As born again Christians, God has called us to serve Him. We are Kingdom people, with a Kingdom responsibility to carry out the commands of our King.
The following list are the things we are called to do.
Worship — God in Spirit and in Truth.
Pray — Continually through Jesus Christ
Preach — The Good News
Teach — The Truth in love
Share — My blessings with others
Tithe — 10% to God
Disciple — All nations
Witness — To everyone in the lost world
Serve — Others
Believe — The Word of God
Repent — Of all Sin
Confess — Jesus as Lord and Savior
Follow — The teachings of Jesus Christ
Submit — To God’s authority
Love — One another
Suffer — For the cause of Christ
Surrender — To the Will of the Father
Stand — As a Christian soldier
Resist — The devil and his schemes
Cleave — To spouse and Jesus Christ
Salvation — What God has for me
Ask — And you will receive
Knock — And it shall be opened to you
Forgive — As you are forgiven
Baptized — For the remission of sins
Cheerfulness — Should be the attitude of every Christian
Know — What God’s Word teaches
Go — Tell others around the world
We are called to more than just come to church on the Lord’s Day. We are to obey and demonstrate to the world the love of God. Then we are the true church in action, the light on a hill, the salt of the earth.
If we practice all the things above, the church does not become:
A place of jealousy-but joy
A place of fear-but faith
A place of power-but God’s presence
A place of self-serving-but God serving
A place of disappointment-but glorious experience
A place of resentment –but of contentment
A place of rumors– but relationships
A place of pain-but plenty
The gathering of the church should be the happiest most exciting time of the week. To love and be loved. To rejoice and share the joy with others is the greatest witness of all.
The church is God’s body and each believer must find their place in the body and help the body function as God intended the body to be.
See ya in church,
Bud
For life to make sense, we must have purpose. Every organization has purpose, but also as individuals we must have purpose.
Each person or each organization has certain core values that govern all activities and actions. These core values produce certain standards that give us a guide to make decisions. Life is just that, decisions, decisions, decisions.
These core values determine our attitudes and passions. Truth, honesty, integrity, and good morals are examples of core values.
We live in a world driven by greed and rebellion. These things bleed into every group, organization, and anywhere people socialize or work. Then, add selfish ambition to the mix, and you really have trouble. This is because without a mind set to overcome these attitudes and emotions there is always turmoil.
The goal in life should not be just to make a living or make money, but to make a life; a life of joy and fulfillment. A life knowing you are giving something back to a sin-driven world. A life of helping, not hurting people. A life of service, not just being served. A life of sacrifice instead of always receiving.
This kind of life takes determination and dedication. To have good we must do good. The Bible teaches us! “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” That is a great teaching that brings great results and satisfaction.
In the beginning I said that for life to make sense, it must have purpose. It’s not a good purpose just to survive or just make money.
So, ask yourself the question, what is my purpose? Take time to consider your life and your core values. Take time to see if you are satisfied and fulfilled. If you are, praise the Lord. If you are not, why not, and what must I do to change some things? Only you can change you. This is a fact of life. Not to say others can't help you change, but the decision is yours.
To have a balanced life we are always learning. You see, we never stay the same nor does life. Things are always changing. So, how do we adjust or overcome? I believe we need four things to do this. We must be teachable, available, submissive, and faithful.
Teachable because we must be always learning. Available to carry our responsibilities and do our jobs. Submissive to those who have authority over us. And, faithful to our families, the organization, our churches or anything we belong to.
When you put these four things into play, your core values will be revealed. This is the test of our purpose.
One final thing. Every organization must have purpose, the people must understand the purpose, and be committed to the purpose, then you have harmony and success. Without it you have discontent and confusion.
Chaplain Bud,
The Christian Church at Cogan Station
When are we as Christians going to wake up to the fact, that we are being influenced by the wrong things. Little churches look to the big churches, and big churches look to big businesses for the ways and means. Now the real question is: What do American Christians really worship? What is the real purpose driving Christians in the market place? What is the real purpose of Christian artists, book writers, singers, T.V. programs, etc.? What is really driving Christianity in America to bigger and better?
Let us go back 75 to 100 years ago in America. Church services were held in church buildings if they had them, or school houses, or homes or maybe even barn floors. Rooms were divided off with curtains to hold classes to teach children. There were no nurseries, no televisions, not all the things we have today to teach the children. They were taught the Word of God by a teacher from the Word of God.
Our nation had suffered a civil war and over 500,000 people lost their lives in that war, more than any war we were ever in. But, as a nation we rebuilt and became a thriving nation under God. People lived good moral lives, in spite of the hardship of starting their lives over. God was still respected and honored in this great land of America.
But, then came World War II in the forties. America would change forever. It was the beginning of the subtle decline of the home. Women went to work in factories, never to return to being homemakers again.
The family farm was abandoned for bigger and better. We, as a country slowly changed from an agriculture and industrial nation, to what we have become today, a service nation. We service what other countries build and sell us.
You say “what does all this have to do with our spiritual lives?” Everything. America was birthed with the purpose of people being free and building their lives and homes on family and God. In the last 50 years our country has slowly shifted from our original purpose to the moral decline and destruction of our homes and churches.
Fifty years ago the gospel could be preached in its fullness. But not today. It’s not politically correct to point out false doctrine or support a Christian running for office. We can as individuals, but not as a church. The government tells us we can no longer discipline our children but we are to turn them over to pagan run schools to brainwash them about God.
The community of saints is no longer an army of well equipped soldiers. The church buildings are now theaters with cushioned seats, and our pulpits are stages for polished professionals exhibiting their talents. Christianity is not gaining ground in the world. We are losing, losing, losing. Our church members have become spectators and our preachers have become entertainers. God help us if change does not soon come. We need revival in America. We need our preachers to be convicted of our need to preach the whole world the truth of God. We need our churches transformed into life-changing places instead of social clubs where satan prevails, not God.
Pray, Christian, pray and seek God’s face.
Chaplain Bud,
The Christian Church at Cogan Station
When people have a good attitude, they are more successful. When people get along with each other they are more productive. When people enjoy what they do, they will be early to work and work more than those who grumble and complain.
Life will pay you just what you are worth. The return is in direct proportion to the input. Life has a way of qualifying each of us for our roles in life. We are always preparing for the future. When we stop preparing, we will stay exactly where we are at that time.
The Bible puts it another way. “We reap what we sow.” If we sow sparingly, we reap sparingly. If we sow generously, we reap generously. This is the law of sowing and reaping. To serve and understand God, we must learn and understand this law.
The law is always in effect. We cannot escape it. It’s God’s law not man’s. It’s the way God governs the universe. It affects nature, animals, man, etc. So, we can be blessed by obeying this law, or suffer because we ignore it. God gives us a choice.
During our limited days here on earth, we must make choices, and all choices have consequences. But, also, all choices have benefits. The old saying, “you just get out of life what you put in”, is true. I have watched people fight life and lose the battle. I have watched people constantly adjust to what comes their way in life and be happy and overcome great odds. Why? It’s because they understand the law of reaping and sowing. Those who overcome become strong and wise. Those who don’t overcome become bitter and resentful. Remember, we do have a choice. Everyday I choose to be happy or sad, productive or unproductive, serve God or not serve God, be a friend or not be a friend, help others or not help others, and I could go on. However, you get my point.
The key to all of this is to keep your eyes on Jesus. Let the Word of God dwell in you deeply. Look for ways to serve not be served, ways to witness and lift up your Lord Jesus Christ, ways to help your brothers and sisters in the Lord and in the world.
He who plants a seed everyday will have a continual harvest. The key is to keep planting and you will be successful. There are many kinds of seeds. Seeds of friendship, seeds of helps, seeds of investments, seeds of encouragements, seeds of faithfulness, seeds of love, and seeds of joy.
Everyday we have 24 hours filled with challenges and opportunities. This time will never return, so don’t waste it. Each 24 hours prepares us for the next 24 hours and on it goes. Be generous, kind, and considerate with all you come in contact with each day. It will pay off BIG.
Last of all, surround yourself with positive, optimistic, good people. For you become like those you associate with. Live life to the fullest and you will never want for joy. Remember, it’s your choice.
Chaplain Bud
Christian Church at Cogan Station