Do you have to be right?

The May 6 entry in the devotional ‘My Utmost for His Highest’ by Oswald Chambers points out an interesting truth that addresses a problem I have had (and maybe still do) and I know some people at our church have.

Although I am not sure those people think this is a problem for them, they think their brand of Christianity is the only way.

What would Jesus call that? I think this is like James and John wanting to sit on either side of Jesus in Mark 10:35-45. Obviously they thought they were the only ones worthy of this, but to be worthy you have to believe you are the only one who is right.

Brothers and sisters who or what are you focusing on?
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‘A spiritually-minded person will never come to you with the demand— "Believe this and that"; a spiritually-minded person will demand that you align your life with the standards of Jesus. We are not asked to believe the Bible, but to believe the One whom the Bible reveals (see John 5:39-40 ). We are called to present liberty for the conscience of others, not to bring them liberty for their thoughts and opinions. And if we ourselves are free with the liberty of Christ, others will be brought into that same liberty— the liberty that comes from realizing the absolute control and authority of Jesus Christ.

Always measure your life solely by the standards of Jesus. Submit yourself to His yoke, and His alone; and always be careful never to place a yoke on others that is not of Jesus Christ. It takes God a long time to get us to stop thinking that unless everyone sees things exactly as we do, they must be wrong. That is never God’s view. There is only one true liberty— the liberty of Jesus at work in our conscience enabling us to do what is right.’

Don’t get impatient with others. Remember how God dealt with you— with patience and with gentleness. But never water down the truth of God. Let it have its way and never apologize for it. Jesus said, "Go . . . and make disciples. . ." ( Matthew 28:19 ), not, "Make converts to your own thoughts and opinions."

Dealing with enemies

This is a response to my wife’s blog Krack Up where she talks about enemies. Go to http://krack-up.com/blog/

I think what Jesus is trying to teach us is not only how important it is to love others but also that we will have to change in order to love our enemies or people we just don’t plain like.

Being a Christian and following Jesus means having to change your thoughts, your beliefs and your actions. Remember what Jesus told the rich young ruler? And what did the RYR do? He either couldn’t or wouldn’t change.

I think if he was smart he would have realized he could have given up the wealth, become a Christ follower and then earned it back with a new belief, a new attitude taught to him by Jesus. But even if he didn’t earn it back his life would have been so much better with Christ.

Those who won’t change are those who haven’t come to the end of themselves and they believe what they think and do is more important than what Jesus says.

Following Jesus is a process and goes way beyond believing, repenting and being baptized. Come on take some more step toward Jesus and live the way he wants you to.

You can do it.