Salvation - Lift Up My Eyes

Are You for Real?

When I was growing up in a Baptist Sunday School we had offering envelopes that we were expected to bring to class each week. In addition to including an offering in the envelope we had to check off six points that supposedly reflected our faithfulness and preparation. Each point was given a value totaling 100% Although these points were expressed in formalized language, we kids had our own shorthand. Present 20%, On time 10%, Bring your Bible 10%, Give an offering 10%, Read your lesson 30%, Staying for church 20%.

Although there is nothing wrong, per se, with these six points as I reflect I see that they were just steps we went through. “Hooray, I got 100% this week! I must be doing something right.” There is nothing here that deals with knowing Jesus, loving God and loving people. And they certainly did not lead us to a closer walk with Him.

I recently encountered an article by Frank Powell “7 Signs of a Fake Christian,” from which I borrowed from to write this article. First, I want to make it crystal clear that I am not judging anyone. These seven signs are not a checklist as in “Old Joe is a nice guy but he scores on five of these seven points. He must not be a Christian.” My purpose is to help each of us examine ourselves and see if we appear to be a fake Christian and how we need to change to become more Christlike. These points can also be helpful in counseling others who are struggling with their Christian walk.

There are over 50 Bible passages in the New Testament about false Christians. One of the most terrifying statements made by Jesus is recorded in Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who calls me their Lord will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only the ones who obey my Father in heaven will get in. ” And in verse 23, He commanded ““I will have nothing to do with you! Get out of my sight, you evil people!” (CEV).

One. Do you feel guilty when missing church? On the way to church would you stop and help someone or is it more important to be present and accounted for? As shown in the Sunday School six points our Christianity seems to be based on showing up, checking all the right boxes. I recall the church giving out recognition pins for perfect attendance at Sunday School. We feel more guilt about missing church on Sunday than we do if we neglect to help someone. Or we have no problem taking advantage of others. I once had a pastor who collected antiques. He was visiting the home of a lady who had an antique side table that he really liked. She was unaware of its value. He was bragging that he bought it from her for a fraction of its value. As an aside, he was later disgraced for another matter.

We have it backwards. Jesus told us that the two greatest commandments are to love God and love your neighbor. He did not say the greatest commandment was to have a perfect attendance record. All other laws and teachings depend on these principles.

Two. Placing too much trust in the Bible. Again, going back to my Sunday School days, we frequently had “sword drills” in which we competed to see who could find a given scripture the fastest. I recall that I was usually one of the top two competitors in our church (Brag, brag). Knowing where to find a particular scripture is not as important as understanding that scripture. We know that Satan knew scripture, even though he misused it when he tempted Jesus in the wilderness. Knowing the scripture is not equivalent to a relationship with God.

Three. A fake Christian is concerned with drawing a line that defines sin. Someone once said to me that a popular evangelist said that the first look at a woman is not a sin, but the second look could be. My friend related that he then started taking a long first look. The mindset, not the second look, was the sin. We should be seeking God, not seeking how far we can go and avoid sin.

Four. We’ve all heard it. “I’ll never forgive him for doing that to me.” Our mindset is that God hates sin, but He will forgive “minor” sins. After all, if God really hates sins, there must be some sins that are unforgivable. Jesus died on the cross for my sins, for your sins. All of them. Jesus said in Matthew 12:31-32 that there is one unforgivable sin. “every sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.” If God can forgive all other sins, why can’t we?

Five. Keeping our distance from sinners. We act like being around “sinners” will contaminate us. Who did Jesus associate with while he was on earth? Tax collectors, people that had no social standing, those ceremonially unclean under Jewish law. Holiness in the Old Testament meant separation. In fulfilling the law rather than abolishing it, Jesus turned that around. Mature Christians don’t keep their distance – they seek to help. Who isn’t a sinner?

Six. As Christians, we sometimes give lip service to the statement that the church is not a building, we are the church. Which is a true statement. That belies the question “Where is God?” We refer to the church as “God’s house, a fact expressed in Psalm 122:1 “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let’s go to the house of the Lord’.” Guess what? He doesn’t live there, any more than you or I live in the church building. God lives in us, I Corinthians 6-19 tells us “do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?” When we come to worship, we bring the Holy Spirit with us. He lives in us, not the church.

Seven. We equate our status as a Christian by what we know, not by what we do. I know of one prominent Christian who had memorized the Bible. He could quote virtually any scripture at any given time. He was widely recognized as a “Man of God.” After decades of ministry, he was revealed as a sexual predator. He knew the Bible but I would say he did not have a relationship with its author. On the other hand Jimmy Carter worked into his 90’s building homes for Habitat for Humanity. This former President said that working side by side with families as equals brought Him profound joy, that the greatest blessings come from improving the lives of others. Jimmy Carter had his faith right.

I don’t know about you, but in writing this, I saw some holes in my “Christian” resume. But God is forgiving. None of us are perfect. There was a kid’s song often sung in Sunday School that included the lyrics:

He’s still working on me to make me what I ought to be.

It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars,

The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars.

How loving and patient He must be, He’s still working on me.

I thank God that He continues to work on me. Will you let Him work on you, too?

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To learn more about a new life in Christ, click here.

All scripture is from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise indicated.

What is Your Purpose?

Salvation, Spiritual Growth

I recently saw a poster that stated “The purpose of life is to find a purpose in life.” At first I just sort of brushed it off as meaningless gibberish. But then I got to thinking and realized that the statement is right on. All of us know someone who might be generously described as a drifter. They go through life taking whatever happens, going from job to job and wondering why they are not satisfied with their life status. It has been suggested that someone should not ask “What do I want to do?” but focus on the question “What do I want to be?”

Finding Purpose. As a college professor for 37 years, I encountered thousands of students. Some came into college with a definite plan for their major and subsequent career. Plans change, but the point is to stay focused on the person you want to be. Other students were just there. I recall one student who was totally unanchored. When he would come close to completing a major, he would switch. I believe that he had no purpose beyond being a student. Of course, there are other purposes for being in college. A pastor once told me as a freshman, he met a nice-looking young lady. They struck up a conversation, and he inquired, “What degree are you seeking?” Her response was “An Mrs.” He moved on.

Purpose for All Ages. Your purpose in life is not unchangeable. As you move through life your purpose can evolve. As a personal example, I entered Mars Hill University with the intent of majoring in accounting and becoming a CPA. Upon graduation, I sort of drifted from jobs to jobs and was not really career-minded. I felt the urge to pursue my MBA but still lacked focus. About eight years after finishing at Mars Hill, I had an MBA from Georgia and still lacked purpose. Through a series of divine circumstances, I began teaching accounting in the night program in the local technical school. After my first night in the classroom, I knew I had found my purpose. A college professor was what I was meant to become. Through the years, this purpose morphed as I taught discipleship training in my church, frequently volunteering for various organizations (As a CPA there were a lot of opportunities to serve as treasurer). I rekindled my love of writing and published professionally and personally. I’m now retired from teaching and tax work but not from fulfilling my purpose. I still volunteer and write.

On Purpose. Lakes Church in Lakeland, Florida has a tag line with its logo. It simply reads “On Purpose.” On its webpage, the church explains that On Purpose “means living with intentionality to fulfill God’s mission. It describes a proactive approach to faith where believers serve others, glorify God, and ‘live sent’ as missionaries instead of passively attending church.” This can apply to individuals or organizations.

Two Scripture Passages. Seeking our purpose requires intentionality on our part. We cannot sit around and wait for God to reveal His purpose to us. Two scripture passages come to mind in this regard. A surface examination of the two scriptures seem to contradict each other. In Psalm 27:14, David writes “Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord.” At first glance, it seems that David is saying “Sit back and relax, think good thoughts and God will reveal your purpose.” I think the CEV expresses this more in tune with our way of thinking today. “Trust the Lord! Be brave and strong and trust the Lord.” We aren’t to be passively waiting, but we are to put our trust in God to direct us.

The other verse is found in Isaiah 55:6. “Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.” This verse carries both a promise and a warning. The promise is that God is accessible to us. He CAN be found. It’s not too difficult. He is near. We are to seek Him. He seeks us out. But the warning implies that time is not unlimited. There is a sense of urgency to repent and commit your ways to the Lord while we can. Verse 7 assures us of His mercy and forgiveness “Return to the Lord our God. He will be merciful and forgive your sins.” (CEV)

What Will You Do With Jesus? Your purpose is so much more than your chosen profession. The greatest question you will ever answer is not what you will do with your life, but what you will do with Jesus. That is a question that everyone must answer. The answer determines your eternal home. Failure to answer gives you the default – and it is not an eternity in Heaven. Once that answer is settled, the rest of life begins to fall into place.

Place your faith in Jesus. Faith isn’t the absence of evidence; it’s responding honestly to the evidence God has already given. Evidence through creation, scripture, Christ’s resurrection, changed lives, and the Holy Spirit. Testimony that Jesus is the Son of God.

What will you do with Jesus?

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To learn more about a new life in Christ, click here.

All scripture is from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise indicated.

Power Prayers for Israel

Current Events, Salvation

Psalm 122:6-7 reads “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. May peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.” Most Christians are aware of this passage and may even pray for the peace of Jerusalem. But I’ve always had somewhat of a hollow feeling when I pray for Israel. To me, simply praying “ Lord we pray for the peace of Jerusalem” is only a framework for prayer. How do we “build out our prayers as we pray for the peace of Jerusalem?

Very few people alive today recall the time before 1948, when Israel once again became a nation. Prior to that the nation ceased to exist in AD 138 when the Roman emperor Hadrian, crushed a revolt and banned all Jews from Palestine. After World War II Britain was given a mandate by the League of Nations to administer the territory. This area was sometimes referred to as Mandatory Palestine, but there was no Jewish nation, no Israel, until 1948 when the modern State of Israel came into existence.

There is Much to Pray About for Israel.

Salvation. The Jewish people are God’s chosen people but, by and large, they are not saved. There is one way to Heaven and that way is accepting Jesus as Savior and Lord. In Romans 10:1, Paul prayed “my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them [the Jewish people] is for their salvation.”

Release of the Holy Spirit. Don’t focus on human efforts at peace or the political situation. An angel gave Zechariah a message from God (4:6) “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.’” Only when the Holy Spirit turns the hearts of the Jewish people will God’s plan will come to fruition. All earthly powers will fail. I don’t mean to sound discouraging but human leadership alone will not bring lasting peace. Pray for the Spirit to inhabit the people.

Bring them Back. From Romans 11:25 we know that the future restoration is not only a possibility, it is a certainty. “For I do not want you, brothers and sisters, to be uninformed of this mystery—so that you will not be wise in your own estimation—that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.” Paul is saying that Israel’s blindness is only temporary.

Fullness of the Gentiles. There is some debate about the meaning of the “fullness of the Gentiles.” Many think this refers to the Great Commission when the Gospel has reached every nation and peoples worldwide. At that point, the church will be taken up.

Warren Wiersbe writes “The name “Jerusalem” means “foundation of peace,” yet the city has been a center of conflict for centuries. If we understand biblical prophecy correctly, there can be no peace in Jerusalem or on earth until the Prince of Peace reigns on David’s throne (Is. 9:6, 7; Luke 1:26–33). So, when we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, we are actually praying, ‘Your kingdom come’ (Matt. 6:10).”

Pray for Israel’s Leadership. Current and future Israeli leaders need us to pray for God to give them wisdom – politically and militarily as well as spiritually.

Pray for God’s ordained inheritance of the land. In Genesis 17:8 God told Abraham “And I will give to you and to your descendants after you the land where you live as a stranger, all the land of Canaan, as an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” It is a historical fact that they have never possessed all of the land”. Ezekiel 48:1 lists the clear boundaries of the land Israel is to possess. Dr. David Jeremiah states that “If Israelis were currently occupying all the land that God gave to them, they would control all the holdings of present-day Israel, Lebanon, and the West Bank of Jordan, plus substantial portions of Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Israel has never possessed anywhere near this amount of land.”

Bless Israel. In Numbers, Balaam was told to curse Israel but found he could not. Instead he proclaimed “Blessed is everyone who blesses you [Israel], And cursed is everyone who curses you.” We need to bless Israel in our prayers.

The overriding fact to remember is that God made promises to the Jewish people. God keeps His promises – all of them. And we should mention one more promise. In Genesis 12:3, God promised Abraham “And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse.” I want God’s blessing. Do you?

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To learn more about a new life in Christ, click here.

All scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise indicated.

Photo credit to Jorono and VilmaAndreade on Pixabay.

You Are God’s Whoever

Bible Lesson, Salvation

John 3:16 is probably the most read and quoted Scripture verse in the world. It has been likened to “the gospel in a nutshell” but some criticize that as an oversimplification. John D. Pierce has written that the treatment of this verse as the gospel in a nutshell has contributed to a cheapening of the gospel in American Christianity. Pierce speculates that the verse itself doesn’t require much of a response. All the reader is called to do is to “believe in Jesus,” maintaining that the nutshell gospel mantra “is an attempted shortcut to heaven without traveling the route Jesus lays out.”

Before actually getting into the verse, let’s parse some words. The nutshell protects the meat of the nut. Most nutshells are inedible and are removed and tossed out before eating the nut meat inside. It covers and protects the kernel, which may be edible. When you say, “in a nutshell,” you mean to condense a large amount of information into one short sentence. That is what this verse does. It is an incredible expectation to think any one verse can sum up the entire gospel message. After all, it took 66 books to give us God’s plan. John 3:16 doesn’t lay out the whole plan of salvation, but is a doorway to salvation. In about 25 words, it highlights the gospel message. In a sense, it’s like being on the internet and reading a teaser with the admonition to click on a link to learn more.

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who [whoever] believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NASB). This verse is part of a larger passage in which Jesus was explaining salvation to Nicademus. The 21 verses elaborate on God’s plan – the 16th verse is a summary. Let’s look at this verse in detail.

“For God so loved the world.” 1 John 4:8 reads “God is love.” Not God loves, He is love. Love isn’t something He does, it is who He is. His love is not an emotion or feeling – it is a deliberate act for the benefit of others. And, unlike us, God loves all. The phrasing here is also of interest. “God loved the world so much” places the word “so” with an emphasis on us. Saying He so loved the world places the emphasis on God not on us, the world.

“That He gave His only Son.” The extent of God’s love knows no boundaries. He, the Almighty God of the Universe, has given you a gift. A priceless, unique gift. He gave His son to die on a cross. For me. For you. It was His only son. There is none other who could have done this for us. Why this tremendous act on our behalf?

“So that everyone who believes in Him.” The word “everyone” is sometimes translated as “whosoever” which is an archaic word frequently used in the Bible. Everyone is an overused term that has lost some of its meaning. Probably on a daily basis we hear people proclaiming that everybody is going to a certain event. Everybody is watching that movie. The list could go on and on. Utilizing a modern form of the pronoun gives us “whoever.” This is a better word for us in this context. I am whoever. You are whoever.

Each person who has ever lived is a “whoever” that is covered in Jesus’ statement. There are many aspects to believing in Him but it always includes personal trust in God, accepting that he sacrificed Himself for us, and receiving the gift. A gift we cannot earn through good deeds but a “reward” for our belief.

“Will not perish but have eternal life.” And now, the gift. Eternal life. Since it is a gift, we must accept or reject it. We can’t earn it. Perish is defined as “to die,” sometimes in a violent manner. But the Bible aspect to this word involves more than physical death. Perish refers to eternal destruction, separation from God. The Greek word used here is apollumi, meaning to be completely lost, ruined, or destroyed. If we die without God, we perish and are eternally separated from Him.

I once visited a slave castle in Ghana. This castle was used as a holding point for slaves being sent to the Americas. It was very sobering to see what man could inflict on their countrymen. Above the door to the ships was a sign “Door of No Return.” This, of course, signifies that the slaves going through this door would never see their homeland or families again. Dying without accepting God’s gift of eternal life is our door of no return.

But God provides a way to avoid perishing. If we accept His gift of eternal life we will not perish. 2 Peter 3:9 reads “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.” He patiently waits for more to accept the gift. God wants you to have eternal life, but you must follow His unique plan for your salvation. And His love shows through His patience. He has given you eternal life. Start that life today. God keeps His promises.

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To learn more about a new life in Christ, click here.

Photo credits to Gerealt on Pixabay. Door photo credit to respective author.

All scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible unless otherwise indicated.

Lord and Savior or Not?

devotional, Salvation

Acts 16:31 is a well-known and often quoted scripture passage. It reads “They said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’” I think we have oversimplified the intent of this verse. On the surface, it tells us that we will be saved if we believe. In addition, it seems to say that our household will also be saved.

Whose Faith? Dealing with the issue of who is saved, this verse is not saying that the family would be automatically saved if the jailer believed. Luke is saying that the family may be saved in the same manner as the jailer. There is no implication that the faith of the head of the household will automatically flow to the rest of his family. However, there is a nugget of truth here. According to data collected by Promise Keepers and Baptist Press, if a father does not go to church, even if his wife does, only one child in 50 will become a regular worshiper. If a father does go regularly, regardless of what the mother does, between two-thirds and three-quarters of their children will attend church as adults. The influence of a Christian father will flow to the rest of the family. We need Godly fathers, but that is a topic for another day.

What is to Believe? The other issue is a little more problematic. What does it mean to believe? Looking at the meaning of the Greek, we see that the word “believe” is pisteuo. Without getting into too much detail, this word carries different connotations depending on the context. It may mean persuading oneself – affirming or showing confidence. In this case the believing is self-serving with no spiritual context. It could be described as a belief in what we want to happen. In this context, I am persuading myself that all I need to do is believe in Jesus. Our human nature has taken us here in a vain attempt to escape eternity in hell.

The other context implies believing that derives from God’s working in us. In this instance, we have correctly ascertained that there is more to Christianity than a fire insurance policy that gets us into Heaven. When we see the depth of this word, we must come to the conclusion that the second context is meant by Luke. Specifically, the New Testament uses “believe” in a moral and religious sense. It is the conviction and trust in which we are impelled by the Spirit to absolutely trust in Jesus in all respects.

Jesus Becoming our Lord. When we accept Christ as our savior, two things should happen. He becomes our Savior. This is a common occurrence. Secondly, we make Him our Lord. II Corinthians 5:17 (CEV) indicates the result of Him becoming our Lord “Anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person. The past is forgotten, and everything is new.” Everything is new – He is Lord of every aspect of our lives or He is not our Lord at all. Unfortunately, many believers never acknowledge Him as Lord or act as if He is Lord.

An Oversimplification? We have oversimplified Christianity. We tell people “just believe in Jesus and you will be saved.” That’s not enough. In James 2:26 the author bluntly states “faith without works is dead.” I am not saying that works save us, but our works indicate that we have become that new creation. Earlier in the chapter, James states that the demons believe and tremble. They believe in God, but they have not made Him Lord and will not be in Heaven. Jesus cannot be separated into two beings. Either He is both Savior and Lord or He is neither.

Think about someone who decides he needs to get in better physical shape. Some friends recommend Planet Fitness. So he joins. Better yet, he can join for free as a benefit from his supplemental Medicare policy. So it costs him nothing. A few months go by, and he realizes that joining the gym hasn’t improved his fitness at all. Well, of course not! In order to benefit from the gym membership he must go to the gym. So he starts going regularly. But this doesn’t improve his fitness at all. Then you discover that, although he is going to the gym, he just sits around watching others. He may stroll around, taking note of the equipment that’s available to him.

It’s the same with Jesus Christ. We can say we believe in Him, even attend and join a church. The music is not to our liking and the preacher is boring, so we spend the time browsing Facebook and checking email. When the service finally ends, we leave and go back to our daily routine without Christ. We believe in Christ, have accepted Christ’s salvation. But Jesus is not the Lord of our life.

Becoming New. When we follow Jesus, making Him Lord, we become His disciple. Luke 16:26 (CEV) is very explicit about Jesus’ expectations. “You cannot be my disciple, unless you love me more than you love your father and mother, your wife and children, and your brothers and sisters. You cannot follow me unless you love me more than you love your own life.” The King James version uses the word “hate” but that does not carry the connotation that Jesus intended. Hate is an old English verb that means “to have a passionate aversion to, treat as an enemy.” Jesus was using the word “hate” as a relative term. It would probably be more accurately understood as being indifferent to our family in comparison with our attitude toward God. He is telling us that nothing should come before God in our lives. We should even place God above our own lives.

I think we often get too hung up on the hate aspect of this verse and overlook the most important part. Jesus is telling us that, if we are to be His disciple (not just a follower) he must have the preeminent place in our lives. When we become a disciple, we are making him our Lord. We are made new.

Suppose I have a traffic accident and my car is badly damaged. It gets taken to a body shop. It might even be called an Auto Resurrection Shop. But everyone who has had a car damaged knows it is not the same as new, regardless of how good it looks. God does not have a body shop to fix us up. God gives us a brand new car with a new car smell. We are not the person we were.

Saved By Grace. Yes, we will still sin. But there is a difference between a sinner saved by grace and an unrepentant sinner. The unrepentant sinner is a rebel against authority. Hell is the eternal dwelling for this rebel unless he changes his ways. The sinner saved by grace has repented and will be welcomed into Heaven as his eternal home.

Our song becomes Psalm 103. This is a marvelous song of David that concludes “God has set up his kingdom in Heaven, and he rules the whole creation. All of you mighty angels, who obey God’s commands, come and praise your Lord! All of you thousands who serve and obey God, come and praise your Lord! All of God’s creation and all that he rules, come and praise your Lord! With all my heart I praise the Lord!”

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If you want to know more about accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, go to 4 Steps – Peace With God.

All scripture is from the New American Standard Bible, unless otherwise indicated.

Photo credit to Tama66, Alexas_Photos, and LRMoore on Pixabay.

The Most Important Question Ever

Salvation

Looking at Matthew 16, one can get a glimpse of Jesus’s earthly ministry. He had just concluded the feeding of the 4,000 and He and the disciples are trying to leave. They got into the boat and crossed the Sea of Galilee to get some down time. But that wasn’t about to happen. The Pharisees began to argue with Him, demanding a sign from heaven. We are told Jesus sighed deeply, told them they weren’t getting a sign, and got back into the boat, going to the other side. As they left the boat, Jesus began a discussion with his disciples. As they came to Bethsaida, a crowd brought a man to Jesus for healing. After a second touch from Jesus, the man began to see clearly.

The 13 continued toward Caesarea Philipi and Jesus posed an ice-breaker question. “Who do people say that I am?” They gave Him various responses, but then Jesus asked the real question – “But who do you say that I am?” The ever-exuberant Peter proclaimed “You are the Christ.” Peter obviously had known intellectually that Jesus was the Christ, but it had now been spiritually revealed to him. Peter became a changed man.

Jesus commenced teaching them of coming events as He was coming to the end of His earthly ministry. It was time to focus on the 11. They would carry out His mission. Being fully God and fully man, it is easy to see both sides of Jesus in this episode. He wanted the disciples to get it.

To the average person, Jesus is one among many. This typifies the disciples’ answer to the first query. He is often referred to as good. He is called great. He is called a prophet, a teacher, a healer. This is condemning Him with faint praise. It’s like saying that the 1972 Miami Dolphins were a good football team. That unique team boasts the only undefeated season in the NFL. Like them or not, they were great. Jesus is unique. Jesus is the one, the best, the greatest, the Prophet. In current terminology Jesus is the GOAT – the greatest of all time.

This is the greatest question ever asked. “Who do you say that I am?” Every one of us must answer that question. Unfortunately for many, their answer is silence, a denial of an answer and simultaneously a denial of Christ. Like Peter, we must know Jesus more than intellectually. James 2:19 reads “ You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.” The demons lack spiritual knowledge.

When Jesus is given His proper place in our lives, we will be changed. Revelation 21:5 tells us “Behold, I am making all things new.” There are two things of note in this passage. First, you cannot encounter Jesus and remain unchanged. All things are made new. You were a fleshly human, you became a spiritual being. The second part of this tells us that this change is an ongoing process, He is still making us. I am reminded of the acrostic “PBPGINFWMY.” Please be patient, God is not finished with me yet.

The second question we should consider is “What am I to God?” If you have joined Peter in proclaiming “You are the Christ.” you are His child, a member of God’s family, your name is written in the Lamb’s book of life. Your eternal life with Him has begun. You have been given the keys to the kingdom on earth. You can open the door to heaven to those on earth.

This sounds incredible. But we must remember the words of Isaiah 55:8 (CEV) “The Lord says: “My thoughts and my ways are not like yours.” We don’t think like He does. All of this is a gift from God. How could someone refuse such a gift?

All scripture is NASB unless otherwise noted.

Boat picture credit to Nichelle_pitzel on Pixabay.