’ve been pondering a statement I read a few weeks ago. It said that no one is held to a higher level of responsibility than anyone else in Christian living. Now God gives us all some pretty clear directions as Christian. We are to become new creatures, we are to love God and love our brothers/sisters as we love ourselves. We are to carry the gospel to every creature. We are to strive to not to cause others to stumble. We are to seek to serve rather than be served.
If you do those things in a dedicated manner I doubt you will have a lot of time to wonder if others should be held to a higher standard. But as humans we often find time for the things that don’t matter instead of focusing on the things that do.
I looked around at our society today and I truly believe we need some heroes, some people who are willing to step up and say “I am willing to take personal responsibility and let my life shine as an example”. Those people don’t normally start out looking to be an example, yet they know that everyone looks at someone. Whether you acknowledge it or not, someone is looking at your life. And if you are in a public ministry, a lot of people are looking at your life. The saying may seem trite but it is true, ‘you are the only Bible that some people read’.
That is why when a Christian fails they don’t just hurt themselves; they hurt those who for whatever reason have their eyes on a human instead of God. We should keep our eyes on the Savior, but who hasn’t had doubts when they saw someone they thought was strong fall?
I have realized lately that so many of my ‘heroes’ are now waiting with Jesus for us to join them. And as they go, their prayers they prayed for so many are no longer being prayed. Who is standing in the gap now for us? Who is taking up the challenge to pray for the preacher, the singer, the Sunday school teacher, the teenager, the mother, the father and on down the line.
I realized that one of the things that made these people heroes was the time they spend in prayer. The times they prayed for friends, family, people they met in their daily life, those times were what brought them to new levels.
We talk about revival and how we want it in our country. Do we ever do more than talk? How much time have I spent in prayer this week, this month? How much have you? Have you called your pastor’s name in prayer, prayed for his protection and that God will give him holy boldness to proclaim the word of God? Have you prayed for each member of your family and of your church family? What about the groups that goes out every week to sing and share God’s word? Have you prayed God would put a soul that needs Jesus at their concert? Have you prayed that God would be in the words they say and the songs that they sing, that the Christian would be revived and blessed? Have you prayed that the person who needs a laugh would hear the funny story they need?
I dare say many of us would have to say “no, I really haven’t done that.” Why? What makes us neglect the most important tools God has given us, prayer and Bible reading? Satan is who tempts us to neglect those things but he does not make us do it, we make the choice to forsake what is right for what is fun or convenient.
That is the real reason we see so little ‘revival’. We have meetings, we hear preaching yet we don’t heed what is said. We are sure the preacher is talking to someone else. God could not possibly expect us to give up our favorite TV show, a round of golf, a ball game or a race to pray and read our Bible could He? I mean, we all deserve a time to relax. Does God realize what our day is like? The question should be do you realize what the cross was like?
Jesus gave everything for us, he suffered, yet we complain if we don’t have everything exactly the way we want it. He sweat drops of blood, his burden was so great. He prayed to the Father to remove the cup from Him. Yet in reality, all He had to do was walk away, He had the power. But He loved you and me so much, He never missed a step. He suffered more than anyone can begin to imagine. He was beaten until you could not recognize Him. He carried a cross up a long, rugged hill. He lay down on the cross so the soldiers could drive the nails in His hands, He wasn’t drug there, and He did not try to get away. He felt the rejection as God, His Father had to turn His back on Him because He could not look at our sin.
After all of this, He said “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”. What love! To forgive the very people who sought to take His life. He gave that life freely so that we could have life eternal. What a glorious thing to know! Because He died and rose again, we SHALL live forever in heaven!
How can we accept substandard expectations of the life we should live? How can we give less than our all to a Savior who gave His life to give us life? How can we turn away from studying the message He gave us in His word? How can we turn communication into a wish list? Why don’t we want to talk with Him and listen to Him as He speaks to us?
I pray that today, you will look at what God has done for you and you will commit to doing more to serve Him. Happy Easter!
D. Ann Bailey
http://www.deeannbailey.com
Author: Dee Ann Bailey
| Author's Website: http://www.deeannbailey.com
Written: 04/01/2007
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Category: DeeAnn Bailey
Comments: 2
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Amen, D.Ann. What a great article. A lot of food for thought. Thanks.
God is good all the time & all the time God is good.
Elaine Harcourt
D.Ann, one more question right from the book, How can we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? Hebrews 2:3. We have been also, surrounded by a Great cloud of witnesses. From ages past to present day, this witness is still alive and well. The question is are we testifieing of what He has done in our lives? When we are sincere, it's not turning over a new leaf, it's regeneration. The desire to get into the Word on a daily basis will be proof. The Spiritual appetite will increase when we have experienced the goodness of the Lord in a personal way. We tithe our money and pat ourselves on the back. But God is delighted when we delight in Him. That calls for a titheing our time. (spent in the Word) A couple years ago, for instance, The Purpose Driven Life just flew off the shelves in bookstores nationwide. But it occured to me, as christians we all have the same purpose. To fear God (reverence) and keep His commandments, this is the whole duty of mankind. Eccl.12:13. It's the drive behind the purpose we need to get ahold of, or better said, let get ahold of us. Signs follow believers, not vice-verse. Therein will rise up the heroes.
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