Stop Placing Him Second

Why is it easier to talk about the worlds ways, and support its ways of thinking? Why does it seem like hyping up people about all the wrong things is the right way to receive and give support? That's called being a lover of man created things, not a lover of Christ made masterpieces.

"They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshipped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen." Romans 1:25

When is comes to Christ, he always seems to be placed second. The one who actually made a sacrifice for us, we shun away, we put him on the lower pedestal and we place our riches, and our earthly, corrupt way of thinking on the higher one. As if we ourselves are our own savior, but newsflash, we're not.

"Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools." Romans 1:21-22

I've been hearing recently that it's offensive to tell someone about Christ, that it should be ones own journey to discovering who he is. But how good can that advice be? So you're telling me an elder who's never heard about Christ, and has little time to live, might just have some great revelation all of sudden from his deathbed (maybe, that could happen), but in a more realistic way of thinking, no. That old person is going to find out about Christ through their nurse who is so kind to them and shares how Jesus would be even kinder. They will find out about Christ through their grandchildren who talk about how their anxiety has decreased after they trusted in a higher power. They will also find Christ through a stranger who had the confidence to pass through hospital doorways and share how Christ saved them from a crucial car accident, and how they too can be saved and be hopeful about a better future. Yet, so many of us are afraid to do that. "It'll be offensive", they say. "How dare I impose on their beliefs." Well you know what's worse, knowing you were in the position to shed some light onto someone's life, and instead you turned away and that person now has been forever condemned to hell because you didn't care about giving them a chance to be saved. Ooops, too harsh of a truth for you, well that's reality.

"For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes -- the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scriptures say, "It is through faith that a righteous person has life."' Romans 1:16-17

And yes, of course we are in no position to force people into relationship with Jesus, but we are at least meant to share of His love. We are to introduce Him to others because he is the one who will redeem us of our sinful lives. Be a seed, and God will water it. Then the choice between life and death will be within that person you shared the message with. Oh, and usually that person chooses life, because what's better than to know that after you die, you have a better life to look forward to.

"Jesus called out to them, "Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!" And they left their nets at once and followed him." Matthew 4:19-20

People want to be loved. But don't love them in ways that the world says to. To support their drinking habits, to support their sinful desires, to encourage them that their young years are meant to be wild and confusing, and that the road their heading on is normal. Well, it's not. You're just advancing an earthly kingdom, and that's not what we, as Christ's Fisher of Men, are supposed to do. Rather, we are meant to seek people to Christ. Tell them that, " Hey I know you liking doing this and that, but I don't think it's good for you." And if they refuse to take your advice and keep heading in those wrong directions well, what you do is pray for them continually, make boundaries, and sometimes, you just got to exit their life and love on them from a distance through prayer. Because the Heavenly Kingdom will take you beyond the grave, the earthly one will only take you to the grave.

Remember don't leave it up to the world to tell lost people where to go, because the world itself is lost. But if you, who are assured in your faith, go up to a broken person to redirect them, all will be made well. Because our assurance, our strength, our love, it all comes from Christ, and He is the ultimate guider to eternal life.

"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty of our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his rightoeuness, for he himself is fair and just, and he makes sinners right in his sight when they believe in Jesus." Romans 3:23-26