Get Around To It Christian

If I do not the works of My Father, believe Me not.  But if I do, though ye believe not Me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.  John, Chapter 10, verses 37-38.

It amazes me.  The Israelites were told for generations that there would be a Savior and they waited for Him all those years.  When Jesus, the Savior, did come, they didn’t believe Him.  Now, you might be able to understand why they might not believe Him just because He tells them that He is the Savior.  I guess I could have been a little skeptical at that point, as well.  Jesus knows they are doubtful and does major miracles like making people see who had been blind from birth, making the lame walk, bringing the dead back to life, taking water and making it into wine and taking a little bread and a few fish and making it feed thousands.
He did major miracles so people would realize He isn’t just any man who is saying that He is the Savior.  He really IS the Savior!!  His miracles and all His actions attested to this, but still people don’t believe Him.  We have record in the Bible of all the great things that Jesus did and said, but He gives us a choice.  Do you believe Him?  I hope for your sake you do or are you a Get Around to It Christian, waiting until the last minute to make that commitment?

Since this is an example of the positive influence God has made on my walk with Christ, this may not reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verses.

Sheep Christians

Verily, Verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the Door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber.  But he that entereth in by the Door is the Shepherd of the sheep.  To Him the porter openeth: and the sheep hear His Voice: and He calleth His own sheep by name, and leadeth them out, And when He putteth forth His own sheep, He goeth before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know His Voice.  And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers.  This parable spake Jesus unto them: but they understood not what things they were which He spake unto them.  Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the Door of the sheep.  All that ever came before Me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them.  I am the Door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.  The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.  I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His Life for the sheep.  But he that is an hireling, and not the Shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.  The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.  I am the Good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine.  As the Father knoweth Me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down My Life for the sheep.  And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear My Voice; and there shall be one fold, and One Shepherd.  Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My Life, that I might take it again.  No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself.  I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again.  This Commandment have I received of My Father.  John, Chapter 10, verses 1-18.
Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in My Father’s Name, they bear witness of Me.  But ye believe not, because ye are not of My sheep, as I said unto you.  My sheep hear My Voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.  My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s Hand.  I and My Father are One.  John, Chapter 10, verses 25-30.

Wow!  There are so many wonderful comparisons that Jesus makes in this passage that I’m afraid I might leave some out.  If I do, please forgive me.  This is what this passage means to me, although I realize others may interpret it differently.
Jesus is speaking of the sheep as Christians (His people.)  People who want to lead Christians (His people) astray aren’t going to do it in a forthright manner.  They aren’t going to come through the front door and say, “I’m here to deceive you and lead you astray.  Follow me and you are bound to lose your Salvation.”  If the Christians would know better than to follow them, they would stay with the rest of the sheep knowing that Jesus, their Shepherd, would always protect them and lead them to Salvation.
Instead, people who want to lead Christians astray, do it in a more subtle manner like the robber who sneaks in to steal the sheep.  They work slyly trying to deceive Christians by making them believe that they are doing the Will of God-so sad!
True Christians stay focused on Jesus and His will for us, as shown in the Bible.  That way we will know Jesus’ Voice and won’t be led astray by others who profess to be followers of His, but aren’t.  God the Father gave us to Jesus to be His sheep, and Jesus and God the Father are One.
Jesus is dedicated to protecting us like a Shepard who protects His sheep from wolves.  A Shepherd would give His life to save His sheep, just as Jesus gave His Life to save us from our sinful nature.  Those who deceive Christians are going to run for the hills when they see the wolves coming or when we stop giving them the money or the things they want from us.  As long as we listen to our Shepherd’s Voice as Sheep Christians, Jesus will keep us from being misled.
Here is a related passage:
Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.  Matthew, Chapter 7, verse 15.

Since this is an example of the positive influence God has made on my walk with Christ, this may not reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verses.

Turn to God Christian

And when even was now come, His disciples went down unto the sea, And entered into a ship, and went over the sea toward Capernaum.  And it was now dark, and Jesus was not come to them.  And the sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew.  So when they had rowed about five and twenty or thirty furlongs, they see Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing nigh unto the ship: and they were afraid.  But He saith unto them, It is I; be not afraid.  Then they willingly received Him into the ship: and immediately the ship was at land whither they went.  John, Chapter 6, verses 16-21.

I recently talked with my daughter and told her that I say the Lord’s Prayer or sing I Surrender All, when I’m feeling scared, stressed or like Satan is trying to pervade my thoughts to lead me astray.  She told me that she says: Be Not Afraid when she is experiencing similar things.  So, this passage has special significance for me for that reason.
I was thinking about the influence we have on our children’s lifestyle choices and their relationship with God, through the modeling we do.  My daughter has picked up some similar strategies to connect with God when she is feeling stressed, concerned, etc.  It’s much better that she picks up positive strategies like this, than seeing me turn to alcohol or worse, as situations arise.  You don’t realize the impact you have on your children by the choices you make.  Are you making choices you want your children to emulate?  If not, it’s not too late to change the way you turn to God in time of need, joy, etc.  As a Turn to God Christian, it may have a positive impact on your child’s life, regardless of their age.
Here is a related passage:
*And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.  Acts, Chapter 2, verse 21.

Since this is an example of the positive influence God has made on my walk with Christ, this may not reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verses.

Whole Christians

In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water.  For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.  And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.  When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, He saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?  The impotent man answered Him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.  Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.  And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath.  The Jews therefore said unto him that was cured, It is the Sabbath day: it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed.  He answered them, He that made me whole, the same said unto me, Take up thy bed, and walk.  Then asked they him, What Man is that which said unto thee, Take up thy bed, and walk?  And he that was healed wist not Who it was: for Jesus had conveyed Himself away, a multitude being in that place.  Afterward Jesus findeth him in the temple, and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.  John, Chapter 5, verses 3-14.

Something that impresses me about this passage is that Jesus asked the handicapped man, “Wilt thou be made whole?”  Now, it would seem any handicapped person in their right mind would say, “Sure I will.  I would do anything to be made whole!”  But I don’t think we always do that as Christians.  When Jesus gave His life for us and rose again to gain us Salvation, He is asking all of us, “Wilt thou be made whole?”  What would we reply? 
Would it be, “Yes, as long as my friends don’t know that I’m a Christian”?  “Yes, as long as I can still cheat on my spouse every now and then.  It really doesn’t mean a thing!”  “Yes, as long as I can still stab my co-workers in the back to get another wrung up the ladder of success.”  “Yes, just as long as I can party every now and then.  You know it doesn’t really hurt anything.  Besides, I need to relax now and then.”  When Jesus asks us if we will be made whole, all we have to do is believe in Him as our Lord and Savior.  The other part of being Whole Christians is trying to live as examples of how He works in our lives.  I don’t think any of the responses above reflect that.  What will you say to the question Jesus poses in our lives, “Wilt thou be made whole?”

Since this is an example of the positive influence God has made on my walk with Christ, this may not reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verses.

Doubting Christians

So Jesus Himself came again into Cana of Galilee, where He made the water wine.  And there was a certain nobleman whose son was sick at Capernaum.  When he had heard that Jesus was come out of Judaea into Gaililee, he went unto Him, and besought Him that He would come down, and heal his son: for he was at the point of death.  Then said Jesus unto him, Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe.  The nobleman saith unto Him, Sir, come down ere my child die.  Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way; thy son liveth.  And the man believed the Word that Jesus had spoken unto him, and he went his way.  And as he was now going down, his servants met him, and told him, saying, Thy son liveth.  Then inquired he of them the hour when he began to amend.  And they said unto him, Yesterday at the seventh hour the fever left him.  So the father knew that it was at the same hour, in the which Jesus said unto him, Thy son liveth: and himself believed, and his whole house.  This is again the second miracle that Jesus did, when He was come out of Judaea into Galilee.  John, Chapter 4, verses 46-54.

The thing that made all the difference in the life of the young boy was what the father believed Jesus when He told him that his son liveth.  Now if the father had doubted Jesus, his son would be dead and he would have always regretted not having had the faith necessary to trust Jesus.
The sad thing is that some can’t believe that Jesus is going to take care of their needs.  It’s almost funny that they can believe things like the following:
It’s funny, they can believe their concerns are going to be taken care of by sending money to someone on TV, but they don’t trust in Jesus.  It’s funny, they can believe in someone who looks at some tea leaves, crystals or lines in their hands, but they don’t trust in Jesus.  It’s funny, some can believe in chanting some positive affirmation, but they don’t trust in Jesus.  It’s funny, some believe in looking at their horoscope, but they don’t trust in Jesus.  It’s funny, some can believe in putting positive thoughts in their minds, but they don’t trust in Jesus.  People can believe in all these ridiculous things and all they had to do was to have faith in Jesus.  It’s almost so simple that it eludes them.
We have choices in our lives.  We can believe God is going to take care of our concerns in whichever way is His will (because He sees the Big Picture).  Or as Doubting Christians, we can live to regret, not having the faith necessary to trust Jesus.
Here is a related passage:
*And when He was come into the house, the blind men came to Him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this?  They said unto Him, Yea, Lord.  Then touched He their eyes, saying, according to your faith be it unto you.  And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.  Matthew, Chapter 9, verses 28-30.

Since this is an example of the positive influence God has made on my walk with Christ, this may not reflect the whole meaning of the Bible verses.
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