Something Worth Fighting For

There are some things I am passionate about. I am passionate about my family. I love them. I am thankful for them. I guard them physically and spiritually to the best of my ability. I would fight for them, even lay down my life for them if the occasion were to arise.

I am passionate about my beliefs. In fact, "Belief" is the number one strength in the ol' Strengths Finders assessment. I have deeply held beliefs that mean a great deal to me and I will defend them, I will seek to instill them in other people, and I have even been known to fight for them on certain occasions.

I am passionate about my country. I love my country. I served my country. I have friends that have given their lives for our country. I believe in the ideals that were originally a part of my country. I have fought for my country.

I am passionate about the Church of Jesus Christ. I have served her for almost 19 years. I have sacrificed for her, I have given of my time and my resources to her, and I have been blessed by her. I have fought for the Church.

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:24-25)

Last time I saw a spur, it didn't seem like a tender, loving touch. It is more of a weapon, a tool used to get something or someone to do what it needs to be doing. When a cowboy spurs an animal, it is intended to get the animals attention and get them moving.

Can I "spur" you today? Stop giving up meeting together. Do not neglect the fellowship of believers. The "Day" that the writer of Hebrews refers to is the day of the Lord's return, and it is coming. That day is approaching and we have work to do! We have a responsibility as followers of Jesus Christ, as the Bride of Christ, to fight for sake of Christ and for the sake of His Church.

I am passionate about the Church and I am passionate about my brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ who have seen fit to neglect the fellowship. You need to stop. You need to reengage with the Body of Christ and it needs to become something you fight for.

We fight for the things we are passionate about. What are you passionate about today?

Comments

Rock 'Em Sock 'Em

I did not grow up throwing punches with schoolmates or with siblings. I did not experience violence in my home as a child. I was never encouraged to throw the first punch, or any punch for that matter. My memories of physical altercations with another person are limited to one specific instance from my junior high years, and the result of my choosing to resort to throwing a punch was not entirely positive. Yes, I did "solve" my problem on one hand, but I created new problems on the other. There is certainly a culture that exists in our world that promotes violence as the answer to solving problems. I have a 5 and 7 year old - believe me, some people think that hitting is the only way to fix something. But outside of child's play and sibling bickering, there is a much more damaging culture that promotes "fixing" whatever problem one might have by exerting physical prowess or at least the threat of exertion. It is not limited to one section of culture or even so...

The Captivity of Fear

Fear holds you captive. By this, I mean that when we are afraid, it holds us in a restricted position. What we could have possibly done, we can do no longer, or at least not to the original potential. My wife sometimes shares a story of fear that she has related to the abnormally large cockroaches that we would sometimes encounter when we lived in Hawaii. Truthfully, they were water bugs, but their similarity to a cockroach was remarkable, especially in a dimly lit situation. On one occasion, a water bug had taken up residence in a door frame that she needed to pass through, but the mere fact that it was in that door frame was nearly enough to keep her from going through. She eventually mustered up the gumption and ran through the door. Her fear nearly kept her from doing what she needed to do, even though that particular task was not necessarily a noble one. In comparison, the prophet Jeremiah was given a task by God to warn Israel of the coming judgment of God. The judgment was roote...

Hurt People Hurt People

I recently heard this familiar phrase. It was one that I have heard before, but it had been some time. When I heard it, I nodded my head in agreement as I processed all that this meant. People who get hurt, for any number of reasons, are inclined to then go and hurt someone else. If you say or do something that causes another person to hurt, then there is a high probability - according to this saying - that they are going to go and do the same to someone else. The more I thought about this phrase over the course of the week, the more I came to realize how it has no place inside the Kingdom mindset or in the life of a Christian. It is certainly true that all of us are subject to being hurt at times in our lives. This hurt comes through the insensitivity of others, through the direct persecution of others, and it often comes through the actions of others that were never meant to harm at all. In some cases, perhaps, the actions of others were meant to help - either your situation or ...

Just Another Blog

Search This Blog