I Do Believe

I may be wrong, but my behavior seems ridiculously illogical. Consider if you will my predicament:

#1. I want to be happy. Beneath sundry motives and emotions sits this fundamental desire. I long for joy and contentment.

#2. I know where to find what I’m looking for. I know where true happiness lies. David knew also: “You have made known to me the path of life, you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand” (Psalm 16:11).
I believe with all my heart that ultimate satisfaction awaits me in God’s presence; that communion with Him constitutes joy in its purest form. I am wholly convinced that—my purpose being to glorify and enjoy God—no other occupation can possibly produce more intense contentment.

#3. Here is my problem: I cannot bring myself to strive after that which I most desire. I know what I want and I know how to get it – but I can’t. I find myself attracted to so many inferior comforts, motivated by so many illegitimate desires, and allured by so many trivial experiences.

“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” (Rom 7:15).

It’s not just active sin that keeps me from my father’s presence. It’s a kind of lethargy. I know that, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us…” (2 Peter 1:3), but I move so slowly towards fuller knowledge of Christ. Here I have His words, His self revelation; here I have His faithful servants around me, constantly testifying to the power and wonder of his love. What a wretched man I am! What a stupid creature I must be! How intense the shadows of my unregenerate heart must have been that they linger still despite this radiant light of Christ and His gospel. And how great must be the love of this God, who bears with such wondrous patience the prayerlessness and lovelessness of His own children, who look up to the cross—the ultimate sacrifice, the symbol of the most intense sorrow ever experienced: the severing of the infinite bond of love between the Father and Son—and respond with such inappropriate apathy, which renders the divine gift a mere accessory to life.
So there’s something wrong with my heart still. But the situation is not desperate; the God who loved me enough to endure hell on my behalf, well aware of the depravity of my soul and the completely inappropriate response I would offer, loves me enough to bear my weakness with patience and gently bring me nearer and nearer to His presence. “Praise be to God, through Christ Jesus our Lord!”
And so my lack of love serves to highlight his unconditional faithfulness all the more, and calls for even more praise—indeed it compels me once again to “make every effort to add to [my] faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly-kindness; and to brotherly-kindness, love.” For my Lord promises, “if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the kingdom of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5-11). "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you" (Matt. 7:7).

So I encourage you, fellow believer—if you believe his promises, don’t just rest in them. Act on them. Seek Him.

certain things don't mix

“What, reader, is the habitual and supreme bent of your mind? Is it that which is spiritual, or that which is carnal?...You have your mind either set upon the things of the flesh, or upon the things of the Spirit.” – Octavius Winslow

I have gotten to know many Christian youth during my three years of college, at three different Christian schools, and many of the thousands of conversations I have had and many of the observations I have made, raise various questions in my mind about how we Christian youth are living our lives.

During my second year at school there was one piece of a conversation that has stayed in the back of my mind. I was just relaxing with a bunch of friends talking about random things, when one guy said something that caught my attention. He was someone who sang and played the guitar for a lot of the worship times during school events; he did the same for his church, and he professed his Christianity. So when he mentioned that his favorite movie was Wedding Crashers, I was slightly surprised (although I’m not really surprised to hear that type of thing coming from Christians, which is sad).

Now I had never seen this movie (still haven’t and never will), but from what I had heard it was nothing but trash. Since that time I have looked the movie up online and have found that it received its R rating for: Sexuality, Nudity, Sexual and Crude Humor, and Language. So here was a young Christian man announcing that he “loved” this junk, not only in the presence of females but in the presence of nonbelievers. Then, what was even worse, is that other Christian guys there agreed enthusiastically with him!

How is that movie edifying? How does it not pollute your mind? What type of witness are we being? “Well my favorite book to read is the Holy Scriptures and my favorite thing to watch is Wedding Crashers.” Oh yeah, now I see what a powerful example that is; can’t believe I missed it the first time.

I also have a good amount of friends from both highschool and college who put the artist Eminem as one of their favorites. Here’s a guy who has profanity and the F word all throughout his songs, yet these young Christian men hold him up us one of their favorite. I don’t care how great the guy is, or that he is a genius in the area of rap, the guy is singing filth into your ear. There are, of course, more extreme examples; I’m sure there are Christians out there who say Marylin Manson is their favorite.

Not only is that a horrible witness, but it is nothing but hurtful to your personal walk. We are called to live lives that are pure, holy, and pleasing to God. For some bizarre reason I do not see God being too pleased with you claiming Wedding Crashers or Eminem as your favorites. It’s when I hear things like this that I question how serious the Christian youth of today are about their faith.

I do not want anyone to think that I’m sitting up here on my high horse pointing fingers at them and judging. I am extremely far from being a perfect Christian example. I have enjoyed watching movies that I regretted having seen afterwards. This has been an exhortation to me just as much as to my brothers and sisters in Christ. I, however, can not say it better than Octavius Winslow.

“Be exhorted to walk in the Spirit. Be not satisfied with having the question decided in your favor, or with just barely knowing that you have crossed the line that separates the regenerate from the unregenerate, death from life. Remain not where you are; go forward. Be not content with a low standard. Compare not your church with other churches, nor yourself with other Christians; nor measure yourself by yourself. Rather, fix your eye upon Christ; copy His example, imbibe His mind, and place yourself under the government of His Spirit. Strive to go forward!”

This post is in no way limited to media: what we watch or listen to. I hope we all take the exhortation here and apply it to every aspect of our lives. Claiming Christ in name is not enough, you must also claim Him in your actions, in the fruit that you bear. As a Christian you are taking up life with the highest standard, the standard of Christ. We are called to live as Christ did; a perfect life. While this is impossible, it is still the goal, and one we are to strive for.

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” – Romans 8:5