Devotions for Teens

[Soldier4Christ]

Dead End

I knew it didn't look quite right. On my side of the highway were cars going one way, on the other side cars going the other way- but in between was a vehicle that was jammed between the median walls. It honestly looked like a hot dog with windows squeezed tightly inside a bun of concrete. It took me a few minutes, but I eventually figured out what had happened. The driver was in the left hand lane, and at some point he got very impatient and passed other cars in a new left lane that suddenly became available. The problem is that this new path led directly into a construction site where they were putting up two median walls. The long and short of it is that this genius must have been looking to the right as he passed some cars, all the while not seeing the warning signs until it was too late- then the car screeched to a sparky smoky stop as the walls became increasingly narrow.

Can you imagine how embarrassed this person must have been as he squeezed himself out of the window? I wonder what citation he received from the police? Probably a D.U.I.S. (Driving Under the Influence of Stupidity).

Given a second chance, I'm fairly sure he would have decided to be a little more patient with his circumstances and not take what looked to be the easy way.

It seems to me that there are a lot of people in the world who live their lives a lot like the man in the story mentioned above. As a matter of fact, the Bible actually talks about these folks:

    Lives of careless wrongdoing are tumbledown shacks; holy living builds soaring cathedrals. There's a way of life that looks harmless enough; look again--it leads straight to hell. Sure, those people appear to be having a good time, but all that laughter will end in heartbreak. (Proverbs 14:11-13)

These words were penned by the wisest person who ever lived-King Solomon...but don't think for a second that all his wisdom kept him out of trouble. In fact, Solomon's lifestyle would probably make Eminem blush, and his wealth would make Bill Gates look poor. The "vehicle" he was driving was money, power, and fame; unfortunately in the end he wrecked it between the unmovable walls of God's love and justice.

So I guess he qualifies as someone who has been there and done that- and his advice is "watch the road of your life carefully- and make sure you're on the right path". The mistake he made is the same one that we often make: not keeping our eyes on the road and our hands on the wheel!

Think about it- do you believe most people would continue to do some of the things they do if they knew what the consequences could be? Of course not- but they aren't keeping their eyes on the road. They think that just because there are no immediate penalties to their persnickety debauchery, there never will be. Wrong! If you just took a few minutes and looked where you are headed, you'd see clearly that your road is a dead-end...in some cases a literal "dead" end!

Take some advice from Solomon- when it comes to your life's roadmap; do not let your heart rule your head. If you go by what 'feels' right rather than what God's Word proclaims, you will very soon be caught between the Rock of Ages and the hard place of sin.

[Soldier4Christ]

Let's Skip Church



    Some people have gotten out of the habit of meeting for worship, but we must not do that. We should keep on encouraging each other, especially since you know that the day of the Lord's coming is getting closer. (Hebrews 10:25)

Here's a question for you: what do you call a person who calls him/herself a Christian, yet isn't involved in church?

Well I don't know what you'd call that person, but here's my answer:

(Most likely) an unbeliever...(as in: not going to heaven, never really trusted Christ.)

Isn't that strong? Yes. Harsh? Perhaps. Biblical? Absolutely.

In the minds of the New Testament writers, there was no such thing as a Christian who wasn't involved in church. It was just understood that if you were trusting Christ as your only hope of salvation, there was an overwhelming desire to be with people who also were born again, and serving Jesus with their gifts and talents.

Oh yeah, but we live in America...proud makers of rugged individualism and instant gratification. It's fine here to declare allegiance to the King, but avoid meeting with His subjects because of...whatever.

(What is whatever? Well, whatever lame excuses people use to stop going to church...like:

    * sports
    * fatigue
    * housework
    * homework
    * the dog ate my directions
    * sleep
    * hypocrites
    * poor preaching
    * bad worship
    * bad grape juice
    * color of carpet
    * too crowded
    * not crowded enough

etc. etc. etc.)

Am I saying you have to go to church to be saved? Of course not. In fact, if you go to a church that teaches that, it's time to leave as soon as possible. What I am saying is that if you have truly been justified and entered into a relationship with Jesus, it should be hard to keep you away from church. It is your one chance during the week to join other believers in worship, partake at His table, be shepherded by your pastor, and a thousand other things that are permanently unavailable at any other event in your life.

Not only that, when you skip church over long periods of time, you make yourself an easy target for Satan to take you out like a sniper who takes out a soldier who went A.W.O.L. behind enemy lines.

Does God love you more if you go to church? Nope. But the point is that you are the one that needs to worry about loving Him more as time goes by, and dropping out of church is a sure way to freeze your affections for the Father.

What does God call His children who decide to "worship God in the privacy of their homes"?

Deserters. Take another look at Hebrews 10:25...basically what you need to know is that Christ is supremely concerned about you being involved in a local fellowship of believers.

Why?

Well, there are many reasons, but let this poem remind you of just a few:

    Empty churches and well-filled jails,
    Empty churches and mankind fails;
    Empty churches and liquor flows,
    Empty churches and evil grows;
    Empty churches and sin's in style,
    Empty churches and youth goes wild;
    Empty churches and wasted lives,
    Empty churches and Satan thrives.

    Empty churches and prayerless hearts,
    Empty churches and Christ departs;
    Empty churches and homes are sad,
    Empty churches and men go mad;
    Empty churches, no Pentecost.
    Empty churches and souls are lost;
    Empty churches and drunkards die,
    Empty churches and orphans cry.

    Empty churches and revivals cease,
    Empty churches and crimes increase;
    Empty churches and gamblers meet,
    Empty churches and wrongs defeat;
    Empty churches and war clouds roll;
    Empty churches and no control;
    Empty churches, forsaken pews,
    Empty churches and bad, bad news.

    Empty churches and nations blight,
    Empty churches, O sad, sad sight!
    Empty churches, men hate and kill,
    Empty churches, and much ill will;
    Empty churches, O sad the truth,
    Empty churches, defeated youth.
    Empty churches, it's bad to tell,
    Empty churches, men go to hell

    (W. E. Isenhour )

[Soldier4Christ]

Not so Super Sunday



    With God we will gain the victory, and he will trample down our enemies. (Psalm 60:12)

In the end, there was only one city that was happy about the whole thing. It started with thirty- then down to twelve, six, four, two, and finally one. Tampa Bay is now celebrating while Oakland is in mourning.

I'll admit it, I'm a Raiders fan. Have been since I was a little kid. It certainly seemed to me that they were clearly poised to take the trophy back to the Bay area- but as it turns out it ended up going to another bay area kinda south and to the East of California.

So now I have to stew for seven months with images in my mind of the tail whoopin' that the Bucs put on my boys. Bottom line: it is extremely disappointing when you feel right on the verge of winning the big one, only to find that all the time you were really on the edge of a cliff about to plunge into PSBD (Post Super Bowl Depression).

I wouldn't wish that feeling on anyone. I invested hours of time and volumes of emotional energy into this season...only to watch it go up in smoke.

Ok, I'll stop whining. But I am actually trying to make a point here. To be honest, I feel as though there will be thousands if not millions of Christians just like you and me that are quickly heading towards a very depressing day.

Why? Are they supporting the wrong football team?

No. But they are supporting the wrong philosophy of life. You know the one that says money and success will make you happy? The one where you play Super Saint on Sunday, then the rest of the week your mouth and motivations mirror the Murderer himself. Maybe you're not aware of this, but that team is going down in flames...and since Jesus is coming back before long, it could be sooner than you think!

Here's a preview:

    Now anyone who builds on that foundation may use gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. But there is going to come a time of testing at the judgment day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone's work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value. If the work survives the fire, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builders themselves will be saved, but like someone escaping through a wall of flames. (I Corinthians 3:12-15)

Does your life show that you are playing for the wrong side? Are you investing in the wood of worldliness, the hay of unholy habits, and the straw of secluded sin? If so, you are quickly headed for PJDD (Post Judgment Day Depression).

The good news is that you can change 'teams'. Start taking prayer/Bible study seriously. Witness to your unsaved friends. Get involved with church/youth group.

Serve God!

It's not an easy way to go- but it will be more than worth it when we stand before the Captain of our salvation and we receive not a trophy, but a proud look and these words:

    Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together! (Matthew 25:21)

I guarantee that celebration will be bigger and longer than any party this puny planet could ever produce!

[Soldier4Christ]

God's View of the Game



    Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. (Hebrews 12:1)

I don't know if you are 'in' to football or not. If you are, then you are probably aware of the significance of the Super Bowl. If you are not, you should know that this is one of the biggest sports events of the entire year. There will be an estimated 130 million people from nearly 200 countries (did you know that many countries had televisions?) tuning in to the colossal contest.

We don't exchange gifts or cards (yet), but Super Sunday might as well be a holiday given the number of gatherings ("where are you going for the game?") and the bazillions of dollars dished out to devour delicacies such as Domino's and Dr. Pepper. Have you ever thought about how your view of the Super Bowl says something about you as a person?

To me, the Super Bowl (and its accompanying festivities) brings out three types of people.

First, there are the Inquisitive. These are the folks who are curious about the flashy new commercials and enjoy watching grown people yell at inanimate objects while putting down more food in four hours than a family of four does in a year.

Then there are the Indifferent. They could not care less about the contest, the commercials, and even the condiments. What attracts these folks is the gathering. It's a chance to get together with friends and take a break from life for a few hours.

Finally we need to mention the Interested. To them, this really is about the game of football. It is the ultimate championship where five months of battling between 30 teams has come down to two contenders fighting to become the Lords of the Ring.

Perhaps you can relate to one of these categories of people- or maybe not. Yet what I would like you to consider this weekend is how the Christian life relates to Super Sunday.

Have I completely lost it?

Maybe, but please just go with me for a moment on this one.

When you trusted Christ, you joined a team and you picked a fight. We were 'drafted' from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God (Acts 26:18). Every second of every hour of every day we are engaged in a contest that is bigger than all the Super Bowls combined. Instead of 130 million people watching, we have billions of angels and the God of the universe tuning in. This doesn't involve over 200 countries- rather our battle encompasses the entire physical and spiritual universe...and just like the big game, it generally brings out three types of people.

Yep, you guessed it. First there are the Inquisitive. Oh yeah, they know that there is an intense and eternally significant war going on- but their real concern is entertainment. They are always into the latest Christian fads and watching other people make fools of themselves as they get 'radical' for Jesus. There may be a battle going on, but you wouldn't know it by watching the Inquisitive.

Of course there are also the Indifferent. Becoming a believer was fire insurance for the future and a party for the present. They could not care less about advancing God's Kingdom and fighting the good fight, there are too many church functions going on! The Indifferent have been out of the battle so long they wouldn't know a non-believer from a golden retriever.

Praise God there are still the Interested. To them, life really is about defeating the enemy through the power of the Spirit. Their motto reflects the words of one of heaven's MVPs- the Apostle Paul:

    Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. (I Corinthians 9:26)

So while you are watching the game, remember that Someone else is watching you to see which type of believer you have chosen to be. Just remember that God's starting line-up has plenty of positions open...are you Interested?

[Soldier4Christ]

Cheater!



    So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. (Luke 11:48)

They were the kind of people that you (most likely) would avoid at all costs. Kicked out of every respectable group, they were severely lacking in what we now call 'social skills'. There was never any bootlicking the bright and the beautiful, and they would tell you straight up how they felt...no matter what the cost.

What was the cost? Public shame, unemployment, prison, torture, and even cruel execution- and for what? Simply repeating back to people what God had spoken to them.

Who were these underrated and overstrung heroes? The prophets of the Most High. For hundreds of years the Lord laid a special calling on these willing believers to deliver His very words to the general population.

Wouldn't you think that the folks God uses to speak for Him would be well received? These days, most Christians would completely flip over a chance to get a direct message from the throne room of Jehovah.

Or would they?

The real truth behind the persecution of the prophets is that they suffered and died for the message, not the mannerisms. The things they were saying were not what people expected, and when they refused to quit preaching- they were actually volunteering to quit living.

Personally speaking, I don't believe people are any different today. They love the Word as long as it backs up their lifestyle choices, but when the Sword starts swiping a swath through the soul? Time to find a new church/youth group.

So what was so chafing about the chatroom of the prophets?

Probably many things, but mainly the way the prophets insisted that God has much to say about our lives than simply on "church" related matters. There are many Christians who divide their life into "spiritual" and "non-spiritual", foolishly thinking that the eye of the Almighty is not perpetually focused on every aspect of our existence.

This kind of demanding dialogue rubbed people the wrong way, because they wanted to keep God in their back pocket or on their key chains like some sort of lucky charm. Fine if Sundays and Wednesday nights were given up to the Lord, but don't go messing with my dating life, finances, job, friends, entertainment choices, etc.

I'd like to include a very important question asked by God through the prophet Malachi, because it may be the same instant message that Christ has put on the screen of your life:

    "Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me!" (Malachi 3:

Well, what do you think? Have you cheated Him? Only you can answer that, but the important thing is to be ready to answer. If there is any area of your life that you refuse to offer to Jesus, then you have robbed Him of His rightful reign. Remember that He owns the very breath that are breathing at this moment, and He sustains every beat of your heart...so when you selfishly clutch your life like it was something you owned, you become a Bible bamboozler- a Christian con- and a church going charlatan...get the picture? So rather than ignoring God's Word in your life like our spiritual forefathers, make a commitment today to embrace the messages He sends you like they were your best friend, because they just might be.

[Soldier4Christ]

You Could Learn a Lot from a Donkey



    "Crucify him!" they shouted. (Mark 15:13)

O.K.- let's do an exercise in self-reflection for a moment. Think about the past few days, and how people's words have impacted you. If you are like most folks, the regular repartee of a routine day deeply encouraged and/or discouraged- and one or two words may have made the difference between brave action and boring apathy.

Or perhaps there were things that you truly wanted to do, but decided against doing because of what people might say.

A missionary named C.T. Studd had great insight into the impact of opinions. Here's a story he told:

There once was a miller, his son and their donkey went to the market. The miller rode the donkey all the way and people exclaimed, 'Cruel man, riding himself and making his son walk' So he got down and his son rode; then people slanged, 'What a lazy son for riding while poor old father walks.' Then both father and son rode, and people then said, 'Cruelty to animals, poor donkey.' So they got down and carried the donkey on a pole, but folks said, 'Here are two dumb animals carrying another dumb animal.' Then all three walked and people said, 'What fools to have a donkey and not ride it.'

Ever have a day like that? Especially when it comes to living the Christian life. As soon as you make a definite decision to serve God one way or another, I guarantee you will soon have critics of what you are doing. Let me illustrate:

    "I'm not going to rated R movies anymore, Satan is using images from them to distract my mind"

    "Oh c'mon, you are so legalistic- come down from your soapbox and let's go catch the latest Vin Diesel flick!"

or...

    "I think it's o.k. to be friends with non-Christians as long as they aren't influencing you away from God."

    "Are you serious? Christians should totally avoid unbelievers and just hang out with other believers- preferably from their own denomination. I think that's in the Bible somewhere."

See what I mean? When you start communicating your convictions, get ready to be carped and cajoled.

So when it comes down to a fight between your beliefs and your buddies, who will get the upper hand? The Apostle Paul was aware of this battle, which is why he wrote:

    I'm not trying to be a people pleaser! No, I am trying to please God. If I were still trying to please people, I would not be Christ's servant. (Galatians 1:10)

The point being that you can never make everyone happy, so why try? In fact, Paul takes it a step further to say that basing your decisions on public opinion is not only foolish, it is also a form of rebelling against Christ!

I would challenge you to fulfill God's calling on your life. Remember, the purpose of life is not to be wealthy, popular, well liked, successful, educated, good-looking, thin, buff, or even happy (though you would think so if you read some 'Christian' literature).

Jesus told us that life is about seeking first the Kingdom of God...

Perhaps it is time to start listening for the applause of heaven rather than the curtain calls from the crowd?

[Soldier4Christ]

Name Your Animal



    "Am I my brother's keeper?" (Genesis 4:9)

    A rat looked through a crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package. What food might it contain? He was aghast to discover that it was a rattrap.

    Retreating to the farmyard the rat proclaimed the warning; "There is a rat trap in the house, a rat trap in the house!"

    The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Excuse me, Mr. Rat, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."

    The rat turned to the pig and told him, "There is a rat trap in the house, a rat trap in the house!" "I am so very sorry Mr. Rat," sympathized the pig, "but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured that you are in my prayers."

    The rat turned to the cow. She said, "Like wow, Mr. Rat. A rattrap. I am in grave danger. Duh?"

    So the rat returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's rat trap alone.

    That very night a sound was heard throughout the house, like the sound of a rat trap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see that it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife.

    The farmer rushed her to the hospital. She returned home with a fever. Now everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient...the chicken.

    His wife's sickness continued so that friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them the farmer butchered the pig.

    The farmer's wife did not get well. She died, and so many people came for her funeral that the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide meat for all of them to eat.

    (Author unknown)

How many Christians do you know that are like the other barnyard animals? Offering help or giving assistance only when they believe it directly affects them, little knowing that the futures of believers are as intertwined as the root system of an aspen grove.

Or perhaps a better animal to describe many believers would be an ostrich. Supposedly, when they sense danger the silly birds bury their heads in the sand thinking that the danger will go away. So let me pull your head out for a minute and give you a picture of what hazards are on the horizon even as I write.

The average church in America sees less than 2 conversions per year. If this trend continues, within a few decades we'll be nothing but an irrelevant memory in the dusty annals of American religious history.

The majority of churches still refuse to cross denominational/racial lines for the sake of evangelism and unity in the Body. This petty persnickety pompous pretense is killing the reputation of Christ to the outside world.

We have every possible theme covered with our specialty Bibles (i.e. The Couples Bible, The Kids Bible, The Teen Bible, The Bible for Those Who Don't Fit Any Other Category etc.), yet how many people do you know who can quote more than 5 or 6 verses from memory??? We are on the verge of entering into a theological dark ages where the church will be thematically savvy but truth stupid.

The average church member gives less than 2% of his/her income. Meanwhile Starbucks and SUV sales abound. No wonder the church is having a hard time making a worldwide impact, especially when she can hardly pay the utility bill!

Those would be just a few of the clouds I see on the horizon, but I hope you get the picture. Time for us to turn the tides by being proactive with our Christianity before it is too late!

[Soldier4Christ]

Clean Waste

I'm not sure exactly why I do it. I suppose it's the 'right' thing to do, and if I didn't, someone might call the authorities- then I'd be in big trouble. Of course I'm talking about giving my dog a bath. It's not that giving him one is so bad, it's just that right after he's squeaky clean, he then excels at locating the muckiest muck and making a mockery of my lathering labors.

It happened just the other day. I had the decency of taking him ('him' being Cinamon, my 1 year old Golden Retriever who pretty much has a pig complex) to the lake for a walk. I even let him off the leash so he could do a little searching, when instead he did a lot of sprinting...right into the lake...the worst part of the lake...the part we call 'scum central'. So anyway, out comes my once clean canine with a nice two tone fur job: streaming strands of flowing fur on top- mounds of miry mud below.

About an hour later, my kids and I had Cinamon clean as a whistle. Does he thank us? No. Does he play fetch out of gratitude? No. Does he take a nap and bask in the sun of sanitation? That would be no.

He gives me one sly look and finds the dirtiest part of the yard, where he proceeds to roll around until he's covered with dirt.

Hmmm...that made me think of Christians. The ones who have had the stain of sin removed from their souls; yet continue to invent new ways to get 'muddied up'.

Have you ever thought about how God feels when He has gone to all the trouble to make us righteous, but we go out of our way to find 'scum central' in our words, attitudes, and actions? Perhaps that's why He tells us:

    "And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice--the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is." (Romans 12:1-2)

Remember, the very instant you confess your sin, God wipes the slate clean. Remember also that the point of a clean slate is not to get it dirty again.

God truly wants to bless us, but nobody likes the smell of a wet dog.

[Soldier4Christ]

Majority Rules!



    "Why?" Pilate demanded. "What crime has he committed?" But the crowd only roared the louder, "Crucify him!" (Matthew 27:23)

I guess in America majority rules. That only seems fair, right? How could a whole bunch of people believing the same thing be wrong? I mean, look at the people in Christ's day who voted against Him, or the Germans in World War II who voted for Hitler, or the pro-abortionists who voted against unborn children?

Wait, those are probably bad examples...

Could it be that going with majority opinion is many times just a really stupid thing to do?

The following story brings out this point very well:

    A meeting was held. A quorum was present. The resolution was made in accordance to the rules of order. It was seconded, passionately discussed and duly voted on. The result, it was democratically decided by a small majority that sin didn't matter anymore. Feeling smug, those who voted for the resolution felt free to accept and celebrate the practice of sin.

    Since it was a majority decision, those who felt obliged to speak out were duly chastised for their narrow-minded thinking and unwillingness to follow the majority. It seemed the only sin was now speaking out against the majority vote.

    The resolution made many feel good.

    They didn't want to be seen by others as not nice for not accepting lifestyles once considered sinful. In fact many could now openly practice what had once been done in the dark and not worry about what God would say. After all, a vote had been taken. God was patient. He wasn't surprised by the turn of events; in fact He knew it would happen He had seen it happen before. His people would often choose not to follow. It was like Israel in the days of the Judges:

    In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit. (Judges 17:6 NIV)

It wasn't just an Old Testament "thing", it was still important under the new covenant as well. Time passed and people eventually ended up standing in front of the judgment seat. With shock and horror they saw their sins revealed.

"It can't be," they cried "we voted and decided sin didn't matter anymore."

The judge simply shook His head sadly. "Where on earth did you ever get the idea this was a democracy? I am sovereign and I do not change!"

    Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:7-8 NIV)

As our world becomes more and more "tolerant" we accept more and more sin believing it will not matter. We're wrong, it still matters and still angers God. If He truly is Lord, where on earth did we ever get the idea that we can out vote Him? To paraphrase a well-known Bible teacher, the whole idea is from the pit of Hell and smells like smoke. What have you allowed into your life that is displeasing to God? Perhaps it is time to give it up again.

[Soldier4Christ]

Disciple Now?



    Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." (Mark 8:34-38)

Are you a believer? If you are reading this, then I would venture that your answer is 'yes'.

Are you a disciple? That's an entirely different question. Becoming a believer is simply a matter of trusting in Christ as your only hope of salvation, becoming a disciple is working hard everyday after that to become more like Jesus.

No, I'm not saying we have to behave to get into heaven, salvation is by faith alone- and when we truly trust Christ we are forever saved. The issue is this: when you finally do meet Jesus face to face, will He even recognize your face?

"Disciple' is a fancy word for "follower". So if you claim to be a disciple, your actions will match your words. Authentic Christians will not be satisfied with just being a believer. Each day we should be falling in love more and more with our Savior, and thus begin acting more and more like Him.

Here is a list that makes a great starting point to "examine yourselves to see if your faith is really genuine" (II Corinthians 13:5).

    * A believer praises the Lord in good times, the disciple at all times.
    * The Holy Spirit resides in the believer but shines through the disciple.
    * A believer loves God with heart and mind, while a disciple commits the will.
    * A believer loves God and others, but they are the disciple's life.
    * A believer lives in hope, but for the disciple, God's hope is certain.
    * A believer seeks forgiveness for sin, but a disciple also determines not to walk that path again.
    * A believer had faith in God but the disciple's faith is tempered in the fire of testing.
    * A believer loves the Lord, but the disciple's love is unconditional.
    * The believer serves the Lord in strength, but the disciple is made perfect through weakness.
    * God is part of the believer's life, but the central focus of the disciple.
    * A believer forgives, but the disciple also forgets.
    * A believer communicates with God at his/her own convenience, but the disciple's heart is open to the Lord at all times.

[Soldier4Christ]

Jewish Wrap?



    But I have this complaint against you. You don't love me or each other as you did at first! (Revelation 2:4)

Ever hear of tefillin? No, it's not the stuff that goes on the inside of cooking ware. Tefillin is actually a three thousand year old Jewish ritual of wrapping leather straps attached to small boxes of scripture around the forehead, arm and hand while praying.

Why do they do this?

According to one Rabbi: "When you put Tefillin on your arm symbolically you are marrying yourself to God in a way that you will obey his commandments and his words that are given in the Torah. And you're also putting them on your head and your brain so that you think about them all the time."

Where would anyone get an idea to do something like that?
From the Bible

    Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

God knew that people are by nature very forgetful...what was I talking about again? Oh yeah, so He commanded the Hebrews to put up physical reminders of His precious word so they would constantly be reminded to keep the main thing the main thing. It must be working, because they are still carrying on the tradition after 3000 years!

We often fail to remember the important things in our lives because our minds are so full of trivial pursuits. We also forget that following Him is not just a matter of memorizing verses or feeling 'good' about Jesus: it's a combination of both. We learn God's word so that we love Him with our mind, we pour out our hearts to our Lord and live for Him so that we love the Savior with our hearts. The key is in balancing the two- that's why God had the Hebrews put reminders near their heads and their hearts.

I know some 'ostrich' Christians who have their heads stuck so deeply into theology that they can't see a world dying and going to hell.

I know some 'teddy bear' Christians who are wide open in their thinking that their brains leak out.

Perhaps today would be a good day to revive the ancient practice of tefillin in a Christian sort of way. Put your Bible somewhere you can always see it, so you don't forget how important it is to be someone "who correctly handles the word of truth." (II Timothy 2:15).

Also, put some worship tapes or cd's out where you can see them, so that you don't forget how important it is to connect with Jesus on a daily basis, and not lose your "first love".

[Soldier4Christ]

God Has Some Questions



    Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm: "Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me." (Job 40:6-7)

Several years back there was a very popular song by Joan Osborne called "One of Us". Basically it raised questions around the idea of what life would be like if God was actually to dwell on our planet. What would His name be? Would He ride a bus? Would He phone the Pope? Etc. Etc. Etc.

Deep thought. Alluring concept. Except (duh!) this already has happened. Jesus Christ was God being 'one of us'. The questions have been answered pretty effectively in written form. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John replied to the questions about 'God in the flesh' 2000 years before this song was ever written!

God sure is patient with all of our uncertainties about Him. Perhaps He would like to make some inquiries into our lives as well...things like:

    * What if I couldn't take the time to bless you today because you couldn't take the time to thank Me yesterday?
    * What if I decided to stop leading you tomorrow because you didn't follow Me today?
    * What if you never saw another flower bloom because you grumbled when I sent the Rain?
    * What if I didn't walk with you today because you failed to recognize it as My day?
    * What if I took away the Bible tomorrow because you would not read it today?
    * What if I took away My message because you failed to listen to the messenger?
    * What if I didn't send My only begotten Son because He wanted you to be prepared to pay the price for sin.
    * What if the door of the church was closed because you did not open the door of your heart?
    * What if I stopped loving and caring for you because you failed to love and care for others?
    * What if I would not hear you today because you would not listen to Me?
    * What if I answered your prayers the way you answer My call to service?
    * What if I met your needs the way you give Me your lives???

[Soldier4Christ]

Christian Cover Ups



    "The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him..." (II Chronicles 9:16)

In Basel, Switzerland each year the good Christian townspeople have a festival in which they all put on masks and go through the city doing things and going places they would never even think about doing/going under normal circumstances. The mask, which veils their identity, makes it easy for them to do these things.

One year, the Salvation Army, concerned about how easy it was for these people to abandon their convictions, put up signs all over the city which read: "God sees behind the mask."

These days, it seems as though this festival goes on everyday with Christians.

Which mask is your favorite? Let me list a few:

   1. The "I'm no different" mask.
          * This is the one for believers who smile, say 'amen', and quote verses on Sunday with no mask- but then Monday through Saturday it's back to the festival. They hide behind a fear of rejection from friends and co-workers, and they rationalize their pagan lifestyle by saying to themselves: "I don't want to offend anyone." If you fit in this category, God wants you to trust your reputation to Him and ditch the disguise. Remember that hypocritical Christians do more damage to the cause of Christ than anything else. Paul put it this way: "Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ." (Galatians 1:10)
   2. The "I'm super-spiritual" mask.
          * This is the one that the Pharisees of Jesus' day wore. On the outside, they seemed spiritually superior to everyone around them. On the inside, they were self-righteous moral highlanders. This disguise keeps you from telling anyone about your struggles because you are too prideful to admit them. You think that if you were truthful with others about your failures, you would be rejected. Yet keep in mind that if you are rejected by 'friends' for being honest, then they were horrible friends to begin with. In the words of James: "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed." (James 5:16)
   3. The "I don't need God" mask.
          * This person's favorite "verse" is: "God helps those who help themselves" (which really isn't in the Bible). If, and only if, all other solutions have been tried will they turn to God and ask for help. Let's face it, though, don't we need God to even keep us alive moment to moment? If Jesus needed to constantly ask for God's help, how much more do we? Jesus said: "I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing." (John 15:15)

There are probably hundreds of other kinds of masks, but I think you get the picture. Look in God's mirror this weekend to see how you make your face up with your favorite disguise in an attempt to fool the all-seeing Lord and the 'survivor' crowd. He wants to bless your honesty and strengthen your uprightness.

[Soldier4Christ]

Dangerous Duplicity



    So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall! (I Corinthians 10:12)

His resume as a follower of Jesus was really quite impressive. He voluntarily gave up his chosen profession, and stood by Jesus' side for three years. When the so called 'disciples' who followed Christ for the free food and magic show ditched Him when he started making demands, this person stayed the course.

As a matter of fact, of all the men whom Jesus chose to be one of the 12, this man was the most likely candidate to succeed- and (oh!) the things he saw during those 36 months. The sick healed, the blind given sight, the storm calmed, the masses fed, and the dead raised again. He walked with Jesus, broke bread with Him, laughed with him, and wept with Him.

Which is why it may come as quite a surprise that the last words Jesus ever spoke to Him were:

    "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" (Luke 22:48)

On Palm Sunday, Judas was cheering for Jesus with the enormous crowd. After all, he was excited about the popularity of this miracle-working teacher. Only two days later, Judas agreed to betray Christ with a kiss.

How could his attitude have turned so quickly from dedication to deceitfulness? The same reason that ours does: disappointment. Judas (like the crowds) was quite sure that Jesus would conquer those nasty Romans and put Israel back into the number one ranking again. Surely after the big parade He got on Sunday, He would respond on Monday with an unprecedented heavenly strike of Biblical proportions, right?

But Judas and the crowds didn't get their way, and within one week their cheers for Hosanna changed to chants of hatred.

History hasn't treated Judas very well since that day. He's always the ugly one in paintings and movies about Jesus' time. I've not come across any parents who desire to name their children after him, and in fact I've never even met any people who would name their pet after him (come here Judas! Come boy, sit, sit...) Yet before we point the finger at him, let's consider our attitude towards Christ when things don't turn out our way: questioning, complaining, mistrusting, even willfully rejecting.

    (Come on Lane, are you saying that if we betray Christ, we hurt Jesus like Judas did? What an overstatement!)

For it is impossible to restore to repentance those who were once enlightened--those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the power of the age to come-- and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people to repentance again because they are nailing the Son of God to the cross again by rejecting him, holding him up to public shame. (Hebrews 6:4-6)

This week, consider deeply where you stand with the Savior. Don't praise Him with your lips on Sunday, and then betray Him with your actions Monday –Saturday. Most importantly, don't ever think that you couldn't fall into the same trap as Judas, for it is then that you are only one step away.

[Soldier4Christ]

Go for the Gold



    I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified. (I Corinthians 9:27)

This week, thousands have gathered in Salt Lake City to watch great athletes from all over the world compete for the gold. Years of hard work, dedication, and desire are put to the ultimate test in the Winter Olympics.

Imagine if you saw an interview with an competitor who said: "Y' know, I don't really care about getting any medals, I'm just glad to be here." Personally, I wouldn't want that individual representing my nation. I want Team U.S.A not only to be the best of the best, but also singularly focused on getting the rewards. Sure, the medals are hung around the neck of one person, but the whole world sees that nation being honored.

The Apostle Paul was familiar with the Olympic games, and I think he must have known some Christians who had this attitude: "Lord, I don't care about getting any kind of reward, I'm just glad to be saved..."

At first this sounds like the purest motive possible, but the more you examine this attitude, the less Biblical it becomes. Check out what Paul said:

    Remember that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. You also must run in such a way that you will win. All athletes practice strict self-control. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. (I Corinthians 9:24-25)

Notice that he did not downplay competition, nor encourage us to take our minds off rewards now that we are believers. In fact, he is saying just the opposite- run to win!

So obviously it is not wrong since the Bible commands us to seek rewards. The thing to remember is that even though we as individuals receive the reward, it is God who receives the glory. That's why seeking "heavenly medals" is not selfish, because our motivation is God's glory.

If we never think about rewards, or (even worse) if we live the lie that all believers will receive the same reward in heaven, we will lack motivation God intended us to have.

So let the competition in Utah remind you of our responsibility as believers to completely 'go for it' in the Christian life. The spiritual landscape of this nation would be radically different if we all focused on 'running the race' with the same diligence and motivation as an Olympic athlete.

One day we all will stand at the "Olympic platform" of heaven, where Jesus Himself will reward us for how well we competed for the prize. Most of us won't even deserve to have a Tupperware reward hung around our neck. Just remember that as long as you are breathing, it's never too late to 'get in the game'.