Quiet Confidence
To be known and to know Jesus Christ, that is our starting point. But how do we move from the knowing to the living with His mind in this secular age? How do we resemble His attributes in the way we live our lives? As His new creation (2 Cor. 5:17) we have been transformed. We are now directed by the Holy Spirit in our lives (I Cor. 2:16b). Such a transformation allows us to impact all aspects of life, such as politics, economics, societal living, or, as in my case, through the performing arts. As a member of a Community Choir, I have experienced firsthand the importance of having the mind of Christ in a secular age. As Christ’s ambassador, I am called to stand up for the truth. As a musician in a secular environment, I have a greater responsibility to use my gifts and abilities in a way that honors God.I do so by carefully evaluating the lyrics of the songs I am asked to sing. Prior to a recent concert, I was presented with a musical piece in which the lyrics were filled with words that were not God-honoring. The lyrics expressed a secular view of the world. The song was consumed with lies and words that expressed despair. This left me understanding that people truly have no hope. After wrestling inwardly with these questions, I approached my parents , who agreed with the issues I detailed, and they were also alarmed. We crafted an email to the conductors with our concerns about the worldview they were representing, but sadly, their response was less than encouraging, yet predictable. It was now up to me to decide what the next move should be. This experience left me understanding that the world without God has a strong, misguided belief in a faulty worldview. I had to ask myself an important and hard question: How does having the Mind of Christ and being directed by the Holy Spirit guide me moving forward? Do I believe so strongly in my worldview that I would be willing to stand out? To have the mind of Christ in this situation, I had to stand out and stand up for what I know to be true.That meant my only option was not to sing that particular piece both at rehearsal and at the concert. I had to immerse myself in the Word of God while praying and meditating on Him so that I could have the boldness to be silent. In this situation, having the Mind of Christ meant to stand silently while others sang all around me, glaring at my boldness for the truth. Even though it was uncomfortable, I now know exactly what it means to have the mind of Christ. It was the only way to stand out and stand up for what I know to be true. “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2). This boldness led me to opportunities to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others as they questioned my decision. This experience led me to have a great desire to be a part of a choir that expresses music in a God-honoring way I find it frustrating that there is no opportunity for me or other like-minded teens to be a part of a Christian Community Choir. I would desire to create a group like this that would sing songs centered around having the mindset of Christ. The current secular choir I am a member of sells 2000+ tickets to all its events. People leave that concert hall, celebrating having a secular worldview preached to them. A view full of despair and hopelessness. I think of the amazing impact a Christian Community Choir could have where the mindset is one of Christ front and center. This mindset would radiate Christ’s love, compassion, humility, and kindness. The songs that would be presented would not focus on how we can save the world, but on how Christ already saved the world.To know him and to make him know through the arts is a powerful way to proclaim to others the good news of Jesus Christ.
Ana Elisabeth Johnson
Posture of a Believer
Depressed! Discouraged! Defeated! Pay attention to your posture! Maintaining good posture is critical, both physically and spiritually. As believers in Christ, our posture is a visible expression of our alignment with God. Walking uprightly, in the wholeness intended by God, begins with understanding our position in Christ. Posture is a reflection of our position. Upon salvation, a person's identity is Christ. (Ephesians 2:19, NIV) and (2 Corinthians 5:17, NIV) Understanding our identity with Christ first allows us to adjust our posture to Christ. Our posture does not change who we are; however, it changes how we live our lives. Posture is an expression of our confidence and hope found in Jesus. "God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV) As believers in Christ, we are given several postures in which to stand. There are five main postures in which we must focus our attention.
1. Posture of a Warrior. A warrior is equipped and trained to withstand battles. A warrior is a trained soldier. As believers in Christ, our battlefield is in the Spiritual realm. Our posture is one of victory, for the battle has been won. Yet, while we wait for the final day, we must stand our ground. Ephesians 6 provides clear instructions on how to maintain a proper posture. We must put on the armor of God. A warrior fights his battles firmly grounded on the truth of God's word. Jeremiah 1:19 (EXB) states, “They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am
with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you.
2. Posture of Prayer- "Pray all times in the Spirit. " (Eph 6:18, NIV). While Jesus was on earth, he modeled this posture. The posture of prayer is the cornerstone to living a victorious life in Christ. It is this posture that empowers the posture of a warrior. The posture of prayer aligns our hearts with the will of God. Prayer is the venue that connects our souls with our Savior. As we lay our petitions at his feet, the burdens of our souls are lifted, Christ is magnified, and our posture is corrected. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ESV)- “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
3. Posture of Worship- The posture of worship reflects the condition of our hearts in
adoration of Christ. A heart of worship is also one of thanksgiving. (John 4:23-24) The posture of worship begins with praise and thanksgiving. When in the posture of true worship, our focus is drawn away from self and directed wholly to our God.” So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son" ( Ephesians 1:6 NIV)
4. Posture of Service- A posture of service reflects a heart that understands its position
in Christ. It is a visible outpouring of the grace that has been received. As believers fully grasp the significance of Christ's sacrificial act on the cross, their posture of service becomes infused with joy and takes on the essence of genuine sacrifice. In Romans 12:6-8 Paul defines different ways a believer should serve.
5. Posture of Faith- The posture of faith is a cornerstone to our identity in Christ because
faith establishes our position in Christ. It is out of this posture that every other posture is
aligned. I call this posture the backbone. It is the spinal cord of a believer. It is this posture that keeps us secure in our identity in Christ. We stand tall in our faith. “For by faith, you have been saved, not of yourselves; it is a gift from God.” (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)
Today, you can walk upright in the posture of a warrior in prayer, worship, service, and faith
because of the confidence you have in Christ Jesus, which is given by the access we have
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Simone Johnson
When we put God First and Culture Second
"You can't get second things by putting them first; you can get second things only by putting first things first." — C.S. Lewis. There is no culture without God. There is no need for a balance of earthly and Heavenly things without God, and Daniel knew this best. Daniel kept first things first and let the remaining things fall into place. In Daniel 3:3, we see that Daniel was responsible, faithful, and trustworthy towards the earthly and second king. He proved more reliable than all the other administrators and officials. He was the most reliable to the king.
Satan did not like that a Citizen of Heaven was doing good work and excelling in the kingdom. So Satan set out to change this. Working through jealous men, he was able to mess with king Darius' mind by declaring that he should be the only one people pray to. This judgement made it impossible for Daniel or anyone else in the city to pray to God, or Satan thought. Daniel knew something important. First things first. He knew that he was first a citizen of heaven and second a citizen of earth. He never put God below His own creation; he always put God above His creation. Daniel was not going to change the fact that God came first. The first thing Daniel did when he heard the king's decree was to break it. Daniel prayed. He asked God for help. Daniel knew there might be consequences, but that did not matter. The one who put King Darius on the throne was the one that Daniel served. I wonder what our culture would look like if we lived with as much confidence in God as Daniel did. How would life be different if we had the strength to keep first things first?
Our lives and world are different now when compared to Daniel’s world, but we still have many earthly kings; it is just that our kings are in different forms. They may be social media influencers, politicians or many other distractions. We are making these people and possessions higher than God. We live for them rather than for God. If we were to put God first and these earthly kings second, we would be able to see, hear, think, and ultimately serve more clearly. “Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need”(Matthew 6:33 NLT).
When God is the center of our lives, we can live according to His will, serving Him and those He has put in authority. We can do this like Daniel, with respect, responsibility, trustworthy, faithful, and loving. When God is at the center, nothing else can change that. You can put God in the center of your life now. Do what Daniel did: Pray. Ask God to come back into focus, becoming the center of your life, and then He will give you the power and desire to do His will and keep Him first. Charles Spurgeon said it this way. “Have your heart right with Christ, and He will visit you often, and so turn weekdays into Sundays, meals into sacraments, homes into temples, and earth into heaven.”
Ana Elisabeth Johnson