Authentic faith

“I asked a friend of mine about her impression of a Christian conference she had attended. This friend is by no means a critical woman, but I could hear her heart’s sadness as she said, “Virtually every emphasis was on how to become more fulfilled, more successful, healthier, you name it. It just seemed like a very self-centered approach to me.” It’s a fine line to walk, because, in general, we will prosper when we listen to God’s wisdom for handling money. Our relationships and families will be stronger when we adopt the attitudes and virtues of Jesus Christ. We will experience more joy as we walk in obedience, and God does bless us in many ways – but if any of these blessings become the focus, or even worse, the purpose, of our faith, we have slipped from practicing an authentic faith and substituted instead a gross distortion. Christianity was birthed in sacrifice …” (Gary L Thomas, Authentic Faith, Zondervan (Grand Rapids, Michigan), 2002, p 201).

Photo from www.iam-usa.com