False Christianity

Every few months I write a post on this same topic. I guess it eats at me. For good reason. I, as are most genuine Christians, am surrounded by people who are Christians by claim only - a little time and observation of their lifestyle brings the truth to light: they do not have a saving faith. Sadly, there are SO MANY people who think and say they are a Christian but simply do not comprehend what that label really means. Many of them, I believe, are not knowingly trying to be deceptive, they just really don’t have the first clue what they’re saying when they say “I’m a Christian.”

Allow me to clarify: a person who truly has a saving faith does NOT continue to live a life of sin. There will be struggle as long as we are on the earth, but a person under God’s Lordship should be making progress in their struggles. Being a Christian should NOT mean living the rest of your life in a constant struggle with the same temptations you once delt with. A true Christian has a growing faith - meaning their desire for the Lord’s leadership over their life should GROW and INCREASE - NOT remain stagnant or decrease.

If you are someone who boldly says “Sure, I’m a Christian” and still lives a lifestyle that is disobedient to the Bible and tears down the Name of the Lord instead of lifting it up, if you can’t figure out why you continue to have a strong lust for worldliness and little desire for godliness, - you should reevaluate what being a Christian is all about. I think I can sum it up in one word: surrender. Not a surrender of parts of you, but of ALL of you. If you’re not ready for this kind of surrender. If you want Heaven but not the King of Heaven, then your faith is divided and therefore not a genuine faith.

So I created a page about this plight that consumes so many. It’s the “Why “Christians” Perish in Sin” page. I realize it’s controversial, but it’s the truth. I just want to help people really meet the Lord and experience His surpassing goodness, not continue in a life of bondage, confusion and frustration. There is SO MUCH more.

Romans 12: 2 - “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.”

2 Corinthians 5:17 - “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

Ephesians 4:24 - “and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

James 2:26 -”As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.”

Romans 6:4 - “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.”

Healing Update

As many of you know, I went through a post-college-graduation struggle with social phobia. If you want to get the detailed story, see this blog. The quick recap: I left my comfort zone in college to come home to a very changed church (much larger in number and with many new faces,) new acquaintances (some are now good friends, some just never clicked,) and a wide open world of possibility (bringing this structure-oriented girl a lot of insecurity.) I began to experience a lot of internal battle over facing so much newness. The battle grew in intensity over a couple of years and hit its climax just over two years ago when I finally went to a counselor, quit my job, and backed down from some of the leadership responsibilities i’d taken on. At that point, my journey of healing began.

In February 2007, this is what I wrote about a breakthrough toward getting over the severe anxiety i’d been dealing with after a year.

So I figured it was time for a fresh update. I am overjoyed to announce that the anxiety I used to experience in EVERY type of social setting is now significantly less. This is especially exciting considering I started a new job in January and at this job am required to participate in many weekly meetings, do a little presenting here and there, and mingle with intimidating locals (we have a ritzy lake area in our county that attracts a lot of wealthy, polished families and retirees.)

I was just telling Philip last night that lately I have been tested in most of the areas that used to bring me to panick level and I have - Praise God - been able to pass with flying colors. My mind isn’t buying into lies like it used to, my body isn’t going out of control at the mention of meetings or being called upon to give a report for my responsibilities. I can and am leading bible studies again (something I GREATLY missed.) I have been leading worship (with the safety net of other band members) and am actually becoming confident in that instead of barely getting by.

The major lingering difficulty I have is reading in front of others. I continue to pray that God will knock that one out as well over time.

I hope my update can bring some of you with similar struggles hope and courage. Healing will come, be patient, pray continually, and focus on intimacy with Jesus rather than the struggle.

Intimacy

What do you think of when you hear the word “intimacy?” For the most part I have long associated intimacy with the sexual sense - inducing a suspicious grimace and cautious “where is this word leading…??” mental warning. Being a little more grown-up, I now appreciate the word for all its descriptive possibilities - especially those pertaining to our relationship with Jesus.

Worship leader Jason Upton burned from my mind the connotation of disgrace in hearing “intimacy” through his songs - especially one in particular, althought I can’t remember the title at the moment, possibly Key of David (or from album entitled same.) He says the key of David’s “man after God’s own heart” reputation was intimacy. Real, heart-throbbing, God-only-on-the-brain-and-absolutely-no-counter-pursuits intimacy. The kind of intimacy that thrills a lonely sheep-herder in the dry desert for days on end and produces some of the best, most prolific love poems/songs ever recorded.