The Christian Life

What does it mean to be a Christian? What do you think? Are you a Christ follower? Most people I talk to would say they are a Christian. They don't all know if that means they are going to Heaven or not. They hope so. They believe in 'God'. Some of them go to church and think that is what makes them a Christian. Some rarely go to church, but occasionally pray. Some think that a decision to be a Christian at some time previous in their life has them covered. I have been thinking a lot about this as I have observed people, including myself.

What Christians Are NOT:

They are not perfect people.They make mistakes. Yet they are saved by grace. They are forgiven.

They are not always happy, but they have a deep joy that God is with them in everything.

They do not have all the answers, but they have God's Word and His Spirit to guide them.

So what are Christians? They are people who have chosen to follow Christ, to be His disciples.They live in His love and grace, guided by His Spirit. They look and talk differently than others. It isn't their language or their clothes. It is in their being. They care about others. They reach out to others. They listen to others. They meet needs. They are the hands and feet of Jesus.They stand for truth and may offend to take that stand. They are bold in their walk with God, holding fast to faith. They are all these things and more. God gifts each of his children uniquely so they can make a difference in the world He has placed them in.

It isn't enough to just go to church or to occasionally pray. It isn't just believing in God. Being a Christian should transform your life. You should be different, set apart, called.to serve. It should change what you think about entertainment, how you spend your leisure time and your money. God never asks us to not have fun, but He does ask us to refrain fom immoral behavior, drunkeness, and things that pull us from a right relationship with Him and others. He asks us to consider if what we are doing glorifies Him or not. We must live in a way different from the rest of the world. If we conform to the world's ways, we have no message of what Jesus is in our lives. People will not see Him in us.

I know I am not always the kind of person I should be as a Christian. I don't always act in love or forgive as easily as I should. I am one of those Christians who is not perfect. Nor will I ever be. But who I am in Christ affects every decision I make and how I act more often than not. I do read His Word and that is my guide for living. Hopefully people see me as different. I don't want to be like everyone else. Even if that makes me odd, or goofy, or wierd.  That's OK. I want to belong to Jesus. I want to do His will, even if it doesn't make sense to the rest of the world.

How about you? Do you want to be different? Or do you want to be like everyone else? How do you want to have fun? How do you want to spend your days? It's up to you. You get to choose how you want to live. You can live for Him or for yourself. I constantly ask these questions of myself because it helps me to stay on track. What will you choose? Will you choose God's way for your life? I hope so. His way leads to life, abundant life, eternal life. And choosing His way will put joy in your heart as it has in mine!