What Have You Said Yes To?

 

The crowd roared as the popular worship band exited the stage. Hundreds had stood in response to the call to follow Jesus. They had come forward to thunderous applause, some weeping, some bewildered, and joined the throng at the foot of the stage. A member of the band led them in a group prayer and volunteers tossed handfuls of gospel tracts over their heads. What a night! Awesome music. Sensational testimonies. Hundreds responding to the message of the kingdom.

But then they all went home. The excitement fizzled. Rush hour traffic replaced the soaring harmonies. Overdue bills and hateful coworkers pushed the thrill of that night into a hazy memory. The craving for sensual pleasures overcame the flicker of spiritual longing, and many who had walked forward for change now walked back to the world. Belonging to Jesus had seemed so emotionally thrilling at the concert, but what was all this about obedience? Mountaintop expectations began to resemble humility and self-sacrifice. Disillusionment set in. They hadn’t really listened to the part about lordship, self-denial, or endurance, and after a few weeks it was clear that the response for many had been to the rush of adrenaline, not the Holy Spirit. Like seeds planted in rocky soil, they sprouted quickly but would never grow because there was no root to sustain them.

 Have you said “yes” to a rush of adrenaline or “yes” to the lordship of Jesus? 

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Decisions or Discipleship

 

“But since they have no root, they last only a short time.”  Mark 4:17-18

Miss Linda set aside the Bible and smiled at her classroom of six-year-olds. “So that’s all there is to is!  Who loves Jesus? Who wants to go to heaven some day? Raise your hand!” All fourteen hands went up. “That’s wonderful!” cried Miss Linda. “Now repeat this prayer and you are saved forever!” Miss Linda went home satisfied that there were 14 new converts in the kingdom of God. But were there? Were those “converts” still following Jesus ten…twenty…thirty years later?

We sometimes reduce the plan of salvation to a 1-2-3 formula that supposedly assures us of heaven while we resume our regular lives. But Jesus never preached any such thing (Luke 14:25-33). While some 5-year-olds truly are able to surrender their futures to Jesus, many people assume that because they once prayed a prayer or got baptized they now belong to God—despite the decades of hellacious living that followed. 

Scripture does not support this idea (1 John 3:6). When a seed is planted, we can tell it is alive because it produces roots, stems, leaves, and eventually fruit. If it doesn’t take root and produce, it is dead and useless. Likewise, when the word of God takes root in our hearts, our lives begin to change. If His word has not produced roots, growth, and fruit in a person’s life, then what they considered a “decision for Christ” may also be dead and useless.

 Are you relying on an early “decision” for your salvation that has not resulted in a transformed life? 

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To (Not) Do List

“Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you…” Matt 28:20

Beth had been out of work for a year. Desperation was setting in. Then she got a call. The owner of a Fortune 500 company offered her a dream job at six figures, with a car, a signing bonus, and an awesome retirement. Overjoyed, she accepted and immediately called all her friends to share the good news. On the first day of work, the owner welcomed her with a smile and hearty handshake. After thanking him for the opportunity, she pulled a paper from her pocket. “I’ve made a list of things I will do and those I won’t do,” she said. “I know what the job description says, but I didn’t like some of it, so I won’t be doing that. I’m sure you’ll understand. You’re just glad to have me here, right?” How long do you think Beth kept that job?

When Jesus said we were to teach new converts to obey all His commands, He was not making a suggestion. He never offers compromise either. He’s the Boss. Yet, many times we think we can come to Christ, accept His pardon, forgiveness, and eternal life while pulling a list out of our pockets. If an earthly boss would not put up with that, why do we think our new Lord will? The church impacts the world for good when every member is committed to obeying all the commands Jesus gave us.

Have you tried to accept God’s offer of new life, while pulling a list out of your pocket?

Time to Turn Around

“Repent” is a Bible word meaning a change of mind that results in a change of action. Imagine that you are driving west and halfway to your destination, you remember that you left your wallet at home. You must have it for what you are about to do. So as soon as possible, you find a turnaround and head in the opposite direction. You were heading west, thinking everything was fine. But something changed. You gained sudden understanding that caused you to make an abrupt change and head east. There may be detours and flat tires, but you are still headed in the right direction. 

That is a picture of repentance. 

When we come to the understanding that God is holy and we are not, we realize we have a big problem. We cannot keep going the way we are going and end up where we want to be. We must repent. We must have a change of mind about who is right and who should run our lives. It used to be Self. But when we repent, we agree with God about our sin and His right to be in charge of our lives. That change of mind results in a change of action. We cannot repent and continue to follow the same sin path we were on before, just as you cannot go east and west at the same time. Repentance changes our direction.

God offers a full pardon to everyone who comes to Him in repentance (Luke 5:32). Have you repented of your sin and allowed God to change your direction?

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Can We Make a Deal?

One question we hear a lot today is, "Can I be Christian and ________?" Can I be Christian and gay? Can I be Christian and party? Can I be Christian and sleep with whoever I want? The questions go on, filled with most of the items on Paul's "NO" list found in Galatians 5:19-21. 

Unfortunately, many well-meaning Christians don't know how to answer. We try to tip the scales in favor  of Grace and forget that there's another side called Truth--a combination Jesus always held in perfect balance. He already gave us the answer to these questions when He included the account of the rich young ruler in three of the four Gospels.

An all-around decent guy came to Jesus with the same question: "Can I be Christian and keep my old identity?"  This guy was a believer. He had no doubt that Jesus was who He said He was, and he wanted in on it. But He wanted to make a deal. He wanted what Jesus offered without giving up His old life. Jesus said no. And He let the guy walk away. Then He added the chilling clencher, "How hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!" 

I don't think Jesus has changed His answer, and we don't have the authority to change it either.

The Envelope Please...

 "Open it! Open it!"

Ever watch little children at a birthday party when it's time for presents? Eyes bright with expectation, jumping up and down, clapping hands, and giggling. They can hardly wait for the birthday kid to open the gifts. Why? It's not their birthday. Not their gifts. But they joyfully anticipate learning what delightful secrets are hidden inside the brightly wrapped boxes. It's a mystery they can't wait to unravel.

That's the picture I get when I read Roman. 8:19: "For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed." Have you ever really pondered what that verse means? It means no one but God knows who His children are.

This verse hints at Jesus' parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13. Tares (weeds) look exactly like wheat as they grow together. Eager workers wanted to search the field for tares and pull them up, but the farmer said no. Not yet. Jesus was comparing this field to the His followers. Believers and unbelievers live and work side by side and no one knows the difference. Sometimes even they don't know. The rest of creation doesn't know either who is really a child of God and who is a tare. An imitator.

Imagine that. Even the angels of heaven don't know. Only God does. All creation is jumping up and down, crying out to Jesus: "Open it! Open it!" Salvation is a mystery to the rest of creation. It is a concept only possible for human beings. 

Do you wait eagerly for the children of God to be revealed? Or does that idea scare you to death? We don't need to try to rip up the tares. Jesus promised that His holy angels will do that when He comes again. 

But be sure you are not a tare. If you wonder about it, please see this link and make certain that when the gifts are opened, you are delighted.

Choose Your Plan

A trip to the phone store can be a daunting experience. So many plans. So many options and tracks you can take, depending upon what you want to spend and the benefits of spending it.

Some Bible teachers present Christianity that way. You can choose Plan A-- Regular Christian, or Plan B--Disciple of Christ. Some teach that you can be a Christian without being a disciple. Is this what Jesus taught? Does the Bible present two options for those who would call themselves Christians?
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Consider the ramifications. With Plan A, you simply believe, ask Jesus into your heart, and then go about your regular life with only a few minor adjustments, like some church attendance or cleaning up your language. Just enough to look Christian. With this plan you get pardon from the Father, Jesus as your friend, and the Holy Spirit as your Comforter. On top of that you can look forward to eternal life in heaven. Ignoring Romans 6 won't be difficult because you don't really need to read the Bible anyway. Bible Verse snippets texted from Plan B Christians to your phone is all the spiritual food you really need. You can continue like this your entire life, and expect heaven as your reward for simply believing.
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Plan B, discipleship, offers all the benefits of Plan A, however it requires that you go through a sometimes painful new birth process that will result in dying to your sin, enduring hardship, expecting suffering, practicing self-denial, and loving Jesus more than anything else. Your chief desire will be holiness, which means you follow Jesus even when it hurts. In addition to heaven, you are promised some ambiguous rewards that you hang on to for a few minutes before casting them at Jesus' feet, and then everyone is even. Heaven is presented as an equal opportunity destination.
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Now, who in their right mind would choose Plan B? 
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Did Jesus present it that way? In Acts 11:26, the two plans combine. It says, "The disciples were first called Christians." They were called "little Christs" as a form of ridicule. The word Christian originated as a taunt from unbelievers as a way to mock followers of Christ who were trying to live like Jesus. But since then, we have so misconstrued the term that it has lost original meaning. In our world, Christian no longer means "little Christs." It often stands for religious bigoted hypocrites who hide their secret sins while loudly decrying the open ones of others. Or it implies Bible-tainted worldliness. Neither fits the original definition. Nor is either offered by God as an option for those who would inherit eternal life.
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We can isolate a few verses that say all we need to do is "believe." But if we take the whole counsel of God, all Jesus' words in their entirety, and consider what it takes to gain eternal life, the message seems clear.  It is the same answer Jesus gave the rich young ruler: "Sell all you have and come follow me." The pious young lawyer already believed, but he wasn't willing to be a disciple. At no point did Jesus offer him Plan A.

The young man went away sad. (Mark 10:21-22)

I think that says it all.
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Abundant Generosity

Max Lucado, in his book It's Not About Me uses this story to illustrate the generosity of God:
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The owner of a restaurant offered to treat everyone on her son's Little League team to breakfast. The next morning, the team and their families stood in line and chose what they wanted from the lavish buffet. The hostess stood next to the cashier and as each invited guest came through the line, she murmured to the cashier, "No charge. He's a friend."

But not everyone in the restaurant was treated this way. Others sat at tables far away, alone, paying their own price because they did not know the hostess. "Though her generosity was abundant, it was not universal. Those who did not know her paid a price."

On the Great Judgement Day, millions will stand in line. The sins of each will be boldly displayed. No one is more deserving of eternal life than any other. But Jesus stands beside the cashier. For those who know Him, He whispers, "No charge. He's a friend." His generosity is abundant, but it is not universal.

The world has come up with thousands of plans, religions, and ideologies that they hope will serve them well in the end. They have recreated and redefined God to mean what they want Him to mean. But all of that will vanish when we stand in line. 

The only question that will matter then is: Do I know the Host?

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Except For This One Thing

"Are you sure Mom said we can't have these cookies?" twelve-year-old Jack asked. He folded his arms and fixed an intimidating stare on his little brother.

Five-year-old Ricky dropped his eyes and chewed his lip. "Well, um...yeah, I think she did. She said...she said..." He grabbed his head with both hands. "I...I think she said we couldn't even touch them! They're for her class, but--" His head slowly swiveled until he was eye-level with the counter where the still-warm cookies tantalized. "Well, maybe she didn't really mean it."

Human reasoning was Satan's first weapon against mankind and he's still using it today. The first temptation began with the words, "Has God really said...?" Implied in the simple question was the idea that a reasonable authority would never say such a thing. There had to be a miscommunication. Human understanding could come up with a more acceptable solution.

The world hasn't changed that much. Human beings haven't changed. Satan's tactics worked back then and they work now. They work so well that he even applies them to salvation. His lie tells us that we get to define our own level of commitment to Jesus Christ.

The rich young ruler tried it in Matthew 19. He came to Jesus and basically asked, "Who do I make the check out to?" Jesus loved him, but he knew his heart. Jesus never let his love for people compromise his message or the truth. The young man went away very sad because his bottom line was "I will give you everything but THAT!"

Thousands of people today are basing their eternal destiny on the unfounded hope that they can write their own ticket to heaven. They have no problem buying into the truth of the Gospel. They believe Jesus died for them, and they can commit to doing some Christian-looking things. In fact, they welcome the chance. It makes them feel better. But in their hearts, they refuse to let go of ownership.

"I'll give you most of me, Jesus, except for this one thing." This One Thing is usually a sin stronghold, a habit, a relationship, or a sense of control. They, like the rich young ruler, hope they can impress Jesus with enough flash that he won't notice they aren't giving him everything.

He's not impressed. He loves them, but he's not impressed. And he never bends the rules for anyone.

God did not bend the rules for Adam and Eve. And he won't bend the rules for you and me. When Jesus said we must "deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow him," he meant it. No one gets to say, "except for this one thing," and be a true follower of Christ.

We don't have anything to do with salvation. God writes the ticket. It is his way or it is no way. He does not barter, compromise, or change. If you are holding out, holding back, or explaining that you want to follow him "except for this one thing," you are fooling yourself.

What is that "one thing" that is  keeping you from a real relationship with Jesus? Has God really said? Yes, he has. Whatever His Word says is the way it has to be. We don't get to write our ticket the way we think it should go. We don't get to pick and choose the sins we want to keep.

If we want what he offers, we do it his way.

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What's the Big Deal?

He was the delight of his Father. Their joy was complete when they were together. They needed nothing else. Unity of spirit, unity of desire, unity in every way. It was their very existence. They laughed together, planned together, rejoiced together in delight at their creation. They had always done everything as One and would continue to do so.

Except Friday was coming.

We often overlook what that Friday really meant to God. We read of Jesus' agonized cry in the Garden of Gethsemane and cringe at the physical torture he faced. Sure, he was grieved. Who wouldn't be? And in our human attempt to understand, we miss the real point.

We can only fathom the physical realities of the beatings and crucifixion. They were gruesome enough, but not the real pain. To comprehend the real tragedy of those 9 hours we have to get inside the mind of God and gaze for a moment upon total unity. 

We don't understand unity. Marriage is the best picture God could paint for us and we have made a mockery of that.

But the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit know. It's all they'd known. Jesus knew what was coming and experienced a dread so great it almost killed him beforehand. To be separated, despised, scorned by his Father. It was unthinkable.

But in those hours, Jesus became SIN. The sin he had never touched now defiled him in every way. As he was hoisted into the hair to hang as a public disgrace, the heaviness of every sin human beings had ever embraced pressed upon him.

And he had to endure his Father's disgust. "How could you! You lied! You stole! You adulterer! I'm horrified by you. You deserve this just punishment.'

The thunder of Righteousness Offended echoed through the soul of the Son with a vibration that would have shaken him off the cross had the spikes been weaker.

"You disgust me! How could you rape little babies? You've cannibalized human flesh! You've molested old women, tortured pets, and ignored your children! You are covered with the stench of immorality, arrogance, and lust! I cannot stand this! I will not look at you any longer!"

He took not only our evil acts, he also took our grief. Our regret. Our sorrow. The One who had never known remorse now felt the full force of our guilt in his heart. The shame of the 16-year old after losing her virginity. The regret of the 22-year-old mom after the abortion. The grief of the drunk driver who has just killed a family of 3. The embarassment over the drunken party. The remorse at hiding those porn videos. As his body bore the weight of our sin, his soul bore the weight of our guilt.

And the source of Living Water cried out, "I thirst!" It was not wine he wanted, nor water. His soul, as David's once did,  thirsted for the Living God. A thirst he had never experienced before.

"Your evil requires that I withdraw my presence. You are the very embodiment of all I hate. I cannot tolerate you in this condition. I am leaving you. This is what it feels like to be without Me. This is the punishment your sin deserves."

The sky grew dark as the Light withdrew.  But it was a darkness the Son had never known and he cried out, as a child cries out in terror: "Father! Abba! Don't leave me! Why? Why are you forsaking me?"

In those hours on the cross, Jesus gave us a clear picture of what Hell is like. Hell is feeling the full weight of our sin and guilt with no comforting presence of the Father. No relief. No hope. No end.
 
God displayed Hell for all the world to see so that no one has an excuse.

Until we comprehend what our sin cost God, we will continue to abuse his grace. We wrinkle our noses at our self-will and pride and we shrug. "What's the big deal? God will forgive me."
  
Take another long look at what happened during 9 hours one Friday. Can you see your sin on him? Is that your little white lie tucked in his matted hair? Is that your lust pressing down on his shoulder? Your dishonesty clutched in his palm? 

Take a good look at what sin costs God.
Where do you plan to tuck your next one?

 

Count the Cost

My dear old hometown has an eyesore. Over the past several years, what was once a wooded wilderness has become a dirt pile that is moved regularly by various powerful machines.

But it never becomes anything. There are roads, trenches, and high mounds of red dirt. But it all adds up to a big expensive pile of nothing. Millions have been spent so far with nothing to show for it. It is our local joke. Somebody messed up. Somebody did not count the cost before they started this fiasco.

Jesus had our dirt pile in mind when he warned the crowds following him that they needed to count the cost before signing up with him. Everybody loved the food, the healings, and the "get-out-of-hell-free" card he offered. They came in droves for more of the best show in town. But he knew their hearts. It wasn't HIM they wanted. It was what he could give them to make their selfish lives better. And that was not what he came to do.

So he pointed to a massive dirt pile like ours and warned them that no builder starts building a tower without first calculating the cost. Otherwise, he runs out of funding, stops halfway, and becomes the laughingstock of the county. Then he pointed out that the kingdom of heaven worked the same way.

Have you thought of it that way? If you came to Jesus for the free stuff, grabbed your ticket, and headed back to your regular life, then you've missed it. You didn't count the cost and in the end, you will be the laughingstock of hell.

So, what is that cost?

Jesus spells it out in terms no one can misunderstand. It's a puzzle why so many do.

• "If anyone does not take up his cross and follow me, he is not worthy of me."
• "If anyone does not hate his family by comparison, he is not worthy of me."
• "If you want to be my disciple, then do what I command you."

There are so many "if's" in scripture, we really ought to pay more attention to them. But "if" is a word we easily overlook, pretending we can claim the promise after it in spite of ignoring it. That is not true.

Have you counted the cost of following Christ? Or did some greasy-smiling preacher convince you that you could have "all this and God too!" The outright lie passing for Christianity these days is appalling. Jesus wouldn't recognize it. It's certainly not the message he brought.

Salvation is a work of the Holy Spirit. Not a thing you can contribute. But true salvation results in true repentance, true dedication, and a true change of heart.

Salvation is the only free gift that requires everything you have.

And it is the only one that is worth more than you can ever give up. Be sure you've counted the cost, and have not bought into a cheap counterfeit.

The real thing is worth it.

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The Window Gazer

She pressed her face closer to the window and smiled. It was almost like being there.

The spotless plate glass stretched for an entire city block and when she cupped her hands around her eyes she could see everything inside.

The reception was in full swing: evening gowns, tuxedos, waiters with silver trays. Thin strains of music drifted through the open door and over the sounds of the traffic behind her. Savory aromas coming from the white-covered banquet table tantalized her senses. Except for the fact that her growling stomach couldn't sample the food, it was almost like being there. If she stood here long enough, she might even forget that she wasn't really one of them.

Too many people are living this experience when it comes to knowing God.

They go through the motions, model the Christian behaviors they see in others, listen to the right preachers, say the right things, and convince themselves that they are really children of God.

But something's wrong and they know it.
Deep inside, where they fear to look,
they know it.

They dabble at the edges of Christianity, assuming that what they have is all there is. They look like everyone else, talk like everyone else, and build their lives around church activities. They've completed what they believe are the entrance requirements to the Christian Club: talking to the preacher, praying, being baptized, attending church.

They are vaguely aware that there are some who seem to really "get into it"--an experience they find curiously unappealing--but assume those are the oddball minorities.

But they've never walked through the door.

Mimicking the talk and actions of the Christians you know makes no impression on God. He is well aware of who is inside and who is still on the sidewalk pretending. His invitation extends to every seeker. All are invited to his reception, but you have to come through the door.

Jesus said, "I am the door." (John 10:9)

There is no window. No back door. No crawl space.

We come through that door at the cross where we exchange our old life for his righteous one. We can't come on our own terms. It's the exchange where you get your tuxedo. You won't feel comfortable inside without one.

Are you inside? Or have you spent your life pretending that you were?

God knows the difference, and deep down, so do you.

What are you waiting for? You have your invitation. Step away from the window and walk through the door.
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It occurred to me last night, as I was browsing through the visitor links that show me from what part of the world my blog readers come, that some of you may not know what I'm talking about much of the time.

I have assumed that my readers were Christians like me, but I've been surprised and humbled to see the variety of visitors and the number of countries represented. The Lord reminded me that some of you may need more information about what it means to be a Christian.

If you've been reading my posts with all the references to my personal relationship with God and been puzzled by it, I invite you to a new blog site I created just for you! It is my hope and prayer that everyone who reads my blog will come to have a deeper and more fulfilling relationship with God, because in the end, that's all that really matters.

Click here for a more detailed explanation of what it means to know God.

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