How Much Christ is in your Christianity? Part 4

Are you Pursuing Jesus with all your Heart?

At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

“At midnight, the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

“Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

“Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they said. ‘Open the door for us!’

“But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I don’t know you.’

“Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour (Matthew 25:1-13 NIV).

A parable about the wise and the foolish in the kingdom. Which one are you?

Virgins, sexually pure, doing good, yet they were unprepared for the coming of their Lord. You and I are living in the last generation before the coming of the Lord and you must seek Him with all your heart and be watchful and wise of the times.

You need to seek God and allow the Holy Spirit to glorify Jesus and testify of Him and lead you and guide you into all truth.

“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32 NIV).

What is your Christianity based upon? Is it a denomination, a specific doctrine, a charismatic leader, a church, a style of preaching or music, a comfortable seeker sensitive environment or the biblical picture of Jesus Christ and His gospel?

What if a church lost their budget, their building, their electricity was turned off and there were no instruments, or video what would the seeker sensitive church do?Would they have their identity in Jesus alone? How much of Christ do you have in your church, your ministries, your relationships, and your lives. When I look at the western version of Christianity in many modern churches today I question how much of the church’s identity and character is based on Jesus Christ alone.

I have seen two church worlds now and in the future one a surface church and one a remnant church. The surface church has many limitations governed by systems and structures of men, but the remnant church is full of people hungry for the presence of God, relationship with one another, and training and discipleship in the Word and the ways of the Spirit.

Use discernment, test the spirits, measure everything by the Word and judge by fruit alone. Don’t be a person seeking after supernatural experiences but rather pursue a deep relationship with God. Jesus is returning for a church without spot or wrinkle, His bride. Be what the Bible calls the Remnant that will stand firm to the end.