Not To Make Us Good; But, To Live Life

Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. (John 14:19-20 KJV)

"He has come into the world to make dead people live!"

I was listening to Dave Rubin and Ravi Zacharias on the Rubin Report last night before bed.  It saddens me to know that I will never get to listen to anything new from Ravi Zacharias while it also gives me peace to know that faithful men like Ravi live life in Christ and are willing to share this good news with anyone and everyone.

He touched on one of my favorite subjects: to live life in Christ! Ravi said regarding Jesus' purpose, "We think he has come into the world to make bad people good. That's wrong. He has come into the world to make dead people live." 

One of my pet peeves over the years has been Sunday School curriculum that is morality (law) based rather than Christ centered. Way too much of it is aimed at teaching young people how to act like Christians by being good rather than helping them to understand that by faith alone, in Christ alone, Jesus abides in them and they in him and because he loves them so much he was willing to die for them so that they could live real, genuine, abundant, life in him. This living life is not just for after death but for today in this world as well. For without Christ, we are dead even here as we reside in this world. 

Christianity should not be relegated to just follow all the laws; be good. Being a follower of Jesus is about faith. It is about trusting him for your whole life. It is about having an active relationship with God our Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Any goodness evidenced in or through us comes from the one who lives and abides in us.  

All these good things we teach our children to do and be will not give them life. Of course they should be taught to love and care for and respect others; but, it is only the abiding presence of Christ that is good. Only he has fulfilled the law. Through him, our sins have been forgiven. We have been made clean by the work he did on the cross for us. 

The work on the cross was so that we might have life in and through him. Because he lives so shall we! Live life! Live life in Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Get Rid Of False Gods

And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. (Deut 8:19)

I sometimes cannot do anything but shake my head when I consider the many worthless idols that people around me worship. I know that they know better. It is very sad to know that rather than God, people fall into the trap of worshiping these inanimate objects. Even sadder is the fact that they don't seem to realize that they are even doing it; so there is no repentance. There is no change other than sinking deeper into despair as they continue in the worship of the false gods.

I have been told more times than I can count: "I believe. That is enough." But, what do you believe? Do you believe that the money you're trying to win gambling online is going to save you? It's more likely to bury you. And... even if you do win; will it really bring you happiness? Why do you waste the hours, the days, the life that God has given you to such worthless pursuits? Do you really believe that the drugs (even if they are legal prescriptions) and the alcohol are going to bring you peace? What's up with that, anyway? Has all sense departed this world?

Or, do you believe that Jesus truly came to give you life? Do you know? Do you believe that he suffered on the cross so that you could live reconciled to the one true God? If you believe it, destroy those false gods and bow before for the one who was willing to die so that you might live life in his presence now and forever.

God's Peace - Pr. J