Things I Do Not Want to Become

Good Morning,

Years ago, I read an article in which a pastor wrote that he did not want to become an old grump; that sounded good to me, and it got me thinking.

As the years pass, I see the path many believers have taken, and I see the warning signs for my own life.  Good people can take paths that are easily within my reach.  I could travel the same road they have, and in so doing, I could end where they ended. As the years pass, I have to determined what I want.  With all that said, there are some kinds of people that I do not want to become.

I do not want to become... A non-Bible reader.  I want to keep reading my Bible daily.

I do not want to become...Someone who never passes out a tract or witnesses for Christ.  I have watched good people never witness and certainly never knock on a door.

I do not want to become...Someone who looks for the bad in people. I want to be a hopeful believer, not a critical scorner.

I do not want to become... A church attendee who never does anything: never teaches, never helps in Vacation Bible School, never sings in the choir, or never plays in an orchestra. I want to be a help to the ministry. I wast to be someone who invests in the work of God, not a spectator who does nothing.

I do not want to become...A believer who never sacrifices for the cause of Christ.  For years, many people gave sacrificially from their limited finances, and then as years passed, they became fearful or selfish and many ended up never giving to the work of God.

I do not want to become... A comfortable church member, one who attends a church in which everyone is comfortable; no one is pushed to do more, to be more, or to accomplish great works for Christ.  

I do not want to become... A person whose daily conversation matches that of the lost world around me rather than that of the children of God.  Many believers grow worldly as they age.  Their social life is the same as their unsaved neighbors, their conversation consists of basically whatever is on television, their recreation is no different from the world, and their casual "religion" is no different from a Catholic (they attend church once or twice a month, but their life is not changed).

I do not want to become... A fraud.  I long to be what God desires me to be, and at least part of that means to present myself a living sacrifice. (Romans 12:1-2)

What do I want to be?  God gives clear directions. 

Titus 2:14 “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

1 Peter 2:9 “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:”

Pastor