My Stomach Is Calling

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom. ( Col 3:16)

When our first child was born and I began to realize the incredible responsibility that God had given me, my priorities began a rapid shift. Suddenly, my spiritual life and the future spiritual life of my child became extremely important. As parents, we began to have goals for our children that went beyond mere success and happiness in this world. But, the goals of Christian parents are opposed by the voice of the world system. In reality, most of us have influence on someone and we should have similar desires for them as they also face the opposing voice of the world. The sad thing is that we can each become the voice of the world. When, even as Christians, we fail to be saturated in God’s Word, His love and His perspective; our mind and mouth will tend to produce worldly thoughts and messages. Whether we realize our leadership or not, our influence could be misleading someone who sees us as a leader. It is vital for each of us to consider which of the following messages our life is transmitting in words or example.

Be lively Christians.

Wear the label of Christian but don’t be weird.

Be filled with and guided by the Holy Spirit.

Don’t be a fanatic. Be sensible.

Be godly, wise and discerning.

Be wise in the ways of the world.

Put building God’s Kingdom as first priority.

Watch out for your self first.

Be men and women of prayer.

Prayer doesn’t do anything (except it might help you feel better in a crisis). The TV or Internet gives more return on investment.

Have your mind saturated with God’s Word.

Today’s news, football game or gossip is more interesting.

Daily seek God’s direction.

God doesn’t give direction. I or “fate” will be my guide. Go with the flow.

Have a godly heritage

Who cares about future generations? It's all about me and the here and now.

Build your life on the foundation of Christ and His Word.

Important decisions are primarily based on money.

Be leaders in the Church.

It’s too much trouble (unless you can be someone important).

Be soul winners.

Don’t interfere in other people’s lives (besides they might reject you).

Be taught of the Lord.

It's better to get a good education from a reputable school.

Be light and salt in the world.

As long as I’m comfortable, the world is no concern of mine.

Trust in God

Trust in bank accounts, investments or a good job.

Manifest honesty, courage and integrity

My self-image and my stuff is more important than strict honesty.

Delight in the Lord.

Delight in entertainment, sports or romance

Fulfill the deepest desires of your heart.

Forget the deep desires, my stomach is calling!


--