Tuesday, June 21

Everyday Christianity Part II

I am talking about Everyday Christianity. What does Jesus have to say about Everyday Christianity? Two things He said:

1) Jesus said DAILY - >Luke 9 “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself (get rid of self centered living) and take up his cross daily and follow me.

So of our spirituality is so watered down by the society of today that we are contented with
Weekly Christianity
Monthly Christianity
Bi Monthly Christianity
Yearly Christianity

But Jesus our man, I mean our God says I want this to be “daily”.

Now when that “daily” includes combined youth conferences where everyone is wearing the Brightonyouth T-shirts, Hillsongs are playing on the amplifiers like there’s no tomorrow, the worship band is playing and everyone is just hanging out. It is like “Everyday it’s you I live for!” It is so COOL! But when the music fades and all is stripped away, all you will hear is that consistent voice of your mama, “Do your homework!” I like that weekly kind of Christianity because today I am taking a break because I need to break my little brother!

How safe are we? How Christian are we?

Matthew 13
7Other seed (preaching) fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants.

What is Jesus trying to say here? Jesus explain verse 7 in verse 22
He explains about the thorns
22The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears* the word (*Ian preaching or Ps Danny preaching, you hear the msg, you hear Ps Tiak on Sundays but when you go home), but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

Focus on word “Worries”
Matthew 13:22 the word “worries” in Greek means Maremna means “to divide in the mind” which relates to distractions and anxieties, worries and distractions, Maremna means to be anxious before hand about daily life. That Greek word literally means worries of daily life.

You know what happens to young people, Christians? You come to church and hear preaching. I am talking about everyday Christianity. You just started school. I am talking Everyday Christianity. If you are going make a difference, we cannot afford weekly, monthly or bi monthly, your grandma, your mama to be a Christian for you; you need to do this everyday.

The bible says those they come to church they hear the message or preaching but when they go home, the worries of daily life, the rigidity and schedules of daily life, the things they have to do chokes away the word of God which is supposed to be planted in their heart and bear fruit.

They sit in church, they hear a great msg like this one, and they are thinking in their minds of daily worries and concerns which suffocate the spirituality of their lives.

Some interpret the thorns as big sin like Murder, Marijuana, Beer, Cigarettes, Mini Skirts. Cares of this world? This is talking about everyday life. The day I have shared with you about the 17 year old, there is nothing wrong with that or any blatant sin, and it is a 17 year old Brightonyouth who attends Brighton church. But the bible says if we are not careful, if we don’t take deliberate action and concern to seek after God? Or daily routine can eliminate our Christianity.

What is your Christianity?
Going to a right church
Being involved in ministry
To have bible lessons
Going to church function

I am not saying you go home and smoke a cigarette! I am talking about you having to do this, to do that and all this. Did you ever spend time thinking about God, asking God to help you in this, talking to Him, speaking about Him. I am talking about when you have a bad time, do you actually turn to Him? Everyday Christianity.


2) Jesus said DO NOT WORRYMatt 6 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough (sufficient) trouble of its own.


This is what I like about Jesus because He is real person (read verse) he talks about daily life here. Is he saying don’t ever think about eating or don’t ever think about drinking or about clothes? No, He knows you need clothes, so don’t run around naked goodness sake, Jesus knows your needs

Jesus says don’t worry about it, the same word Maremna! He is saying don’t be consumed by
the daily issues, cares and worries that you forget Hello I am God, I am here! He is talking about everyday Christianity. Jesus says look at the birds, am I not able to clothe the bird that I am also able to clothe you?

The no1 hindrance for you to be the man or woman God wants you to be is not gross horrible sin! It is the pre-occupation of allowing consuming thoughts of daily worries and issues to consume you.

“Will she be my friend today?”
“Will she sit by me?”
“Will she talk to me?”
You know daily issues like a soap opera girls and girls like I talk to bob so because of that she isn’t your friend anymore and you worry about this about that that you be lonely and stuff, and you are so concern about these petty temporal little things and thoughts.

Some of you are paralyzed by the thoughts of you have to get good grades, “I have to I have to” Some of you DO have to focus on your grades but the others? And when you have homework that is little and you aren’t done with it, you skipped church and house of God for it. Next time I dare you, when you have homework on Friday Saturday, you go to the house of God and then you go back home and see if God doesn’t help you with your homework. Why? Because Matthew 6:33 says BUT

Don’t worry about your hair?
Don’t worry what clothes you wear?
Don’t worry what you going to have for dinner after conference?

Jesus is not saying that you can’t seek a nice haircut or seek nice tees to wear or cannot seek good food! What He is trying to say is seek first…put a priority on me…On God! Jesus is giving the ultimate answer to EVERYDAY CHRISTIANITY! ... Put a priority on me.

Talking about everyday Christianity…everyday put priority on God.

Have you ever looked up to people who are spiritual?

Like pastor Tiak, for me, I had a thought that when he goes shopping at the super market, will he be like prophesizing over Kellogg’s, saying ,"you will prosper in twenty years or Vitasoy, because you have been humble in your packaging, more people will drink you."

Or some look up to Angela, thinking when you are with her walking thru the malls maybe perhaps she can sense like three shops away a young person is in deep sin. *Grasp*

If only I can hang out with them and see what is it like…but look! This is not everyday Christianity. This conference and people are great but it is not everyday and it isn’t reality. Everyday life is what happens Monday to Sunday in our mundane ordinary lives!

How much of God, do you put in that reality of ordinary, routine life? I am not talking about how much you pray for a day, I know people who pray half an hour a day and do not acknowledge God for the rest of the day. Can you hear me?




to be continued...

1 comment:

The Cherry Tree said...

Hi Uncle. Cheryl Tay here. Haha. Link me man.