what we are talking about

So many times in our lives we have probably heard that "nothing changes if nothing changes", "if everything stays the same nothing changes".

These are such Duh statements and yet, we don't change. We allow our society to tell us,(those that should know better) what is ok or how we should do our faith. We allow people to tell us virtually what we are thinking and how we should do that.

I subscribe to a daily devotion called inward /outward it is from church of the savior. I want to share with you todays quote which drives this point home for me.


Behold the New

Elizabeth O'Connor

"The church is not going to be different until someone in it is different. God waits for each of us to hear, "Behold, I do a new thing--through you!" The question is always: Can we open our lives so that the Holy Spirit may descend and new power break that we may be the kind of person around whom renewal begins?"

Source: Call to Commitment 

If we are to change, I suggest that you start with you. Haver the courage to stand for what you believe, as Christ did. He died on a tree that we might have the ability to do so. It can all start when we don't do what society says is right, rather do what Christ has taught us is right. Just do the next right thing.

I received an email that has a great Billy Graham quote: 

'Heavenly Father, we come  before you  today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance.   
  We know Your Word  says, 'Woe to those who  call evil good,' but  that is exactly what we  have done. We have  lost our spiritual  equilibrium and reversed our  values. We have exploited the poor and called it the  lottery. We have rewarded laziness  and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted  our neighbor's  possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and  called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it  enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free.  Amen!'   With the Lord's  help, may this prayer sweep over our nation and wholeheartedly become our desire so that we again can be called 'One nation under God!'
 Think about this: If you forward this prayer to everyone on your e-mail list, in less than 30 days it would be heard by the  world. 

                                                 'One Nation Under God!     

Remember if we do this thing right, we just might get out of here alive. The price has already been paid - will you accept? 

Perspective

Looking at life the way that Christ did. It shouldn't be that tough, should it?

We who live in America are truly blessed. We have so much wealth that we get angry and depressed when we cannot purchase the latest and greatest toys or material goods. We get to a point emotionally that goes beyond what many people of this world would understand.

Christ walked this earth with only a few things, what we would certainly call nothing. He had a the clothes on His back. He had sandals on His feet. He had 12 "friends", that was about it. Ooooops , forgot the greatest two things. His love for God the Father and His love for His brothers and sisters. Christ lived His entire life to love God and love His neighbors. Not for what the world could give Him but rather what He could give the world

If you were to be stranded on a deserted island, what would you have to take with you? Ask this question and then throw in the idea that you can take the top 10 favorite things. Make the list, go ahead and write them down.

If your done with your list, evaluate said list. Are there more material things on your list that have nothing do do with your faith in Christ? How does that make you feel about what you values? Does it at least make you think about things a little bit different?

We are told to love our neighbor as our selves. Was one of the things on your list your best friend or your family? Was another your bible or another form of the Gospel message?

King Solomon once had to work out the thoughts and efforts of his heart verse his faith in God. Is it ok to want? Does your want include God's will?

His efforts are recorded in Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself." And behold, it too was futility. I said of laughter, "It is madness," and of pleasure, "What does it accomplish?" I explored with my mind how to stimulate my body with wine while my mind was guiding me wisely, and how to take hold of folly, until I could see what good there is for the sons of men to do under heaven the few years of their lives. I enlarged my works: I built houses for myself, I planted vineyards for myself; I made gardens and parks for myself and I planted in them all kinds of fruit trees; I made ponds of water for myself from which to irrigate a forest of growing trees.I bought male and female slaves and I had homeborn slaves. Also I possessed flocks and herds larger than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. Also, I collected for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I provided for myself male and female singers and the pleasures of men--many concubines.Then I became great and increased more than all who preceded me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also stood by me. All that my eyes desired I did not refuse them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart was pleased because of all my labor and this was my reward  for all my labor. Thus I considered all my activities which my hands had done and the labor which I had exerted, and behold all was vanity and striving after wind and there was no profit under the sun.  


He came up with a great answer in verses 12 through 17. He is basically saying that a person needs to be wiser than the fool. Chase after the light vs. the darkness, or you and a fool will chase after the same things. Both the fool and you will die, so what is the difference?


Christ set the example. Don't struggle and strain to gain earthly things, work hard to walk with God. This will mean that you need to change your perspective. What does success look like to you and your friends. How would you define success?


I am not sure if anyone of us will ever get this perfect,. but if we try to see things the way that Christ would  have, maybe just maybe we can get out of this thing alive.