Are you blessed?

Let me begin by saying that God has given me the ultimate blessing of awaking my heart to his son Jesus Christ our Lord.  Next, I was born in a country were I am not prosecuted for believing in, worshiping, or proclaiming Christ.  Next, I was born into a situation were I have shelter, easy accessibility to food, and CLEAN water.  Next, I was blessed with all five senses and all four limbs.  On top of it all, I got to go to a recognized state university where I received a college degree.  I am statistically a lottery winner.  I have lived a life in 23 years that most people can either A) only dream of or B) it takes them their entire life to obtain it.  It is in the mist of all these blessings that I can't help but wonder how I happened to be born into the "correct" situation.  Now what do I mean by the "correct" situation?  Well, while I am so thankful for every physical and financial blessing, the only thing I have that ultimately matters is Jesus Christ.  Although I didn't fully call on Jesus until July 28, 2011, I grew up going to church and having truth spoken into my life (like most American children).  This repetitive exposure crossed with the delay in recognizing the importance of Jesus Christ is what brings me to my point for the day.  While America is saturated with truth (Christianity), we take so for granted the spiritual blessing right in front of us that many never really KNOW Jesus.  We have "Christians" everywhere, but we treat our faith and the church like a youth sports program.  We have one practice a week (weather permitting) and we all get together once a year for a potluck to talk about how everyone is a winner.  America has the right religion, but we as a country do NOT have the right relationship.  We are blinded by professional sports, flat screen TV's, wealth accumulation, sexual satisfaction, status, and self exultation.  We have the truth of Jesus Christ sitting right in front of us (I would bet most people are within a stones throw of a Bible based church), yet we keep just enough Jesus in our life to give us what WE need (comfort, security, salvation?).  Yet walking with Christ isn't about filling OUR spiritual needs.  Walking with Christ is about fulfilling your purpose as a creation of God.  Your purpose of glorifying and worshiping God.  A purpose we will only be able to fully achieve when we are made complete in heaven.  Nonetheless, we are to strive to glorify God in every situation.  This is made easier when an individual no longer lives, but instead Christ lives in them.  Christ in them allows them to live and walk by the spirit (walk with Christ).

Romans 8:3-4
"For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do.  By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit."

Galatians 5:16-18
"But I say walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.  For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.  But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."

There are a lot of people in America who really love Jesus!  And just for the record if you watch professional sports on a flat screen TV, I am NOT saying you don't love Jesus.  The only point I am trying to make is this:  America is extremely blessed to have the truth of Jesus Christ currently prevailing over other religions, let us then LIVE the truth many of us CLAIM and be the church.  If you feel blessed by God that you truly KNOW Jesus Christ and are saved, show it by walking by the Spirit with boldness and courage!

Grace and Peace,
JoMo