Dearest Saints.
I was talking to a long time friend of mine this past week, who once walked with the Lord and has since backslidden and no longer going to Church or being an active participant living as a Christian. He mentioned that him and his wife had a bad experience with a Church they were involved with many years ago. That the leaders of the Church they once belonged to, actually shunned them because they chose to make a decision that was by no means ungodly, but the Church did not approve of. The actions of the Church were most ungodly when they would turn around the other way when some of the elders and leaders of this church would see this couple in the distance. They basically disassociated themselves from this couple who are my friends.
It's most unfortunate that often times, when disagreement comes with one another, that the leaders of some Churches or Christians who may have been walking with God for many years act very ungodlike when we are told to be imitators of Christ (Eph 5:1). Can you imagine for one minute if Christ, who knows when He Himself disapproves of us doing certain things, that He would forever turn His back on you and me? Yet, that is the way many Christians act and that should not be the case. What kind of account are we going to give the Lord because we turned off many people because of the way we acted that is often no different from the world when we should be representing who Christ Himself is. By living the life of love and living out the true meaning of what love is as mentioned in 1 Cor 13:4-8, no Christian will ever be justified by acting with contempt with one another no matter what. Although many people within the Church may have caused many others to turn from Christianity while those of whom have been offended by the Church leaders or any Church members, we are to remember that we need to fellowship one with another to Worship our dear Lord, who alone is worthy. We go to a worship service and meet together with the Church to worship the Lord. I find that many people who have left the Church and Christianity itself is the result of focusing much of their attention on the leaders, or their denominationalism or the hierarchy of the leadership of their Church when they should put their focus on Jesus instead, because He alone never fails. When one may get turned off from one another, we need to maintain our focus because when we set our mind of following the loving counsel of Christ, we should never turn away from the One who lived a life of uncompromising and unparallelled love for each of us.
When I look back on my life, I was often overwhelmed by the circumstances of life. I used to fret and complain when I focused my mind on my circumstances rather than turning my mind and heart to Christ and being reminded how He willingly gave Himself up so much by leaving Heavens glory to come to earth in the form of a Servant and often being despised, ridiculed and forsaken by His followers and ultimately, to a most inhumane suffering and death of the Cross when He did that for me personally (including each one). The problem is when we get our focus off of Him, His love for us and end up putting our expectations on man, Government or other circumstances which ends up causing us to be bitter and resentful because we put our hope in someone or something that will eventually fail us. This is when people leave the Church because they fail to set their heart and mind on Christ. No man or any other source can ever take the place of Christ and when we focus our mind upon Him, I believe we are motivated by His love. For His joy is truly our strength (Neh 8:10), and we receive that when we keep our mind and heart fixated upon Him.
God is true to His Word because I am living proof of it in so many complex situations in my past. There were times I didn't understand why, but God had to put me through the fire so that I would take my affections off from worldly ambitions and be made most useful by Him. Many times, Gods answer came clear after the fact, when He knew all along what was best for me. I needed to be strong through those times by maintaining my trust in Him because He loves me, cares every detail for me and He knows and wants the best for us.
I want to encourage you that no matter what, don't get trapped by putting your expectations on anyone else or any other source other than God alone. Because He alone is the only One who will never fail you. Just think when the Saints experienced the death of Christ, they thought it was all over and the enemies rejoiced. But little did they realize that what seemed to be the greatest day of hopelessness and despair, this day was in fact the biggest day of victory, and the manifestation of that victorious celebration came only a few days after what seemed inevitably a great loss. Remember, the darkest part of the night comes just before dawn. Like the celebration of Resurrection Day soon came after the day Christ was crucified. Compared to "Good Friday", it was when I was at my lowest times in life that worldly ambitions that once had me bound were broken off and that was the day that I was set free. Then came the "resurrection" of rising up with Christ that I was able to enjoy a deeper and more intimate relationship with Him because of what we considered very unfavorable circumstances.
I hope this encourages you to refuse to give up, be determined by His Grace to live to His glory by keeping your heart upon Him and what He suffered, endured and accomplished for you personally. And by His Grace, be determined not to be dominated by our circumstances simply because He has Risen!!
In the Matchless Name of Jesus
Richard
Associate Director
Answers2Prayer
http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife
http://www.answers2prayer.org/
