Christian Living

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When I thought of the church, before I received salvation, I wondered why someone would spend his or her extra time and waste a whole free day listening to someone that was just going to ask you for money. I now know that church is not a waste of time, but a great opportunity to hear from God. I learned; also, that the money was God's already. Christian men and women should not keep it from the Lord, but allow Him to bless us for obeying Him and His Word. We do not receive blessings because we keep God’s money for ourselves by keeping our tithes away from God. Or, rather, by keeping our tithes and offerings we have already taken our blessing. Tithes do not go to the preacher and they don't go to some church organization, they go to further the Kingdom of God. By committing our tithes and offerings to the Lord, we are committing ourselves to the growth of the Kingdom of God. This commitment is only part of the covenant with God. We also receive from God the commitment by His Word and His Promise to be blessed in return. This may or may not be in the form of money, but a blessing from the Lord is a blessing to be praised.

Which brings me to my subject, commitment. The Lord has revealed many things through the Spirit to me, so that I could share those things with other people. Among those things is that commitment in the Church has all but gone. Oh, we show up at church on Sunday mornings, sometimes on Sunday nights, and, if work wasn't to rough or we don't have plans, we squeeze in an occasional mid-week service. Don't even ask us to make every night of a revival. Why? Christ died for us. He left Glory and became a man and a sacrifice for us. And we show our appreciation and our gratitude by sleeping in on Sundays. We ought to be bending every tree limb, turning every stone and looking in every cave to find ways to show our commitment to Christ. Not our local church, not our favorite pastor, not the man on the Christian TV station, but to the One who died and was raised again for us.

Imagine if His commitment was as weak as that of those in the garden with Him. Is our commitment to Christ any better than that of Peter, James and John? Do we give Christ just one hour? I'm not referring to church services. When we get to heaven and stand in front of the Judgement Seat, what will Christ say of our work on Earth for Him? Will He say, “Well done my good and faithful servant”? Or, will it be, “Depart from Me for I knew you not.” Do you want to do something for Christ? Then do something good for someone, and do it in the name of Christ. Buy some in need a bill of groceries, give somebody a car, pay someone's past due light bill. Do those things that you would want someone to do for you if you were in the situation they are in. I am not a perfect man, but I am coming to know the heart of Christ. I say that knowing it may sound egotistical, but the heart of Christ is an undying love for man, even though man rejected, humiliated and crucified Him.

Someone once asked me, "What if he or she are drinking or whatever? Should we still help them?" My response is the same as Christ’s, concerning the adulteress; "He who is without sin, cast the first stone." Christ did not come to condemn the world, but to save us. Neither should we condemn someone. We should show His love, regardless of the person.


©2003 J. Thomas LaCroix

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