Now What?

Posted by anointedplace on September 9, 2010 · 7 Comments 

Image via Wikipedia

My four year old son at dinner yesterday said “thank God I’m alive”. For a child to understand what it means to be alive is amazing. But as a adult its a little more deeper than just being alive. Why are we so glad to be alive? What is it in our lives that is so important that we must live on? We thank God for this all the time but do we really think about what it is that we are so thankful for? Are we thankful to have another to be with family and friends? Are we thankful to be able to work a little longer to build up our retirement savings? Are we thankful that we get a second chance at making our marriage better? Are we thankful that we have more time to spend with those that are dying? Are we thankful that we are going to have another to complete various projects, whether at home or work? Are we so thankful to God because we get to do what we did last week? Are we just so graceful to God that we can now clean that other room or cook that great meal? Are we thankful because now we can take that test that we studied for? Are we thankful because tomorrow we get to go shopping? What is it that we are so thankful to be alive for? I’m not saying that we should wish to die but at least know why you want to live. And do we? Do we really know why we want to be alive so bad. What is it that we are doing that is so important that the thought of it causes joy in our heart in that we give thanks to God?

Surprisingly, a lot of us will attempt to answer this without a key ingredient to unlocking this mystery. Which is to not only know but understand why we are here. This is very frightening to those who think they know as well as those who lay claim to be a Christian. I say that its frightening because of this:

1. The reasons to live reveals the source of life within a person
2. The reasons to live reveals the treasures of a person
3. The reasons to live reveals the God/gods in a person’s life
4. The reasons to live reveals the goals or destination of a person
5. The reasons to live reveals the reasons to die for a person

As a Christian to look at these points and to honestly self examine ourselves is unnerving because we automatically know what the answers should be. We are racked with fear because we know that in some or all of these, the right answer is not there. And if the answer of Christ Jesus/God is not there, then we have just revealed some of the causes of our trials and tribulation or our seasons of brokenness. I will not go into a deep explanation because I don’t want to put thoughts into your head. Yet I desire that the Holy Spirit will do His work, just as He has done with me.

Romans 12:1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual[a] act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Ephesians 4:11It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, 12to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Ephesians 4:22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.

1 Thessalonians 4:1Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.

Colossians 3:1Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Galatians 2:¹⁷“If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not! ¹⁸If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker. ¹⁹For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. ²⁰I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. ²¹I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”^[d]

Philippians 1:20I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! 23I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; 24but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. 25Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith,

The trust of the matter is that we hold on to those other reasons because we think that without them we can’t live. We wish to have them and Christ but why do we want Christ if we think that those things or our reasons to live is what life is all about? Sadly, some want Christ because they don’t want hell. Some say what’s wrong with that? Well, how would you feel if someone married you for you money and didn’t really love you when you was deeply in love with them. And when I say deeply in love, I mean that you would do anything for them even die and you meant it. Its like this; Christ is married to the Church. Its not cool when the bride acts like a whore now is it? What do we say about the woman who is married to the world’s greatest husband and she unfaithful? When Christ is not our reason, we dishonor Him. The problem is that we haven’t counted the cost of following Christ because somebody didn’t tell us the truth and promised us happy days.

Luke 9
The Cost of Following Jesus
57As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”

58Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

59He said to another man, “Follow me.”
But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

60Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”

61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family.”

62Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

Grace be with you…

Related articles by Zemanta

• Basis of Salvation and Faith (anointedplace.wordpress.com)
• The Conquering Love of Christ (anointedplace.wordpress.com)
• Salvation: Lost and Found (anointedplace.wordpress.com)
• Faith Lives (anointedplace.wordpress.com)

Filed under Brokenness, Christ, Christian, Depravity, Faith, Grace, Holy Spirit, Idols, Jesus Christ, Love, mankind, Purpose, Salvation, Sin, The Gospel, Truth, Understanding, Witness · Tagged with Christ Jesus/God, Christianity, Christianity for Seekers, Death, Divine grace, Evangelism, Faith, God, Holy Spirit, Jesus, Lord Jesus, Religion and Spirituality