Christian Lifestyle

 

    Living a Christian lifestyle is embracing being different.  You choose a life of service instead of comfort.  You choose to love other people even when they make it very hard.  You devote your life to follow God and learn how to from Jesus.  You learn the voice of the Holy Spirit and listen to His instructions.

    People are attracted to controversy.  It is like rubberneckers looking at a car wreck.  If you are a Christian, then you are the car wreck.  You live your life so differently that people can't help but notice.  They start watching you.  If you are living passively, then how can your life have impact in the society around you.  You need to be standing firm and speaking up on how Jesus taught us in correcting the mistakes of the world.

    A Christian lifestyle understands that you will not be happy all the time, but you are able to discover joy every day.  You know how to slow down just a little to find joy in the small moments or scenery today.  It can be as simple as watching your pets play, listen to a bird sing, spend time in nature, look at art, have a teaching moment, or something else.  

    The Holy Spirit empowers you to be able to love (true and pure), joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  As you mature in your Christian life, you learn how not to live foolishly.  You learn wisdom, strength, and confidence to fight against evil.  The more you learn the easier walking with God with all your heart becomes.

    You can be happy because you choose to be happy.  You choose to be happy by trusting God.  Every action has a consequence, but not all consequences are bad.  Trusting God removes stress.  It helps with depression.  It will get you through despair by giving you hope.  If you choose to obey God, then you are unlocking the ability to be happy.  

    I am not downplaying depression or similar issues.  It just means you can see that it will not last forever and can work toward that hope.  It means you can let go of things to make yourself better.  God works in all things even when you are in a dark place.  

    God will not leave you there forever.  He loves you and He cares, but if you are there then God is using it for something.  You may be in the midst of spiritual warfare.  Prayer and faith is your best weapon.  Get dressed in your armor and get behind God to avoid any more blows.  Trust that He will send His angels to protect you, your home, and all living things in your home.  All you have to do is pray.

    God is on His own timeline.  He will not bow to yours.  Mature Christians understand this.  They learn how to wait in faith and patience.  Patience is produced through endurance.  Endurance is part of being a Christian.  We understand that we are only a piece in the big picture and that we may never live long enough to see all the fruit that comes from us not giving up and following Jesus.

    Paul's life appeared to be wasted at times.  He sat in prison multiple times for being a Christian.  That was his only crime.  How could God use him there?  He did.  Paul became a missionary to prisoners and guards.  He never gave up on His purpose.  He wrote letters that make up most of the New Testament.  He never saw the full purpose of his suffering, but he never lost faith either.  

    Paul started churches that still live today.  He set a standard for all Christians to be a part of God's church because they are a part of God's family.  To live obediently to God, we have to find a church that we can be an active part of.  Sitting to listen to a service once a week is not being a part of a living church.  Being a part of a church is living together (sharing life experiences), working together, fellowship, worship, and praying together as an united force (corporate prayer).  

    A Christian church family shares all they have: spiritual gifts, material things, food, and problems so that no one in your church family goes without.  No one takes advantage of another in the family of God.  If they do, then they reveal themselves more of a Judas than a Christian.  Being generous is joy being lived out in real life by wishing other people goodwill.

    Christians walk in confidence, not arrogance, but understanding their purpose is for God not to please people.  It is when a Christian is being put through the ringer that you can really see their Christianity lived out.  It is easy to be nice and happy when life is good.  We show our true colors when life is hard, dangerous, or stressful.  A true Christian will maintain their walk in faith because their dependency is solely on God.  A Christian is never lost.  A Christian is humbly confident that eternity will be spent in God's glory.

Psalm 103:19-22, Mark 1:35-39, Acts 2:42-47, Romans 8:18-30, 14:5-9, Galatians 5:22-23, & Ephesians 5:15-20