Friday, July 18, 2008
What motivates you to follow Christ?
Many of us have seen this video before. It is funny and sad at the same time. Lately, I have been getting on the prosperity preachers sites to see what kind of preaching they are doing. It seems that most of their messages have to do with the "ME" that is within you.
JFK once said, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what can you do for your country."
PBC is now saying (okay, PBC is pastorbrianc), "Ask not what God can do for you, but ask what can you do for God!"
Too many of the me-generation have dictated to the church what they want. Too many of the pastors have geared their messages towards the me-generation. The me-generation is self righteous and does not know God's Law. The ME pastor does not give them the Law. Why? Because Me does not want to hear it.
Can you see some of the Me Church residing within your own church? Open your eyes this week to the churches in your community. How do they promote themselves, but more importantly, how do they promote God? I am still waiting to find that one church that will be seen out in the streets reaching the lost. I have yet to see a church so on fire for the Lord that the whole congregation is out witnessing to the community. Me can be lazy. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. When we are empowered by God's Word we will give up our "self" and will follow Him.
It is the giving up of self that seems to shut so many christians down. They worry about being embarassed or treated rudely. Does that bother you? I don't worry about what other people think. I worry about getting God's Word into the minds and hearts of the lost souls.
What motivates you to follow Christ?
Me will not do it.
As for me (small "m") and my house, we will serve the Lord.
Acknowledge Him in all your ways!! And lean not unto your own understanding.
You can either be self-centered and self-righteous
OR
You can be humble and can seek after righteousness.
Which do you choose?
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6 comments:
Brian,
Is the question, "What can I do for God" really the right question? Biblically should that be our motivation? I am just asking here.
The Israelites I think fell into an extreme concerning this by trying to equate their God with the gods of the land (other nations had to cater to the needs of their gods or else their gods would not be sustained) and in a way the Israelites shaped their world view to include this type of mentality- God needs us to sacrifice, make offerings, care for the ark, obey this law, that law, etc. and if we do that, then we can appease Him. He needs us. Israel was dead wrong. God showed them that He needed no one- He was complete in Himself. The offerings of the Israelites did not feed God. Their drink offerings did not provide drink for God...
My point is this: Anything that we do for God was first of God. He gave us a new heart that desires to serve Him- not because He needs it, but because He demands it. We can offer no thing to God that He hasn't given to us to offer to Him. What do we have that was not first given to us?
I hope this is not seen as nitpicking and I hope the subtle difference in verbage can be seen. When one asks "What can I do for God?" It sounds as if God "needs" us. We can never repay God or do enough, but we can be obedient children who are forever (this side of death) being transformed all the more into the image of Christ (sanctification).
I hope the point I was trying to get across makes sense. I just get a little uneasy when I hear phrasing like that.
Have a good day brother. Hope you are doing well.
j razz
What motivates me to me to follow Christ? The Holy Spirit that is living inside me. God's soveriegnty. He is creator and judge.
Good post. This attitude affects prayer life as well. Such as what we pray for and for what.
This post reminds me of a song by Tree63, but I can't remember the name of it.
thanks JRazz,
You are exactly right. I was not intending that it should come across the way it did. My point was that there are pastors out there who try to bring people to Christ by showing them that they can get rich and have abundant treasures if they would just follow Jesus. kind of like that was the drawing card to bring people to Christ. I think I will take a mulligan on this one!! ;o)
I am not familiar with Tree63. Is their music good?
Nicely put! I often find that if I put myself 2nd, I come out feeling like 1st! Silver is Gold, right? Thanks for your post.
What motivates us to witness to others? For me it is the reality that there is a hell. It is love that says, I do not want anyone to go to hell. I MUST tell them about Jesus Christ. They MUST know that they are headed for hell unless they accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and they repent of their sins.
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