Monday, July 25, 2011

All For Christ and All About Christ: Friends (My brothers & Sisters in Christ)

It definitely has been amazing to see God working in the relationships He's given me with friends, all my brother's and sisters in Christ! My love for them all has grown so much as the years have come and gone. There have been times of laughter, grief, smiles, tears, late nights, early mornings, jamming with instuments, board games, road trips, prayer, worshipping & praising God, studying & sharing Scripture, deep conversations about Christ & the Gospel, sharing the Gospel of Christ, and so much more. The memories are unforgettable! I'm thank God so very much for blessing me with godly & Christlike friends. They have and continue to be a blessing and encouragement to me in Christ!
Yet there has been something that I've been thinking about off and on lately. Or I can say that it is the ultimate aim I have in regards to the relationships I have with my friends, my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ. My aim is this: That my relationships with my friend be all for Christ and all about Christ. Let me elaborate. I find joy in and delight in seeing my friends having joy and delighting in Jesus, the Gospel, God, and the Scriptures; it makes me smile and encourages me to hear what God has been teaching them in His Word, seeing them grow more into the image of Christ, and hunger for more of Him! I love it!
I can have those time of laugther, late nights, joking around, playing board games, and all that; yet if Christ is missing in the relationships I have with my friends, then these friendships would hardly be anything. They would all be for just selfish gain. So my ultimate desire in my relationships with my friends is to see them savoring and treasuring Christ above all else, and that God would use me to fuel that passion in their hearts for more of Christ in their lives!

This is my prayer in regards to me and my friends, my beloved brothers and sisters in Christ:

That I'd be selfless, humble and meek towards them. Being lowly and servant-like when around them. That I'd be I'd be a blessing, joy, and an encouragement in Christ when I'm with them. Always exlating Christ in my attitude, motives, intentions, conversations, and overall interactions towards them. Seeking to build them up and point them to Christ. Reminding them of God's promises that are in His Word. Wanting my time with them to be filled with Christ. Encouraging them to keep pressing on toward the goal (Phil 3:14), keep fighting the good fight of faith (1 Tim 6:12), keep running the race with endurance (Heb 12:1), with their gaze fixed on Christ! Oh that my relationship with them be all for Christ and all about Christ!

Friday, July 1, 2011

All For Christ and All About Christ: Facebook

Facebook........a social networking site that millions of people around the world invest their time on. MANY use it for their own pleasure and amusement, wasting hours upon hours on it. While VERY FEW use it to display and exalt Christ.
Now I ask you this question; What do you use facebook for? Do you use it for your own pleasure and amusement? Or do you use it to display and exalt Christ? Take a moment and think about it. Seriously.
For many many people facebook is an idol. They would spend half or even most of their day on it. Wasting their time on it. As a child of God, a follower of Christ; do you find yourself as one of those people who waste 7 to 8 hours on facebook a day? And do you use it just to goof around with others on it? Has it become an idol in your life? Just another thing that is keeping you from God?
I will admit I am one of those people who struggle with facebook. More so, I just don't know when to get off. Some people I know, dear friends of mine only get on 2 to 3 times a week. I'm jealous of those people. But I am aiming at just getting on only twice a week. For what purpose? To display and exalt Christ, to proclaim the gospel to those who don't know Him, and encourage and build up my beloved brothers & sisters in Christ! Namely I want my time on facebook to be all for Christ and all about Christ. Consider what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:15

and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raise-- 2 Cor 5:15

Then consider what he says earlier on in the chapter in verse 9

So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him-- 2 Cor 5:9

When we spend 5 minutes or an hour on facebook, is our aim focused on pleasing Him or ourselves?

Also let us not waste time on facebook, becasue as follwers of Christ we are called to live a life for Him, a life that is oh so difficult. We are called to fight the good fight (1 Tim 6:12), run with endurance the race set before us (Heb 12:1), and let us press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:14). The time we waste on facebook, is time that could be spent being used by God, being poured out for the sake of Christ and the gospel. Time that could be spent whether on the streets of downtown Indy or in a small village in Uganda or China reach the lost with the Gospel of Christ!
Now I'm not saying that we all should get rid of facebook to do the work we have been called to do in Christ (although if you feel led to do so then I commend you for that), but what I'm saying get off facebook and long to be poured out and used for the glory of our God! And seek to use facebook for sake of Christ and the gospel, and for building up and encouraging the body of Christ! May it be all for Christ and all about Christ! He died not so that we would no longer live for ourselves, but for Him!