Were you lied to as newborn Christian? I was...let me explain.
You are a Christian, right? So, Can you live the Christ life? Well I guess I want to get a little more involved than that. I want to ask you if you can live the Christ life by your own effort!
If you're like me, you were probably brought up in a Church where the pastor told you every Sunday how you were supposed to act. He probably told you that you needed to do such and such in order to be a "good Christian".
And what if that stuff was hard to do? If you had a problem with a certain sin, what was the advice that you received. How was it recommended that you go about the subject of "living the Christian life"? If your early Christian education was like mine you were lied to!
The way to success I was told was through willpower. Grittin' the teeth and whatnot and just to "buckle down and do something for God". No matter how uncomfortable it may of seemed.
And uncomfortable it was! Are you still with me? I'm sure I'm not the only one that found the burdens of Christianity hard to live with. What could be heavier than the burden of a God that was displeased with your level of performance? Nothing comes to mind for me. Why then does the Bible say this in Matthew 11:29-31:
"Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.?
And I'd bet dollars to donuts that I'm not the only one that found myself failing more than I was succeeding-am I right?
Sure you might get nice and fired up about being a good Christian once or twice but then you'd fail and the "failure, condemnation, rededication Cycle" would set in (to quote a phrase coined by Dr. Steve McVey). After the failure, I'd feel condemned that I had failed God. After that period of self pity and general feeling of patheticness (Is that even a word?), I'd rededicate my efforts to do better for God the next time.
Sound familiar? Would you like to get off that religious rollercoaster ride and find the rest spoken of by Jesus? Are you ready for the Truth? Good, let me tell you what it's all about!
The Truth is that you, by your own efforts, can not live the Christian life!
Consider this verse:
"This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?" Galatians 3:2-3
Didn't you come to salvation and the Christian life by faith in Christ to bring you that salvation? So why would you try to live that Christian life by your own effort instead of by faith in the one that will live it through you?
This is the key that will set you free. You can not live the Christian life, only Christ can! It makes sense doesn't it. He did it over 2,000 years ago and he is capable of doing it through you today! Consider Hebrews 4:15:
"For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin."
Jesus has lived the "Christ Life" and he will do it through you if you let him!
Caleb Osborne, a native of Virginia, is an up and coming author who has just completed publishing his first book--Christ Through Me. He is now in the process of working on other projects and running his website at http://www.christthroughme.com where he has a FREE email newsletter that all are encouraged to sign up for.
-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Who Else Wants to Experience The Abundant, Care-free Life of Being a Better Christian Day In and Day Out and Experiencing the Guiltless Joy of Living Life Without Limits or Having to Worry About Following a Bunch of Uptight Rules?" Click Here: http://www.christthroughme.com
-=-=-==-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-= -=-=-=-=-
** Attn Ezine editors / Site owners / everyone ** Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site so long as you leave all links in place, do not modify the content and include our resource box as listed.
interior house cleaning Morton Grove ...The possibility of almost 400 Old Testament prophesies coming to... Read More
I can't boast about my culinary skill, because I just... Read More
Stress is amazingly persistent, even seductive. We get used to... Read More
The more that "little me" allows surrender the more is... Read More
I often ask myself this question. Not in the times... Read More
As communion was being passed this morning, I listened to... Read More
When we find spirituality, or it finds us, the experience... Read More
It was in the middle of the night and the... Read More
All of my life I had heard, read and sang... Read More
Everyday I am challenged to find the good in things:... Read More
To understand the nature of esoteric and occult secrets it... Read More
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in... Read More
Among those arriving to the stadium early were two old... Read More
The expression "Spiritual Enlightenment" has been used often in reference... Read More
As a walked across the gym floor with perspiration coming... Read More
Peter is a man after my own heart. I feel... Read More
It's not exactly a news flash that we live in... Read More
To find out how psychic you are, try answering the... Read More
No one, not even God can make us choose the... Read More
The word "gravity" is a word coined by Sir Isaac... Read More
One of the things I have had to deal with... Read More
Whether we admit it or not, we operate by emotion.... Read More
Who among us really understands the chakras? For all that... Read More
Be still, and know that I am God; I will... Read More
Sometimes you have to see something to believe it. Like... Read More
efficient cleaning crew Park Ridge ...A spiritual event is what happens in every moment of... Read More
"This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as... Read More
Following are 17 questions that can be used as a... Read More
My fiancee' and I frequent a restaurant in L.A. called... Read More
Have you ever noticed how much our lives resemble a... Read More
Forgiveness breaks all bounds of repression and depression. It liberates... Read More
But my God shall supply all your need according to... Read More
Matthew 3:4-6 John Baptizes the People4 Now John wore a... Read More
Qohelet had grown old with time when he delivered his... Read More
Some people think just by saying the words thank you... Read More
How many of us rush blindly through our days, fall... Read More
You are a Creative Worker:God carries on creative work through... Read More
Sometimes trying to be spiritual holds us back from actually... Read More
Today is the day that I'm getting back into exercise.... Read More
What is the true nature of any illness? Research in... Read More
In a recent article entitled "Our Virtual Reality Reality" I... Read More
The bible tells a story about four men who sat... Read More
The contrast between the two men could not have been... Read More
For many years of my life, I thought the spiritual... Read More
Who among us really understands the chakras? For all that... Read More
The Kundalini is a pool of energy that lies dormant... Read More
Life is just a journey. Princess DianaWhether we are... Read More
We are the beneficiaries of the promise God made to... Read More
A Nathan type prophet sees with his eyes. A Samuel... Read More
Many look outside of themselves for an experience of the... Read More
Spirituality |