I was in Downtown OKC this weekend with some of my friends just walking around and showing people the love of God. We came across a group standing on the corner yelling parts of the bible at people. As we listened to them, our hearts grew broken. We waited until they were done shouting verses and doctrine and arguing with the people who came up to debate with them and we walked with them to their cars, listening to what was on their hearts and what their purpose was for doing what they were doing. As we walked away from the conversation, our hearts were overwhelmed with compassion and tears fell from our eyes. They had settled for a counterfeit truth. They knew parts of what the bible said, but they missed the most important parts. They were so close, but in all the doctrine, they lost sight of the heart of God for His people. Satan’s deception was at work and it was obvious to mostly everyone but them.
They settled for counterfeit when they could have the real thing.
I spent sometime examining my life the last week or so trying to identify what counterfeits I am settling for and I challenge you to do the same.
Counterfeit:made in exact imitation of something valuable or important with the intention to deceive or defraud. There’s a comment that comes to mind, I heard on of my friends say it last week. “for everything counterfeit, there is something else so real. There can only be counterfeit of something if the real thing exists.”
The world gladly hands us counterfeits. Counterfeit happiness, counterfeit love,counterfeit identity, counterfeit fun, counterfeit promises, counterfeit truths…(is that an oxymoron? haha) The sad part is, we entertain them. We settle so often for the counterfeit because it’s easy or convenient, or we don’t identify it as counterfeit.. Counterfeits are created merely to keep us from the truest parts of what God has for us. As long as we are content in the counterfeits-well maybe I should say, as long as we are distracted by the counterfeits- we are no threat to Satan. As long as we are distracted by the counterfeits, we are not sharing the light of God’s love!
I don’t want Counterfeit Christianity! I don’t want counterfeit identity, promises,pleasures, happiness, or successes the world has to offer me. I want the real deal. I want God. I want what He has given to us.
There comes a time where we must decide for ourselves, right? A time where we decide if we want the truth, freedom, love, passion, joy and all the kingdom offers us, or if we want the worlds counterfeit. Do we want to live easy and empty settling for the counterfeit truths we are told or pick up our crosses daily, putting on our armor daily and flourishing in the wholeness and truth God has given us.
It’s time to choose.It’s become so easy to say “I’m a Christian” but are you? Are you really a disciple of Christ? And if so, there are still counterfeit mentalities we deal with. Identify them and throw them out!
Are you a Counterfeit Christian? We can’t entertain the world and be a christian. We live for one or the other. We can’t belong to both. We can’t sit on the fence.
You belong to Christ. You have a true purpose in Him and in His Kingdom and it’s beautiful. It may not be easy, but it’s not counterfeit.
So I challenge you- are you settling for the counterfeits of the world or are you living your days hand in hand with Christ, embracing the reality of who He is- in you, through you, and for you.
With all the love in my heart,
Andie
