Does anyone else feel like we, as a generation, are being called to be extreme in our faith? I mean, Muslim people are willing to suicide bomb people and place for what they believe, Hindu "monks" are homeless and the don't eat solid food for two out of the three meals a day [which they beg for], and what do we do? What do we sacrifice? One or two movies that are [i]really[/i] bad? Music that uses curse words? [which I actually doubt many people do] Maybe you forgive somebody for something every once in a while? Oh or maybe even you put the change in your pocket in the offering bucket every sunday? Or how about that you won't have sex until marriage? [but you do everything else] I think it's time we step it up a notch....or maybe like ten... It's time to show the world that we mean business. Is anybody willing to get a little extreme?

I will stand with you. Its funny i am in the process of switching churches to step out and be a little uncomfortable for Christ. And i went to a small group last nite.. and the leader expressed to me that the believers that are coming to the church now... and come in already founded on God... he believes that he is raising us up ... to step out in boldness and extreme faith. The time is short ... and the days are few... and we need to press forth.

I dunno.. I guess it depends on what you mean by extreme. The things you mention relate to complacency and wanting to still do things our way. I don't see anything extreme about doing what G-d wants of us. It seems so, by worldly standards. Indeed, not only should we stop looking at what the world's doing to figure out what we should be doing, we also need to stop looking to other Christians to determine that. Their walk with the L-rd has nothing to do with your walk. They may believe something you don't. You may believe something they don't. And we're not called to get in each others' faces about that. We're just called to put our focus on our own personal halacha, our own personal walk with G-d.

I just hope that we can get to a point in our faith to be bold about what we believe.. and no not hit people over the head with what we believe.. but live your life in such a way that your very lifestyle.. your very prescense states something about you. Let your actin speak for you.. and when all else false use words.... Many more people were blessed by my witness when i didn't know then when i was physically talking to someone. Charis

It's kinda funny I was just trying to be more of a Christain than I have been latly. It's hard with all the peer pressure of having a boyfriend (which I don't have) and kissing (which I have never done yet either) and all that other stuff. I'm getting more friends that are christains and praying more and stuff...trying to curse less (yeah I do curse too much at school which I should really stop but...hehe..yeeeaaah). I think your right, and people who are good christains get made fun of like their crazy which is stupid because all they are doing is what most of us should be doing.

this seems to be a theme of how I've been thinking lately and also many of the threads I've been reading.... how much are we to do for Christ? the simple answer is this: if God tells you to do extreme things for Him, then by all means, do it... if God tells you to simply walk in His ways and talk to others about Him, then you better do it the solution: DO WHAT GOD SAYS.... everything is extremely simple after that

[b]DHfan wrote:[/b] [quote] the solution: DO WHAT GOD SAYS.... everything is extremely simple after that[/quote] Amen to that! Good to have you back, brother! :)

[b]MattBob_SquarePants wrote:[/b] [quote]I dunno.. I guess it depends on what you mean by extreme. The things you mention relate to complacency and wanting to still do things our way. I don't see anything extreme about doing what G-d wants of us. It seems so, by worldly standards. Indeed, not only should we stop looking at what the world's doing to figure out what we should be doing, we also need to stop looking to other Christians to determine that. Their walk with the L-rd has nothing to do with your walk. They may believe something you don't. You may believe something they don't. And we're not called to get in each others' faces about that. We're just called to put our focus on our own personal halacha, our own personal walk with G-d.[/quote] My using the word extreme has to do with all the situations have recently come into. I mention doing something radical and "Christians" shrink back and tell me that I am being too extreme. I want to encourage others to lose their lives for Christ's. I disagree with you. I think there is something very extreme about living for God. Not just to stand in the stream but to go against it. To be so desperate for more of God that you would let go of anything He asks you to leave behind the first time He asks you to, without looking back. That requires letting Jesus to be the King of you life, to let Him lead, to fall deeply in love with Christ. And... It's not about what I believe or what you believe. It's about what God is so desperately trying to tell us, but we are so busy arguing about "me-me-me" that we are missing it. I also disagree with you saying that we were called to focus on our own walks. On the contrary, Christ calls us to spend our lives serving others. We can not change someone but be can love them as Christ would and we can encourage them to do progress in their walk. That was what this thread was made to do. I didn't mean to offend anyone, I am trying to encourage some people to pursue God and leave behind their own selfish desires. And yeah... I am going to get in some faces and I am going to shake things up, out of love for my generation and each person in it. God has called us to so much more than this tiny little world we focus on. He has such big plans if we would only realize how much is actually going on.

Post edited by: MsKiraLynn, at: 2007/01/25 17:00

[b]MattBob_SquarePants wrote:[/b] [quote][b]DHfan wrote:[/b] [quote] the solution: DO WHAT GOD SAYS.... everything is extremely simple after that[/quote] Amen to that! Good to have you back, brother! :)[/quote] thanks... I'd been trying to sign on at least three times everyday for the past couple weeks but I couldnt get on... it feels good to be back... i missed the forums

It looks like we're using different definitions for "extreme." You're saying extreme in comparison with the way the world operates. Like I said, it is extreme by those standards, I just don't think we should be comparing ourselves by those standards. That can be a major stumbling block to a lot of Christians. "Look at those people, I'm not like them. I don't drink, I don't gamble." Super. Now what am I doing for G-d? And then if we're willing to compare ourselves to the world, how easy will it be to compare ourselves to other Christians, and say to ourselves "I'm doing more than those other people." and then stop right there, telling ourselves that we're already going the extra mile, and that's enough. When we're fed stimuli, such as how the world thinks people should act, we have choices. We can accept it, we can rebel against it, or we can ignore it and act independently. I think we should choose this last one, let the world be the world, and we'll look for our guidance by seeing what the Word has to say, not by how much we're doing for the Kingdom compared to someone else. Re: our personal walk That's all part of halacha. Doing charity is commanded. Spreading the Word of G-d is commanded. Humbling ourselves and serving others is commanded. This is all part of G-d's Word, and our walk with Him. Whether (and to what degree) we submit ourselves to His Word is really what halacha is all about. Hey, if G-d leads you to get in someone's face, you better do it. Just remember, for all the times He rebuked this person or that, he only got that upset exactly once (with the moneychangers in the Temple).