I can’t tell you how many times I’ve talked to people who tell me, “Well, all religions are basically the same.” When I hear that, I know that the individual has either never explored becoming a follower of Jesus or they have been subjected to some very misleading teaching. I would grant, that at their core, most religions are the same. They all involve a deity who set some standard or demands certain rules to be obeyed and then humans are left to pursue living up to that standard or following those rules. But Christianity is different. It is the only religion that has a God that pursues humans instead of the other way around.
Are You Denying Jesus or Satan?
Albert Schweitzer said, “Day by day we should weigh what we have granted to the spirit of the world against what we have denied to the spirit of Jesus, in thought and especially in deed.” Every day we should consider what parts of our life we are dedicating to the spirit of this world (Satan) and which parts we are surrendering to Christ. Too much of my time, and I suspect yours as well, is given to the things of this world and not to the mission of Jesus. This isn’t a situation that is easily remedied. We have spent years buying into the lies of the devil, subscribing to cultural myths and standards, while relegating God to an unassuming place in the background.
Live Your Life as Jesus Would Live Your Life
“Jesus teaches you to live your life as He would live your life.” This is a quote from the book, “Flesh: Bringing the Incarnation Down to Earth”, by Hugh Halter. When I read that, I was struck by how at once the statement is so simple, yet the implications are enormous. How would Jesus live my life if He were me? What if, instead of using the miracle of the virgin birth 2,000 years ago, the way God chose to reveal Himself to the world was through my life? How would I live? What would I do? In what ways would my life be different? What if He chose to use your life?
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True Prayer
William Barclay said that “True prayer is asking God what He wants.” Too often our prayers are driven by our own perceived needs and selfish desires instead of focusing on what God wants to do in us and through our situation. We are focused on the here and now, but God’s eyes are also on the next and the not yet. He is capable of foreseeing every possible twist and turn our lives might take, and is always making a way for us to use the gifts He has entrusted to us in a way that furthers His Kingdom and glorifies His character. While Jesus longs for our happiness, He knows the quickest route there is to steer us toward holiness.
Are You Comfortable In This World?
I continue to be inspired by A.W. Tozer. Recently as I was studying some of his material, I read where wrote, “If you are a Christian and you are comfortably ‘at home’ in Chicago or Toronto, in Iowa or Alberta or any other address on planet earth, the signs are evident that you are in spiritual trouble. The spiritual equation reads like this: The greater your contentment with your daily circumstances in this world, the greater your defection from the ranks of God’s pilgrims en route to a city whose architect and builder is God Himself!” These are words that should cut us to the core. We have taken our eyes off of our Creator and have focused instead on material possessions and comfort. Do we think this course will end well?