Are you a Christian? Do you faithfully worship the Lord as He has commanded us? Do you faithfully attend every gathering of the Lord’s church to show the Lord that He truly is the most important thing in your life?
These are questions we ask and brush off and just really don’t think much about. Here in the good ole U.S. of A. we just do what we want, when we want, especially when it comes to our religion.
For those in the church our biggest concern is getting what I want when I want it. We get bent out of shape if things don’t go the way we think they should. We get upset if someone else gets the credit when, “I was the one in charge.”
Somehow or another we must learn what is really important and that is our relationship with God and His Son. What is really important is giving our lives to Him and doing all we can to convert others to Christ in order that their souls might be saved eternally.
You are probably asking, Fredman, where is all this coming from? All these thoughts are coming from an event that happened several years ago in El Salvador concerning a man named Antonio Lara who preached for the church there. On a Sunday morning during worship, brother Lara left services momentarily to get a drink of water. As he approached the back door, a man stepped in with a gun and shot brother Lara seven times and then ran.
What kind of a man was brother Lara? Well, I didn’t know him at all but here is what the brethren that did know him had to say about him. They said, “In situations where most people complained and grumbled, Antonio smiled and volunteered.” Now, I ask you, is this not the heart of Christ? What was it that Jesus said in Matthew 20:28: There Jesus said, “I did not come to be served but to serve.” In other words, Jesus is saying He did not come to be the big shot. He did not come to be the one in charge, he came to work, to serve others. Which is exactly what He did while He was here on this earth. Therefore, because of His “service” He was given authority over all things (Matt. 28:18). Christ is now the Head of His church which He bought with His own blood.
Brethren, if Almighty God can humble Himself and become a servant, what do we need to do as those who would follow Him? Which would be the most pleasing to our Lord? To get out and make sure everyone knows we’re in charge, take control, be the big shots, or simply get out and serve others anonymously? Which is really the most important to us, our own popularity, or the welfare and growth of the Lord’s church?
I cannot begin to imagine the horrific effect the murder of brother Lara had on the church in El Salvador. I know one thing, it helped them focus on what is really important.
What is it going to take to get the Lord’s church in the U.S. to truly focus on what’s really important?
Until next week, I love you all,
Dan
These are questions we ask and brush off and just really don’t think much about. Here in the good ole U.S. of A. we just do what we want, when we want, especially when it comes to our religion.
For those in the church our biggest concern is getting what I want when I want it. We get bent out of shape if things don’t go the way we think they should. We get upset if someone else gets the credit when, “I was the one in charge.”
Somehow or another we must learn what is really important and that is our relationship with God and His Son. What is really important is giving our lives to Him and doing all we can to convert others to Christ in order that their souls might be saved eternally.
You are probably asking, Fredman, where is all this coming from? All these thoughts are coming from an event that happened several years ago in El Salvador concerning a man named Antonio Lara who preached for the church there. On a Sunday morning during worship, brother Lara left services momentarily to get a drink of water. As he approached the back door, a man stepped in with a gun and shot brother Lara seven times and then ran.
What kind of a man was brother Lara? Well, I didn’t know him at all but here is what the brethren that did know him had to say about him. They said, “In situations where most people complained and grumbled, Antonio smiled and volunteered.” Now, I ask you, is this not the heart of Christ? What was it that Jesus said in Matthew 20:28: There Jesus said, “I did not come to be served but to serve.” In other words, Jesus is saying He did not come to be the big shot. He did not come to be the one in charge, he came to work, to serve others. Which is exactly what He did while He was here on this earth. Therefore, because of His “service” He was given authority over all things (Matt. 28:18). Christ is now the Head of His church which He bought with His own blood.
Brethren, if Almighty God can humble Himself and become a servant, what do we need to do as those who would follow Him? Which would be the most pleasing to our Lord? To get out and make sure everyone knows we’re in charge, take control, be the big shots, or simply get out and serve others anonymously? Which is really the most important to us, our own popularity, or the welfare and growth of the Lord’s church?
I cannot begin to imagine the horrific effect the murder of brother Lara had on the church in El Salvador. I know one thing, it helped them focus on what is really important.
What is it going to take to get the Lord’s church in the U.S. to truly focus on what’s really important?
Until next week, I love you all,
Dan
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