Learning to Live a Life for God

If you are a member of the U.S. Army, your life is committed to the cause of defending the United States of America and her allies. You spend months of your life training body and mind for the sake of becoming a better defender. You are obedient to the instructions of commanding officers in order to be organized and responsive in combat. You are prepared to give your life, if necessary, to maintain freedom.

In much the same way, a Christian is a soldier in the cause of advancing Christ’s kingdom. He or she is committed to giving everything to that cause. But what does this look like? How can Christians really live their lives for God? What does it take? What is expected?

Living a Life for God Means Learning the Bible.

You are not left without answers. The entire Christian belief system and lifestyle requirements are summed up in one book—the Bible. God’s Word is living and powerful (Hebrews 4:12). It has the power to change your life as you remain obedient and submissive to it. Don’t neglect the touchstone of faith—the Bible. It is God’s love letter to you. It is your source of answers. It is the solution to life’s complexities. The Bible is God’s Word. Living for God means learning that precious book.

Living a Life for God Means Total Life Commitment.

Do you know what it’s like to live life in total abandon to one central consuming cause? That’s the Christian life. A doctor is committed to saving lives and healing bodies. A lawyer is committed to winning cases and defending justice. An athlete is committed to winning games and breaking records. A Christian is committed to passionately knowing God and giving every part of his or her life to God.

Living life for God means that you surrender to God every area of your life. If you are a student, study for God. If you are a friend, be a friend for God. Live life for God in the details. In conversation, are you making God a part of what you talk about? If you spend time on the Internet, are you involved in Internet student evangelism or some other Internet student ministries? Is there some way that you are involved in college evangelism?

If God is part of your life at all, He must be all of your life. When God called His disciples, He wasn’t calling them on a part-time job or to volunteer service on the weekends. He was asking for complete life commitment. That’s why Peter and John totally forsook their secular occupation. That’s why Luke left a lucrative white-collar job to follow the Rabbi. That’s why each of the disciples followed Christ to the very end—even when it ended in martyrdom.

Living a Life for God Means Sharing This Life with Others.

True life for God is not a private event. Life for God is lived out loud, on full display to everyone who watches. As Jesus commanded before He left the earth, “go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Paul, one of the finest examples of someone who lived his life for God, was thrown in jail for his faith. Even there, he could say, “It has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ.” Nothing stopped him. Everyone knew. Do your friends know that you are a Christian? When people are around you for any amount of time, do they get the idea that you are living your life for God?

Life lived for God is not life lived in a toilsome bondage to a cruel taskmaster. Life lived for God is the only truly fulfilling way to live. (Matthew 11:29b-30: …for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.) God calls us and He equips us, investing us with joy, power, and true fulfillment to live in total abandon to the glorious cause! Meditate on the Word of God, surrender every detail of your life to the will of God, and live in such a way that your commitment is unmistakable, contagious, and glorifying to God.

John 15: Disciple’s Charge

Disciple’s General Charge: Vine & Branches

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes so that it may bear more fruit.”

We, as disciples, are designed to bear fruit–which is more disciples as seen in Matthew 28:18-20 and Matthew 10:24-39. If we are bearing fruit, God will “prune” us so that we may be more fruitful, but those of us who are not producing fruit will become stagnant and die. If we are obeying God’s commands, this will never happen.

“You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

This chunk is simply getting across the fact that we cannot do the work of discipleship apart from God–it simply doesn’t work. What tree branch can bear fruit if it is not connected to the trunk of the tree? God does the work–we are just the branches.

“If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.”

The price of not being fruitful–not obeying the command given–is death. If we are not part of the tree, if we are a severed branch, we do not receive the nutrients we need and will dry up. What happens to dry branches? They’re burned–thrown away. Produce fruit. Love God by obeying His commands and remaining in His presence.

“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.”

What’s the fruit? Making disciples and spreading the Word of God to all nations. This glorifies God, and God’s glory is our sole purpose. It is why we were created, to glorify God.

“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be made full.”

Disciple’s Charge to Eachother

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you.”

This is part of discipleship–that we love one another. Acts 2:42-47 talks about this in great detail. They shared everything. They sacrificially served each other. Jesus washed feet (the nastiest part of the body in that day), and died for us all. We are to love each other in the same way: serving each other, and even dying for each other.

“No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have eard from My father I have made known to you.”

We, as disciples, as friends of Jesus. Sweet deal!

“You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”

Christians, we did not get here on our own. We did not come to Jesus on our own. The Bible in John 6:44a “No one can come to Me (Jesus) unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” We have been chosen–we have been called, and we have been called to and for a purpose: glorifying God and making disciples. Jesus “appointed you that you would go and bear fruit.”

“This is what I command you, that you love one another.”

Disciple’s Charge to the World

“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; of they kept My word, they will keep yours also.”

Christians, this is not an easy life. Jesus never told us that life would be easy. People don’t want to believe that there is only one God. People don’t want to crawl out of the pit of their pleasure and sins. People don’t want to be told that they will go to hell if they do not follow Christ–some of you probably don’t want to hear that. Jesus says in Matthew, “I never knew you, depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.” (This does not mean that we are saved by works, which is addressed in another article).

“But all things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.”

We will be persecuted for the sole purpose of our faith–we are persecuted for His name.

“If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘They hated Me without cause.’

To be perfectly honest, I do not fully understand what Jesus was saying here. I think what He is saying is that through Him–through what Jesus did–the entire world has the opportunity to turn away from their sin and to be washed, but the world does not wish to turn away, so they hate God.

“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about me, and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning.”

The Helper is the Holy Spirit–He gives us power to witness, or “testify.” This is the culmination of all of discipleship. We bear fruit through Him–the Holy Spirit. We love one another and will be persecuted, but we will be given the power to testify and to hold firm by Him–the Holy Spirit.

The Cost of Discipleship

Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

I will not deny that the sacrifice of Jesus is a free gift–nothing we do can get us to God. Nothing can make us worthy. But neither is Jesus’ sacrifice something to be accepted and tossed aside. It is a life commitment.

Matthew 16:24-28 talks about the cost of discipleship. In verse 24, Jesus’ words are: “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” That means total life commitment! Jesus isn’t just a part of your life. He will never share His glory with another. That means He comes first always! This is something we Christians often over look. We want to accept Jesus and place Him on the mantle.

It was put to me like this: the Hindu’s have many gods, so it is easy for them to accept Jesus and simply place Him in the line with many other gods. This is what most Christians do. Maybe we have a really big Jesus on our mantle piece–but as Isaiah 42:8 says:

“I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images.”

God will not share that mantle piece. It is our purpose as Christians to glorify God alone. The first four commandments are geared toward this very purpose.

You shall have no other gods before Me.

You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in haven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.

You shall not worship them or serve them, for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing lovingkindness to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

Did you catch all that? God comes first; He alone will be worshipped; and you shall not even say His name in vain. He comes first–He will not share His glory with another.

Does it still seem like we should accept Jesus’ sacrifice, believe God, and place Him on the mantle with all of our other Gods: food, music, education, video games, career, books, hobbies, and ourselves? Those things are not inherently evil–but God will not share the metaphorical mantle. He is all of your life–He must remain your first priority forever. That doesn’t mean that you have to give up all those things–but if they are keeping you from God, you might want to consider it.

My initial point was that Christ isn’t a part of your life–we Christians are to be holy priests–set apart for God. He won’t share His glory with another–don’t worship anything apart from God. Christianity isn’t a willy-nilly acceptance and casting by the wayside. It is a daily dedication of the rest of your life. Count the cost, like is says in Luke 14:25-35. Count the cost, people. Count the cost, Christians. Are you really willing to be wholly devoted to something greater than yourselves? Are you willing to give God control?

Keep in mind the God you will serve. He is good, just, merciful, graceful, forgiving, and loving. Giving Him your entire life may not necessarily mean abandoning all you have–but you must be willing to surrender all to Him if He asks it of you.

Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, for My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” God cannot lie–He has bound himself that way. This is the truth.

“Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple…So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.” ~ Jesus Christ, Luke 14:27,33

The Great Commission

Matthew 28: 18-20 says this, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

This is the Great Commission, the final words of Jesus Christ, Go and make disciples of all the nations. This is not a request, not a recommendation, this is a command. If we love Jesus, we obey His commands, if we obey His commands, we are out making disciples of all nations, both the one we reside in and those abroad. The entire world is our oyster, folks. The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

We are responsible for the fulfillment of the Great Commission, we are responsible for making SURE that the ENTIRE world knows who Christ is, and has had the opportunity to choose Him.

This is the question: Are you obeying Jesus? Are you out on the mission, making disciples? This is Jesus’ final command, and it carries a heavy weight. This is our mission as Christians: to make disciples of the world, baptizing them in the name of the FATHER, the SON, and the HOLY SPIRIT, and teaching them to observe all that Jesus commanded.

Are you making disciples? Are you obeying the commands of Jesus? Or are you living in disobedience and in action. Lying their on your couch, just going to Bible studies and church and not DOING what Christ commanded? Do you have faith but no works? If you do, I would strongly urge you to fix your ways. Do not sow disobedience and laziness, get out there and do what we were commanded to do. Go and make disciples, teach them to obey God and do just as you are.

John 15 talks about being fruitful, James 2:14-26 talks about having faith & works, Matthew 13:1-23 talks about the parable of the sower–all the sower did was spread the word. That is our responsibility. Mark 5 talks about Jesus casting a Legion of demons from a man, and what did Jesus tell that man to do? “Go home to your people and report to them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He had mercy on you.”

Why would we be any different from the demoniac? So go, obey your King, hold fast to his commands and make disciples of the nations, just as the demoniac did, just as the sower did, and just as Jesus did.

Christian Views on Abortion

She is looking at you, waiting. Her eyes are full of tears. Her face is the picture of total discouragement. Fear. Uncertainty. Her last statement, that penetrating question, is hanging in the air awkwardly. It’s begging an answer, but you don’t know what to say. You don’t know what to do. You feel her pain, and the agonizing uncertainty. Yet you have no idea how to respond to her question.

“Should I get an abortion?”

The question makes sense. With no financial resources to care for a child, a runaway boyfriend, and no parental support, abortion can be an appealing option. What about pregnancy from rape? What should a teenage girl do? Or consider the heart-rending discovery that the child you are carrying will be seriously disabled for life? Abortion is available, safe, and legal. Often, it seems to be the only way to bring a negative situation to a permanent end.

As negative and unpleasant as the subject is, it needs to be faced head-on. You cannot avoid it for the rest of your life. The subject will come up either in your life or in the life of a friend or a family member. Abortion is a volatile subject even among Christians; Christian views on abortion are not necessarily uniform. Rather than get swept into the rash decision-making of an emotional moment, you must think the issue through ahead of time.

The purpose of this article is not to push you to one side of the issue. The purpose of this article is not to go through scientific data nor rehash old arguments. The purpose of this article is to answer the question personally or to help a friend who wants abortion. Here are some thought-provoking questions to help you navigate the situation.

When Does Life Begin?

This is not the place for a medical discussion of the beginning of life. However, if your friend wants an abortion, she should understand when life begins. Is it at the moment of conception, or is it when the child comes out of the womb? You must decide this critical question, as it will influence what to say if your friend wants an abortion.

Is Abortion Murder?

Another simple question must be addressed. Is abortion really the taking of life? Is it actually killing? Some see a fetus as a mass of tissue. Is this true, or is that a fetus is actually a living human being? Is there a point at which abortion becomes murder? Is it in the third trimester? The second? The first? Is it true that sometimes life circumstances require murder, or is murder always a sin? You can see how Christian views on abortion are influenced by many factors.

Who Authored Life?

Let’s make sure that we understand the true authority in life. Is God ultimately responsible for, and thus the authority over, life? Or was conception simply a reproductive act of human beings? Are human beings charged with deciding whether a baby should live or die?

When Do Scars Heal?

A final question to consider as you grapple with the issue is a long-term issue Yes, an abortion may take place in just a few moments, but how long will the memory of that action be with you? Failing to think through the moral consequences of an abortion may lead to serious regret in the long term. No doubt there are incredible difficulties with giving birth to, raising, and living with the child. But consider the alternative, too.

The issue of abortion is not an easy one. It’s an issue of life or death. If your friend wants an abortion, give serious thought to these four simple questions, and pray for God’s guidance in the issue. He is more interested in it than you are.

God and Money Problems

Only For the Poor?
Why are there so many people in the midst of money problems today? Is it really because of high living expenses and the gap between the “haves and the have-nots” driving people to live outside of their means?

Many people seek financial counseling for answers, and some who take that route do find solutions which help them begin to live within their means. It is also true that financial problems are not entirely confined to those without what is deemed as adequate financial resources — for many with larger incomes also find themselves in the same boat of living from paycheck to paycheck.

Stewardship
Correcting money problems is a matter of being a good steward of the resources we have and allocating those resources in a manner that brings benefit rather than burden. This is a learned skill and begins with the choice to be the master of money rather than allowing money to master us.

Therefore, in order to correct money problems we must change the way we view and use the money we already have through self-discipline. How do we find the self-discipline it takes to correct our money troubles?

Every freedom we have comes with responsibility, and income is no different. How we use what we are given determines our contentment with what we have, for money does not bring happiness nor contentment. So if we seek to satisfy the desires of our hearts with things then we will always need bigger and better things to satiate us.

Biblical View
“The biblical view of money is that we use it for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Rather than seeking to gain more and more of what the world has to offer we need to seek after the things of God, and He in turn will supply all of our need.

Life Challenges and Decision Making

Life Challenges
Do you find yourself in a life challenge or trial – not sure which way to turn? Has an event or illness suddenly changed the whole pattern of your life and your plan for the future? Life Challenges can shake you at your very core. It is our desire that through the articles below, you will find comfort for your past, practical help for today, and lasting hope for your future.

Decision Making
Most Christians have been taught how to find God’s will, yet many are still unsure whether they’ve found it. God does guide His people, but the question is, “How does He guide? God has an individual will for each life. Biblical decision making begins with a willingness to submit your intentions to God’s perfect will and humbly follow his direction. The problem is that most of us don’t know how to figure out exactly what God’s will is in every decision we face—especially the big, life-altering decisions. If only our decisions were risk-free, guaranteeing us the best desired outcome!

Decision Making Forces Us To:

• Accept responsibility for the success or failure of our choice.
• Experience first-hand how that decision helps or harms others.
• Identify the most reliable source of wisdom that equips us for making those decisions.