robsingleton.net

15 July 2007

Australia vs. England

Part 3

So, you thought I had to be referring to ‘Christians’ didn’t you?

And you now know that’s wrong.

So, have you figured it out?

Did sleeping on it do the trick?

This series really isn’t about Christians – anymore than it’s really about Australia or England.

It’s more about rivalries.

The greatest rivalry of all time.

Good verses evil.

Even though it’s not an even match (God whips Satan every time), it is the epic battle of the ages. And, if we’re honest, it often appears that evil is winning.

It’s not.

Those are just skirmishes. Battles at the very most.

The war, however, has already been determined.

Jesus wins, and His people will reap the benefits of being on the winning team.

But those aren’t always the Christians.

But they are always the “Christ Followers.”

And there’s a difference. A huge difference. A ginormous (it’s a word now, baby! No, seriously, it’s a word for real) difference.

Christians don’t always follow Christ. They don’t always care what Jesus is up to in the world.

Christians are not always Christ followers.

But Christ Followers are always the real Christians.

They do the real good in this world. They care the most. They are servants of the most high God. They put others first. They love their God with everything they’ve got.

They take the blame too.

They are the scapegoats for all the crap ‘Christians’ do.

Become a Christ Follower and life will be tough. You may endure ridicule, be ostracized, beaten, imprisoned, or even…

Gulp…

Killed.

So, who will be the first to sign up?

Oh, I should probably mention one more thing.

You’ll spend all of eternity with your Creator in heaven with joy and happiness so great the human imagination cannot even comprehend it.

Just some thoughts.

Oh, Australia verses England?

I just thought it was interesting that the ‘prison colony’ has more “Christ Followers” per capita today than the Mother ship.

A lot of those prisoners and cast offs realized they were nothing without God and opted to embrace Him and lean on Him and depend upon Him instead of themselves.

They realized He is God and they are not.

Many other countries in Europe where Christianity was strongest have long since abandoned their God in favor of worshiping themselves.

It’s been a long, fast ride down a slippery slope ever since.

Will we ever learn from history?

In case you’re interested in avoiding this trap you can read about how it can ensnare you, here.

But don’t imagine you can beat it without God.

People have been trying since the beginning of time and no one’s done it yet.

And the price for failure is everlasting.

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4 Comments currently posted.

Elizabeth says:

Ok Rob cut that out.. Your reading my past life journal again. There is always a war going on between good and evil in my life. The more I glorify God the more the Devil tries to find a way back into my life. And he is very clever, he knows what my weaknesses use to be before I became a Christ Follower. The key words are USE TO BE!! Praise God!! He is Alive!! In me. The more I read, pray, fellowship, share, the more I realize how lost and confused I was without him. Once I became a Christ Follower I have lost a lot (ok ALL of my) so-called friends. But they still try to tempt me to join back in. I just proclaim Christ and they dissapear back into the darkness wence they came. Its ok because My life is richer and happier and brighter and joyfull knowing that I belong to Jesus and he is always with me, that he will never let me down. I know that there is nothing on earth that even comes close to what awaits me when Jesus returns. So to answer your question are you ready to sign up? YES I AM!!!!!

Dee Langley says:

You know I find it very God-Ronic (not a word , yet). We learn from SB, we read our bible daily, we listen to New life, and watch Joel Osteen. We want to immerse ourselves in God! But we start noticing something this little piece of “irony” that all these pastors, speakers, announcers are preaching on the same thing!! WOW how can that be?? They are all pointing the way to the one, the only, the ever loving, ever trusting, living God! We were reading 2 Chronicles and learning more about David’s life and in it he says “Who am I Lord that you have honored me and my family?” My desire is to follow the Lord like that. I want him to use me to take his kingdom to all the places He has destined for me to go. Lord use me. Use us, Use Southbrook. Are we ready to sign up?? Enthusiastically YES!!! We are waiting EXPECTANTLY!

Nicki says:

Unfortunately you’re right that there are more “Christ Followers” per capita in Australia then England. (Unfortunately because I’m from England!). In England they combined Christianity with politics and created the Church of England. They preach religious rules instead of a personal relationship with Christ which has created a country of religious people and not Christ Followers!

I’m scared to say it, but again Rob you’re right that when we sign up to be a “Christ Follower” we put a huge target on our back and the road becomes very tough. This is when the true test begins to see if we have firmly planted our roots in Christ or if we are “Sunday Christians”

The biggest compliment I’ve ever received was when I was going through a very tough situation and someone said to me that Satan must see me as a huge threat because he is throwing everything he’s got at me! When your not a Christ Follower, then Satan isn’t threatened and he leaves you alone. When you become a true Christ Follower then he’ll spend all his energy trying to find your weaknesses and test how deep your roots really are!
As a Christ Follower always know that God will carry you through whatever situation you are facing and will give you the strength you need each day!

Kate says:

Thanks Nicki for what you shared. Going through the crap, aka evil, in life, gets tough. And it’s easy for me to feel like ‘good’ isn’t in the lead winning-wise. But then I see a group of doctors and nurses give up their vacation time to serve in a third world country to people who only get medical treatment when they are in town (and I use the word ‘town’ very loosley here). And seeing that good, being done with love, is a great strike against evil. And it reminds me once again who is in charge, and who wins all of this. God is so much bigger than all the bad in my life, he is so much bigger than all evil in the world. He has already won and told us of his victory, and I praise him for that, and desire more good, even through the bad stuff of life.