March to beat of your own drum

March to beat of your own drum

To what extent to you test and question what it is you believe? Can you take ownership of them or are they borrowed? Where do your values (those held and those seen in practice) originate? Did you inherit them from family or church or friends or TV? Were they somehow absorbed through your skin (osmosis)? Have you ever seriously questioned the foundation and features of your value system? Some values can be destructive others constructive. When the pressure comes on, and it will, will they stand up or fall down. Said Jesus…

Matthew 7:24-27

"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

This testing which, if you are truly walking with Christ, will regularly visit is sometimes described in the bible as fire…

1 Corinthians 3:12-17

"If any man builds on this foundation (laid by Paul) using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames. Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him; for God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple."

There is a tendency to do that which is easiest. We are all intrinsically lazy but some things are so important as to demand close attention and significant effort. How you live and what you value are of great importance to you, those around you and to God's kingdom. Said Jesus…

Matthew 7:13-14

"Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

Only a few? Is it really so hard to find? Are you one of the few?

Philippians 2: 12-13

"Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."

What does "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling" mean? We shouldn't take this stuff for granted. It is very serious and very difficult to live as God would have us live.

There is a tendency to think that perhaps we shouldn't question these things too much lest they fall to pieces never again to be put right. Many of the world's religions, like Islam, discourage questioning and indeed so did the Christian church in times past. But you need to know that the truths revealed in the bible are sound and reliable and will stand being rigorously questioned. The bible testifies to itself…

2 Timothy 3:16-17

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

And God is certainly big enough and capable enough to handle anything you might throw at him, and I suspect he welcomes any kind of sincere engagement from one of his created ones. In fact he promises to answer those who ask the hard questions.

Matthew 7:7-8

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

So, use your brain! Ask the hard questions. Study the bible. Match the teachings found in the scriptures against everyday experience and you will be richer for it.

If you don't question, if you don't think, if you don't reason or evaluate or establish what it is you actually believe then you are vulnerable to be misled.

2 Timothy 4:3-4

For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.

And when you work out what it is you believe; when you have established what your values will be; when you start beating your own drum then live consistently.

James 1:22-25

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does."

And be consistently even when no one else would otherwise notice…

Ephesians 6:5-8

"Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favour when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

Colossians 3:22-24

"Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favour, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

So, let's summarise.

1. March to beat of your own drum.
2. Take ownership of your own beliefs/values.
3. Make sure they will stand a test of flood or fire.
4. Don't presume that what you believe is truth; test it.
5. Remember that the way to life is only found by a few.
6. Don't become faith-complacent – keep working at your salvation.
7. The bible is reliable and the best basis for your foundation and values.
8. God wants you to ask the difficult questions.
9. If you don't engage the brain you can be easily deceived.
10. When you are sure of what you believe, live it consistently.
11. Live it even when others wouldn't be any the wiser.