It is hard to keep up!

     The life we live can be one of chaos. One can never tell what will be coming in the next moment. It seems as if we are constantly trying to get on a level playing field or keeping your head above the water. Everyone can identify with this philosophy of trying to keep up or stay afloat. Whether, you are trying to get all your bills caught up, making sure the kids are getting to all there functions or remembering all the functions, catching up on school work or work for the office, or trying to stay up with the neighbors and the things they are doing or buying. It can be rather consuming in of itself to meet the demands of this world and the pressures it places on people to live, act, and coexist. The phrase “Keeping up with the Joneses,” has been around since 1913 and is still used today referring to the comparison between you and your neighbor.

     Honestly, life was meant for so much more than trying to keep up with the Joneses. It really comes down to our relationship with God. What I mean is that if you are focused on God’s plan for your life then you are less focused on keeping up. Therefore, the only correct way of focusing on God’s plan is through a real relationship with Jesus. (Side note – I am not your judge of what is considered a real relationship with Jesus. Jesus and Scripture determine the nature of your relationship.) Of course, if you are reading this and are not a Christian then this will make no sense at all. However, for those few who hold a real relationship with Jesus, I hope this resonates within your core. It is sobering alone for me to write this knowing I am a proponent of trying to keep up.

     We are so worried about what tomorrow might bring that we cannot enjoy the beauty of today. We are so busy trying to prepare our kids for their future that we forget to enjoy their youth. We are so consumed with working to make more money, we rarely find time to enjoy the rewards of what we have earned. We are so consumed with the next moment that we never get to enjoy this moment that will never be again. I am the worst.

     Jesus say in Matthew 6:33-34

“33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. 34 Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

    Okay, so this is coming off the tails of us not having two masters. I also know that I may be reading too much into it. However, if we focus on these two verses we may see the answer we need to get rid of the anxiety that overcomes us by trying to keep up. If we were to focus on the Kingdom and not ourselves or those around us and God provides the things we need because He knows our needs. Hey guess what, He even knows what we need emotionally too! Every day will bring trouble and chaos on its own and we do not need to add to it. Tomorrow’s outlook and the things we don’t have but strive for will always take our focus off of God’s plan for us today!

    I think no matter how we look at it, the big picture is us seeking the Kingdom. We seek the Kingdom to build the Kingdom. If that is our focus, when things come our way we will know what to do and not worry about how tomorrow will work out. Our Father is working out the big picture. All we need to do is trust that He is working all things together for our good BECAUSE we love Him. 

     At the end of the day, we must be assured that trying to keep up is not our main goal. Keeping up in this world can bring a world of destruction as well. However, it is not as easy as I make it sound either. If it was then I should have it all together but I don’t. It is a process and seeing where we are falling short. The first step is admitting the weakness. Boasting in the weakness allows God to take over. We have to know that His grace is sufficient and when we are weak He is strong!

Revolutionary Idea or Is It The Most Ridiculous Thing I Have Ever Written?

What if Christianity wasn't as mainstream and popular as it is today in America?  Would there be as many people calling themselves Christians? What if we would suffer persecution for our faith? How many people would still believe? The Church started under persecution and it flourished. However, what happens to the Church when it starts passing laws to quell sin and become the governing authority? Do we think that we can stop people from sinning by passing laws? If Rome was the first "Christian" nation or empire and then England and maybe at some point America, what has happened to them? Is it a Christian's responsibility to vote to impact government or is it to pray and submit? What if Christianity was illegal? Where would you stand? If you were faced with prison or even death?

These questions were ones I was posing in my head as I listened to some real guys talk about Christianity in America. I have felt for some time now that Christianity in America has become a war of politics than truth, grace and love. It seems that the law is now the way people are saved and not the grace of Jesus. Laws do not save people; they condemn them. What if we invited the people who did not know Jesus and teach them in "Truth and Love"? Teach them Jesus' ways not ours. How about understanding that Jesus bought us at a price! (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

The other nagging thought that keeps coming to mind is a statement my wife made to me when she was discussing her devotional reading. (Gracious Uncertainty you should read it) "Do people really believe in Jesus or do they believe in their belief about Jesus?" That question has plagued me for a couple of days. When it comes down to the brass tax do you really believe Jesus. If we can say yes, then the questions that start this blog are not so offensive, scary, or fill in the blank of your emotional reaction to them. See, the idea here is if I believe in Jesus then I love Jesus then I obey Jesus. I think that is how it works, right? (John 14:15 to a point) We should come to the conclusion that following Jesus as Lord, Master, and Owner of our life is something that is required of us at His word. (Which we all have access to.)

I think a lot of "Christians" believe in the belief of Jesus. (This is not to offend but to offer insight to our lives on how we actually know Jesus.) Okay, so you may be asking how so? What do you mean by this statement? Well, if one truly believes in Jesus, the words that Jesus spoke would be more than guidelines and suggestions. Jesus meant what He said and this is how we "Christians" should live. Also, if we believe Jesus then the call that we receive would be of the highest priority to fulfill without hesitation or excuse. If we really believed in Jesus we would eat with the "Sinners, Tax Collectors and Prostitutes" (you can use any label that offends you here) and hold accountable the "Righteous and Pious (church going pew filler maybe works here for you) ." If we really believed in Jesus, we would know His word and what it really means. We would read it with expectation of revelation and purpose in living our lives. If we believed in Jesus, we would be driven to conviction of our sins and seek repentance for those sins. If we really believed in Jesus we would welcome persecution because Jesus said it would happen. We would welcome hatred because He was hated. Or would we?

The Bible is so clear on things. However, we muddy the waters by stirring up issues that are not even in the Scriptures. Are we so comfortable in America that we have forgotten that it's not the government's job to make disciple but ours. If not, then why is voting a law to stop sin a bigger priority than praying and teaching. I agree there are some laws in place that are needed to protect our safety, family and stuff. However, Jesus said that following Him can cost us everything (Luke 9:57-62; 10:3; 14:25-33 just to name a few.) Therefore, maybe at the end of things we need to be more aware of the Scriptures in understanding what Jesus meant. I agree that there are some figurative words that points us to understanding that we can do nothing without Jesus (Matthew 5:28-30) as to where He is literal as we see in the verses about the cost.

As I say all these things, I ponder them myself. I ask myself the questions to see if I am a true follower of Christ. It seems that some days I am the one who should be reconciling and repenting. I have gotten it wrong and from the looks of things that is okay. I look to the Bible and see how the disciples at times got it wrong. However, with love, compassion and discipline Jesus corrected them. This post is to open our eyes to ask the questions that sometimes we don't want to ask. It is not to condemn. If that was the case then I didn't listen to one single thing that I have written.

I hope and pray that we all can become the person that Jesus calls us to be! I hope we can be real people, who do not live out a fake faith!