Quote:
Originally Posted by Aquila
Ah, the way is VERY narrow.
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I thought about this very thing just a couple days ago and the realization that I come up quite short is disturbing to me.
When I was a young adult, I thought about life in general. How we grow up, train for a career, get married, buy a home, have a few children, work for 50 years, grow old, retire...then die.
I used to think...there has to be more to life than this. I used to wonder what is the purpose for my existence here on earth?
Being a Christian is not for the faint-hearted. Christians have to take a stand on what one personally believes of what they read in the Bible and what they pray for in the Spirit, not just what the church they attend teaches and expects you to follow. Many times what one personally believes in how Jesus wants us to walk with Him clashes with what any given church denomination teaches.
Christ was our perfect example of ministering. He denied Himself of his own life. He fed thousands of people. He washed feet. He healed the sick and raised the dead. He laid down His life for mankind. He came to show us how we are to act towards our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.
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Luke 10:27)
While I am sure that there are ministers who do this, I have never yet seen a minister symbolically take a towel and wash the saint's feet in church...to be examples to us.
But, have I invited people into my home to symbolically wash feet and minister to others to be an example to them? No. I have not ministered to people in the way Christ has. I have not taken up my cross and denied myself.
Am I walking the straight and narrow way?
While we are saved by the blood of Jesus and by His grace, walking with Christ is not a one-size-fits-all experience. Often people within any denomination are persecuted by their own fellow worshippers because their walk deviates from what their church organization teaches, but not necessarily from what God's Word teaches.
In my young adult years, after researching several denominations for months, I knew I was "home" when I was baptized in Jesus Name. God answered many of my selfish prayers as the years have gone by. I am thankful that He did answer them, but now I feel that I have failed Him by not asking God to lead me into the life that He wants me to do. I feel ashamed that I have not taken up the cross and denied myself for Christ's sake.
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