You Do the Math

I've been raised in church all of my life. Because of this, I think, things can get overlooked. While I love to see transformations in sinners lives, we must remember that we are ALL sinners. It is our nature, we were born in sin. Christ had to die for my sins, just as he had to die for that drug addict, or that murderer. Since I've been in church my whole life, I've heard multiple stories of how different ones were saved. They have blessed my heart. But the devil has used them against me as well.

I'm just going to get real here, so bear with me. I don't have some elaborate story of all the horrible things I was in to, when God touched my heart, like some people do. Sometimes I think that preachers, as well as other christians, get stuck on the 'storyline' of their salvation, and not on salvation itself. As a 'church-brat', church is all I've ever known. I don't have a clue what it is like to not have my life centered around church. The devil wants to ride me hard because I don't have that 'big' story of salvation as others do. Being raised in church, the devil can also give you a 'false sense of security' relating to your christian walk. It's what you've always known, so you don't work at it. It's the same as giving your child a new bike, they love it, and enjoy it, but they don't take care of it. But if your child saves his allowance, works for money, and buys that bike for himself, then he takes care of it more. Why? Because he saw what goes into getting the bike, he put his own sweat and tears into getting it. Now I'm not saying that salvation comes through works. Salvation is a gift of God, but you better work on keeping the joy of your salvation!

A new christian who was not raised in church, he knows how the 'other side lives' so to speak. He has that appreciation for his new relationship with Christ. Therefore, he can proudly stand and tell just where God has brought him from! Church brats are made from the same clay, we are just as lost and in need of a Saviour! But, because we were raised in church, I think, the devil has added ammunition against us. He can play more of a mind game, that he can't play with others. What is that mind game, you ask?................DOUBT! As a church brat, I can personally say that the devil waged a war a long time ago on me, by making me doubt my salvation! We all have our doubts, I know, but I think it can really be difficult for church brats.

As I said before, I'm going to get real. I can only speak of my experience, but maybe this will help someone. While the devil cannot, 'unsave' us, he cannot get our souls, he can torture our minds. I was saved as a 7 yr. old girl. Don't think the devil hasn't blown tidal waves of confusion at me over the years! But, I take the blame. I didn't appreciate what I had, I took it for granted, because that's all I had ever known. As the title says, you, must do the math! In II Peter chapter 1 it tells us that we must be diligent in ADDING to our faith! We must add virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, and charity. Though we are eternally saved, we must work in our christian walk, we can't just float along, eventually we are going to hit a wall!

I'm so glad that God didn't give up on me! I'm so thankful of His mercies and grace and love! Thankfully, I can say that the devil cannot win that battle anymore! He may throw waves of doubt my way now, but Thank God, I have a lifeline, and the doubts have to go away! Yes, I was saved as a 7 yr. old girl, but, I finally got to the place where I had to decide to allow God to work in my life and use me, not just go along for the ride. Please learn from me, if you are that 'church brat', don't take it for granted! Get in God's Word daily, get in your prayer closet daily! Seek His face, keep your desire to know more of Him strong! Build on that solid foundation of salvation you received at a young age. The devil is a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, have your armour ready! Some christians can look at the bad they've done, and then see where God changed their lives. Not that they now live perfect, but there's been a definite change. Church brats, however, don't have that frame of reference. We were saved at a young age, before we got out into the world, so our 'sins' the devil likes to pull out are things we've done as a christian. And if you are like me, he likes to point them out and tell me that if I were really saved I wouldn't have done that! Well, I am an old unworthy sinner, saved by the grace of God, but I still have to battle this old flesh that is not saved! Yes, I have failed, but God has forgiven me, and He will forgive you if you only ask Him! He forgets the sin, too! So when the devil tries to pull them out, remind him that Jesus doesn't know what he is talking about!!!! I may be a failure, but praise God, I WAS saved at an early age! It's scary to think how I could've been raised in a home that didn't go to church, didn't know Christ.........I may have never had the opportunity to hear the Word, and be saved!

If I had to choose, I'd choose to be a church brat all over again! The hurt and strife I have not had to go through because of my Godly heritage, I am so grateful for. God is so wonderful to love each and every one of us, no matter our situation, and send His only begotten son to die for us! Do the math today, friend, see how your christian life adds up. Do you have the whole armour of God on? We are in constant battle.........but, don't worry, we've already won the war! Don't let Satan rob you of the joy of your salvation, keep adding to your christian walk, you'll be so glad you did!! The devil is nothing but a big ole liar!

I'm at the best place I've ever been in my life. My walk is pleasing my Father, and that feels wonderful! I am adding to my christian walk and growing in Christ. I appreciate what Christ did for me at such a young age. I now realize how privileged I have been to be a church brat! I'm still a failure, I still fail Him daily, but His mercies are new each and every morning! You cannot make God love you any less! No matter what you do, He loves you!!! Get that through your head, and life becomes all the more sweeter! No matter what your story of salvation is, no matter what you did or didn't do, no matter if you've been raised in church all your life, or never darkened the door until you got saved.................what matters is that you ARE saved! You accepted God's wonderful free eternal gift! Now, what are you going to do for Him?