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For many young Christians, a devotional life is not adequate to help them live in this world. It isn't because the words of God are less powerful or ineffective in their life. It's a question of culture.
If you are trying to live the Christian life alone, I'm sorry. This is not the plan of God. Yes, it does happen, but it's not the plan.
Joshua led the people of God into a promised land. In that promised land was a new culture, a new government, and new rules on living. That's what most of us need. We need a devotion to the Lord AND a culture. We try to live in this world with our present devotion, but things often get confusing and destructive.
I believe it's time for us to have some wisdom about how to live in this world but not of this world. Maybe developing and living within a culture of Christ rather than trying to be Christians in a worldly culture is the answer.
A Christian in a worldly culture is one who mainly lives isolated and separated, yet fervent in passion to the Lord. It is the person who attends church and maybe a small group, but spend most of their time separated from the people of God. Part of this reality is because of our present condition of family and part of this is based on our propensity for recreation and entertain ourselves in the world culture.
If we lived in a culture of Christ in this world, we would find ourselves surrounded by spiritual family. That family, although not perfect, would provide love, encouragement, and wisdom. The cost of this culture is some of our independence and most of our unaccountability. But what would be gained is truly priceless.
We would become a light set on a Hill. Presently many are living as a candle. Yet often that candle is hidden under something to avoid being blown out. The light of one candle in the darkness is something. But we are a city. We can have brilliance as we commune together as the people of God. Our independence may be costing the world a great light.
I believe a greater light enables making disciples of nations, not just people. God illustrates to us how He took a people and made them into a nation so that all the world might be blessed. I think that plan is still active. God is still building a holy nation to impact this world. We are here together, to be a global blessing.
The story of the exodus from Egypt and the transformation that occurred as the people of God went from slaves in bondage to a nation of God, is a story that has application for us today. Our lack of unity and brotherhood is costing the world the knowledge of God. (1) And it is costing the people of God deeply as we are vulnerable to attack from the cares and worries of life. Not having a culture that cares for us requires us to take care of ourselves. Something impossible for us to completely do.
From my way of thinking this all ties into the first two words of the Lord's Prayer, "Our Father." Father is not just Creator. God the Father is more than the establisher of humanity. He is Lord, Head, Master and Authority. Father God establishes an exclusive family. A family that is to be a blessing to all the earth. A family that has different values, different justice, and different identity than the rest of the world. A family that provides a place to belong and grow.
Father's culture in heaven is to come and manifest on the Earth. Our Father has a vision for all things being restored. Our Father has a goal for creating a destiny for humanity. More than good news is a good life. A Kingdom has come. A new rule of God has been established on the Earth. More than just having the devoted ones get to heaven one day, we have God coming to earth, through us.
We need to think Kingdom and not just church.
For most of us, the development of Kingdom culture will be in simple terms. Kingdom will be seen in our lifestyle, not just meetings. Our friendships will be faith centered. Our love and joys will be more edifying than entertaining. The circle of our lives will be filled with requirements to both give and receive. We will be pressed to do more than our talents and gifts empower us to do. We will develop into relational beings and not just functional servants. Coasting through life seems like the best way, but easy often leads to despair and depression.
God wants living active friends. He discipled the Apostles until they were His friends. Being friends is a part of kingdom culture. The freedom of giving, sharing, helping and serving is easier and more rewarding in the context of friends and family. Isolation, loneliness and having meaningful relationships is difficult in our present culture. God has a cultural answer to this condition. But we must live out His will and desire.
In short, better relationships that connect encouragingly and often is what the culture of the Kingdom will look like for most of us. It will be a place that helps keep us, help mature us and provides a place for us to have meaningful service.
So if sustaining a Godly walk through devotion is not working, upgrade to seeking to have a culture of Christ to live within. If you're passionate about disciple making, seek the Lord about building a culture. Be proactive. Invite people over or out for coffee. Make friends in your religious circles. Share an evening together and shut off the TV, computer or streaming media. Seek to be refreshed by others and not by entertainment.
We need a culture greater than the church. I'm using the word church to mean the place we go to worship and serve. We need a place to live out our faith in this world surrounded by others in our family, others who are of the Father, brothers, and sisters in the Lord.
I know it may not sound like it, but the book Jesus and Baseball is about living together in the Kingdom. I share stories and insights into living together. This book might help with some practical insights.
We all tend to look for what we need. It is much harder to build something, to build a culture of the Kingdom. If you are a builder, will you help? If you are a supporter, will you actively seek out a builder to support? Start by adding one real life connecting point. The Lord has need of you and I am sure someone in your city or neighborhood needs a friend or a brother or sister in the Lord.
(1) Joh 17:23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.
Joshua led the people of God into a promised land. In that promised land was a new culture, a new government, and new rules on living. That's what most of us need. We need a devotion to the Lord AND a culture. We try to live in this world with our present devotion, but things often get confusing and destructive.
I believe it's time for us to have some wisdom about how to live in this world but not of this world. Maybe developing and living within a culture of Christ rather than trying to be Christians in a worldly culture is the answer.
A Christian in a worldly culture is one who mainly lives isolated and separated, yet fervent in passion to the Lord. It is the person who attends church and maybe a small group, but spend most of their time separated from the people of God. Part of this reality is because of our present condition of family and part of this is based on our propensity for recreation and entertain ourselves in the world culture.
If we lived in a culture of Christ in this world, we would find ourselves surrounded by spiritual family. That family, although not perfect, would provide love, encouragement, and wisdom. The cost of this culture is some of our independence and most of our unaccountability. But what would be gained is truly priceless.
We would become a light set on a Hill. Presently many are living as a candle. Yet often that candle is hidden under something to avoid being blown out. The light of one candle in the darkness is something. But we are a city. We can have brilliance as we commune together as the people of God. Our independence may be costing the world a great light.
I believe a greater light enables making disciples of nations, not just people. God illustrates to us how He took a people and made them into a nation so that all the world might be blessed. I think that plan is still active. God is still building a holy nation to impact this world. We are here together, to be a global blessing.
But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR God's OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;
1 Peter 2:9
The story of the exodus from Egypt and the transformation that occurred as the people of God went from slaves in bondage to a nation of God, is a story that has application for us today. Our lack of unity and brotherhood is costing the world the knowledge of God. (1) And it is costing the people of God deeply as we are vulnerable to attack from the cares and worries of life. Not having a culture that cares for us requires us to take care of ourselves. Something impossible for us to completely do.
From my way of thinking this all ties into the first two words of the Lord's Prayer, "Our Father." Father is not just Creator. God the Father is more than the establisher of humanity. He is Lord, Head, Master and Authority. Father God establishes an exclusive family. A family that is to be a blessing to all the earth. A family that has different values, different justice, and different identity than the rest of the world. A family that provides a place to belong and grow.Father's culture in heaven is to come and manifest on the Earth. Our Father has a vision for all things being restored. Our Father has a goal for creating a destiny for humanity. More than good news is a good life. A Kingdom has come. A new rule of God has been established on the Earth. More than just having the devoted ones get to heaven one day, we have God coming to earth, through us.
We need to think Kingdom and not just church.
For most of us, the development of Kingdom culture will be in simple terms. Kingdom will be seen in our lifestyle, not just meetings. Our friendships will be faith centered. Our love and joys will be more edifying than entertaining. The circle of our lives will be filled with requirements to both give and receive. We will be pressed to do more than our talents and gifts empower us to do. We will develop into relational beings and not just functional servants. Coasting through life seems like the best way, but easy often leads to despair and depression.
God wants living active friends. He discipled the Apostles until they were His friends. Being friends is a part of kingdom culture. The freedom of giving, sharing, helping and serving is easier and more rewarding in the context of friends and family. Isolation, loneliness and having meaningful relationships is difficult in our present culture. God has a cultural answer to this condition. But we must live out His will and desire.
In short, better relationships that connect encouragingly and often is what the culture of the Kingdom will look like for most of us. It will be a place that helps keep us, help mature us and provides a place for us to have meaningful service.
So if sustaining a Godly walk through devotion is not working, upgrade to seeking to have a culture of Christ to live within. If you're passionate about disciple making, seek the Lord about building a culture. Be proactive. Invite people over or out for coffee. Make friends in your religious circles. Share an evening together and shut off the TV, computer or streaming media. Seek to be refreshed by others and not by entertainment.
We need a culture greater than the church. I'm using the word church to mean the place we go to worship and serve. We need a place to live out our faith in this world surrounded by others in our family, others who are of the Father, brothers, and sisters in the Lord.
I know it may not sound like it, but the book Jesus and Baseball is about living together in the Kingdom. I share stories and insights into living together. This book might help with some practical insights.
We all tend to look for what we need. It is much harder to build something, to build a culture of the Kingdom. If you are a builder, will you help? If you are a supporter, will you actively seek out a builder to support? Start by adding one real life connecting point. The Lord has need of you and I am sure someone in your city or neighborhood needs a friend or a brother or sister in the Lord.
(1) Joh 17:23 I in them and You in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that You sent Me, and loved them, even as You have loved Me.
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