Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Don’t Settle for Mediocrity

Do you ever find yourself in the same place, struggling with the same thing that you thought you were over, but just not? I feel too often, we as Christians struggle with the same reoccurring problem. So, what needs to change?

1. Know your identity in Christ.

We have to know what Jesus did. He already paid the price of sin, so we no longer have to bear it. My fellow co-worker in Christ, Keith Olsson says, “Either the work is complete or it’s not. When Jesus was on the cross, He said, it is done!” We can either believe that the work is done or we can continue to live in chains, bondage or partial freedom… When in fact and in truth, the work has been completed when Jesus said it was done. Now we have to choose to receive grace and live in Freedom. That only comes when we know who our identity is in.

2. Do life with others.

In Genesis, from the beginning, God said, “It is not good for man to be alone.” God designed us for relationships. Why should we think that has changed over the course of the past 2,000 plus years? When you are going through something great or you are going through something hard, life is just better with people. Nothing great was every accomplished alone! That’s why we have so many small groups to choose from here at Bayside because we know we can’t do life alone!

3. Be an overcomer!

God doesn’t call us to mediocrity, He calls us to greatness! This is not a measure of the world’s standard of success. Jesus says in John 16:33, “In this world you will have trials and tribulations, but take heart because I have overcome the world.” Jesus already proved that He has overcome the world. He faced every trial and temptation we could and will ever go through. He is living proof that it can be done with His strength. Let me stress, His strength, not our own. When we tap into operating in Jesus’ strength and with the power of the Holy Spirit, the possibilities are endless and far more than we could ever ask or imagine. So, if you ever feel that you are in a place of mediocrity, understand that we are not called to live a less than life. We are called to overcome and be more than conquerors!

By Weyli Chang

4 comments:

  1. Weyli, I love the way you pack all that "meat" in such a small package! Well said: short & to the point...in a life giving & insightful way!

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  2. Thanks Suzette! You're always so encouraging! Love it!

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  3. Loving the paradigm "Doing life together," and being close with my sister's adult children, I was delighted for one of the four of them to invite me to Bayside; although, I live in Atlanta. My relationship with Jesus is strong and forever growing;however, the ms monster that lurks in my body keeps me home most of the time at this stage I am in. Watching a church service on TV and not being connected to anyone seems odd. When Ashley asked me to check this out, well......I thought, "I sure will, and I will be part of a church with members I have been connected to for all their lives. I love it. The Jones family is amazing. We are active members at BUMC in Milton, GA, yet my husband goes alone and has for several months. We do life together with many wonderful church friends but no family because our children moved out of state shortly after college graduation. I need relationships with family and have a great one with the Jones. Now I am doing church with them through your innovative technology. The article is uplifting and meaningful to me. Doing live together; relationships; love, that's what I am about. Thank you and God Bless You. Charlotte (AKA:MAEMAE to little ones) Lamm.

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  4. Weyli -

    Thank you for sharing this message. Your 3 bullet points are 3 areas in our lives that satan spends a great deal of time and effort trying to get us to believe his lies and distortion of the truth. If we will do exactly what you've written, know our identity in Christ & do life with others that also know their identity in Christ, then we can stand firm in the truth of God that we ARE more than conquerors.

    Keep sharing

    Ericca

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