After reading the following, my husband said, ‘you’re dangerous when you wake up early!’ On the day I wrote this, I had woken up at 6.15am. It seems to be the time that I write. It came from my heart but you need to know, before you carry on, it won’t tickle your ears or make you feel all fluffy inside….. Read at your own risk!

 

The word, ‘Christian’ has so many meanings… Anyone can call himself or herself one and they do…. Film stars or sports stars and even well meaning people can say that they are Christians especially when they go into hospital and get asked the question, what religion are you? (That’s if they still ask the question!). The question I want to ask in this blog is what is one?? Jesus gave us the answer – he said ‘you must be born again’ how do you do that? You believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and, the Bible tells us, you will be saved. In one sense, although that can seem hard especially for a person who feels unworthy or useless, it’s the easy part of the decision. Once you’ve made that decision, all hell can break loose against you! Why? Because now you have an enemy who wants to make sure that your life is a disaster and he will try all kinds of things to get that to happen – he is a clever cookie. The very good news is, he can do nothing about your salvation – the decision you made to become a Christian – no matter what happens after that point, means that when you die, you will go to heaven! What a gift he gives! BUT, the evil one can most certainly nullify your Christian life so that not only do you not maximise your life on earth, but also you do nothing to help the cause of Christ on earth either. You ‘sit around’ and wait to die!

 

I’m addressing the following part to those who really have made that decision to follow Christ. (If you haven’t and you want to, nothing would give me more pleasure than to help you do that, contact me) It’s time to wake up! Saying you’re a Christian, filling in petitions against things that are not going away, demonstrating against things that are not going away, in themselves, is no longer enough. People are not interested. What they need to see is the gospel working in lives in such an incredible way, that they have no choice but to admire it – then there’s a chance they will listen to our protests – but not until!

 

Saying you believe is not enough. What you really believe is what you DO not what you SAY.

 

Why don’t Christians, generally speaking, you might be one that does, go to prayer meetings, church regularly, house groups, life changing weekends or conferences? Why don’t Christians spend more than 5 minutes a day in the word or prayer – answer? because they don’t really believe the message. That’s controversial I know but it’s the truth. If we really believed that God answered prayer, that we can have what his word says, that good, solid teaching can intervene in life, (I appreciate you may be in a church that doesn’t deliver solid teaching – I will write on this next!), then our churches would be fuller and backsliding would NEVER happen. Fact is, we don’t really believe it…

 

John 15:7 says, ‘If you remain in me and my word remains in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given you!!’

 

Have you got any wishes? I know that you have. How do you get them? You remain in him and his word remains in you. In other words, you spend enough time in the word to know what it says but you also take the time to put those words into practice! They won’t just happen just because you’re a Christian. If they did, we would all be walking around in health, strength, prosperity (the state of thriving not just money! But money is included!) On the money thing, it is no blessing to be poor!! Just ask the average Tanzanian! But if you have a problem with being rich, then please get rich anyway and give it away!! You cannot do ministry without money! God help us! Rant over…

 

Well nearly over! I was at a conference recently and I was talking to a lady who told me about someone in her church who hadn’t read her Bible for 50 Years!! I shake my head as I write! What hope is there if we don’t even read the instruction manual? There is a statistic that says that only 20% of Christians read their Bible every day. Again, I have to say that this is because we don’t really believe it has the power to change our life.

 

The reason for this blog came out of a house group recently. Someone asked the question, ‘why aren’t more people here taking advantage of this teaching?’ Some had genuine reasons I’m sure but, for most, my answer would be this: For those who could be here and are not, it is because they don’t really believe it can change their life!’ Controversial? I don’t know but what I do know is, if the church doesn’t pull its socks up soon, we may not have a church we can freely go to in 50 years time…..If that’s you, can I be frank? For God’s and the UK’s sake, get off your backsides and get in the trenches! We need you!