UNDER THE WEATHER

"For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." -Romans 3:23

There is a problem in this world common to us all; it is that each one of us are infected with the highly contagious disease of Pride. This condition is serious, it spreads subtly, infecting every part of our body and if left untreated and can even be fatal. Pride alters the mind, making you and I think that we are good moral people, when the truth is that we're really selfish and conceited at the core. Pride damages the heart and deceives it into thinking that things in this world, be it love, success, accomplishment, or fame, are worth living for and chasing after. And worst of all, pride spits in the face of God, causing us to live self centered lives, set in our own prideful ways, ignoring the fact that we were created to love God so that we can love ourselves instead.

If man could take credit for his own creation, then living for his own purposes would be one thing, be he can't. The only reason you and I are here today is that a divine being continues to push breath into our lungs and pulsate the cells that keep our heart beating. At any second, yes even this one, these organs or any other could stop working and there is nothing that you or I could do about it. Sure modern medicine can treat people sometimes and keep them alive longer, but not always. Even the successes of medicine are because of God's doing.

Created by God, but living for ourselves. There is an independent attitude in our culture today. One that worships making yourself into something and following your dreams. Each person deserves what they get for how hard they work right? Or do any of us deserve anything? Is life all about having fun and being comfortable or is it about helping others? How much should you help others. Once a year, once a month, or all the time? Pride would tell us that every now and then is good enough but is it even right for us to set a limit on our service? If we can't take the credit for own creation and our life is not our own, maybe we should ask God and let him decide.

The most dangerous things about being infected with pride is that most people who have it don't realize it. Pride tells us to do good things like raise talented kids, get involved in the community and even go to church. The problems is that we often do these things for the wrong reasons. The good things we live for, the nice house in the safe neighborhood, our kids that are talented in sports and school, our involvement in the community and even our attendance at church many times are just attempts to look good and false indicators that things are okay. Everything can look great on the outside while there's a horrible infection within. If we're not parents who want our kids to do well but love them just as much when they don't, we're missing it. If we're not people who want a safe house to live in, but aren't okay with driving a used car or giving our money away, then we're missing it. If we're not people who can be there for a friend of a neighbor, even when it's not convenient for us, then we're missing it. And if our attendance at church is motivated more by who we'll see so who will see us than how it will change our life, then we're missing it. I'm afraid that lots of us are missing it, and I'm really afraid that lots of people who call themselves Christians are missing it.

The worst thing a doctor can do for a patient who has signs of an infection is to ignore it and say that everything will be okay. The same is true for you and I. The worst thing we can do for our own infection within is to dismiss it and pretend like everything's fine. Jesus taught that you and I were created not to live for ourselves but to live in a way that makes God proud. In John 8:31-32 Jesus said anyone who understand this teaching and hold's to it "will know the truth and the truth will set them free." Tired of living for yourself? Want to be free from the raging cancer of Pride that permeates your life? Believe in the truth that you were created to love God and share his love with others and make that your primary goal. If you're anything like me and feel like you've been to prideful for God to give you a second chance, don't worry. In the Bible, Jesus forgave drug dealers, prostitutes, murderers and rapists. He will also forgive you and I. Don't let the infection fester any longer. Will you allow the truth of God's forgiveness and purpose for your life be the prescription for a different way of living today? Spend some time today thanking God for the life he's given you and thinking about ways you can live for him.

WHO GETS ETERNAL LIFE

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever BELIEVES in him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16



I'm almost certain that these words are some of the most common and well known in all of the Bible. Why do so many people know John 3:16? I think it's because we as humans have this terrible fear of dying, and eternal life provides us an amazing solution to the problem. We love the idea that in order to "receive" this eternal life, all we have to do is believe in God's son. This isn't a bad deal really because Jesus is a super moral guy, really loving, supposedly died on a cross and set a really good example. On top of all that, most everybody likes the guy and believing in him keeps us out of hell, if there even is such a place. No one knows for sure, but better to be safe than sorry right? Believing in Jesus seems to be relatively painless and doesn't cost a whole lot. You have to go to church every now and then sure, and you can't cuss or drink too much, but other than that, it's a pretty good gig.

With that line of thinking, who wouldn't want to be a Christian? The real question is though, what does "believing" in Jesus really mean. Jesus answered this for us before he died? Let's look at what he said:

MATTHEW 7:21-23
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day (the day of judgment), ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘Depart from me, I never knew you!"

It says here that just knowing Jesus' name or knowing about him is not good enough to get a person into heaven. But he even goes further to say that people who do moral, kind and nice things won't be allowed in either. That doesn't sound right. Jesus says that only those who "do the will of the Father" will be allowed in. So that begs the question, what's the will of the father? Check out this verse:

JOHN 6:29
Jesus answered, "The work (or will) of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent."

Okay, great, so we're back to this idea of believing again. We've established in the previous verse that just saying you believe or doing things to prove you believe is not good enough to enter heaven. If this is the case, what does it mean to really believe? Let's look at another verse:

JOHN14:15
“If you love me, you will obey my commandments."

So it sounds like believing has something to do with loving God. Notice that Jesus doesn't say we should follow his commands in order to prove our love, instead he says that our obedience is a byproduct of it. Love comes first in this verse. Love for God must always come first and the obedience will follow. But where does love for God come from?

It comes from understanding that God is powerful, perfect and just and that every man at their core is dirty, selfish and disobedient. Man shows his dirtiness all the time, either blatantly on the outside or more subtly on the inside. Either way, if you look closely, you'll quickly begin to see how broken and wicked all people really are. To summarize, a perfect God created the world, put man in it and gave him the ability to choose how to live. Each one of us has chosen to live wickedly and selfishly and are deserving of punishment at the hands of a just and perfect God. Now to you, your faults might not seem especially wicked but remember that you are comparing yourself to a imperfect, human standard and not a perfect, Godly one. It's always easy to look around and find somebody whose worse off than you are, but that's not the point. The real question is how we size up against the holiness and perfection of God. Compared to God's perfection, the things you and I have done make us look like rapists and murderers, deserving of death. But the amazing thing is that instead of the harsh penalty we should all receive, God, out of his love, has sent his son to take the death penalty we deserved. And as we know, by believing in Jesus, God allows us to be forgiven of what we've done so that we can spend eternity with him. Understanding this reality, the reality of our brokenness and God's amazing forgiveness is where crazy love for God comes from.

So it seems that believing in Jesus is not just acknowledging his existence or trying to do good things to make him happy, it's loving him. Loving him by keeping him commands. I don't feel that it's ever my business to try and determine who really believes in God and who doesn't but I will say that you can tell a lot by the way a person lives. There is a very distinct difference between a really, really good person who only knows about God and a second person who knows they've been forgiven by God. The second individual does things in life not to look good but out of a grateful heart and a desire to please and love the God who has given them so much. Is there anything more valuable than God's forgiveness that frees us from the guilt of our dirty past in this life and gives us an incredible promise for eternal life in the future? There not, but this brings us to a huge problem.

If millions of individuals around the world claim to be "saved" by the blood of Jesus, how come so very few of us are living like saved people. How come most of us skate through life loving God's forgiveness and the security of salvation, but fail to love God himself or care at all about his commandments? God will be the final judge one day I know, but I'm gonna go ahead and say that if a person is not burdened by the commands of God, they probably do not really believe. If Jesus came back today to take his followers away, I'm sad to say that there would be many "Christians" who were left behind. We each need to examine our lives and the belief we claim to have in Jesus closely. Following him is not an easy thing, it's actually very costly, and will cost a person everything.

"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." - Matthew 10:36-28

How is your love for Jesus right now? Is it casual and convenient or have you counted the cost and committed to love him, obey him and follow him no matter what? If you want to know what God's commandments are, Matthew 22:37-39 spells it out best.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself."

Loving God and other people this way is an extremely high calling and not for the faint at heart. It's not easy and will look different for every person. We must remember Paul's words in Ephesians 2:10 which says, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." God has prepared different plans for each of us and so following and obeying will look different for every person. What things has God asked you to do today?

Whatever it is, I hope that your belief in Christ and what he has done for you on the cross will be motivation to love and serve him not halfheartedly, but wholeheartedly. Will you listen, obey and follow him with everything you are today?

TASTE AND SEE

There will always be things we don't fully understand about God. That's just part of God being God and us being human but this should never prevent us from pursuing him. John Piper said in his book SEEING AND SAVORING JESUS CHRIST that believing in Jesus "is like seeing the sun and knowing it's light and not dark, or like tasting honey and knowing it's sweet and not sour." There's just something different about Jesus compared to everything else in the world. Every person in one way or another, at some point in their life, must make a decision about who they believe Jesus to be. He boldly claimed to be the son of God and "the way, the truth and the life" which makes him out to be either a crazy man or something really special. I agree with Mr. Piper that taking the time to look upon Jesus, what he said, and how he lived is the best approach to figuring out if he's really real.

Along similar lines, Psalm 34:8 says, "Taste and see that the Lord is good, blessed is the man who trusts in him." There's absolutely nothing wrong with doing a taste test of God or seeing what it feels like to trust in Him. The gospel of Luke tells us there was a man named Zacchaeus who did just that. Zacchaeus was wealthy and had everything a man could ask for but he was looking for something more and climbed in a tree one day to catch a glimpse of Jesus walking by. Zacchaeus wasn't the greatest of guys, he was dishonest and a crook by trade but none of these things mattered to Jesus. The two men become great friends and Zacchaeus' life was forever changed because he took the time to taste and see what Jesus was all about.

Just as Zacchaeus had to climb a tree to learn more about Jesus, tasting for you and I requires some time and effort. In order to do this, one must be willing to examine the whole story of Jesus' life, really think about the things he said and also be brave enough to examine the depths of their own soul. Man coming to believe in God is a two-way street that involves both God showing himself to those who ask and us searching for him. Searching for God takes time and is rarely something that can be done overnight. To do this, one must commit to withholding judgment on the matter of belief until the complete picture of who Jesus is can be seen. This means that reading a few Bible verses or looking up Christianity online doesn't paint the full picture and that patience is required. Dismissing Jesus or the concept of God because of one reason or one unanswered question is not really searching at all, it's looking for an excuse not to believe. There's a difference. We often want a quick fix to our problems but the the decision to believe in Jesus is life changing and is one that should be considered carefully.

Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty." -John 6:35

Will you take the chance to taste or re-taste what believing in Jesus is really like? I hope that for you, considering Christ will shed some light on the dark parts of our world and the darkness of the human heart and I hope that in a taste of what He's like you will find something sweeter and more satisfying than anything this world has to offer. Some of us have tasted before but need to do so again in a fresh, new way. We have forgotten the "abundant life" (John 10:10) and "rest for our souls" (Matthew 11:29) that only Jesus can give. Will you taste the sweetness of God and thank him for being so good today?

"I believe in Christianity as I believe the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else." -C.S. Lewis

NEVER SATISFIED

"So they asked him, 'What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see and believe in you? What will you do?'" -John 6:30

These words came from the people of Israel less than 24 hours after Jesus fed five thousand people with 2 fish and 5 loaves of bread and then walked on water. What more could they ask for? These people had seen and heard about all that Jesus was doing yet they were still unsatisfied and unwilling to believe or follow him. In alot of ways we're no different today.

We know all about Jesus, we've read about his miracles and have even seen the power of God radically change the life of somebody we know, yet we're still wanting more. We have questions about God and doubts about him that we use to excuse our unbelief or lack of following through with what God asks us to do. "If only I knew the answer to question X" we say, then I'll believe and give my life to him. If we want to be his disciple we must follow him like his disciples did.

The apostle Peter first met Jesus on a fishing trip. He and his buddies had been fishing all night with horrible luck when Jesus walks up and asks to go come on board. Peter agrees and upon meeting Jesus calls him Rabbi, or master, out of respect as was the custom when speaking to a Jewish teacher. As the men push out into the deep water, Jesus tells them where to cast their nets and orchestrates a record catch. Catching two boats of fish during daylight hours was unheard in those days since fish could easily see the bulky nets coming and avoid being caught, but not with Jesus. Peter and his buddies had witnessed not only a record catch but a miracle and they knew it. Luke 5:8 tells us that after all this happened, Peter fell to his knees in front of Jesus and said, "Get away from me LORD I am a sinful man." Notice that Peter no longer calls Jesus master, now he calls him Lord. Because of all that happened that day, Peter and his buddies "left everything and followed him" (Luke 5:11).

Peter didn't see much but he knew something special when he saw it. He wasn't the brightest of guys but he witnessed enough to know that no man could do what Jesus had done and that he had to be the Son of God. When will that reality fully set in with you and I? It seems to me that some of us have barricaded ourselves deep into a room full of doubts and what ifs for the sole purpose of keeping Jesus out. We lock all ten locks on the door and pile twenty pieces of furniture behind it. Each lock to us is a doubt and each piece of furniture an unanswered question about God.

How is refusing to follow Jesus until all doubts are settled and all questions answered any different than the Jewish people refusing to believe until they witnessed another miracles? How much more information does a person need? I say all this because I think doubts and questions are part of faith which the Bible says is required for any man to please God. If faith is part of life, that means we'll never have ALL the answers and there's no way around it. My fear is that some of us will spend our entire lives locked away and barricaded from the amazing truth and life of Jesus that lies just opposite the door we refuse to open.

In revelation 3:20 God says, "Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me." Jesus is knocking, what will it take for you to open that door and consider the evidence that he's real? What will it take for you to invite him in?

Somehow we all have to make sense of this world. I find is hard to explain the complexity and wonder of creation without thinking that there's a God. I find it hard not to believe that the Bible is true given it's historical accuracy and numerous fulfilled prophecies that point to divine inspiration. I find it hard not to believe that Jesus really did live, die on a cross and rise from the dead given the large number of people that have voluntarily gone to their death for their belief. Some might say that people of many faiths die for what they believe, but not voluntarily. Suicide bombers and the like die because they believe their action proves their dedication and will ensure them a better place in heaven. Early Christians and even some believers today die because they have experienced the incredible power of God in their lives and they know he's real.

How will you make sense of the world? Jesus said in Luke 12:48 that, "To whom much is given, much will be expected." You and I have been given amazing resources like the internet and thousands of books that we can use to make sense of Jesus' claims and the possibility that he might be real while people of other countries do not have access to such things. Based on Jesus' words, I feel confident that when the time comes to stand before God's throne, both will be judged accordingly and much more will be expected of you and I. When will you unlock the door, examine the evidence for Jesus and do some investigating?

I hope that when you do you'll fall to your knees like Peter, overwhelmed by the greatness of our God. I hope He will be more than just a master to you, but your LORD instead, and one who is worth following even if it means leaving everything else behind.

STYLING AND PROFILING

"Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in Jesus. But because of the Pharisees they would not confess their faith for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved praise from men more than praise from God." - John 12:42-43

Every person on the face of the planet must at some point make a decision as to what they truly believe about Jesus. Was he just a good man, did he exist at all or was he really the Son of God who rose from the dead? I have written more in detail about this on an older post, click here to read why I think the later is true.

If we're all to be honest, I fear many of us or are like the religious leaders in John that ride the fence when it comes to Jesus. We know we badly need a savior and want to put our faith in him but we are so scared to do so for fear of what that would mean. We're afraid that choosing to believe and follow Him would change our life completely, putting our reputation and life of comfort at stake, so we decide against it. Instead we choose to spend our time worried about "styling and profiling" as Dr. Rick Rigsby likes to say, looking good for other people, buying stuff, getting recognized and showing off.

We are much like the rich young ruler in Luke 18 who asked Jesus what to do in order to receive eternal life. Jesus replied, "Sell everything you have and give to the poor....Then come, follow me." Jesus knew the young ruler and we as humans like to follow God with stings attached and that's exactly why he told him to let go before he could follow. He is telling you and I the very same thing today. Following Jesus doesn't mean we'll become poor but it does mean rearranging our priorities so that he always comes first. We give him control of our finances and give money away if that's what he asks. We give him our time and become willing to serve others and not just ourselves. When Jesus becomes of utmost importance to us, everything else from our reputation to finances is now of secondary importance and takes a back seat to God being glorified in and through our lives. Jesus' response saddened the rich young ruler and it is what keeps many of us from following God with all our heart, soul, mind, time, and energy. We hold out on Christ, giving him only the parts of us that are easy to give while holding onto the things we value most. In Matthew 6:24 Jesus reminds us what following him really means. "No man can serve two masters. He will always love one and hate the other." If we really believe in God's Son we are told to "follow Him" but before we do we need to give him free reign in our lives. Following God while holding onto the things of this world is the equivalent of bringing everything you own on a hiking trip through the woods. Our stuff and our possessions inevitably slow us down and hinder us from being able to follow our guide. Are you willing to lighten you pack so you can follow better?

Just like the leaders in John 12, our reason for holding out on God is usually the fear of what other people will think. "We are more concerned with the praise of men than the praise of God" and fear the opinions of people more than how we are viewed by the God of the universe. Now that's doesn't sound right. JR Vasser, a pastor in New York, uses the following list of questions from Ed Welch's book "When people are big and God is small" to help you and I identify whether we're living for the right reasons.

• Do you crave the compliments of others or ever say derogatory things about yourself so that people will correct you with a compliment?
• Do you spend you life managing your reputation?
• Are you overly concerned about your weight, the way you look or the way you dress?
• Do you feel unappreciated or that people don't notice all the things you do?
• To you make excuses for your mistakes, justify your actions or shift blame to avoid failure?
• Do you show favoritism to people who can do something for you or make you look good?
• Are you over committed because of an incessant need to feel that you matter?
• Do you get nervous about being or speaking in groups?
• Do you spend money trying and live the type of life you or others think you should?
• Do you compare yourself to others and feel good when you win and bad when you lose?
  

These things above all describe the fear of man and will hold a person in horrible, miserable bondage for as long as they'll allow it. The fear of man has no limit and viciously consumes until all the life and joy has been sucked out of a man. We must remember that God defines success, wealth and beauty much different than the rest of the world and all that matters is how we are viewed in his eyes.

In Matthew 10:33, Jesus reminds us that fearing man in the place of God has eternal repercussions. "But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven." Choosing to follow Christ comes with a cost. It might change the way we live and will certainly change the way we are viewed by some by the reward is far greater. In choosing to fear Christ above man we are guaranteed an eternal inheritance beyond description and an abundant life while on earth full of the purpose and peace that can only come through serving God.

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his soul?" -Luke 9:23-25

Matt Chandler likes to say that Jesus has lots of admirers but few disciples. Will you continue to admire him from afar for fear of what it would mean to really follow or will you throw aside the opinions and values of this world in order to be his disciple?

BRIGHT SPOT

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. In the same way, people don't light a lamp just to put it under a bowl...Instead...Let your light shine before men that they may see the way you live and glory your Father in Heaven." -Mt 5:16

We live in a dark, dark world, one disparately in need of light. Our culture and our those around us are blindly searching for satisfaction and purpose in all the wrong places. Success, possessions, fame and recognition are to be had in plenty but the truth is that they never satisfy for long.

King David had women, fame, success and infinite material possessions, but yet he said in Psalm 16:2, "You are my Lord, apart from you I have no good thing." David recognized what our culture today has failed to so far, that making Christ your Lord is the only way to live an abundant and satisfied life (John 10:10).

As Christians we have experienced the abundant life that comes with following Christ and we need to live in a way that shows we are changed people. We shouldn't be boastful or proud in the way we live but we should never be "ashamed of the gospel" (Romans 1:16) or what God has done in our lives.

"Let your light shine." What a cool idea. 1 Thessalonians 2:8 says, "Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well." When opportunities come this week to let your light shine, don't be afraid to share your life with somebody. Don't talk around the fact that you went to church on Sunday or spent time with friends from Bible study last night. Offer to pray for your neighbors and invite people into your home so they can experience God's love firsthand through your family. If we never raise "faith flags" by the way we live or in conversation, how is anybody suppose to know that it's Christ who makes us different? Most people who don't know Christ will never darken the door of a church or feel compelled to crack a bible. If you and I aren't living out God's love around and among them, how else are they going to see the light of Christ?

Max Lucado says in his book "It's Not About Me" that the "human job description can be reduced down to one simply task, to be God mirrors who reflect His glory." The Apostle Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 3:18 that when we look upon the Lord, "our faces should reflect like mirrors the brightness of our God." You and I can have the best intentions to shine a bright light but if we are not daily gazing upon the Savior, our light will fade and grow dull until we blend in with the darkness around us. Make sure and spend some time with the Light of the World today and them go out and reflect his love and glory for all to see!

DOES GOD JUST WANT US TO BE GOOD PEOPLE?

C.S. Lewis wrote that faith in God and our obedience to him are like the blades on a pair of scissors. Just as both are essential in order to cut paper, both must also be present in order for someone to call themselves a believer in Christ. The Bible can seem confusing at times when it comes to this topic of faith and actions with verses like James 2:20 saying "faith without works is dead" while Ephesians 2:8-9 says it's "by grace you have been saved, not by works so that none one can boast."

If a Christian is saved by grace and not by works and if God's forgiveness spans past, present, and future, how much does the way we live really matter? Isn't being a good person most of the time, going to church when possible and asking forgiveness when we mess up all that God can ask?

While it's certainly true that God's forgiveness is wonderful and has no limits, that "he separates our sin from us as far as the east is from the west" (Psalms 103:12) and "forgives even the guilt of our sin" (Psalms 32:5), His Son, Jesus also said things like, "If you love me, you will keep my commands" (John 14:15).

So exactly how many commands are we talking about here - 50%, 85%, 90? Jesus answers this in Matthew 5:38 we he says, "Be perfect because your heavenly father is perfect." Perfect? How can we be perfect, that's 100% and that's impossible!

While Jesus doesn't REQUIRE us to be perfect, he does EXPECT us to be. There's a difference. If God required that you and I be prefect in order to gain salvation Jesus wouldn't have come, and if it was possible for a saved believer to live a perfect life once saved, God wouldn't have given us the Holy Spirit.

Here's an example that illustrates the difference between a requirement and an expectation: A parent can require that their child make all B's in school and will punish them if they don't but they can also expect their child to make B's because they know how smart their kid is and that anything less would be underachieving. The difference in the two is that a requirement must be fulfilled in order to avoid failure where as an expectation is based on one's potential and leads only to disappointment if not met. God desperately wants for you and I to follow him wholeheartedly and with everything we've got because he created us in his image and therefore knows we have an infinite potential for good. Boy do we sell ourselves short sometimes. He is disappointed when we don't live up to the good we are capable of but is not waiting at home to punish us for our mistakes. As long as you and I don't take God's forgiveness for granted and stay comfortable in our sins, we should not fear the wrath or punishment of God. And just like a good parent is willing to help their child with homework in order to meet their goal, God has agreed to help us follow his ways by sending the Holy Spirit.

Giving God everything that we are and our best effort is tough because it requires sacrifice on our part. It's fairly easy to live for God only on Sundays or when we're with certain groups of people because we can still do what we want the rest of the time. This kind of half way living and following God when it's convenient is not the reason that Jesus died. God gave up everything on the cross for us, why should we do any in return?

If you want to see a great video on not playing it safe in life, go to the video tab and watch Francis Chan -balance beam or click here.

One important point. The expectation to "be our best for God" should never come as a burden. It might take discipline on out part in order to follow him but this should not be something that weighs us down or discourages us. 1 John 5:3 elaborates on the connection between loving God and obeying him by saying, "his commandments are not burdensome." If a parent loves their child, they will do everything in their power to demonstrate that love. That demonstration will come through action and will never be limited to convenience or not feeling in the mood. Our love for God should be no different.

In Matthew chapter 7:19-23 Jesus says several very interesting things. First, He says that not everyone who know about God will go to heaven, only those that truly know him will. That's scary to think about, how can one know the difference? Jesus tells us the difference between the two lies in the works and actions of how a person lives. "You can tell a tree by its fruit," he said. If you and I really know God and are truly humbled by his greatness, following his instructions and keeping his commands will come naturally. If we don't really know him, it will feel like an obligation. What kind of tree are you? Does the fruit in your life give evidence to you knowing God or are you just someone who knows about Him, who does nice things and is a good person? Good people don't go to heaven, only God followers do. I hope you'll examine the difference.

Live in STYLE!

On Mondays in my Chemistry class, I always give a verse of the week. Recently, after encouraging my students to live life with their eyes fixed on the Lord, one young lady asked this very thought provoking question. "How do you know if you're living that way Mr. Benac?" Many possible answers popped into my head, things like read the bible, or spend time with God, but none that I felt encompassed what it really meant to walk with God. I admitted my inability to answer and asked if I could dedicate the next week's thought of the day to her topic, she gracefully agreed.

During that week, my mind reeled with possibilities as I tried hard to identify the behaviors that a person walking with the Lord must have. To answer her question, I decided to don a pair of old plaid pants (similar to those in the picture above), and talk about living in STYLE. Here's the gist of what I said:

S-Studying the word. Jesus said in Mt 4:4 that "man does not eat on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." In the Bible we have the very word of God, protected and passed down through the ages. The growing believer knows that the word of God is the bread of life and it essential to spiritual survival in the same way that food is required for physical survival.

1 Peter 2:2 says that we need to crave spiritual food like a baby craves for milk and some of us need to posses a stronger desire for His word. Others of us need to graduate from the sippy cup to big boy food as mentioned in Hebrews 5:11-14. The Lord does not desire that you remain a spiritual infant for your lifetime, but wants you to grow into a bright light and messenger for Him.

I rarely, if ever, miss a meal during the day, but I have often gone days or weeks without sitting down to get any sustenance from God's word. No wonder our spiritual condition can feel dead or dry sometimes.
What kind of spiritual food have you been eating lately?

T-Telling your story. In Acts 26:15-18, the Lord tells Paul to "be a witness to the things I have and will show you." Paul tells the story of his conversion and the Lord's work in his life several times throughout the book of Acts and we should be no different. The Lord has given each of us a unique, wonderful story, one where new chapters are written everyday, and he wants us to share that story other people. We, like Paul, need to be a minister and witness to the Lord's work. Are you being a good steward of the story you've been given to tell?

Y-Yoked with believers. There is something to be said for finding strength in numbers and this is certainly true for the fellowship that exists among believers. Verses like Prov 27:17, "as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another," and Ecc 4:12, "a cord of three strands is not easily broken," remind us of the benefits that can be found in the company of others. A yoke is a heavy block of wood used by farmers to secure their oxen to the plow. It was heavy and cumbersome, a horrible task for an ox alone, and for this reason two were usually used. Life can be cumbersome as well and it sure helps to have friends beside to you help you along the way. I think this is while Paul wrote the following words in Galatians 6:2, "carry each others burdens, and in this way fulfill the law of Christ.

Not only does being yoked to believers provide support and company, but also an opportunity to be sharpened by the faith of others. Just as tough competition in sports results in an elevation of performance, a great deal can be learned when you surround yourself with more mature believers. Find believers that you admire for their walk and learn all that you can.

L-Listening to God. There is a big difference between listening and hearing. You and I can hear lots of noises and many voices but we can only listen to one. Mt 6:24 says "that a man cannot serve two masters." There is great truth is this statement, because, in order to listen one master's voice, a person must disregard the voice of the other. I think people today hear the voice of God more often than they think, the problem is that they are not listening. What is God calling you to lately?

E- Enjoying life. Being a believer in Christ is not about a checking off a to do list or doing everything right, it's about glorying the Lord while enjoying the freedom and abundant life that Jesus talks about in John 10:10. Jesus lived and died so that you and I could enjoy freedom from guilt and fear, find meaning in this life, and have a model to live by. King Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, gives us the following recipe for enjoying life:

"When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad consider: God has made one as well as the other." (Ecc 7:14)

"I commend the enjoyment of life, because nothing is better for a man under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad." (Ecc 8:15)

"Go eat your food with gladness and drink your wine with a joyful heart...Enjoy life with your wife whom you love...Whatever you hand finds to do, do it with all your might." (Ecc 9:7, 9, 10)

Don't get so caught up in all that you need to learn and do as a Christian that you forget to enjoy the journey of each day.

Well, the kids at school made fun of my pants but I hope they will remember what it means to live in style.

This week, while reading through Holy Week passages with our church, I was struck by Jesus' love for me in John 17.  After praying for Himself, that he would carry out the will of the Father, and for his disciples, Jesus prayed for you and I.  He prays "for those who will believe" in the gospel message, that we would be close with the father and close with each other.  Before Jesus was arrested and went to the cross, he thought and prayed for me!  Wow.  This realization has helped me to understand more fully that he died personally for me and brings new meaning to the following words in Ephesians 2:8-10.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

What a gracious gift for Jesus to give up his life!  With this verse in mind, listen to these words from Church Colson's book, The Faith: 

"The Bible tells us our salvation is by faith alone, it is not a faith that is alone. (Too many people stop reading after verses 8 and 9; verse 10 tells us we are saved "to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.") This is where it gets costly, for true Christianity is counter cultural.  It means death to self, giving up self-control." (p. 116)

There truly is no other response to Jesus' sacrifice than to live a life of service to Him.  Colson hits this nail on the head a page earlier.

"Christianity is about a lot more than what God can do for you... it's about God.... The more we know him the more we want to be like Him. And this will drive us to act like Him.  Jesus, remember, emptied Himself of the godhead's glory in order to call us brothers - and we are called to imitate His humility in putting ourselves at other's service." (p. 115)

This is why you and I do what we do.  We don't live, work, or go to school for ourselves, but so that we can serve others in love the way that Christ has served and sacrificed for us.  We can have no better reminder today, on the eve of easter, than the body of our Lord than lay dead in a tomb for us many years ago.  Tomorrow, celebrate His life and the life that you now get to live for Him.  

Jesus said,"the water I give man will become in him a spring of life welling up to eternal life." - John 4:14.

God has put his spirit within every believer and, it doing so, has set in motion a spring of living water with massive potential to effect both our lives and those of every person we encounter. This living water may take the form of an encouraging word to replenishes the wilting heart of a friend or just a smile to show that you care. People who believe in Jesus know what it means be loved, have a reason to hope , and stand on a faith that is strong in the midst of the greatest uncertainty. These things, along with the transforming work of the Holy Spirit within us are the source of the the spring of living water that comes from within. When our lives are filled to overflowing with the awareness of God's greatest and power, there leaves no other place for that water to go than out into the world. Just imagine for a second how unshakable faith, relentless hope, and unconditional love would forever alter the face of this world. Now that is an amazing thought.

The sad things is that we who call ourselves Christians have chosen to live nominal lives (for the name alone) and consistently block the flow of living water from our lives to another. We barricade against God's calling in our lives everyday for the sake of our comfort, we rationalize in our decisions against God's leading for the sake of our convenience, and in an attempt to try and avoid conflict, we don't act because we are afraid. Each time we ignore and act against God's leading in our lives we through another stone into the middle of the river of living water that flows from our lives. Some of us have thrown so many stones into our river that our there is very little flow if any at all. Some of us dammed up the way so long ago that our river is about to run dry if it hasn't already.



The sad thing is, we often, and usually unkn, do a pretty good job of stifling the flow of living water that God has set within us. God desires to do great things in and through you but instead we put up barricades against his callings and trade in the raging river for a stagnant pond. Over time our spiritual lives start to grow algae and stink. We think we are still living the Christian life because we are going through the motions but the truth of the situation is the living water has ceased to flow.