T
I remember reading in The Immitation of Christ --"what man can you find that serves the Lord with the zeal and fervor that you find in sinners chasing their vain and futile desires?"
And at young adults group tonight, I got to thinking I have got to be more forward in my attempts to show true love to people I don't know...
This thought occured to me. "How many men pursue girls, give them all sorts of compliments, possibly deceive them, woo them for the sake of sex, or dating, or marriage (if more moral) while Christian guys (I think this can also apply to girls) sit around blithley watching it happen?!?"
What I mean is, to many Christian's shame, how often do sinners seem more eager to pursue the lost for their empty desires than Christians' are eager and willing to pursue them for godliness??????????............
For example, an attractive girl is seen by a bunch of guys........what is the possibility that a Christian would confront her for true fellowship than that one of the more 'carnally-minded' guys approach her so that they can fulfill their own vanity......
I say this as I have watched these 'profane guys' flatter and woo girls while I just sat there...true I did not know the girls, but all the same the other guys are more eager than me it seems...and I have watched guys wreck girls spiritually thus...
And then, also, it applies to my own personal life directly...I remember how fervorish (perhaps feverish) I was when I was lost in sin and how eagerly I would lose myself...but though I am yearning for Christ more than ever, I still find myself not as eager as I was when I was in sin....
A direct example, God inspires me to do something; instead of quickly doing it--not resting till it is done......I wrestle myself...with stuff like...Is this God? (I know it is but I try to stall myself)...It is too strange.....I would never do that....
Point being, instead of just doing whatever He says, I often tend to wrestle (not always, but often)...but when I was in sin, no questions just pursuing it...I didn't ask "Is this from God? (I knew it was not)...Is this strange? (I knew it was)...Or would I ever do this? (Though it was sending me to the depths of hell, I was condemning myself...)
So are you willing to serve Christ with at least the same gusto and boldness as sinners chase people for their sinful desires???
Will you vow with me to stand up for Christ?
May the Lord bring us all with Him--
so that we shine with His brightness....
BOLDLY pursuing people for true godliness.
tony
And at young adults group tonight, I got to thinking I have got to be more forward in my attempts to show true love to people I don't know...
This thought occured to me. "How many men pursue girls, give them all sorts of compliments, possibly deceive them, woo them for the sake of sex, or dating, or marriage (if more moral) while Christian guys (I think this can also apply to girls) sit around blithley watching it happen?!?"
What I mean is, to many Christian's shame, how often do sinners seem more eager to pursue the lost for their empty desires than Christians' are eager and willing to pursue them for godliness??????????............
For example, an attractive girl is seen by a bunch of guys........what is the possibility that a Christian would confront her for true fellowship than that one of the more 'carnally-minded' guys approach her so that they can fulfill their own vanity......
I say this as I have watched these 'profane guys' flatter and woo girls while I just sat there...true I did not know the girls, but all the same the other guys are more eager than me it seems...and I have watched guys wreck girls spiritually thus...
And then, also, it applies to my own personal life directly...I remember how fervorish (perhaps feverish) I was when I was lost in sin and how eagerly I would lose myself...but though I am yearning for Christ more than ever, I still find myself not as eager as I was when I was in sin....
A direct example, God inspires me to do something; instead of quickly doing it--not resting till it is done......I wrestle myself...with stuff like...Is this God? (I know it is but I try to stall myself)...It is too strange.....I would never do that....
Point being, instead of just doing whatever He says, I often tend to wrestle (not always, but often)...but when I was in sin, no questions just pursuing it...I didn't ask "Is this from God? (I knew it was not)...Is this strange? (I knew it was)...Or would I ever do this? (Though it was sending me to the depths of hell, I was condemning myself...)
So are you willing to serve Christ with at least the same gusto and boldness as sinners chase people for their sinful desires???
Will you vow with me to stand up for Christ?
May the Lord bring us all with Him--
so that we shine with His brightness....
BOLDLY pursuing people for true godliness.
tony