Christians - What is it?

[nChrist]

Brothers and Sisters,

Have you ever taken a personal inventory and asked yourself some big questions?

Christians - What is it

1 - that you want that will make you happy?

2 - that motivates you to get up each day?

3 - that you need to have peace?

One could ask these questions in many different ways, but a prerequisite will always involve defining happiness and peace. "Motivation" could be described as a person's purpose or zeal in life.

Christians, there is a reason for asking yourself these questions on a fairly regular basis. If your answers involve the things of this world, your happiness and peace will be short. So, this personal inventory might lead to more questions:

4 - Are you happy and at peace?

5 - What are you happy and at peace about or with?

6 - If you aren't happy and at peace, what would it take to change your outlook on life?

7 - What list of things or qualities should make a Christian happy and at peace?

I really wanted this to be a discussion among Christians and share the things that really make us happy and at peace. Please do think about these questions and share with everyone. There will actually be many more questions that just 7 because each person will have different thoughts and applications of the terms. Example: is peace an external quality or an internal quality in the mind. Is peace with yourself, your fellow man, with God, or all of the above?

Please do jump in and share some thoughts and ideas with everyone.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Matthew 5:11 NASB  "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.

[Rookieupgrade1]

I have given many of these considerable though, and often simply do not know how to get there from here.

1. simplisity, less stuff, more God. I have too much stuff, and don't need any more.

2. God. If left to myself.........I wouldn't get up at all.

3. I pray only for Gods peace. I can not understand the consept, my heart is in constant termoil. I would not know what I need other than God.

4. No, I try to be content to do Gods work, but am never certain that I have done all he wants me to do.

5. I am happy that God is working in my heart to change me. Peace will come.

6. I think that if I pursue to simplify my life and concentrate on relationships more with God and others, I will at last find the peace I seek

7. a relationship with God, and to seek His plan and purpose for our lives.

[Pizza_Mahal]

1 - that you want that will make you happy?
I never thought of that. A gift from our Lord, is good enough for me.

2 - that motivates you to get up each day?
Again I never thought of that.

3 - that you need to have peace?
Second life, I guess.

4 - Are you happy and at peace?
Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, no. Only thought of our Lord give me peace and happy.

5 - What are you happy and at peace about or with?
Second life without sin and with new name, new look, or whatever it is.

6 - If you aren't happy and at peace, what would it take to change your outlook on life?
start over with new name and new look then work with our Lord. (I guess)

7 - What list of things or qualities should make a Christian happy and at peace?
Same as Rookieupgrade1 say! "a relationship with God, and to seek His plan and purpose for our lives."

[airIam2worship]

1 - that you want that will make you happy?

To know that I am walking in God's way and doing His will, and knowing that when I fail God is willing, quick and able to forgive me.

2 - that motivates you to get up each day?

Knowing that I serve a living God Whose promises are true and that there are a lot of people who still haven't embraced the free gift of salvation and I have the opportunity to share this "Good News" with them.

3 - that you need to have peace?

Constant communion with my God brings me true peace.

I also want to make a small contribution here, when we are faced with all kinds of trials and tribulations, do we stop and count our blessings? Or do we just concentrate on our problems?

I find that counting all the blessing the Lord has betsowed upon me far outweigh the trials and tribulations this short confronts us with.
The more we praise and thank God for all the wondeful things He has done for us the smaller our earthly problems become.

[Rookieupgrade1]

Amen sister.

Many times I find that the trials I face are simply a lesson for me from God to mature me and mold my heart. There is always a lesson to be learned from the teacher.

[nChrist]

Amen Brothers and Sisters!

I knew there would be a variety of answers, but GOD was the center of the answers, and that must be true for a Christian.

For me, peace with GOD is at the top of my list, and it's something that I can't do. BUT, JESUS CHRIST did it for me on the CROSS, and I have peace with GOD because of JESUS, not myself. I have thought about this over and over, knowing that the most priceless gift in this world is JESUS CHRIST and placing all trust and faith in HIM.

1 - that you want that will make you happy?
Serving the LORD and watching my family grow strong in the LORD.

2 - that motivates you to get up each day?
Serving the LORD, visiting with friends and family, fellowship with other Brothers and Sisters in Christ, and wanting to make a difference of some sort in this evil world - yielded to the LORD and wanting to do what will please HIM.

3 - that you need to have peace?
Peace for me is spiritual peace. I belong to JESUS, so I know and believe that JESUS has already paid for and delivered my peace. BUT, I always have the sure knowledge of being unworthy, inadequate, and failing in many ways. I know that I'm at peace with GOD, but ONLY because of JESUS. It does give me joy to do things for the LORD, but I know that everything positive and good is in JESUS - not me. SO, I give thanks for JESUS as my sole source of anything good about me. It makes me happy to try and serve HIM however HE leads, but I will always feel unworthy and undeserving. Many of the evil things of this world upset me and make me angry, but I know that I can do very little to change most of those things. I know that I'm supposed to stand up, say something, do something, and try, but I know that JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF will be the only one who will ever be able to make all the changes and lock away evil. I do pray for strength to keep trying, as that is a part of reasonable service to the KING OF KINGS.

4 - Are you happy and at peace?
See number "3" above. I trust the promises of GOD that I am at peace with HIM, but only because of JESUS CHRIST.

5 - What are you happy and at peace about or with?
I have a huge list of things to give thanks for every day. The Salvation of everyone in my family makes me very happy. My family and I have more than we need in all areas, so GOD has richly blessed my entire family. None of us ever go to bed hungry or without clothing and shelter. We really have MUCH MORE than what we need, but our real riches are in CHRIST for eternity.

6 - If you aren't happy and at peace, what would it take to change your outlook on life?
I am the happiest when I feel that I have yielded to the LORD and done what HE wanted done. I fail pretty frequently, at least daily, so I know that it would make me happy to yield more and joyfully do whatever HE leads me to do. This is a matter of prayer.

7 - What list of things or qualities should make a Christian happy and at peace?
I think that I've already mentioned many things, but I know there are many more. Our life should be a living testimony for CHRIST, and this is very difficult to do. This is something that we should all strive for, and the living testimony for CHRIST would address every aspect of a Christian's life 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I mentioned prayer because I know that we can't do a very good job of anything without the help of GOD. If we are sincere in our prayers, I know that GOD will help us. There is no irony that GOD'S way in all things will lead to the most happiness in this short life, but it is not in our nature to yield in all things without HIS help. When we are down or feeling discouraged, we should consider the riches of CHRIST and our sure knowledge of eternity with HIM. This alone should be the core of our lives, and the more it is, the happier every aspect of our life will be. This is the main reason why Christians should be the happiest people in the world.

Love IN Christ,
Tom

Colossians 1:29 NASB  For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

[ibTina]

Christians - What is it

1 - that you want that will make you happy?

2 - that motivates you to get up each day?

3 - that you need to have peace?

JESUS

JESUS

JESUS

 ummmm did I happen to mention.... JESUS?

some may ask... is it really THAT simple?.... YES!!!