What is the major factor that shapes your spiritual outlook on life? (What Are You Rooted In ?)

• Is it Church?
• Is it your Pastor?
• Your Parents or Family?
• The Bible ?
• Your Denomination? (Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, etc...) 
• Your Friends?
• Sunday School Teacher
• God/ Christ/ Holy Spirit?

Our belief system is really a combination of the above factors. Of course one of these factors will become the foundation of our spiritual beliefs. Whatever we rely on the most to determine what we believe will act has a filter to all other influences that are in our lives. Therefore, it is very important to find out what influences you the most. Naturally if I was to ask which of these influences is supposed to be the number one influence in a Christians life? The go to answer for most, will be Christ/God. This is scriptural Ephesians 2:19-20 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. The cornerstone is the most important stone in the building. Without the cornerstone the building would crumble.

However, if examination is made to reveal someones core influential factor the results can be shocking.

The Test

• A good test to reveal your most influential factor is to think about basically what you know about God. Next,write out a simple paragraph about what you believe about God. Also write out what you know about God's character. Now look at the paragraph and ask yourself how do you know what you believe is true? Ask the following questions:
• Can you describe a personal experiences with God that backs up your belief? 
• What Scriptures backs up this belief?
• Do you test with the Holy Spirit and scripture what your friends, parents,church, denomination, and pastor say about Christ?

When you talk about spiritual things is your conversation dominated by what God has shown you in scripture or is it about what your pastor has said or church believes?
If someone ask you about your relationship with Jesus Christ do you start describing your church attendance or how many times you read the bible instead of giving a personal testimony about how Christ saved you and what he is doing in your life?There is nothing wrong with letting the factors I have described in this blog influence your beliefs. The danger comes when you choose something other than Christ to become the major influence in your life. I understand for new Christians that they may start with a dependency on the Church or other influences but theses influences should serve to help us create personal growing dependency upon Christ. When we are able to put Christ at the center of our beliefs and anchor our roots deep in Christ, we will find all other influences are put into proper perceptive.