Do you have a Kindred Spirit?

Do you have a kindred spirit? Someone with whom you can share anything under the sun? Someone who thinks like you, believes like you, has the same attitudes and feelings as you? Someone who can finish your sentences and complete your thoughts? If you do then you are truly blessed in this life. If not, then perhaps you should ask God for a kindred spirit. A kindred spirit is a real blessing and encouragement to every believer.



WHAT IS A KINDRED SPIRIT?
But what is a kindred spirit? A kindred spirit is an old-fashioned term which was brought to my attention a few years ago after watching a homeschool play about Anne of Green Gables. Anne speaks of having a kindred spirit. This got me wondering, what does that mean?


The dictionary says a kindred spirit is “an individual with the same beliefs, attitudes, or feelings as oneself.” While the Bible doesn’t contain the term “kindred spirit,” it does use another term which connotes the same meaning. In Philippians 2:19-21 the apostle Paul says this of Timothy; “for I have no man likeminded.” This word, likeminded, is a combination of two words in Greek, “isos,” which means “equal” and “psuche,” which means soul. The meaning, therefore, is “of equal soul.” This is the same as “kindred spirit.”


The aposle Paul calls Timothy his “dearly beloved son” (2 Tim 1:2). There is something special about this relationship between these two Godly men. It seems that Paul was a sort of spiritual father to Timothy and, thus, a father/son-like relationship developed. But Paul led numerous people to a saving belief in Christ, not just Timothy. Nevertheless, Paul calls Timothy his “dearly beloved son.” So there was something special here. They were kindred spirits.


HOW FAR HAVE WE STRAYED?
In church we sing “Blest be the Tie that Binds.” It says “the fellowship of kindred minds is like to that above.” Let me reprint this heart-stirring hymn here;


Blest be the tie that binds
Our hearts in Christian love;
The fellowship of kindred minds
Is like to that above.


Before our Father’s throne
We pour our ardent prayers;
Our fears, our hopes, our aims are one
Our comforts and our cares.


We share each other’s woes,
Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows
The sympathizing tear.


When we asunder part,
It gives us inward pain;
But we shall still be joined in heart,
And hope to meet again.


This glorious hope revives
Our courage by the way;
While each in expectation lives,
And longs to see the day.


From sorrow, toil and pain,
And sin, we shall be free,
And perfect love and friendship reign
Through all eternity.


Two phrases stir me most about this hymn. First, I feel convicted because I can’t remember the last time I “shed a sympathizing tear” for another brother or sister in Christ. Secondly, I wonder, do I really have “inward pain” when we “asunder part?” I wonder how many believers truly have these feelings for one another? I only ask this because it amazes me how quickly the church parking lots empty after Sunday services. How far have we strayed within Christianity from when this hymn was first composed?


KINDRED SPIRIT vs. KINDRED MIND
There seems to be a distinction between a “kindred spirit” and a “kindred mind.” In church, we are among “kindred minds.” We share the same beliefs. We worship together. We study and quote Scripture together. We even bear one another’s burdens and pray for one another. There is much benefit in belonging to a church with kindred minds.

SPOUSES ARE KINDRED SPIRITS
Kindred spirits, however, are different. They share an even deeper, more intimate connection within their hearts. A husband and wife ought to be each others’ primary kindred spirits. But recently, I’ve been thinking about those women who come to the realization that their husbands are not saved. When one spouse is saved and the other is not then they have totally different perspectives on life. As much as she may try, they can never be true kindred spirits until the husband repents of his sin and trusts Christ for salvation.


“Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hat light with darkness?” (2 Cor 6:14)


So what is a lonely wife to do when she wakes up and realizes that her husband is not saved? Well, she must continue to love and submit to him. We live in a country that worships independence. Women are in the workforce en mass and don’t like to be dependent upon their husbands. They want to control their own destinies. This, however, is detrimental to our society, in my politically incorrect opinion. The unsaved husband can be won to Christ by her lifestyle of total dependence and respect for her husband. She must cherish him and give him honor. She must be totally wrapped up in him.


“Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation (lifestyle) of the wives.” (1 Peter 3:1).


ONE KINDRED SPIRIT IS GOOD. MORE IS EVEN BETTER!
Everyone should have a kindred spirit. This makes life richer and more blessed. But while kindred minds are plentiful, kindred spirits are quite rare. So when you find a kindred spirit, you will know it. For many of us, our spouses alone will be our only kindred spirits throughout life. But if you can have one or two more then you will be double or triple blessed!


HOW DO YOU GET A KINDRED SPIRIT?

There are three key ingredients for getting a kindred spirit. And I suggest that we all desire in our hearts for more kindred spirits in our lives. They are a true, mutual blessing and help to make our lives more bearable and even more enjoyable and fulfilling. After all, as God says, “it is not good for man to be alone” (Gen 2:18).


PRAY FOR A KINDRED SPIRIT
If you decide that you would like a kindred spirit then the starting point will be to pray to God for one! Don’t be anxious about it but “let your requests be made known unto God” (Phil 4:6). Too often we try to take matters into our own hands and not go to God first. But as He reminds us in His Word, “ye have not because ye ask not” (James 4:2).


BE KIND TO EVERYONE
You know that verse that says to “entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares” (Heb 13:2)? Well, the same principle applies to kindred spirits. Be kind to everyone you meet, everyone with whom you interact. You just don’t know which one of them are potential kindred spirits.


“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly” (Prov 18:24).


“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especiallly unto them who are of the household of faith” (Gal 6:10).


“Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and truth” (1 John 3:18).


The bottom line here is to just be kind. Many of us need to work on this, myself included. We live in a culture that is extremely judgmental. Everyone is concerned about their “rights” and not about their fellow humankind. This mentality, unfortunately, has crept into the church like a worm eating through an apple. Oh there is surface kindness. There is the kindness that shows a good face. But then, behind the scenes, God sees the hearts. D.L. Moody, in his sermon entitled “Christian Love” points out the difference between “true love” and “sham love.” I wonder how many of us practice “sham love” and don’t even realize it.

KEEP YOUR RADAR ON!
And finally, to get a kindred spirit, after you pray and are kind to everyone, you should keep your radar on. You should be on the lookout. You should be expecting an answer to your prayer from the Lord God Almighty.


“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matt 21:22).


If you are truly believing that God will answer your prayer then you will be watching. You will be on a heightened state of alertness. And sometimes, God will answer your prayer in ways that you never really expected. He will often surprise you! So be willing to adapt. Don’t think you have it all figured out. Let Him provide the answer to your prayer.


INTERESTED?
If you took the time to read this long-winded post then I think maybe you are interested in having a kindred spirit. Perhaps you’ve thought of these things but never really knew how to express it. My prayer is for every Christian to have at least one kindred spirit. But even better would be two or three. Pray. Submit. Be kind. Watch. God will bless you. I just know it!

Love, Separatism, Outreach and the Future of American Fundamentalism

As we enter the next era, I can’t help but notice some a few trends worthy of reflection as we continue to hold the line with the Word of God, Sanctified living, and the Great Commission.

WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE?

First, Christians must always acknowledge the authority of God’s word. We live in a pluralistic age when every man does that which is right in his own eyes. The Bible has been dismissed as a mere gathering of moral teachings that, along with many other competing texts, contains some valuable life lessons. With the advent of Liberalism, the almighty self has taken upon itself to reject the inspiration of Scripture. Even some New Evangelicals have taken this stance and it’s currently deteriorating their movement. Once the authority of Scripture is denied, all sorts of heretical beliefs quickly ensue.

WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH SEPARATISM?

Secondly, the whole issue of Christian Separatism needs a revival of sorts. D.L. Moody once said, “You cannot love God and the world at the same time, because they abhor each other. They are at enmity, always have been and always will be.”

More importantly, Scripture admonishes us to be separate from the world, to be different, to be distinguished as lights in a world of darkness. I agree with Kevin Bauder who, speaking at the American Association of Christian Colleges and Seminaries in 2005, said;

"Gentlefolk, if we loose separatism we have lost fundamentalism. It is time for us to turn the best efforts of our best exegetes and theologians to a renewed, sustained articulation and defense of biblical separation."
This issue of separatism is in desperate need of our attention today. Separatism has always been a defining characteristic of our movement (as well as the Fundamentals of the Faith; the virgin birth, the bodily resurrection, the authority of Scripture, the sacrificial atonement, and the literal/physical return of Jesus to the earth).

A continued militant stance against worldliness must be trumpeted from our hilltops because the separatist cause is currently loosing ground in our circles. Conservative, fundamentalist Christian secondary schools are watching their graduates attend non-separated universities. One of these universities proudly asserts its size and growth trends. Significant numbers of young fundamentalists are deserting our ranks and fleeing to non-separated schools. David O. Beal, professor of history at Bob Jones University calls these schools “neo fundamentalists” and observes that they have abandoned “the old separatist position” and now blend “quite naturally into middle-of-the-road to right-wing evangelicalism.”

At the grassroots level, congregations, too, while some still submit to biblical principles of music in worship, are dismissing those same principles in their personal listening habits. The unorthodox assumption that “to reach the world we must be like the world” is gaining ground. As John MacArthur points out in his book, Ashamed of the Gospel, among evangelicals, separatism is hardly even discussed any more;

"Virtually every modern worldly attraction has a ‘Christian’ counterpart.
We have Christian motorcycle gangs, Christian bodybuilding teams,
Christian dance clubs, Christian amusement parks, and even Christian
nudist colonies. Where did Christians ever get the idea we could win
the world by imitating it?"

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO TRUE CHRISTIAN LOVE?

While biblical separatism is certainly a defining doctrine of fundamentalism and in desperate need of deeper analysis, there is another issue mysteriously absent from the fundamentalist conversation today; love.

I believe our lack of love for one another is what's driving our kids away into neo-fundamentalist circles. No one in their right mind would walk away from those with whom they have a deep respect and love.  Sometimes we tend to jump on our doctrinal bandwagons (and sometimes we should) but we forget about the emphasis God places upon the need to love one another. One must only peruse through some 18th and 19th Century hymns to see just how far we have wandered. Consider these words from an old favorite, “Blest be the Tie . . .”

We share our mutual woes, Our mutual burdens bear;
And often for each other flows the sympathizing tear.
When we asunder part, It gives us inward pain . . .

While we may share mutual woes and often help each other in tangible ways, few any longer have bonds strong enough to warrant the shedding of tears for one another. When was the last time you shed "a sympathetic tear" for a brother or sister in Christ? We add names to prayer lists and duty is done in lifting requests up to God in often robotic fashion.

And when church is dismissed, congregations clear out the parking lots quickly. Few feel “inward pain” when parting. Such heart-felt emotional ties of kindred minds are predominantly missing from our churches today. If such love and acceptance were equally as important as doctrine and separatism, there would be no reason for young fundamentalists to abandon our movement and saunter to the left. Bauder again observes . . .

"We are dealing with a younger generation for whom the personal and emotional
has become very important. In my opinion, this is not a bad thing. We do not have to choose between the mind and the heart. God has so constituted us that we can have both. In fact, if we do not have both we become caricatures.”

Armed with unlimited texting and Facebook, our youngfolk are extremely interconnected. Texting, online chatting, Twitter, and Facebook have engaged young people all over the world into sharing details of their lives which ordinarily may never have been expressed to anyone but those with whom close bonds were already established. Ties have been built through technology that are strong, influential, and unhindered by difficult accents or intimidating body language. Mature fundamentalists are needed to enter into this electronic subculture to participate in the lives of the next generation. Encouragement, wisdom, and personal advice and influence are desperately needed. Love ought to be the primary motive here.

THE GREAT COMMISSION AT OUR FINGERTIPS!

Finally, we need to broaden our thinking about foreign missions. Technology and business has opened the hearts of the third-world to the influence of America like never before. American corporations are outsourcing countless American jobs to capable, young college graduates around the globe. Most of these young, bright international workers speak English and long to improve their lots in life.  They are also refreshingly open to the spiritual influence of American believers..  Many are required to work nights to facilitate communication with their American colleagues.

International ties, thus, are being made at personal levels on Facebook. This personal trans-global communication is occurring now and growing at a rapid pace. These new foreign contacts are also refreshingly open to the spiritual influence of American believers.

Untainted by the postmodernist pluralism plaguing America, many in these often Third-world countries are more receptive to Scripture than the average Joe in America. “This country is far more open to the Gospel than most parts of the USA,” recently wrote a missionary to me from the Philippines.

Thus, opportunity abounds for American fundamentalists to exert a little outreach without the fear of the militant rejection encountered at home. Perhaps this could be a shot of confidence for us. A personal and bold stand for the gospel is literally at our fingertips. The influence of mature Christians, therefore, is needed not only among our young at home but also with the lost and spiritual babes in Christ across the sea. While never forgetting the lost physically in our midsts, we ought to embrace these opportunities at once!

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

While the more academically-minded fundamentalists further develop separatist doctrine and gifted preachers and teachers focus on grounding their congregants in the great doctrines of our faith, wise believers can, in the meantime, exert considerable influence upon the world.  God wants us to love one another. He wants us to delight in helping one another. There can be no greater investment in one another than to love, show concern, and be involved in each others’ daily lives. Technology has enhanced this opportunity!

If fundamentalism is to survive then love for one another, at the grassroots level, must become important to us. The triune battle cry of doctrine, separatism, and love must dominate our movement's conversation. Only then will fundamentalism be worthy of survival.

God's Plan for Growing the Church

PASSING THE BATON

When on the high school track team we ran the one-mile relay. There were four of us and we each would run around the track once, a quarter of a mile, and carry in our right hands a baton, a small aluminum pipe about a foot long. After circling the track we had to pass the baton to the next runner without dropping it. Technique was everything. It had to be done within a delineated area. Both runners had to be moving at the time of transition. The guy in front would hold his right hand open behind him as the runner behind firmly placed the baton into his hand. Sometimes the baton would drop and clank around on the track surface.  

It seems today that the baton of the Gospel has been dropped. The strength of the previous generations has fallen and is rolling about on the ground and we are fumbling around trying to pick it up so we can finish the race.  The task of bringing the Gospel to the lost and the deeper truths of God's word to fellow believers is now squarely upon the shoulders of the current generation.  

GOD'S PLAN FOR CHURCH GROWTH IS THE ONLY ACCEPTABLE PLAN

Why is God’s plan for church growth the only acceptable plan?  His plan is exclusively authorized by God in His word.  Any approach to church growth apart from that which God directed is futile.  In His prelude to the Great Commission, Jesus said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth (Matt 28:18).”   Afterwards, Jesus tells the disciples what they must do, based on that power, or authority, He possessed.

This word, power, which Jesus used is also found in another familiar and much loved passage of the Bible;

Rom 9:20-21  Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed [it], Why hast thou made me thus?  Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

The potter has power over the clay. At Old Sturbridge Village, a re-creation of small town American life in the 1830s, the potter, in his little shop, uses a foot pump to make his turntable spin. Then he plops a glob of clay on the table, dampens it with water, and with his bare hands, he forms this blob of nothing dug from the earth and turns it into a useful vessel.  Whatever is in his mind is what he makes.  That lump of clay could go in many directions but the potter is the one who decides what to create.

Likewise, Jesus was given all power, all authority, to tell believers how to grow the church.  He is the Great Decider of how the church is to grow. If we try to grow the church in any other way that contradicts God’s plan for church growth then it’s just not going to work right.  No other plan for church growth is authorized by God.

GO TO THE LOST

Due to the persuasive general relativism of American culture, we have lacked the courage and internal fortitude to reach out to our lost world the way we should.  Reaching out are the operative words here because Jesus told us to move toward them, not wait for them to come to us; "Go ye therefore" (Matt 28:19).  How many of us try to work the gospel into our conversations with the lost?  Do we go to them?  Do we witness to them?  Do we pray for them?  Kindness will do wonders and some may even come to church upon our invitation.  But, overwhelmingly, most people within our own communities have never heard the gospel of Jesus Christ.  God wants us to take it to them.  But we must remember, the way we say it is just as important as what we say (speak the truth in love).

Luke 11:33 No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth [it] in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.

TEACH THE BIBLE

Just as important as passing the baton for the salvation of lost souls is the need for encouraging spiritual growth among believers.  "Teach all nations," Jesus said.  But teach them what?  Jesus continued, teach them "to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" (Matt 28:20).   Once we go to the lost, teaching them how to get saved, some of them may surrender to Christ.  But then what?  That's when the hard work begins.  They need to be grounded and grow in all the truths of God's Word. 

This grounding of God's word is essential to help believers stand against the wiles of the devil, who, "as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Peter 5:8).  If you don't know what the truth is (from the Bible), then you're susceptible to being led astray like a sheep wandering from the fold.

REACH AND TEACH

Church should always be a place where a lost soul can come find out how to become a Christian.  But primarily, the church is for the already-saved.  We should be sensitive to unbelievers who may come to our services but the primary focus in church is worship, prayer, fellowship, and edification.  Contrary to today's popular evangelical movements, the purpose for church is not to institute a marketing plan, attract a crowd with secular enticements, and figure a certain percentage will "stick".  God is not so much concerned with what size a church is, but rather, what "sort" it is (1 Cor 3:13).

There are limited days on earth for all people.  At some point in their lives, they need to here the simple gospel message.  All the world's religions preach a works-based salvation.  True Christianity is based on grace.  Christianity is based on the Christ who paid for the sins of the world.  Yet most try to work and earn their own salvation by their own might.  They need to hear the truth!  Will you be the one to reach down, pick up the baton, and pass it on?  Ask God to let you be a blessing to other people in this way.  Usually, a forceful throw-it-down-their-throat approach doesn't work.  Ask God for sensitivity, leadership and help today.  Don't delay, relay.

How to Tell if You're Growing Spiritually

TAKING MEASUREMENTS

Down at the foot of the basement stairs is a growth chart recording the kids' heights.  It was always an exciting moment for them to go downstairs with dad and the tape measure to see how much they've grown.  Usually, they were not disappointed.

While our physical growth, whether upward or outward, is obvious, our spiritual growth is less easy to recognize.  We can't see our spiritual growth.  It's intangible.  So there must be another way to notice progress.

YOU CAN TELL IF YOU'RE GROWING SPIRITUALLY WHEN YOU LOOK BACK AND SEE THE ERROR OF YOUR OLD WAYS

The apostle Paul was saved dramatically on the road to Damascus (Acts 9).  The starting point for his spiritual growth occurred at the moment of salvation.  No one can mature spiritually without first being made alive in Christ.  The Bible calls this being quickened, being born again, and becoming a new creature.  All spiritual growth begins at the moment of salvation, when you admit you're a good-for-nothing low-life sinner falling far short of the mark.  But then, hopefully, you realize, with gratitude in your heart, that Jesus Christ loves you despite your total and absolute depravity even to the point of voluntarily giving up His life for you on the cross (Matt 26:53).  What great love Christ has for you!  The apostle Paul came to this realization, this starting point on the journey of progressive spiritual maturity.  Listen to the words of this changed man:

Philippians 3:7-8  But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.  Yeah doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.

If you can look back and remember a specific moment in time when you admitted your sin, confessed your sin, and, perhaps with tears rolling down your cheeks, acknowledged the fact that Jesus gave His life to save your soul, to enable you to enter heaven when you die, not because of any good you've ever done, but because of the acceptable sacrifice Jesus made on the cross for you, then you have embarqued upon the only genuine spiritual journey.  The moment of your salvation is the starting point, the new birth.

Paul used to think he was a pretty good person.  He was one whom others esteemed, .  He was a real go-getter, building quite a reputation for himself as an esteemed Pharisee and persecutor of Christians;

Philippians 3:5-6  Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

A MARK OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY IS PUTTING YOUR FAMILY HERITAGE IN PERSPECTIVE

Are you proud of the stock from which you were born?  Paul was able to look back and see a major error in his past worldly thinking.  He boasted that he was "of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin".  People without Christ today will sometimes boast of their heritage, of their ancestral roots.  It defines them.   It gives them an anchor in their communities, a place to belong.  But that anchor doesn't hold.  That anchor lacks weight and moves about in the tempestuous sea of life.  It's insufficient.  It provides no real stability or rest.  After his spiritual awakening, this was something Paul realized.  He could look back and see that he had grown from identification with his heritage to identification with Christ his Saviour. 

A MARK OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY IS PUTTING YOUR RELIGIOUS HERITAGE INTO PERSPECTIVE

Some of us have been born into a Christian heritage.  Some can look back and say, I was born and raised in a Christian family, gone to church all my life, heard God's Word spoken and preached regularly.  So that's where my confidence is, in my church, in the faith of my youth or the faith of my parents.  Tradition is what defines me.  That's what I cling to.  But that is just as weak.  You cannot place your confidence in the situation into which you were born.  You must personally call upon Christ for salvation.  No one can do it for you.

Romans 10:13  For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

A MARK OF SPIRITUAL MATURITY IS DEPENDENCE UPON GOD

When we're young, no mountain is too tall to climb.  We have enormous confidence in our strength, abilities, and mental prowess.  Some people enter their Christian walks with extreme confidence still in themselves.  But Paul realized right away that any strength he could muster was not is own, but from the One who provided him his strength;

Philippians 4:13  I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Note that the verse doesn't just say "I can do all things."  We cannot leave out Christ.  Evidence of spiritual maturity is having a dependence upon Christ in everything we do.

HAVING A RIGHT HEART

Can you look back at past years and say, "you know, I've grown since then.  I can't believe I used to do that.  What was I thinking?"  Do you see progress?  Do you see movement in your own life from worldliness toward Godliness?  Have you left worldliness behind or are you still deep in the muck of it?  Have your wagon wheels gotten stuck?  Are you parked there and see no forward progress?  How do you get out of it?  Are you really a Christian or have you just fallen into line with your tradition?   Remember, Christianity is not centrally about performing good works.   Christianity begins by admitting you are a sinner and asking God for forgiveness.  Have you done that?

And if you are truly saved from the grip of hell then desire Godliness.  Simply ask Him for help and guidance.  He will help you. He will guide you.  But it has to start in the desires of your own heart.

Fed-up with Life?

WISHING IT WOULD END?

If you've ever felt like you wanted to just give it all up then you're not alone.  For someone with nothing to live for, it seems to make honest, logical sense to desire it all to end.  What's the point of prolonging the suffering?  Since much of life is a struggle with work, pain, relationships, health problems, and finances, an end to all that turmoil sounds appealing.  Death can sound like a relief.

But most who think they have no reason to live also have no real purpose for their lives.  They have no reason to wake up every morning.  Maybe they're lonely.  Maybe they're sick.  Or maybe they're just at wit's end.  They're just occupying a slot in time, going through all the motions, until they grow old and are buried in the grave.  But what happens to them in eternity?

God has a purpose for every one's life.  The reason why God allowed you to be born here below was so you could be born from up above (John 3:7).  When you finally see the futility of your life, of your existence, you are very close to salvation.  You have seen through the delusion of all the world's empty reasons for living.  You have seen through all of life's distractions.  A sign on some one's front door says, "Live, Laugh, Love".   Is that a strong enough peg to hang your hat on?  Or are you desirous of more substance?

The only satisfying reason for living is to know God.  And knowing God can only begin at the moment of salvation, at the instant in time when you acknowledge your sin (Rom 3:23) and trust that Jesus Christ died to give you everlasting life (1 Jn 5:13).  Being saved is an event in time.  Salvation is not a process.  Salvation is not becoming a better person.  Salvation is ending reliance upon your own strength and trusting Christ alone (Psalm 118:8).  Once a person is saved, a whole new life opens up . . . a life with true meaning and purpose.

FED-UP BELIEVERS

It's understandable why non-believers have nothing significant to live for but what about genuine Christians?   Do true believers in God ever get so down in the dumps that they wish it all would end?  After all, won't our existence be better when this miserable life is over?  As soon as this life ends, we have a great future awaiting us because we've repented and accepted God's gift of salvation (Eph 2:8-9).   The apostle Paul had no fear for the end of his earthly life.  He knew, with absolute certainty, what to expect when his earthly life ended;

2 Cor 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 

GOD KNOWS YOUR LIMIT

Taking one's life, of course, is sin.  It's murder and breaks the sixth commandment (Exod 20:13).  If you're in the category of a believer exasperated with your situation in this life then it's comforting to know that God has instituted a limit to what He allows you to suffer;

1 Cor 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].

IN GOOD COMPANY

If you've ever teetered on the precipice of that which you can bear then you're in good company.  You're not alone.  It's wrong, of course, for believers to constantly wish life was over.  After all, we have God's hope in our lives.  We have His abiding presence, the Holy Spirit, walking with us at all times.  We are the only ones equipped with the ability to reflect God's light in a dark world.  But sometimes, just sometimes, we feel like we can't take it anymore.  Consider the shocking inner conversations of those famous in the faith who all, at times, wished they were dead;

Moses - And if thou deal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, if I have found favour in thy sight; and let me not see my wretchedness (Num 11:15)

Jonah - Therefore now, O LORD, take, I beseech thee, my life from me; for [it is] better for me to die than to live (Jonah 4:3)

Elijah - But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I [am] not better than my fathers (1 Kings 19:4).

LIVING IS MORE NEEDFUL

God has a mission for every Christian who feels fed up with life.  God wants you to stay the course, fight the good fight, keep the faith.  There are people in far more desperate situations.  Just think of the many without Christ destined for hell (Matt 7:13).  All believers are ready for the next life.  We don't wonder what will happen because we know we're going to heaven (1 Jn 5:13).  The apostle Paul knew where he would be better off but he found it more necessary to spend his life in service;

Phil 1:24  For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better: Nevertheless to abide in the flesh [is] more needful for you.

Ever wonder why you were born when you were born, into your particular country, community, and family?  Sometimes people wish they were born in different eras.  After visiting Old Sturbridge Village here in New England and being temporarily transported back in time, it seems like the 1830s may have been a better time to live, a simpler day.  But remember that of the 6,000 years of human history, God appointed you to be born now, in this generation, in this particular situation, at this specific point in time.  It's not luck.  It's not coincidence.  God knew you before you were even formed in your mother's womb (Jer 1:5)  and your presence in this world at this time was no accident.

So what, exactly, is your mission?  Only God can answer that.  Ask Him.  Most likely, your mission will have something to do with your abilities and spiritual gifts.  But whatever God's specific mission is for your life, there is a general mission in common with all believers.  And you're feelings of desperation are understandable if you're neglecting any of these needful spiritual engagements.  He wants you to be in His word.  He wants you to be in prayer.  And he wants you to be in a church where you can be fed the truth of God's word, be encouraged in the faith, be in fellowship with like-minded believers, and serve God.

GETTING BACK ON TRACK

If you're a Christian and feeling life is worthless then just remember, the Son of God took the form of a man and died on cross for you.  Christ died so you may live.  He values your life highly.  Is it possible that your life seems useless because you're out of the will of God?  Have you been neglecting Him?  Have you made decisions with your life that bring Him dishonor?  If you're not in God's will then you know it.  Perhaps, in His mercy, He's telling you that the path you're taking is wrong with only continued pain and misery ahead.  It's time to turn around and go back in the right direction.  If you're desiring your life to be over, wishing it all away, then ask yourself; Is there a change you need to make in your life to get back on the right track? 

Is God Still Waiting to Hear from You?

LIFE THROWS US PUNCHES

If you've ever been punched in the gut then you know what it's like to have the wind knocked out of you.  Usually, it's an unexpected blow that catches you off-guard.  I know it happened to me at least once when I was a kid but I don't remember who threw the punch or what I did to deserve it.  I just remember feeling sick for a while afterwards.

Life has a way of throwing punches at us.  Something unfortunate happens and it feels like being punched in the stomach.  Whatever the unexpected calamity may be, it usually catches us unprepared.  And while we're in the initial shock of the situation, hopefully, if prayer has been integrated into our lifestyle, we'll take it immediately to the Lord in prayer. 

EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD CULTIVATE A LIFESTYLE OF PRAYER
A prayer-filled lifestyle is one that speaks regularly and often to God.  We don't have to wait until bedtime, get on our knees, clasp our hands together in prayer-like fashion, and bow our heads.  While there is certainly nothing wrong with prayer taking that preparatory position, a lifestyle of prayer is so much more. 

A lifestyle of prayer is one that seeks God in the morning, noon, and night.  Being a person of prayer is speaking to God while driving, in a telephone conversation, working, reading, or even in the shower.  A prayerful person prays anywhere at anytime.  A believer with a lifestyle of prayer realizes that the line of communication with God is always open and that He hears every plea.  And a sign of spiritual maturity in  believers is when we go to God in prayer at the first sign of trouble.  If prayer has been an integral part of our lives, then we'll take it to Him right away, out of habit.

Some who have never been born-again will occasionally pray.  Many religious folk will pray daily.  But there's really only one prayer that the lost, whether religious or not, must utter; "God, if you're real, then show me".  God will answer that sinner's honest prayer.  Whether someone is religious, secular, or just plain seeking truth and meaning in life, God will answer every lost soul who genuinely seeks Him.

2 Peter 3:9  The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

While God awaits the repentance of sinners, He is actively involved in hearing and answering the prayers of saints.  But unfortunately, many of us neglect God in prayer.  Perhaps we don't realize that our ability to communicate directly to God in prayer came at a great price.  It cost the life of the Son of God.  This flippant evasion of prayer reminds me of an observation about today's Christian youth by the president of Bob Jones University; 

"Many . . . have gone to church, have been reared in Christian homes and have known the benefits of Christian education for as long as they can remember. For many, that upbringing also included an early profession of faith in Christ. One pitfall for those who have enjoyed such blessings and for whom the Gospel has become so common, however, is a subtle complacency that comes about through familiarity. The gift of salvation can subconsciously become esteemed as almost commonplace and cheap" (Stephen Jones).

Some of today's Christian youth may view the gospel as "commonplace and cheap," but how many adult believers, far from reaching full spiritual maturity ourselves, view the familiar privilege of prayer as "commonplace and cheap"?  How many of us have become complacent with prayer?  With every finger we point at the above-mentioned ungrateful youth, there are two fingers pointing right back at us.

Matthew 7:3  And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

WE SHOULD CULTIVATE A LIFESTYLE OF PRAYER BECAUSE WE ARE WEAK
To cultivate something is to promote or improve it's growth. We cultivate a vegetable garden by providing water, nourishment, pulling weeds, and providing sufficient sunlight. It takes attention and labor. The prayer lives of today's Christians need attention and labor.

In 2 Chronicles 20, the king of Judah, Jehoshaphat, found out that his kingdom was about to be invaded by several enemies who had banded together against him.   At the first sign of his kingdom's impending doom, he proclaimed a fast and gathered all the people together for prayer to the Lord;

"For we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee" (2 Chronicles 20:12). 

This ancient king had enough humility to admit that he was weak and vulnerable before all his kingdom-dwellers.  Today, believers, just like anyone else in this world, will strategize, manipulate, or somehow try to figure out, in our own strength, how to get relief from the great forces against us.  This didn't work for Asa in 2 Chronicles 16:12-13, who sought a physician for his foot condition but never asked God for help, and neither will it work for us.  We are supposed to be a people of prayer.  We are supposed to go to God often in both good times and bad.  But sadly, we don't.  We're weak and need God's help but we don't even ask Him.

James 4:2  Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 
 
How many times do we have to engage the great forces of distress, misfortune, and hard times, before we realize, "hey, I should've asked God to help me".  How many times do we rely upon our own might, our own thoughts, our own strength, instead of asking God for help?  As the ol' hymn says; "Are you burdened with a load of care?  Take it to the Lord in prayer".  But don't just say a prayer.  Be a person of prayer.  Do you need to give prayer to God more attention in your life?

God Can Still Use Messed-up Christians Like Us

"I WISH I COULD HAVE A DO-OVER"
If you could go back in time then is there anything about your life you would do differently?  Most people would like to have another chance to avoid mistakes and rechart a course for a much easier existence.  But our lives as born-again believers in Jesus Christ ought to be more focused on things above and less on things below.  Having an easier life ought not to be our driving goal.  When we're in heaven I don't think we'll wish we spent more time watching tv, playing video games, bowling, surfing the web, or working.  Rather, most of us will probably say, "I wish I spent more time with God, more time in prayer, in His Word."  But despite how much time we've wasted in the past, God can still use us.  It's not too late.  We may be severely disappointed with ourselves and messed up in small or significant ways, wasting many precious years of life. But God can still use us.  We may even have had setbacks in life that were beyond our doing but God still has a purpose for our existence.

A CHRISTIAN'S GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT IN THIS LIFE IS TO HAVE A RIGHT ATTITUDE.
An attitude is an accomplishment?  Really?  Yes indeed!  But we really can't take much credit for having a right attitude.  The Christian life is all about the process of being transformed more and more into the image of Christ.  He must increase, we must decrease.  It's called progressive sanctification.  If we're obediently reading His Word and guided by the Holy Spirit of God in our lives then we will, indubitably (I love that word), become more conformed into Christ likeness.  A right attitude emerges only when we're submissive to God.   So what, exactly, is the right attitude?  Let's glean a lesson from David in the Old Testament.

A CHRISTIAN WITH A RIGHT ATTITUDE WILL SEEK TO HAVE A RIGHT REPUTATION
King David had a burning desire to build the Temple for God; "Lo, I dwell in an house of cedars, but the ark of the covenant of the LORD remaineth under curtains (1 Chron 17:1b)."  God told David, sorry bud, but you're not the one who will build me the Temple because you're a man with blood on your hands (1 Chron 28:3 - paraphrase mine). David came to a point in his life where he realized he wanted to be more useful to God and build Him a great Temple that would be "of fame and of glory throughout all countries" (1 Chron 22:5).  But God told him it was too late. David already built a reputation of bloodshed.  God was looking for "a man of rest" to build the Temple. David had messed up his life too much for this task. So God bypassed David and chose his son, Solomon, to build the holy structure.

Reading this account in 1 Chronicles reminded me of D.L. Moody who had quite a reputation for being non-controversial.  He avoided getting entangled in useless bickering and, instead, focused on winning souls to Christ.  Preaching the Gospel, of course, can be controversial.  But telling the lost world how to be saved is needful.  It's okay to be controversial when preaching the Gospel, as long as we preach it in love.  But how many of us get caught up in unnecessary controversy?  How many are known for our conservative political positions?  How many are known for our desire to make this world a more moral place?  Dare I even ask how many have a reputation that brings dishonor to God?  Our attitudes should reflect a desire for a good reputation.

A CHRISTIAN WITH A RIGHT ATTITUDE WILL SEEK TO BE HELPFUL
Anyone who runs seriously for political office realizes that the task can't be accomplished without supporters.  Supporters are needed to help plan the campaign, place signs around town, and stand at the street corners waving at passing drivers. 
Realizing that he would not be the head honcho to build the Temple, David didn't just crawl into his bed and sulk. He decided to be a helper.  He gave Solomon the plans, the materials, the treasures, and great encouragement; "Be strong and of good courage, and do it: fear not, nor be dismayed: for the LORD God, even my God, will be with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee, until thou hast finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord" (1 Chron 28:20).

If you've missed the boat somehow and can't do what you hoped you could do with your life then are you sulking about it or are you helping to accomplish that which is needful?  Have you given up or have you decided to help?  One of the greatest places where you could help is within your local church.

A CHRISTIAN WITH A RIGHT ATTITUDE WILL SEEK TO GIVE GOD ALL THE GLORY
After the initial disappointment, David came to the realization that it didn't matter if he wasn't playing the lead role.  He had to ask himself; is it more important that I be the one calling all the shots or that I bring glory to God?  David realized it was more important that God get the glory.  He got himself on board to help make the Temple to "be exceeding magnifical" (1 Chron 22:5).  His eyes became fixed on the big picture, the end result.
When things don't go your way, when life brings you sorrow, do you just give up?  Or, do you brush away your pride and decide to give God your all so He can be glorified?

THE WHOLE POINT . . .
If God has put you humbly in your place, if your grandiose plans have been thwarted then just realize that God still loves you.  You can still be helpful.  And most importantly, you can still bring glory to God.