Thursday, 01 October 2009

• Praying for Revelife (And Your Own Blog)

  I've previously written about my concern about Xanga and Revelife, including that I've been praying for this blogging community. (For example, please see here, here, here, here and here)
  
  Why should we pray for Revelife?
  
  Well, first of all I know many of us have slammed and griped about Revelife on more than one occasion (guilty myself of that). If you're reading this and you're a Christian, I think you would agree with me that instead of complaining to one another, wouldn't it make a lot more sense for us to lift up our concerns to God in prayer? Certainly God cares about this place, does He not? We know that God invites us to cast our cares on Him. He also exhorts us not to be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and with thanksgiving to take our requests to Him.

  Why else should we pray for Revelife? Well, let's look at some of what we know about Revelife.

  When I checked recently, Revelife had 21,889 friends (and I don't know how many subscribers there might be). We know that not all 21,889 friends read the blog daily, yet we do know there's still a pretty large audience. Or to think of it in terms of God's perspective: there are a lot of souls our there...a lot of sheep. Therefore, my brothers and sisters in Christ, Revelife has the potential of having huge influence and impact on a very large number of lives.
  
  That's another reason we should be praying. Or should I say another several thousand reasons for praying. There are human souls behind each of those screen names and avatars – souls who are all lost apart from calling upon the name of Christ, or souls who may know Him but are seeking a drink of living water here since they can't find it in their local churches (another subject altogether...).
  
  As most of you already know, Revelife takes the name Christian and uses it in its advertising. For example, Revelife purports itself as "Christian Community for the Heart, Mind, and Soul." We also find this description on the profile page: "Embracing the Christian lifestyle, we are a group of Christians writing about current events, everyday problems, and random fun musings."

  I don't know about you, but shouldn't we have a high regard for the name Christian? Yet we know that in too many places what it means to be Christian has become distorted and dumbed down. All right then, let's ask the question: What does it mean to be Christian?
  
  I see the worms as I asked that...Yes, I know we are opening that proverbial can of worms. I acknowledge that within the Body of Christ, there is much variety. But putting that aside, can't we agree that when we consider the word Christian, when someone or something claims to be Christian, shouldn't they be Christ-centered? In regard to Revelife – shouldn't a blog that claims to be Christian actually be Christ-centered? Yes, I know Revelife is not a church, a church ministry or even a parachurch ministry; I know it is a business. That said, we do know that God does not take it lightly when the name of His blessed Son is tossed around willynilly with no regard to His glory. We are told that everyone who names the name of Christ should depart from iniquity. God is deadly serious about the use of His Name and His Son's Name...We are to be hallowing His Name. "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name..." And remember: that's the reason Moses didn't get to enter the Promised Land – Moses failed to hallow God in the eyes of Israel (see Numbers 20).
  
  So, then, what does it mean to be Christ-centered?
  
  As we consider Revelife and our own blogs, we can think of being Christ-centered in both our content and our conduct. Therefore, we should pray that we who call ourselves by the name of Christ might be truly Christ-centered, that we might walk worthy of His holy Name, both in what we write and in how we write.
  
  Here are some ways (not an all-inclusive list by any means) you might pray for Revelife, your own blog and the blogs of fellow believers in Christ so that our blogging might be Christ-centered to the glory of God.
  
  1. May Your Son Jesus Christ and His Gospel be given the preeminent place for it is only then that You, Lord God, our Redeemer, will get all the glory due Your holy Name. You alone are worthy and You alone deserve all the praise, honor and glory. May the cross and Christ crucified be lifted up. May Your gracious mercies offered to sinful men be published broadly for all to read.
  
  2. May the Christian Gospel be lifted up as the only Gospel, for there is no other true gospel. The Gospel of Christ is Your power unto salvation to all who believe. May we never put other gospels on an equal footing with Your glorious Gospel in the name of tolerance and a skewed sense of love. Your love to sinful man comes through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We show we love one another when we lift up Your Gospel and keep it always in the forefront. Guard us from lifting up false gospels as true gospels. Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life and no man comes to You but by Him. There is no other way, no other truth and no other life. There is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. Jesus Christ is the one and only Savior, the one Mediator between God and men. His work alone is wholly sufficient to save all who would believe. May You anoint Your people to proclaim the Gospel boldly and clearly so all false gospels would be exposed. Legalism is a false gospel. Moralism is a false gospel. Works-righteousness is a false gospel. Putting ourselves back under the law is a false gospel. Social activism is a false gospel. Denominationalism is a false gospel. Governments of men are false gospels. Orthodox doctrine apart from right practice is a false gospel. Licentiousness is a false gospel.
  
  3. May both Your holiness and men's sinfulness be clearly taught. May You, O holy God, be portrayed as both a righteous judge as well as a merciful and gracious Savior. Grace and truth met in Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, therefore, may Your just judgment be lifted up alongside Your love and mercy poured out for sinful men at Calvary's cross. You are just and justifier for all who have faith in Jesus.
  
  4. May all that is written and published always be rooted in Your God-breathed words to us which we find in the Bible. Though we can glean much from the traditions and teachings of men, they are not on a par with the Scripture. May all who write, edit and read be discerning and may Your Holy Spirit lead us into truth and guard us from error. May You strategically place some believers who are well-rooted in the apostles' doctrine on the staff of Revelife to guard and uphold the Gospel of Christ.
  
  5. May You give us the grace and humility to treat one other with love. May You strengthen us to stand for truth when Your Name is being dishonored or Your Gospel is being compromised. May we never fear or shrink back from speaking the truth in love. Let us rather fear not speaking the truth. May we be discerning so we might know the difference between the essentials of our faith and the nonessentials. On essentials, may we be unified and contend for the Gospel and never give way to false gospels. But on nonessential matters, may we be flexible and may we never become contentious with our brothers and sisters to the point that we disregard and attempt to rip apart the fellowship Jesus bought us as His flesh was torn for us. May we endeavor to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace for Your Spirit birthed us into Your family, reconciled us not only to You but to one another. May all we do be done with love. May we never resort to personal attacks or coarse language but speak Your truth in the power of Your Holy Spirit without fear and with clarity and boldness. And then help us to look patiently to the day we will reap in joy as we trust Your sovereign Spirit will take the seeds we plant and soften hard hearts to receive them and bear fruit in many lives to Your glory.
  
  Have you ever prayed for Revelife and its readers?
  Have you ever prayed for your own writing, your own blog and your readers?
  How else might we pray for Revelife and our own blogs?

  • 10:23 AM
  • 306 Views
  • 6 eProps
  • 4 Comments