Over the many years as a brother to all the siblings-in-Christ (both young and old) I know, there were occasions I felt led to share my thoughts on some issues in their lives which I was burdened about and felt needed to be addressed. Did I do it? No. I hesitated because I feared I might lose the friendship with them and I also did not know how they would take it should I share my concerns and thoughts. I also sometimes could not care less because I was more self-centered than community-centered.
In these same many years, I grew and knew myself better and learnt to overcome some of my own bad habits and sins because someone else had the guts to rebuke and correct me. I am sure they had the same fear but yet for my sake and their role as a sibling-in-Christ to me, they risked losing this friendship just so I could grow to be a better person for God and the people around me by overcoming my weaknesses and shortcomings.
Lately I have been feeling burdened for a few brothers and sisters-in-Christ and again I have the same fear of approaching them to share my concerns. But this time the urge to want to do so is much more than before. I prayed about it this morning before I slept and below was my conclusion.
Frankly I am ready to risk losing these friendships with my siblings-in-Christ by sharing with them my burdens than to see them sink deeper in their sins and struggles. Of course it is my prayer that our relationship is strong enough to withstand these confrontations. I am still praying for the Lord to give me courage and also the wisdom and sensitivity in helping my siblings-in-Christ. I am also praying for the Lord to give me words of encouragement and affirmation should I be ready to help them.
I cannot carry on not doing anything anymore especially when I have been seeing some siblings-in-Christ drifting away in their faith and becoming more negative about their lives. Instead of placing their trust in the Lord, they are placing it in themselves and in objects. Instead of putting God first in their lives, studies, computer games, material pursuits have taken over His place. All these while they have learnt about the Word of God through Bible studies and sermons and yet what they are practising is totally the opposite. Some even come to church as if they are going to a country club - instead or worshipping God, they meet up to do other things like playing Sony PSP games or gossipping or indulging in what they are to buy once church is over. Why is this so? Where have the church gone wrong? What are we doing about it?
If we call the church a community of believers; a family, are we living it out as truly spiritual grandparents, parents and siblings to one another? I am sharing my frustrations because it is high time we start acting like a community and family to help one another grow in the Lord and in our character and also in our testimony as a Christian.
I am very sure all the time we received nudgings from the Lord to encourage a sibling-in-Christ, did we act upon it? I am very sure many times too we received promptings from the Lord to repent from our sins but because there are no accountability to one another due to either no one cared or there is no one for us to account to, we continue to sin and sink deeper.
I am sure the devil is now laughing out loud that he might not have been defeated afterall since there are Christians slowly falling away and other Christians are not doing anything about it.
Well, all said, what am I going to do about it? I want to do something for the people I love and I hope many more of us Christians will do likewise so that we can start growing towards godliness and holiness; start walking with one another in this life's journey; start picking each other up when one falls; start being doer of the Word and not just hearer; start living out victorious lives!
May the Lord be our help.
"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise. He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding." Proverbs 15:30-32
"Better is open rebuke than hidden love." Proverbs 27:5
"He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue." Proverbs 28:23
"Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:2-5
In these same many years, I grew and knew myself better and learnt to overcome some of my own bad habits and sins because someone else had the guts to rebuke and correct me. I am sure they had the same fear but yet for my sake and their role as a sibling-in-Christ to me, they risked losing this friendship just so I could grow to be a better person for God and the people around me by overcoming my weaknesses and shortcomings.
Lately I have been feeling burdened for a few brothers and sisters-in-Christ and again I have the same fear of approaching them to share my concerns. But this time the urge to want to do so is much more than before. I prayed about it this morning before I slept and below was my conclusion.
Frankly I am ready to risk losing these friendships with my siblings-in-Christ by sharing with them my burdens than to see them sink deeper in their sins and struggles. Of course it is my prayer that our relationship is strong enough to withstand these confrontations. I am still praying for the Lord to give me courage and also the wisdom and sensitivity in helping my siblings-in-Christ. I am also praying for the Lord to give me words of encouragement and affirmation should I be ready to help them.
I cannot carry on not doing anything anymore especially when I have been seeing some siblings-in-Christ drifting away in their faith and becoming more negative about their lives. Instead of placing their trust in the Lord, they are placing it in themselves and in objects. Instead of putting God first in their lives, studies, computer games, material pursuits have taken over His place. All these while they have learnt about the Word of God through Bible studies and sermons and yet what they are practising is totally the opposite. Some even come to church as if they are going to a country club - instead or worshipping God, they meet up to do other things like playing Sony PSP games or gossipping or indulging in what they are to buy once church is over. Why is this so? Where have the church gone wrong? What are we doing about it?
If we call the church a community of believers; a family, are we living it out as truly spiritual grandparents, parents and siblings to one another? I am sharing my frustrations because it is high time we start acting like a community and family to help one another grow in the Lord and in our character and also in our testimony as a Christian.
I am very sure all the time we received nudgings from the Lord to encourage a sibling-in-Christ, did we act upon it? I am very sure many times too we received promptings from the Lord to repent from our sins but because there are no accountability to one another due to either no one cared or there is no one for us to account to, we continue to sin and sink deeper.
I am sure the devil is now laughing out loud that he might not have been defeated afterall since there are Christians slowly falling away and other Christians are not doing anything about it.
Well, all said, what am I going to do about it? I want to do something for the people I love and I hope many more of us Christians will do likewise so that we can start growing towards godliness and holiness; start walking with one another in this life's journey; start picking each other up when one falls; start being doer of the Word and not just hearer; start living out victorious lives!
May the Lord be our help.
"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise. He who ignores discipline despises himself, but whoever heeds correction gains understanding." Proverbs 15:30-32
"Better is open rebuke than hidden love." Proverbs 27:5
"He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue." Proverbs 28:23
"Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:2-5
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