All in Jesus
Are you struggling with whether you will give yourself to Jesus, and fully believe in God? Have you been reasoning and reading scripture without moving an inch closer to believing? If so, then quit listening to your own intellect, and still yourself... then open your ears to the still small voice of God that calls you to “Come.” Hearing God isn’t a matter of intellectual reasoning on your part; it is being inexplicably drawn by the Lord.
Do you know Jesus? Have you developed a relationship with God? Are you confident in your faith and feel like you have a handle on it? If you answered yes to the first two questions, that is exciting and wonderful. If you answered yes to the third then you are in for some big surprises as you read on.
The world is five sunrises away from Christmas morning, and the day we celebrate the birthday of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Thank God Almighty we aren’t still awaiting His birth, but celebrating that which has already come! As with the birthdays of my own children, I reminisce, and think about that day Jesus was born; it brings the same tears to my eyes. Now He is with us always, every minute, day, and week... so listen as I praise Him... listen as I speak...
Feeling the Peace of Christ is one of the most treasured and coveted aspects of the Christian faith; it is a reward for obedience and is our harvest for believing, and living our lives as Jesus instructed us. Do you have the Peace of Christ today? Do you understand the difference between the peace of the world and the Peace of Christ?
For a God who created the universe, breathed life into man, and on more than one occasion raised the dead... what is death? We are so small, and our experience so limited to this body, and this existence, that all of our judgements have become founded on this little slice of reality that we inhabit. As we look at life and death through a drinking straw we convince ourselves we know what it is; do we? Let’s take a high level look at death...
Do you think that by withdrawing from the world, by separating yourself, that you will become more pious and that this will help you consecrate yourself by removing all temptation? Well this is a false hope, and if we look at Jesus we understand that He Inserted Himself fully into the world. He didn’t run from it, but overcame it.
When we first meet Him, God doesn’t just rush into our lives, He treats us much like I learned to treat stray or feral dogs and cats when I was a boy. When I meet an animal for the first time I approach it very slowly, and when I get close I stop, and all the while I just talk to it in a soft reassuring voice.
Are you a serious person? By this I mean, do you present yourself in faith as a stuffy, academically aloof, or “better than you” Christian? If you are like this or are more interested in appearing righteous than actually being righteous, then it is time to wake up. Jesus was born a carpenter’s son and lived a common life, despite being anything but common.
Are You a great man or woman of God? Do you have stripes on your sleeve for all to see, as you live the years of your faith for everyone to marvel at? Is your goal for each day to show those around you how mightily you serve, or the pious nature of your calling? If so, then stop the pompous religiosity and seek out humility... seek out Jesus and lose the notoriety of practice.
Do you have a plan for your life? Have you set everything before you and determined what pieces of the puzzle go where, and begun the process of fitting them perfectly together? If so, there is probably a nice spot for God, another for Jesus, and oh yes, let’s not forget the Holy Spirit, but is that really how our life is formed, and our faith is shaped?
Do you identify yourself as a missionary? Is that what you do as a vocation, or is it a part of your everyday life as you go to and from work, and mix with all those you come into contact with each day? Being a missionary is not just an amazing calling, but should be the goal of every Christian. Spreading the gospel to one, or one hundred thousand makes no difference in what we are asked to do, and to what we are called. Whether you refer to yourself as an evangelist, a missionary, or just a Christian... spreading the gospel is what we are meant to do.
How do you live your life in faith? Do you seek excitement, advancement, or greatness as you pray and ask God for these things in the same breath as deeper faith? If you are a preacher in a small church filled with good families, do you plead in prayer for a megachurch and a television show that bears your name? No, our faith leads us to sainthood, not to be millionaires; all of that is of the world, and of little consequence to God.
We all have touchstones in our lives by which we measure ourselves and the quality of our lives; those people, places, and events that we consider to represent our ideal. Is Jesus the touchstone of all touchstones in your life? Do you measure all else, even your other touchstones based on Him?
How intimate are you with Jesus? Is your relationship close enough, and deep enough, that you don’t keep secrets, and that you can do the grossest of natural things in front of Him without embarrassment? Can you sit under a tree for hours and tell Him your wildest dreams or confide in Him your darkest thoughts? I encourage you to not have a handshake relationship with Jesus... become more than acquaintancesin your faith and in Him.
When you first speak to someone about Jesus Christ what do you say? Do you talk to them about how He heals, or casts out demons? No, I dare say that you talk first and foremost about how Jesus died to redeem the sins of the world and the hope that this provides each of us. You speak of the gospel of Christ.