Am I a "fanatic"?

I wrote this a few days after the event took place. I have seldom experienced such extremes of emotion in such a sort amount of time. I was just so happy. My God and Savior Jesus Christ had blessed my family by bringing us together to celebrate his birth. It was a truly joyous occasion. My 10 month old niece was experiencing her first Christmas.

And then it happened.

The Christmas Club
Last night the feeling of Christmas was really in the air. As my Family gathered around the fireplace to visit and listen to Christmas music, one of the most exciting of all Christmas events began to unfold on the front porch; live Christmas carolers! It was short lived for they only had time for two songs and softly sang Frosty the Snowman and We Wish You a Merry Christmas. The carolers were invited in afterwards for cookies and milk, and a few minutes later all returned to normal as they quickly left to continue spreading holiday cheer. It is now just a memory; a memory that has haunted me for days now.

In and of itself, this event may not seem drastic enough to merit the term haunt, but the devil is often in the details. This particular group of carolers was not comprised of just anyone; it was made up of members of my local church youth group, and its leaders. I use the word haunt because it scares me. It scares me to think that the church of today has declined to such a state as to sing worldly holiday songs as Christmas carols. Instead of the neighborhood being filled with songs about the one, true, living God, they heard about a magical man made of snow. What a wasted opportunity for unsaved listeners to hear about the birth Christ. What a tragedy that the neighbors missed seeing a genuine demonstration of love for God, and for fellow Christians with the gift of song.

Hold on, it gets worse. The kids dropped off bundles of cards to each of us from other members of the church. It’s a very small church, 30 adults is a good turn out for Sunday morning, and so I was not surprised when I received only 13 cards. Later that evening I opened them. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but after the “caroling” I guess I was just hoping for something…well…Christian. It was not to be. Card after card said “Happy Holidays” and “Seasons Greetings”. Oh it wasn’t a total loss, three of the thirteen cards contained actual scripture; two others had some sort of religious art work on the front, but with no mention of Christ to be found elsewhere in the card.

I guess I should just forget about it. It really is my problem. You see, it’s my beliefs that caused this situation to get to me in the first place. Maybe I shouldn’t be such a fanatic. Maybe I should make time for other things in my life and quit being such a radical. Why should I be so all consumed anyway? I need more balance. I need to change if I’m going to fit in.

But the thing is...I can’t…because at the front of my mind and the back of my mind…to the left…and to the right…is an image of a man on a cross. This man is very important to me. This man brought me back from the dead. He sought me, and he bought me with his blood. Christmas is the celebration of his birth and if joining your club means forgetting that fact for even one second, I pray to never be accepted.

I ask you, am I a fanatic?

God Bless

TJ

TJ I believe the word says that it, the word, should be a fire shut up in our bones. We are suppose to be fanatics for Christ, but in a loving way.

We went out caroling at out church as well and I must admit I was a bit bugged by the fact that "We Wish you a Merry Christmas" was sang a lot, but I wasn't the leader. However in our case we asked at each house if we could pray for anything in their lives and we had the priviledge of praying for most of the people we sang to.

God wants us zealous but not to get discouraged or bitter in any way. Our response has to be one of prayerfulness and a desire to do it the right way if possible. Maybe next year you could go out with a group of people and do what is in your heart to do.

Keep being zealous and uncompromised but make sure it is seasoned with love and forgiveness.

Goldminer wrote:
We are suppose to be fanatics for Christ, but in a loving way.

John 2:13-17 (New American Standard Bible)

13The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables.

15And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables;

16and to those who were selling the doves He said, "Take these things away; stop making My Father's house a place of business."

17His disciples remembered that it was written, "ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME."

I wanted to ask them to leave and quit making my Father's birthday a pagan holiday

I truly love all those that took part in this event. I would never show any of them disrespect. I was one of the youth leaders last year. The other one is the deacon's son. His favorite TV show is an abomination to God if ever there was one. He would counter mind most things I taught (holiness) with statements like ”it’s really not important” and “everybody sins, I sin all the time” in front of the kids.

I felt much more at peace with God after I quit working with them. I am a minister in the church. They won’t come upstairs when they know I am speaking.

I have a heart for all, and I truly love them, but I find it hard to tolerate blasphemy and mockery from those that call themselves Christians.

If we tolerate, are we not like Paul who “held the coats”?

I have spoken to them before, but at my house, in front of my family…what should I have said?

I said nothing, and I feel guilty. Guilty of not having stood up for my Father.

For letting them trivialize the most important event in history.

God Bless

TJ

i belive that in thease days those who walk whit christ as a man or woman should do, they will be called fanatics or crasy or something worse, but as you write, i dont always see the "right" thing but i can almost every time spot the "wrong"(false) things, like christmas today. But i belive the world needs more "fanatics" like you, may god bless you this year that you all become a little more "fanatic" about Jesus for his names sake

Praise Jesus !!! Lion of Judah!!!!

i encourage you not only to remain a fanatic but to grow into even greater fanatacicm. i am certain that on judgment day you will not be chastised for being to zealous. As i think was allready mentioned it must be a loving zealousness.

Do not let any one discourage you or dampen that flame. We must love Jesus and the things of God above anything or anyone.

i have read and loved your posts not only here but also on entire sanctification. Your hunger for righteousness and love of God is refreshing.

One thing i might suggest that will help to increase and maintain your ardor is to go the poor, homeless and disenfranchised near you. In other words do like Jesus. You may allready be doing this if so continue if not start. Nothing so keeps this old man in a state of revival as feeding, ministering, praying and witnessing to the least fortunate around me.

And yes i also get quite disturbed over the mockery of Jesus that has become the "American Christmas".

God Bless You TJ
Hisservant rich

Matthew 4:17

Bless you, Brother T.J.
May the Love of God touch you today from the top of your head to the soles of your feet.
No, you are not a fanatic, but when a person really wants Jesus to be his or her everything, then people will think that we are fanatic.
It is my hearts desire to be so sold out to Jesus, that all else pales in comparison.
What you experienced hurt Jesus's heart, so that is why it hurt yours.
I remember one time in Church, they had a picture of Jesus on the Cross, and the loin cloth was too low.
It broke my heart.
I wanted to cover Him up.
I won't tell you that you will be accepted by the majority of the Church World, but God has a Remnant, Brother, and when you can't find one of them, He will be your everything.
My Family has thought I was crazy.
They thought Jesus was. Some of His Family did.
I praise God for this post of yours.
I say, Let's press on toward the mark for the prize of the upward call of God.
Thank God for the Blood of Jesus Christ, and for "The Old Rugged Cross."
He said, "IT IS FINISHED". GOD BLESS YOU.

Brother fanatic,

I can't help but think I probably would be taking things in a similar way. I too despise the lies at Christmas time (i.e., santa, reigndeer, elves, the spirit of christmas, frosty). It saddens me greatly that professing Christians lie to their children about such things, instead of exposing the truth. This year I decided that I wasn't going to meet with family because of the above idolatry, which greatly angered many of them. I had waffled for weeks back and forth and finally said "NO" to the blasphemy. As a result, I was labeled an extremist, Pharisee, and pretty much all the other bad words you call someone actually following Christ. What we did was so much more precious than anything I've ever done during this time--one night we went caroling, with actual meaningful Christ-filled hymns. Christmas we delivered Christmas dinners with a local mission taking a little gift basket for people. Well, the Lord has us go to a senior apartment complex. What a joy! With our extra gifts we blessed a couple more people. We actually got to talk about Jesus with people! Spent an hour with one lady, who was not on our route. We exchanged testimonies of being born again and sung hymns together. What mutual encouragement. My children loved it. I can think of no better way to spend Christmas. Certainly wouldn't want to spend it lavishing myself and children with gifts in front of a tree.

Only advice I would give you is to clear your conscience with those who came to your home, not just here in this forum. In fact, it may be better to clear your conscience with them first, then talk about it in the forum. I decided a while back that if I speak about others, first it would be in kindness. Then, whatever council I received either from the Lord or from brothers/sisters, I would go back to that person in love and gentleness and tell them. Now, of course you can't change the reply you get, and you may hear "fanatic." But, rejoice in that day for the small amount of persecution that you endured for Christ's name.

Blessings to you Brother TJ!
Gal. 6:9 "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

Brohter TJ and NLONG, thanks for the refreshing testimony! As a "young" Christian and a mother of young children, I am toubled and saddend around Christmas time too. I didn't want to celebrate the birth of my Lord in the pegan way, but was too weak to stand up and speak up. I didn't know what to do when my son learned about santa and gift exchange from his preschool. I don't want to lie to him but thought that he's too young to be exposed to such conflicts.
I long to become a "fanatic" like Jesus!

TJ,

I certainly know how you feel. I have struggled with these kinds of feelings for a few years now. I have to say that as the years have passed, I have more 'forebearance' now, even though I still have 'zeal'.

Here is a great article by Keith Green (If you haven't already read it) called [url=http://www.lastdaysministries.org/articles/zeal2.html]Zeal: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly[/url]

May you continue to grow in your passion to become more of Him.

-Chanin

YY wrote:
Brohter TJ and NLONG, thanks for the refreshing testimony! As a "young" Christian and a mother of young children, I am toubled and saddend around Christmas time too. I didn't want to celebrate the birth of my Lord in the pegan way, but was too weak to stand up and speak up. I didn't know what to do when my son learned about santa and gift exchange from his preschool. I don't want to lie to him but thought that he's too young to be exposed to such conflicts.
I long to become a "fanatic" like Jesus!

There are many here at Sermonindex with much more wisdom than I that could help you in your situation. I will pray for you.

God Bless

TJ

With love I say,I'm not sure I want much forebearance.

moreofHim wrote:
TJ,

I certainly know how you feel. I have struggled with these kinds of feelings for a few years now. I have to say that as the years have passed, I have more 'forebearance' now, even though I still have 'zeal'.

for·bear·ance
n.
1 The act of forbearing.
2 Tolerance and restraint in the face of provocation; patience.
3 The quality of being forbearing.
4 Law. The act of a creditor who refrains from enforcing a debt when it falls due.

Zeal and restraint definitely require balance, but…

Tolerance in the face of blasphemy

Tolerance in the face of mockery of God

“refrains from enforcing” sounds like the “anything goes” motto of the so called “new churches”

zeal (zēl)
n.
1 Enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance.

It would seem to me we need much more zeal. As with all, and anything, we do we should always do it in love, and with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

I enjoyed the article.

It sounds as if Keith Green had a serious problem, that many of us have been through in our spiritual journey. I don’t think zeal was his problem, just the spiritual immaturity of being a new Christian. I’m sure many of us shudder when thinking of the silly(maybe dreadful?) and misguided things we said and did in the name of God during our spiritual infancy.

I hope you do not feel as if this was attacking you. The word forbearance just struck a nerve with me. I was just picking on the word forbearance.

With Love

God Bless You

TJ

P.S. I like your website. Some GREAT articles!

TJ,

I certainly understand what you are saying. As I grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ, I want to grow in the fruits (peace, kindness gentleness, etc...) as well as keep my fire for Jesus. Have you ever looked up forbearance in the bible? Our Heavenly Father has/had forbearance:

Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? Romans 2:4

Quite a few years ago, I was very zealous and I actualy hurt alot of people close to me. I had such a fire and passion for the Lord and the Lord spoke to me so clearly one day as I was reading about the ministry of John the Baptist (thinking that I would be like him is some way) and so loud and clearly the Holy Spirit prayed in me "O, Lord I need forbearance for this". I had no idea what forbearance was but I knew the Lord was showing me that I needed it before He would use me in some kind of "Preparing the way of the Lord' kind of way.

The very next day I received a devotional from Watchman Nee's daily devotional site and guess what? It was called "Forbearance: An Expression of the Living Christ"

Forbearance: An Expression of Living Christ (1)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Bible Verses ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Phil. 4:5 Let your forbearance be known to all men. The Lord
is near. (6) In nothing be anxious, but in everything, by
prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be
made known to God.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Words of Ministry ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Part 1 of 2)
The first aspect of the expression of a life that lives
Christ is forbearance. Philippians 4:5 says, "Let your
forbearance be known to all men." Later we shall see that a
second aspect is the absence of anxiety. In a life that lives
Christ there will be forbearance, but no anxiety, no worry.
Paul considers forbearance and the lack of anxiety as the
first two aspects of the expression of a life that lives
Christ.

A life that lives Christ is calm, tranquil, peaceful, and
quiet. A life of turmoil, on the contrary, is a life that
lives Satan. Forbearance is the most important element of a
tranquil life. Forbearance is reasonableness and
consideration in dealing with others. To have forbearance is
to deal with others without strictness of legal right. If we
would live a calm life, we must have forbearance.

Forbearance includes patience and moderation, but goes beyond
them. If you have forbearance, you will not argue with
others, fight with them, or debate with them. You may have a
great deal to say, but you will have patience and moderation
in dealing with others and will not say anything in response
to provocation or irritation. Forbearance is versus rivalry
and vainglory, two negative things mentioned by Paul.
Forbearance is also opposed to murmurings and reasonings.
Whenever we have rivalry, vainglory, murmurings, and
reasonings, there is no calm, no tranquility, no forbearance.
(Continued tomorrow)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible
and Words of Ministry from Witness Lee, Life-study of
Philippians, pp. 227-228 Both are published by Living
Stream.
------------------

Thank you for your kind comment about my site. May you continue to grow in His grace and stay afire for Him.

-Chanin

EDIT: sorry about the repeat

The forbearance you speak of is what gets me through every single day. I should clarify about my earlier post. I was speaking of tolerating blasphemy and the trampling of things Holy. This tolerance should not be confused with forbearance. I very much enjoyed your last post, and look forward to the next installment.

God Bless

TJ

YY,

I am fairly young in the Lord also. I've been tolerant and silent for many years. I spoke out little by little against the things I felt the Lord was speaking to me. It was difficult at first to deal with paganness in my own home. It took 3 years to phase-out the tree, it had a great grip on my wife and I. Some was easy though, santa went right away. As you can imagine, it's much harder to deal with paganness in someone elses home, especially family. We just finally decided that they could either fellowship with idols or with us. What a freeing time this year. As we mature in Christ we become stronger, more able to do and share the truth. Be encouraged and grow in the Lord.

As for children, I would not lie to them. They will find out some day and they will be much less forgiving than God. This is the testimony of my wife. She defended the santa lie until middle school and was scorned and ridiculed for believing a lie, which she defended holeheartedly. Trouble was, it was her parents that thought her that, like mine taught me. She didn't think her parents able to lie. It rocked her little world and her faith in her parents when at last they were liars. I spend much time in the word of truth with my little ones. At times they can be judgmental, I just direct thier hearts to be gentle, loving and kind at these times. Of course, my family thinks "those poor little dears, what will those Pharisee's do to those poor children." I hope lead them to the Savior of thier souls.

Keep believing in Jesus and His Word, being cleansed from sin through repentance. Before long, they will despise you as they despised Him. Thats one of those bible promises that doesn't make those cute little books you see in Christian bookstores. :-)

Blessings to you and your family, sister!

This tolerance should not be confused with forbearance

Agreed :-)

Paul,

What a tactic of the Devil. This happened to me as well in my Christian infancy. I was told that you'll be zealous for a little bit, but it'll soon wear off and you'll be like the rest of us. God forbid we should lose our fervor to do His good pleasure!

Continue, brother, to walk by faith and not by sight! And definitely not by feeling. I agree, it's hard when family betrays you with the whole your-a-Pharisee routine. However, the bible says REJOICE IN THAT DAY!

Also, above all else, make sure that if you are convicting others of sin, you're not also a partaker in that sin. Reprove kindly and gently as "a hard word stirs up wrath." Love will conquer the things that mere words cannot. Don't fight back! Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, pray for those who spitefully use you. Don't revile when reviled, but bless! Vengeance is the Lords and his alone.

Believe on the Lord and in His word. Many twist and turn scripture to suit their wicked ways. Take His word for what it says. If others aren't willing to live by God's word that's between them and God. It's not wrong to tell them that. How many of the apostles were what people would call fanatical today? How bout all of the true ones, they all were martyred for their following Jesus Christ, save John. How many that wrote books of our bible would be considered judgemental by today's standard--all of them. They constantly are reproving believers to live a life of repentance, a life in the nature and by the Spirit of Christ. That would be interesting to study!

Something I've been doing with my children is reading missionary stories every night for devotions. Others have given their all, and though many Christians today aren't willing to do that doesn't make it the way it ought to be.

Bless you Paul, may our Lord strengthen you and teach you and confort you in this time. Lean on Him. May you be a man after your namesake!

Neil