Category: Thoughts and Meditations

“And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying, ‘Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?’” – Luke 10:25

This is the question at the heart of every human religion. What must we DO to please God (or the gods), to be forgiven for whatever we’ve done wrong, and to enter into eternal life or avoid eternal punishment? Every human religion offers a different answer about what we should DO. Perhaps there are five pillars to try and get on God’s good side. Perhaps hard work is necessary. Perhaps courage in battle. Perhaps living a virtuous life. Perhaps emptying one’s mind or heart or life of attachments.

Jesus is emphatic that the question itself is wrong! Salvation isn’t about what we do because we, who are imperfect, can never do enough to enter the perfection of God’s heaven. We can’t DO anything to earn or inherit eternal life! Jesus DID everything necessary when He sacrificed His perfect life on the cross, died, and rose from the dead. All that’s required for your salvation and eternal life is to BELIEVE. Believe in the risen Lord Jesus and repent of your sins.

Humans naturally like to try and DO things to save ourselves. We like to be in control. We don’t like to be in debt to anyone. We want to be masters of our own fate. We can’t be! Any religion that says otherwise is a false one created by humans in our image. Reject the demand to DO and embrace the invitation of Jesus to BELIEVE. Love God. Love neighbor. Believe in Jesus. #FollowJesus

“The one who hears you hears me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects him who sent me.” – Luke 10:16

We are messengers. King Jesus has appointed each of His followers to be messengers. That means, we have a simple task – to deliver the good news of His life, death, and resurrection, calling people to repent of their sins and submit to Him in faith. Not everyone will appreciate or accept that message, but that’s OK. When we live and act as messengers, we can rest in the assurance that rejecting the message isn’t so much about rejecting us as messengers but rejecting the King Who sent the message.

However, we must make sure that we are faithful messengers. That means we must know what the message is and how to accurately present it. We must actually deliver the message. It also means that we must make sure that we aren’t interfering with or distracting from the message. We must make sure that our actions don’t distract or undermine the message. We can’t make the message about us and we must make sure that our character and conduct are consistent with the message. If our words or actions repel people so they won’t even listen to the message, we’ve failed as messengers. If our politics or posts keep people from hearing the message, we’ve failed as messengers. If our sin, hypocrisy, or unpleasant personality keep people from hearing the message, we’ve failed as messengers.

Take time to reflect on your lifestyle, activities, attitudes, and words – in person and online, in public and in private. Are you an effective messenger or is there something you need to stop, start, or change in order for the message to be heard? Whatever you need to do to become a more effective messenger for Jesus, do it! #FollowJesus

“As for you, O Lord, you will not restrain
your mercy from me;
your steadfast love and your faithfulness will
ever preserve me!”
– Psalm 40:11

How could David be so confident in God’s mercy, love, and faithfulness toward him? In the very next verse, David writes about his mounting troubles and confesses his many sins. How could he count on God’s kindness despite those things? Because David understood that mercy, love, and faithfulness are part of God’s essential nature! They are Who God is and that will never change.

God isn’t merciful, loving, and faithful toward us because we deserve it. He is merciful, loving, and faithful because that’s exactly Who and what He is at all times (see Exodus 34:6-7). You don’t have to assess your own life history to determine whether God will be merciful toward you. He IS merciful and you can count on that. You don’t need to consider how well you love God to decide if He’s going to love you. He IS loving and you can count on that. You don’t have to make a list of what you’ve done lately for God to determine if He’ll be faithful toward you. He IS faithful and you can count on that.

These are unchanging qualities of God. They don’t depend on our feelings or actions in any way. God proved that when He sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to take our sins upon Himself. The sending of His beloved Son to live on earth and to suffer, die, and rise from the dead demonstrated His deep mercy, steadfast love, and eternal faithfulness. God did that while we were still in rebellion against Him. He made the first move and the greatest sacrifice to forgive our sins and reconcile us to Him.

Christ’s saving, atoning, restoring, reconciling, work on the cross reflects God’s unchanging nature which is merciful, steadfastly loving, and eternally faithful. This is why David could count on these things despite all the challenges in his life and despite his own sins and failures. The good news is that you can count on those things too! Trust in Jesus and be confident in God’s glorious, unchanging nature! #FollowJesus

“And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.’” – Luke 9:23

Jesus spoke these words after first explaining that He must be crucified, die, and rise from the dead. Yesterday, we celebrated that resurrection. Jesus did exactly what He said He would do. In light of that, are you ready to accept His invitation???

Jesus extends His invitation to everyone. If you believe in Him, then Jesus is personally inviting you! It’s your turn to take up the cross. Today and every day. Will you come after Jesus? In life, death, and resurrection? In love, obedience, and ministry?

The fundamental invitation of Jesus is to follow Him. To follow Him sacrificially. Inconveniently. Uncomfortably. Dangerously. It’s an invitation to deny yourself and the instincts that would keep you sitting comfortably wherever you are and instead take up the cross and going out on His life-changing, soul-saving, disciple-making mission throughout the world.

He is risen! Will you go after Him? Honestly, it’s a new decision each day… Are you ready to deny yourself and take up your cross today? #FollowJesus