The Bible Belt

Below is a clip from a message at The Village. Chandler talks about Bible Belt Christians and the dangers of being one.

http://blissthefamily.wordpress.com/tag/atheists/ (Go down a little and then press the play button)

When I thought about this, I began to think of our culture. We are so wrapped up in ourselves, living how we want to, but we all assume we're going to Heaven after it's said and done. As I watched the Michael Jackson memorial service, I couldn't help but think. A man who was so wrapped up in himself, from money to changing his physical appearance to everything else, I would never assume he was alive in Christ. But everyone acted as though he was in Heaven. Maybe he was, maybe he wasn't, but I was amazed at what the people said about him. "He was a man of humanity", a "good man", who "gave his money to causes he thought worthwhile". Does that make him a Christian? I'd contend the answer is no.

Others of us are "churchgoers". We find a "chill" place we can go to church (I stole this from a girl I heard at church talking about some church that serves coffee), and we go home. If we go to church long enough, we begin to believe we're all set just because we live good and we live in the Bible Belt. We don't let the power of God work in us, we want our own stuff, do it our own way, tell God "You give me eternal life, then shut up and let me live my life how I want". Where's the submission to an awesome God who has a better life planned than we could ever imagine. Christians now want to do marriage however they please, men marry men for example, just because it's "equality". Where's the submission to that? We do the same with how we spend money, how we spend our time, etc.

My hope is that, for me and my family, we will recognize the power that God has in our lives and submit everything to him, doing nothing on our own. It is only then that we can rest assured that we are glorifying His name through our lives. Should we begin to do things on our own, but continue to believe in a "god", then we are dangerously close to being a functional athiest.

If a man has a baseball and a bat, but knows nothing else, is he truly a baseball player? He doesn't know any rules, he doesn't know how to play, he just has a way to play. Is he a true player? All the other baseball players would quickly correct the claim and say he's just a dude with a bat.

If a man says he believes in a God, but doesn't submit any area of his life to Him, is he a true believer, one who will spend eternity with Him? All that is.... just a thought.