Christians, Do You Remember Why You Are a Christian?

Pressure can cause a person to have a lack of judgment in a given situation. Whether it comes from peers, time, family, society, or self, they all can wreak havoc. Christians have the additional pressure of giving in to what the flesh wants to do, as in the battle between spiritual and worldliness. You may know something isn't good for you, but you compromise it momentarily. Or, maybe it isn't necessarily "bad" for you, so you compromise it, but at the same time it isn't "good" for you either.

What pressures have you been experiencing lately? As we looked at an Overview of I Peter, yesterday, we examined how the Christians in those days were experiencing great persecution from the Roman government. We are blessed to not be living in a society that isn't anywhere close their's. As we make an attempt to try to relate to a little of what they might have experienced, let's examine these applications...

1. Part of the reason that something loses its appeal and becomes "old" is that there are other things that are better that you can replace it with. That is the deception that causes people to fall away from their faith. Maybe someone comes along that makes their faith seem better than your's or you feel a void in your own faith that causes you to look elsewhere. Either way, the other looks better. However, it is not better at all. What you have IN CHRIST is the best of the best. Your faith may be "aged" but it is never "old". It is still just as new and exciting as it was when you first believed. Appreciate what you have IN CHRIST and praise God for your faith...Stand tall, Christian!
2. Team pride can be a very effective stimulant to continue on in a contest. As you are on the "Chosen Race", "Royal Priesthood", and "Holy Nation" team, you are on a team that has never lost. It is undefeated. Only those that have formed their own "team" because they, temporarily or indefinitely, thought another "team" was more appealing have ever lost. We all have taken ourselves off this team, and each time we do, we lose. And at each loss, I tell the "coach" that I messed up and ask if I can be back on the team, and He says "Yes." May the pride that comes from being a member on this team inspire you to keep going another step, another minute, another quarter, another mile...just never give up!
   
3. Going through trying times is never enjoyable. Even if you can look back on an experience and appreciate something that came from it, if it was bad, it was still bad. Christians will suffer before they enter into heaven. The Bible tells us that. Look at each time of suffering as an opportunity to do the following:
1. Grow...into a more mature Christian.
   
2. Learn...how to turn suffering into opportunity.
   
3. Reflect Jesus...to those around you.
   
4. Develop...perseverance for a possible next time.
   

As a Christian, you go through a lot each and every day. But, friend, let me assure you that it is all worth it. The end result will ultimately be eternal bliss. Just keep on keeping on. Stay on the narrow road, no matter how appealing the broad road looks. Walk away from the conversation when it is going against your conscience. You know what is right and wrong, now stick with it, you'll be glad you did!

Have a great week!

Sharing Jesus ~