To make clear what I have been blogging about:
We as Christians say we are saved that our life is better and full of joy.
Yet nothing distinguishes us.What makes it better?
If anything we are just made into hypocrites.
I am not saying all Christians are like this. I am not saying im not a hypocrite. In fact i am pointing out the fact that this is a flaw within myself.
We say that we follow Christ, therefore if we are in Christ we should produce FRUIT.
"He is the vine and we are the branches"
The fruits of the Spirit are: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, good, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control
So if we are truly followers of Christ we should be producing these fruits and we should see the fruits in our own lives. The criteria are hard to follow because in essence they are impossible without God.
Its human nature to get angry, frustated etc. when people do things to hurt you.
Its natural to think of ourselves first.
These things are all natural (in our sinful nature of course)
But as Christians what sets us apart is the fact that we go agianst these things
and our lives show essentially the qualities God originally meant for us.
Natural in the sinful way = unnatural in Gods way, which is the intended way
So if your still with me.:
What I see from Christians in my life.... well i dont see much of Christ. I really see people being people, another person of society
NOT people being...well not people of this world.
I understand A little more of what it means to be an Ambassador of Christ, To not belong.
Sometimes when I'm talking to friends at school and there so wrapped up in university stuff well I feel I just don't belong. Its not that university isnt important to me, its that fact that I dont base my life around gettting accepted. People in my grade are so CONSUMED with gettin good grades...its sad
I feel weird because I base my life around what God calls me to do.
I guess its the same for people in different phases of life also. but instead of school its: Work, family, charity etc
Back to my original point: Christians = Not acting like Christ
Whats up with that? I mean Christian means "Follower of Christ"
So if your not following Christ then your not Christian. (duh)
Jesus put God above all his priorities.
But many times we put other things first
In our soceity it has become acceptable to put school ahead of God
"why didnt you come to fellowship" "Homework" -end of convo everything is justified.
That is NOT right.
"Seek Yee first the Kingdom of God"
People think that you only have time for school or God.
Wrong. I can prove it.
Following God INCLUDES school because you do EVERYTHING to GLORIFY GOD which means doing the best in ALL aspects of your life (still working on that)
But that doesnt you dont talk to God because your to busy doing doig hmwk or skip worship cuz of a project. Its not impossible to balance those two things.
I used "School" as an example
But im also talking about not seeing Christ in other aspects of out lives:
In the way we handle our relationships with friends, family etc (its getting better for me) also in our work in EVERYTHING.
Many times we separate God when really we need to INTEGRATE GOD.
Relationships: Dont get easiy angered at your friends when they do something inconsiderate
Forgive.
Just the other day one of my friends got SOOO MAD at my other friend and yes maybe there was a decent reason
but that doent matter because God calls us to Forgive! TO LOVE
My angry friend spent the whole day brooding over this one incident
he didnt talk to us, he just sat with an agery look on his face
He secluded himself when we were hanging out having fun
He let it ruin his day
If ONLY he forgave he couldve had a much better day.
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Yes it seems hopeless like we cant ever be FREE of our sinful nature
but there is God
Here's the thing don't compare your life to the standard of GOD cuz it will seem hopeless.
Rather pray and ask God to change you and he will. Through many experiences
You will be changed. Of course you have to be willing to take that plunge to give God control and LET GO.
When you do you will see incredible changes in your life.
You won't become perfect overnight but you will as God changes you.
The secret is not to aim for perfection because that is impossible
It is not to force yourself NOT to be angry to do it of your own will.
IT is not to be complacent and to live like the world
It is to have that willing heart. To place God first and let him work in your life
If Christians were supposed to be exactly like Christ then we would be screwed
But we aren't, we are following Him the perfect person, learning how to be... PEOPLE God intended us to be
The more we follow Him the more fruit we produce.
and the closer we are to being like Christ.
The questions I ask myself often is:
I'm I producng fruit?
What fruits have I leveled up recently?
If im not gaining exp is it because im not focused on God enough?
