Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Getting Real: The ways for young Christians to live Christ in the SOLO lane

I had an awesome conversation with my good friend Pastor John Coleman.  Although I did not say much, I well appreciated the things said to me in the conversation.  These things got me the thinking, and I thought I would share with you some important L’s  for enduring this race in Christ in the solo lane.  The last days are perilous times, we cannot trust men.  Our greatest heroes will fail us!  The only One Who will not is the Lord Jesus Christ:

 

 

LOVE  -   For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

 

Love God, who is the Lord Jesus Christ, with your all (Matthew 22:37).  Give everything in your life over to the Lord Jesus Christ.  Don’t put your trust in any man (no heroes); I mean don’t take them to be the God which defines your Christianity (the Word of God defines it, not man), no matter what they say or do; they are not.  Love Jesus Christ first my friends, and with your all love Him. 

With that same fervor and strength of love, love all men – your neighbors (Matthew 22:39).  You be the only if necessary to show the love of Jesus Christ to men.  Don’t get caught in these Christianity games young people, you love the way the bible tells you to love.  I will say this because doing this will not keep you in confusion at all.  Whether a person is saved or not will not matter, because you will not be trying to judge them, but instead love them.  Love, love, and love this will help you endure in Christ in the solo lane.

You got a wife, love her, a husband love him and submit to him. If you have children, love them, don’t abuse them but raise them up in the Lord Jesus Christ.  Church family, love them, good sound bible teaching pastor, love him, no matter what school he has attended, or men he has quoted, love them!  You get the point, they first key is to love, for Christ has given us this.


LISTEN - Of these things put [them] in remembrance, charging [them] before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, [but] to the subverting of the hearers. (2 Timothy 2:14)

 

The Lord Jesus Christ has given you His Word, obey it.  Listen and believe every Word of the bible because you can trust the OT and the NT canon (2 Peter 1:19-21).  Listen to what the scripture speaks about things.  Don’t go picking up a book, article, or a YouTube clip, but really focus on listening to God’s Word.  Define everything by the bible, whether people agree with it or not.  Young people, young Christians, the world doesn’t want you going to the bible for anything.  They will call you a bible worshipper etc etc.  Listen to the Word of God and not those people, even if they call you a Pharisee.  Jesus Christ never condemned anyone for being zealous for God’s Word, He condemned them for not believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, which the scriptures testified of (John 5:39-47).

Second, get you an older man/woman that knows what they are talking about and just listen.  Make sure these people are Godly, and listen to the things they say.  Old Godly men are not crazy, they warn young Christians a lot of times, because they have seen and know what this world can do to a man.  Trust the Lord, and listen to their sound advice to you, even if you don’t understand it, or cannot fully fathom what they are speaking of.  Pastor John did a lot of talking on the phone last night, and I just said uh huh uh huh because I wanted to listen.  Not all old men are correct, but young people, still listen.  A good thing to check out from scripture is Elihu of the Book of Job (Job 32:4-6).  Here is a young man that listened to everything and did not speak until all the men had finished.  Problem today is as young Christians think we know everything!  We don’t, sit down, shut up and listen!

 

LIVE - [It is] a faithful saying: For if we be dead with [him], we shall also live with [him]: (2 Timothy 2:11)

Live my young friends, live this Christian life in the solo lane.  The scriptures says:

For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3)

 

YOUR life is hid with Christ, not with any man, your living in Jesus Christ alone.  You do not need any many to live for you in Christ.  They do not determine your beliefs in Christianity; let the bible ALONE shape your Christianity, not men.  I understand that all your heroes have a book out right, or some sermon to click and listen too.  In this all your heroes are spewing out all these great words telling you how to live.  John MacArthur, John Piper, Mark Driscoll, Paul Washer etc, should not be shaping your Christian living, the Lord Jesus Christ alone should.  I struggle in this area because I have trusted so many people.  I have shaped my thoughts by what they say and believe.  No, no, I live through Jesus Christ and I allow Christ only to shape how I think.

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things [but] loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them [but] dung, that I may win Christ, (Philippians 3:7-8)

 

 

LEARN - But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned [them]; (2 Timothy 3:14)

 

Study the bible, learn theology, learn sound biblical hermeneutics, and even better learn everything you possibly can.  Never think that you have come to a plateau in your learning, learn as much as you can from the Word of God.  You don’t know it all, but you can learn all that Jesus Christ has revealed.  You can learn as much as possible.  Learn Christ; get to know Him through the scriptures.  Learn the truth, so you will be able discern that which is false. 

Stop trying to be big so quick!  Stop looking to preach and teach.  Sit down, shut up and learn something.  If Christ gives you men to teach, be faithful to those men, learning and sharing the knowledge He’s given you.  Learning keeps you humble proving that you don’t know everything.  And yes, learn by finding a sound biblical church, they are out there in every state.  Stop saying that there are none, they are some, and you just have not found one yet.  Stop leaving because it is not perfect, or one thing is off that has no effect on the church being sound.  Learn from them.  Be always ready to learn something from the Word of God!!!

LAST - Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. (2 Timothy 2:3)

 

Don’t quit, endure hardness my friends.  Opposition will come.  Persecution will come.  Not everybody is going to be your buddy.  Sometimes you are going to be by yourself but you are not alone.  I was reading Voice of the Martyrs and there was a testimony of a man who was alone in prison.  It gave him the opportunity to pray and be with God, and he heard from the Lord Jesus Christ.  Surely, you can hear from God’s Word too, God will speak to your mind in the times you are alone, so endure my friends.

 

 

With the Word of God, you will survive the Christian life.  You can make it in the solo lane young Christians.  Trust not in anything man says, only trust in what the Lord Jesus Christ says.  God bless my beloved.

I forgot the last L

LAUGH - Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;  (2 Timothy 1:4)

 

Have some joy; put a smile on your face, even in the hard things you face.  I was told to smile more, and enjoy my family.  Sometimes I can get so serious, I forget to just laugh and be joyful for the things Christ has done.  We should be joyful, and be rejoicing at all times.  It doesn’t hurt to laugh once and awhile.  Smile, and be happy that God is working in you.  I have a good friend from Washington State that makes me laugh every time I talk with him.  He is not always serious and laughs at the things which try to destroy  him.  O what a great testimony for a Christian, it’s nice to see a Christian smile once in awhile.  Now, God bless my beloved.

 

5 comments:

  1. Hey Bro,
    you keep me smiling too. Thank God for friendship, and thank God for His precious Son Jesus Christ. Man keep smiling and looking to the author and finisher of our faith.
    your friend from Washington State(smile)

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  2. Hey brother;

    Always a pleasure hearing from you my brother. Without the Lord Jesus Christ, where would we be? Keep me smiling...definitely!!!!...lol

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  3. Hey Man,
    you're right without Christ where would we be?, i hate to think, and i know too. I hope you have a great day at work. Laughter is good for the soul, you know it. Read about what a merry heart will do for you.It is in the book of Proverbs..I got you maaan .. LOL

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  4. Hey Brother;

    Called you today, you are in my prayers. Keep standing for Christ, don't let the wolves get you down....Praise the Lord Jesus Christ and keep it moving my friend. Love you bro;

    Karsten

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  5. Hey Man,
    thank you for your love and support. We both will stand together in Christ. I won't let the wolves get me down. I am glad for the armour of the lord in ephesians..Yes thank God for his protection. I love you Bro. My wife told me you called. Talk to you soon.

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