G-20 board of trustees comprises of twenty finance minister and representative
all over the world head a meeting at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in January 5th 2011
regarding the economical meltdown affecting the world, so they decieded to engage
in an email eletronic ballot system through an email open ballot email selection
which your email came out as one on their beneficairy and they instructed Mr RONALD FINSON of Money Gram to keep send you $5000 USD twice a week untill the sum {$820,000} is completed
I mean, please don't be jealous, but it looks like I'm going to be making $10,000 a week for doing nothing. All I have to do is send my bank details, etc. Great news!Or is it?
It's easy to absorb what we want to hear. Whether its encouragement coming from the mouth of a friend, a good recommendation of a boss, or the words of a philosopher, we embrace that which is conducive to our life. But my question is simple. Is something "good news" when unfounded, misleading, and ultimately, a lie? Sure, it might feel good to believe it for a time, but its end is destruction, loss, and hurt. But how can we know what is true and what is counterfeit?
As followers of Christ, we must return to our source. The gospel being propagated today is one of self-absorption. One that contradicts Christ's first command in Luke 9:23, "If any man desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me." With books hitting the shelf promoting universalism, pluralism, financial prosperity, and self-enrichment, we have made the good news about us, rather than truth. About time, rather than eternity. Salvation is by faith in Christ's work alone. Period. Yet such love will produce a concrete response and life change. In the words of Bob Hayes, "The decision to be a disciple of Christ is a decision to put aside our double life." When Jesus' disciples were confronted with hard truths, Jesus asked them, "Do you also want to go away?" Peter answered Him saying, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Also, we have come to believe and know that You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." (John 6:67-69)
Could it be many hold a counterfeit faith? A Ronald Finson promise? Webster’s Dictionary has defined counterfeit as “made in imitation of something else with intent to deceive.” Whether intentional or unintentional, could many have picked up a counterfeit version of Christ? A version that sells self-advancement, prosperity, and worldly happiness when Christ, preached denial, sacrifice, and death? Are you dissatisfied with the status quo of life? With the meaningless pursuits of the present? With the frustration life's rat race? I'm not suggesting we ought to move to some remote location, rashly make life transitions, or emphatically change who we are. No. Rather, adopt the midset Jesus taught us. "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you." (Matthew 6:33) A new priority which trumps all else. May I suggest the greatest sacrifice one could ever make is to reject the authentic call of Jesus Christ for in this pathway, we find hope, purpose, acceptance, and fulfillment.
Identifying a counterfeit is a process. The United States federal government trains fraud investigators to know every mark of the authentic in order that the counterfeit will be identified in its failure to match the genuine. They are taught to look for differences, not similarities when distinguishing the fake from the real. This is contrary to the world’s mindset of pluralism. In knowing and understanding the authentic call of Christ, the counterfeit emerges under the microscope of the real. "You shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32) Focusing on the many deviations of Christ’s call may create an debater, but what this world desperately needs is devoted imitators of Jesus. Followers whose lives conform to message of Christ.
Is Christ an addition to your life OR is Christ your life?
You mean that email wasn't legit? Darn, I was going to ask you to front me some cash... :)
ReplyDeleteSeriously, good word Bro. I have struggled with this issue for a while now. Everyone who claims Christianity says that they have faith in Christ. So the question becomes, which Christ? The same is true of the Christian life. Most agree that the Christian life is becoming more and more Christ-like. So the question becomes, "What is Christ like?" Judging by the way most American Christians live, He must be a wealthy, comfortable, isolated, "look out for number one" kind of guy who is somewhat concerned with personal piety. But the Christ I know found His joy in giving His life in sacrifice for the good of others.
...But if we are to share His glory, we must also share His suffering. (Romans 8:17 NLT)
Nate, thanks for the challenge and encouragement. 21 years ago today, the Lord called your granddad and my dad :-) up to glory. Thank God, he was the real thing! As it is written on his gravestone, so he lived: "A friend of God" and "Not ashamed of the gospel." I thank God too that his grandson is following that same path--that same Savior and Lord. love, your dad
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