Galatians 1:6-12  – ⁶ I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, ⁷ which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. ⁸ But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. ⁹ As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. ¹⁰ For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. ¹¹ But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. ¹² For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Paul used strong words “let him be accursed” and said it twice.  He was warning about a divine judgement.  If you allow God to teach you His Truth, it will make you steadfast in your beliefs and you will not be persuaded to believe in any other doctrine.  You must have an intense faith within your heart, which occurs from intimate experiences of a living God.

Are you a genuine believer?

Are you disciplining yourself and growing in your faith?

Is church a priority in your life?

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Stir up your faith Child of the Living God!

Trust, Believe in the God of Impossibilities!

Hebrews 2:1 – Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.

Colossians 2:6-10 ⁶ As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, ⁷ rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. ⁸ Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. ⁹ For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; ¹⁰ and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. (Italics for emphasis)

2 Peter 1:1-11 – ¹To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: ² Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, ³ as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, ⁴ by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. ⁵ But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, ⁶ to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, ⁷ to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. ⁸ For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. ¹⁰ Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; ¹¹ for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Notes:

1. If you are new to this blog, please understand that I have a ministry in discipleship, so I challenge you and encourage you to grow in your personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
2. All scripture is taken from NKJV and TLB
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