Category Archives: Faith

Faith

Backsliding Faith: What Causes It and How to Avoid It.

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Backsliding represents a serious spiritual condition. Ignored, it generally produces spiritual blindness, devolves into a life barren of spiritual fruit, and often reveals an absence of authentic faith. To diagnose it, the prophet Jeremiah identifies seven behaviors commonly exhibited by those suffering spiritual decay and which answer the question, “Why has this people slidden back; Jerusalem, in a perpetual backsliding?” (Jeremiah 8:5, NKJV). A brief examination of each behavior yields valuable insight into how to avoid backsliding in our own faith.

First, “They hold fast to deceit” (Jeremiah 8:5, NKJV). Many of us embrace false teaching unknowingly because it sounds so reasonable or appeals to our worldly desires. But we must remember that Satan is relentless in his efforts to deceive us and he works through people inside and outside the church to accomplish this. Jesus tells us Satan is the father of lies and no truth resides in him. Therefore, we must diligently search the Scriptures to ensure our faith is rooted in truth. Numerous Bible verses speak to the existence of false teachers in many churches, even those that appear to have a foundation in biblical truth. Consequently, we must resist the temptation to assume everything we hear in church is grounded in God’s Word.

Second, “None of them repents of their wickedness” (Jeremiah 8:6, NIV). Repentance has fallen out of favor in many circles and is often viewed as an outdated and legalistic exercise. Many of us fail to understand the proper role repentance plays in maintaining a healthy relationship with God. And when we do repent we often take an approach that reflects our fast food, drive-through culture: We hastily confess our sin and ask God’s forgiveness so we can quickly return to our daily routines. We rarely go before the Lord with a spirit of brokenness, grieving over our wickedness and pleading with God to beak up the fallow ground of our heart. On the contrary, we often hear that grief stricken brokenness over sin is unwarranted.

This attitude flows, in part, from the view that our sins are minor and intermittent; that we’re not committing really heinous sins. We echo the Israelites who asked, “What have we done?” (Jeremiah 8:6, NKJV). They refused to recognize the sin in their lives and its affront to God. Similarly, we fail to see the arrogant, selfish, and rebellious spirit that consumes us and is destroying the church. We must repent of such sin and ask God to reveal all hidden sin embedded in our lives.

Third, “Each person pursues his own course” (Jeremiah 8:6, NIV). Do you follow whatever direction fits your interest and chase lifestyles that quench your lusts and satisfy your selfish desires rather than unconditionally follow the Lord? Doing so fuels our defiant nature and legitimizes our egotistical agendas. It is time we quit doing whatever we want and simply labeling it God’s will to justify ourselves.

Fourth, “They reject the word of the Lord” (Jeremiah 8:9, NKJV). Are there verses in the Bible you disregard because they make you uncomfortable, you disagree with, or which conflict with how you want to live; for example, Jesus’ instruction on sacrifice, stewardship, and surrender? Since His expectations on those topics rarely appeal to us, we often ignore them and explain away their relevance and applicability in our lives. We tend to reject them out of hand because they discomfort and inconvenience us. Which of Jesus’ teachings do you struggle to embrace because you find them unpalatable?

Fifth, “Everyone is given to covetousness” (Jeremiah 8:10, NKJV). This description seems to fit much of America, as evidenced by the rampant materialism that engulfs us. We worship at the altar of consumerism and pursue wealth, luxury and the world’s treasures with a craving that often far exceeds our passion for Jesus.

Despite Jesus’ frequent warnings against covetousness and cultivating a love for the things of this world, the American church distances itself from His counsel with little compunction, refusing to allow Christ to transform our lives in this area because our love for the world is so great. Instead we twist and distort Scripture so it affirms our lifestyles, allowing us to claim Jesus as Lord while prioritizing our pursuit of leisure and pleasure.

Sixth, “Everyone deals falsely” (Jeremiah 8:10, NKJV). For many of us this pertains more to how we share God’s truth with a dying world than any lack of integrity in everyday life. We must be diligent to share the unvarnished gospel and avoid offering a Jesus we believe others will digest more easily. Making it easy to follow Christ does not produce more disciples; it simply swells the number of people who attend church on Sunday.

Seventh, “They were not at all ashamed, nor did they know how to blush” (Jeremiah 8:12, NKJV). Does this verse really need any explanation in the context of modern American culture? One need look no further than the content of culturally popular entertainment – which promotes erotic, violent, sexualized, vulgar, profane and abominable conduct – for evidence that our nation suffers the same moral failure as the Israelites. Networks, movie studios, and recording labels exercise little restraint in promoting such immoral behavior because iniquity sells, and for most of these industries the bottom line is all that matters.

As you head into this weekend I encourage you to take time and examine yourself. Does your life reflect any of the above behaviors? If so, you risk compromising your faith and damaging your relationship with the Lord if your sin continues unabated. Repent and seek God’s forgiveness. Only as we turn from our sins will the Lord revive us individually and collectively as His Church. Only then will He use us to transform our nation.

Faith

Heaven’s Diversity: Nothing Compares.

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For decades diversity has represented one of the defining pillars of modern liberalism. Progressives argue that diverse groups of students and employees create healthier campuses and superior work environments because they offer broader and more distinct experiences. In principle the idea makes a lot of sense. I’ve certainly witnessed its value at work and in school.

Unfortunately, in practice liberals tend to practice a discriminatory version of diversity – welcoming those moored to their political philosophy and rejecting those who subscribe to a conservative worldview. Rather than create truly diverse environments, then, liberals have used diversity as a club to bludgeon their political and ideological opponents and construct a very narrow and rigid worldview on campus and in the halls of progressive governments.

Perhaps the group most frequently targeted for exclusion and derision by denizens of diversity are evangelical Christians, whom the left loves to loathe. What’s ironic about liberalism’s antagonism for Christianity is that no academic institution, company, or community is as diverse as the body of Christ. More ubiquitous than Coke, Christians exist in every country and in the vast majority of towns and villages across every continent, including those openly hostile to the faith.

In fact, Christianity’s fastest growth this past century has occurred in places where opposition has been the most intense and brutal. For example, Christianity has exploded in China, despite governmental efforts and crackdowns, and is now home to more than one hundred million believers, many of whom practice their faith in small house churches to avoid the reach of government’s heavy hand.

Similarly, in the Middle East Christianity is experiencing a renaissance unseen for more than a millennium as more and more Muslims confess Jesus as Lord. Their embrace of Christ is not without risk, though, since conversion to Christianity is punishable by death in many Islamic countries.

Jesus’ universal appeal comes as no surprise to those familiar with the Bible. When the apostle John describes heaven in the book of Revelation he sees, “A great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb (Jesus), clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!’” (Revelation 7:9-10, NKJV).

What incredible diversity!! Every people group, every dialect, every ethnicity will be represented in heaven. That’s exciting.

But Christianity doesn’t just thrive across dissimilar cultures, countries, and communities; it flourishes across every demographic imaginable, including economic status, political affiliation, social status, age, educational background, and profession. Moreover, it attracts those of every physical feature and every attribute, no matter how unique: tall/short, obese/slender, beautiful/ugly, genius/dimwit, athletic/clumsy, extrovert/introvert, leader/follower, successful/failure, popular/outcast, optimist/naysayer.

That list doesn’t even scratch the surface of heaven’s diversity. And no surprise since Jesus offers eternal life to everyone, without exception. No matter who you are or what you’ve done, Jesus is ready to accept you into His kingdom.

Scripture tells us God “is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9b, NKJV). Consequently, He exercises patience in drawing all of us to Him and giving us more time than we deserve to repent from our sins and surrender our lives to Him.

Paul reinforces this idea in his second epistle to Timothy, telling us God “wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4, NLT). And what truth does He want us to understand? He tells us in the next two verses: “There is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity – the man Christ Jesus. He gave His life to purchase freedom for everyone.”

While these verses make clear that God makes salvation available to every person on the planet, they also demonstrate that only one path to eternal life exists – and that is through Jesus Christ. Sadly, much of humanity rejects the simplicity of the gospel, insisting they play a role in earning their way to heaven and demanding that God honor the teaching of other faiths. But on this point God is unequivocal. Jesus alone is the path to life; all others lead to destruction.

Aren’t you glad God extends His offer of everlasting life to everyone? Isn’t it great heaven will be the most diverse collection of souls ever assembled? In view of God’s diverse plan for heaven, let me leave you with a couple important questions.

What are you doing to fulfill John’s vision? Are you actively sharing the Good News of Jesus with those from other backgrounds, cultures, and languages, and those quite different from you? If not, how is God calling you to identify and communicate the Gospel to individuals, families, and communities who have yet to learn of Jesus’ sacrifice and love?

After all, what could be more exhilarating than introducing someone to Christ and contributing to heaven’s diversity?

Faith

Jesus Restores His People When They Fail.

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Have you ever failed to act on your faith? You knew the direction God was leading but allowed fear to prevent you from pursuing that path. Maybe your belief in God’s omnipotence didn’t translate into action because challenging circumstances overwhelmed you. Perhaps real risks or potential consequences paralyzed you into inaction.

If any of these scenarios sound familiar you’ll be encouraged to know that stalwarts of the faith suffered similar shortcomings. Even those closest to Jesus occasionally displayed a disconnect between belief and action. Yet Christ always extended them another opportunity to faithfully follow Him. Here are three brief examples from Scripture I hope encourage, inspire, and console you, when your faith falls short.

First, there’s the apostle Thomas. After Jesus announced He was heading to Bethany (just outside Jerusalem), Thomas declared, “Let us also go, that we may die with Him” (John 11:16, NKJV). He expected Jesus’ death to occur shortly after they arrived in the city and he eagerly professed his willingness to die with Him. Thomas’ willingness to join Jesus in death revealed his belief that Jesus would conquer death and establish His eternal kingdom in heaven.

But his faith faltered after Jesus’ crucifixion when the other disciples informed him that Christ had risen from the grave. Thomas asserted: “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe” (John 20:25, NKJV). He refused to believe in Jesus’ resurrection unless he saw firsthand evidence that proved it beyond a doubt.

Eight days later Jesus presented Himself to Thomas, encouraging him to place his hands and fingers into His mortal wounds. In doing so Christ did more than eliminate Thomas’ doubt, He also strengthened his faith to the point that he became a fulltime evangelist traveling across Asia, as far east as modern day India.

Then there’s Peter. Remember how he confidently rebuked Jesus when told he would deny the Lord. “Even if all are made to stumble, yet I will not be,” he proudly proclaimed. When informed him he would in fact deny the Lord three times before the night was through, he declared, “Even if I have to die with You, I will never deny You.”

Of course, we all know that Peter’s boast was an empty one. Before dawn arrived he had thrice denied knowing Jesus, as predicted. In fact, Peter used profanity to distance himself from the Lord and to demonstrate he was not a disciple. Such a colossal failure in faith might seem to merit Jesus’ reprimand. At a minimum we might reasonably expect Christ to lecture Peter on following through on his bravado and to put him in his place.

But Jesus does the unexpected. He restores Peter. He lets Peter know He has significant plans for him, building and nurturing the Church. Peter feared his failure would compromise his relationship with Christ or, worse, sever it altogether. Instead he becomes one of the pillars of the First Century Church.

Finally, there’s Martha. After her brother died she told Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You” (John 11:21-22, NKJV). Her comment demonstrates a belief that Jesus can restore her brother to life. She loves the Lord and her faith in Him appears to know no bounds.

Yet minutes later when Jesus makes known His plan to raise Lazarus from the dead, requesting the stone that blocked the tomb be rolled back, Martha informs Him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days” (John 11:39, NKJV).

The remark manifests her doubts. Cognitively, she believes Jesus can raise her brother from the dead but she is unwilling or unable to translate that belief into action. Instead, she holds fast to doubt. But Jesus does not castigate her for harboring disbelief or place an albatross of shame around her neck. Instead, he brings her brother back to life and maintains his close friendship with her.

Have you doubted Jesus? Have you, at times, failed to act on your faith in Him? When Jesus asks you to act on your faith have you, like Martha, offered explanations and excuses for why it makes no sense?

If so, find comfort in the fact that God provides second chances. He willingly restores and reconciles us to Himself, so we need not wallow in despair, crushed by our inability to live faithfully in every situation. Take solace in the fact that others have failed the Lord, including those who spent years at His side. Ask Christ to remove your doubts and replace them with an infectious faith that demonstrates to those around you your faithful confidence in Him.

Faith

Ordinary Believers – Extraordinary Faith.

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Throughout Scripture God places His people in situations that require them to put their faith into action. Often these tests lead in a direction society considers irrational and may seem illogical to those around us. But when we trust God in these circumstances and obey His will, our faith matures. With each act of obedience we learn more about God’s faithfulness and understand more clearly His ways.

Most of these Bible stories involve ordinary people like you and me, not spiritual giants with extraordinary spiritual gifts. In fact, the only thing preventing many of us from experiencing God in similarly powerful and dramatic ways is a single step of faith. When we act on our trust in Him, amazing things happen in our lives and in the lives of those around us.

Let’s explore a couple of these ‘faith in action’ stories. Our first story takes place in Zarephath, where God has just sent the prophet Elijah. As he arrives in the city he encounters a widow with whom he has this interesting exchange.

“Please bring me a little water in a cup, that I may drink.” And as she was going to get it, he called to her and said, “Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand.” Then she said, “As the Lord your God lives, I do not have bread, only a handful of flour in a bin, and a little oil in a jar; and see, I am gathering a couple of sticks that I may go in and prepare it for myself and my son, that we may eat it and die.” And Elijah said to her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son. For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of flour shall not be used up, nor shall the jar of oil run dry, until the day the Lord sends rain on the earth.’ So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. The bin of flour was not used up, nor did the jar of oil run dry, according to the word of the Lord which He spoke by Elijah” (1 Kings 17:10b-16, NKJV).

What a remarkable story. Despite her desperate circumstances, the woman agrees to this radical (some might say ‘ridiculous’) proposal from the prophet. He asks her to prioritize his needs above her and her son’s; that she extend his life (a stranger) at the (potential) expense of their lives. As if their deaths weren’t imminent enough, Elijah’s request would seal their fate more quickly – unless of course his assertion were true that God would prevent the flour and oil from running out.

Using hindsight, we may be tempted to conclude the widow did nothing special. After all, we might argue, what did she have to lose? She was going to die anyway, so why not take a risk and agree to the prophet’s offer? But that ignores several critical facts.

First, the woman was not a Jew and did not share Elijah’s faith in the God of Israel. She knew nothing of the Lord and had no basis to trust Him or His messenger.

Second, as any parent will tell you, the idea of sacrificing your child’s life to save the life of a stranger runs counter to every parental instinct. Good parents do everything they can to protect and care for their children, not put their lives at risk to help others, no matter how noble the cause.

Third, the content of Elijah’s proposal is absolutely preposterous from the world’s perspective. It defies logic. The widow must exchange common sense for an embrace of God’s supernatural power – a God she never believed in until that moment.

In our second story, God sends Gideon to save Israel from the Midianites, a people who were “as numerous as locusts.” Against such an overwhelming force you might imagine the need for Israel to send an army of comparable size. If Israel were unable to muster such a military presence, then you would expect them to have a superior arsenal of weapons. Without one or the other, an Israeli victory would seem impossible.

Yet God ignores military convention and tells Gideon that the thirty-two thousand men he has assembled for battle are too numerous in number, “lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘my own hand has saved me.’” So God uses several methods to whittle that number down to three hundred men. He then informs Gideon, “By these three hundred men I will save Israel, and deliver the Midianites into your hand.”

You need not have attended West Point to understand the lunacy of this military strategy. Reducing an already inadequate force down to several hundred men is illogical when confronting an indomitable opponent. Yet that is precisely what God calls Gideon and the people of Israel to do. For it is in that act of seeming madness that they will demonstrate their trust and faith in God and He will reveal Himself to them.

As if that insanity weren’t enough, however, God then declares that instead of using weapons of war to win the battle He wants Gideon and his men to blow trumpets instead. In doing so God makes an already impossible victory beyond hopeless. The men must have wondered if their commander had lost his mind since his strategy was void of all rational military science. Surely Gideon was leading them to a massacre, like lambs led to slaughter.

But an astounding thing happens when Gideon and his men reject sound military strategy in favor of obedience to God. They win! The opposition turns on each other and is handily defeated. In perhaps the greatest military victory of all time, God uses a small squadron of men to conquer an overpowering adversary – with trumpets no less. Not because they executed a superior strategy, fought harder, or employed more advanced weaponry, but rather because they trusted and obeyed God.

Once again, hindsight may lead us to conclude that trusting God in that situation was a no-brainer for Gideon and the Israelites. Despite the irrationality of God’s plan, it was obvious He would liberate His people and ensure victory. They could embrace with certainty His promise because God always delivers on His commitments.

And yet, how many of us hesitate to follow God down an equally preposterous path in our own lives? We delay obedience and resist His call on our lives because the direction He is leading makes no sense. From a societal perspective, it is sheer madness. Only a crazy person would follow God down a road as irrational as the one He is calling us to pursue. If you are among those struggling to obey God because His plan seems illogical, recall God’s reasoning to Gideon for using such circumstances. Difficult challenges and overwhelming odds ensure that only He gets the glory.

How is God calling you to boldly demonstrate your faith today? What act has He asked of you that defies common sense and will earn the derision of those around you? Is God leading you down a path that seems irrational from the world’s perspective? If so, find inspiration from the Zarephath widow and Gideon’s army of three hundred.

God often puts us in circumstances that stretch and mature our faith. Resist the temptation to follow the easy path of rational thought and common sense when the Spirit is leading you elsewhere. Maybe it’s time to trust the Lord with that radical decision you’ve been postponing for too long. As you take that step of faith, you will experience God in an amazing and fresh way.

Faith

Taking Credit for God’s Blessings.

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I wonder how many of us believe it is our effort, intelligence, and discipline that produced whatever success we have achieved at work or elsewhere in our lives? How easy it is to forget that God equipped us with whatever advantages paved our way to success. And how often do we fail to fully appreciate or acknowledge God’s role in our success and neglect to credit Him for our accomplishments? Instead, many of us convince ourselves we earned it on our own.

Take a moment to reflect on recent successes at work, in school, or in life. Have you given God all the glory for your achievements; for instance, when you deliver a great presentation, close a big deal, get promoted, receive a plum new assignment, perform successful surgery, win a difficult legal case, create a brilliant marketing campaign, earn an ‘A’ on a difficult exam, obtain employee-of-the-month honors, or receive a favorable annual review?

In these day-to-day wins we may be tempted to credit ourselves with our success. But the apostle Paul highlights the error in such thinking. He rhetorically asks, “Who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you glory as if you had not received it?” (1 Corinthians 4:7, NKJV).

Paul reminds us that every attribute we possess reflects God’s design. Every aspect of our character, every advantage in our physical attributes and mental acumen, and every behavioral trait comes from God. He created us uniquely and equipped us with every characteristic we enjoy. Take a moment to meditate on what that includes:

– Your intelligence, work ethic, and attention to detail;

– Your passion for quality, ability to motivate others, and skill with numbers;

– Your speed, strength, and agility;

– Your analytic ability, artistic skill, and creativity;

– Your relentless energy to work harder than others;

– Your optimistic and engaging personality that makes networking
easy;

– Even your sense of humor.

God alone designed and constructed every strength, skill, and ability. He fashioned you, your personality, and your passions uniquely. And He did this for one specific purpose: His glory. He desires we follow His plan, honor Him in all we do, recognize His work in us, and testify of Him in all we accomplish.

That’s right. God has a unique plan for you. Isn’t that awesome? What an incredible thought to contemplate—that you are His creation and He has a precise plan for your life. That fact reveals an incredible truth: you are special to our Creator.

So what does God think when we take credit for the gifts and abilities He provides us? How does God view our pride when it exalts itself and claims credit for our success and His work? Such arrogance constitutes a rebellion against God because it reflects an idolization of self. By asserting that our skills and talents are a product of our effort, we establish ourselves as lord. Every time we redirect God’s glory to ourselves we fuel the vanity that drives that dangerous perspective.

Moreover, when we employ these gifts, abilities, and attributes to advance our own agenda and ignore His unique plan for us, we reject His sovereignty. When we use our talents to pursue our goals, we reject His Lordship. Such behavior deems our plan superior to God’s. But such a view is born of conceit. In reality, God calls us to use our skills to accomplish His agenda, not pursue our own benefit.

I encourage you to set aside time this week to take inventory of all the strengths and attributes God has bestowed on you. Make a list that includes innate skills as well as personality traits and behavioral attributes. Offer Him thanks for those gifts and let Him know you want them used for His glory – in accordance with His plan. In doing so you’ll not only strengthen your relationship with God, you’ll also find yourself growing in humility and less focused on personal gain.

Faith

Feasting at the Faith Buffet.

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Recently I ate at a restaurant that offered a lunch buffet. Buffets appeal to many of us for two reasons. First, we choose only the food that interests us. We’re under no obligation to eat vegetables, quiche, fruit salad or anything dainty unless it interests us. And second, we’re allowed to eat as much as we want of anything that makes our mouths salivate – no need for moderation or restraint. In other words, nothing makes it onto the plate unless you like it; and if you do, then pile it on.

Many of us adopt a similar approach with the Christian faith, treating it as a spiritual buffet. We select Scripture and principles that appeal to us, and ignore those with which we disagree. Unfortunately, by establishing a faith foundation imbedded in only those biblical truths we find palatable and ignoring any we find difficult to digest, we create a personalized faith that often bears little resemblance to what Christ taught and God’s Word reveals.

Does God’s mercy interest you? Then add a helping to your faith. Yearn for Jesus’ forgiveness? Then incorporate that into your beliefs. Care for God to bless you? Take a double portion. Desire God’s love? Feast on as much as you need, since it never ends.

Incessant demand exists for this side of the faith buffet, which includes God’s grace, hope, joy, peace, and strength. No surprise we emphasize those elements of the Christian faith since they comfort, console, and even encourage us. And because each represents a gift from God, we can embrace them with confidence, knowing they represent God’s promise to every believer. For that we can be grateful.

Too often, however, our faith begins and ends with such gifts. Our spiritual palates never develop and we never dine on the other side of the faith buffet. We remain content feasting on spiritual benefits, ensconced in a view that implies the Christian faith is all about us. Meanwhile, we tend to ignore Scripture when it contradicts our plans, inconveniences us, or disrupts our lives. As a result, we frequently fail to integrate into our faith truths from the accountability and responsibility side of the spiritual buffet. In particular, Jesus’ instruction on discipleship often falls on deaf ears.

Let’s briefly examine one remarkably relevant passage in Scripture.

Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?’” (Matthew 16:24-25, NKJV).

In that brief passage Jesus provides a succinct definition of discipleship and reveals several important truths. It behooves us to study and unpack this powerful and compelling message, which not only aligns with what Christ consistently taught throughout His ministry but also challenges us to reconsider our understanding of what it means to follow Christ.

Many of us find Jesus’ words alarming. We want to embrace Jesus enough to secure salvation but have little interest in denying ourselves. And we certainly have no desire to lose our lives, substantively or metaphorically. So how could Jesus be so callous as to make such severe demands of us? How could He imply we are to set aside our agenda and adopt His in its place?

The passage is so unsettling that many of us choose to ignore it, explain it away (Jesus could not have possibly meant what His plain language suggests), dismiss it as legalistic (hey, we’re no longer under the law), or decide that Jesus’ counsel simply represents a recommendation not a command (therefore we are free to accept or reject it as the Spirit leads).

In the process, we redefine what it means to follow Jesus. We decide that embracing Christ involves little sacrifice, service, or surrender because those behaviors afflict our souls and sour our disposition. And since Jesus wants us filled to the full with His joy, He can’t possibly want us to pursue a lifestyle that leaves us miserable (you might be surprised how many churchgoers make that argument).

And yet, His words appear straightforward and his message unambiguous: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what is a man profited if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

I encourage you not to ignore, dismiss, or compromise those words. To do so is to place your faith in peril. Instead, take time over the next couple days to meditate on the passage and ask the Holy Spirit for guidance as you consider the following questions:

  1. How is God calling you to deny yourself as His disciple?
  2. In what ways does He want you to lose your life for His sake?
  3. Are there areas in your life you have prioritized over your relationship with Jesus – and in effect exchanged your soul for?

As God begins to reveal the application of those verses for your life, you may find yourself heading in a decidedly different direction and experiencing a whole new level of trust and faith in the Lord. I can’t imagine anything more exciting.

Faith

What Legacy Will You Leave?

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The Bible is filled with individuals who honored, obeyed, and served God with unbridled passion. We learn of one such man in the book of Acts, named Apollos. Luke dedicates only a few verses to him but in that brief account a powerful and enduring legacy emerges.

Luke describes the man as “mighty in the Scriptures” (Acts 18:24, NKJV). In other words, he possessed real zeal for reading and studying the Bible. But Apollos was not content with keeping God’s Word to himself. We are told that he, being “fervent in spirit, spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord.” (vs. 25). He invested his time telling others about Jesus and equipping them with a biblically sound foundation in the faith. And he did so enthusiastically.

Luke then shares a brief anecdote that reveals Apollos’ humility and thirst to learn more about Christ. After speaking boldly in the synagogue at Ephesus, two believers pulled him aside and “explained to him the way of God more accurately” (vs. 26). Apollos demonstrated a teachable spirit and readily embraced the truth the pair shared. He was not a know-it-all who believed he had all the answers.

Subsequent to this encounter, Apollos decides to travel abroad and minister to the lost and saved alike. Luke informs us, “he greatly helped those who had believed through grace [and] vigorously refuted the Pharisees publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ” (vs. 28). That brief but powerful passage reveals several more attributes of Apollos.

First, he assisted other believers. Luke does not provide details but makes clear that the help provided was significant. Second, he corrected those who attempted to undermine Scripture and lead others astray. Apollos displayed a real passion for preserving the integrity of God’s revealed Word. Third, he demonstrated boldness for the Lord and did not allow vocal opposition from others to diminish his public proclamation of faith. In short, Apollos was a tireless advocate for the Lord.

Though only five verses, Luke’s narrative on Apollos reveals a tremendous witness who faithfully served the Lord, did his utmost to build the church, and lived his faith in action. He was bold, mission-oriented, teachable, grounded in Scripture, fervent in his faith, and a determined expounder of the gospel – both in word and in deed.

What a legacy! Imagine the reception he will receive in heaven, not just from God but also from a multitude of believers whose lives he impacted for eternity. He certainly exhibited for us (and others) a Christ-like lifestyle and invested his time on activities with eternal value. In the process he served as a tremendous role model for those who need to see what it means to love Jesus with all the heart, soul, mind, and strength.

What legacy will you leave when you pass from this world? If someone described your life in a couple short paragraphs, what would they say? What actions, attributes, and behaviors define you? Do you demonstrate passion for unbelievers, the downcast, and the Lord? Does your conduct reveal boldness in faith, a zeal for missions, humility, or a servant’s heart? Take time this week to reflect on these questions as you consider Apollos’ example.

If your life has focused more on the world and less on God, more on the temporal and less on the spiritual, more on yourself and less on others, then consider making some changes. Remember, it’s never too late to build a new legacy that prioritizes the Lord, your faith, the church, and proclaiming the gospel in word and in deed. As you do, you may find others modeling their lives after you and following your example.

Faith

How to Respond to God When We Sin.

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We all sin. No matter how much we desire to obey God, there are times we fall short. Irrespective of the maturity of our faith, the passion of our worship, and our zeal for Christ, we will stumble and sin against the Lord. When that happens we must acknowledge our sin, repent, and ask God for forgiveness. Unfortunately, too often we take an approach that compounds the consequences of our sin and magnifies the gulf between God and us.

For example, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s command not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they hid themselves. They knew they had done wrong and didn’t want to face the consequences. When He confronts them with their disobedience, Adam deflects blame away from himself. “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate” (Genesis 3:12, NKJV). Adam seems to suggest he has no culpability in the matter. God is partially to blame for giving him the woman and Eve is partially to blame for providing him fruit from the tree.

Not to be outdone, Eve adopts a similar approach when God questions her. “The serpent deceived me, and I ate” (vs. 13). Her defense points to the slimy snake as the source of her sin. But for its treachery she would have remained holy. Adam and Eve’s unwillingness to accept fault for their choices, to confess their disobedience, and to ask forgiveness drove a wedge in their relationship with God.

Another way many of us deal with sin in our life is to complain about God’s standards and insist His expectations are unreasonable. The nation of Israel demonstrated this time and again. God reveals their attitude when He tells the prophet Ezekiel, “The children of your people say, ‘The way of the Lord is not fair’” (Ezekiel 33:17, NKJV). Rather than admit their iniquity, they instead insist that God is wrong to hold them to His standards. They refused to be held accountable for their actions and attitudes.

Another common response is to ignore God altogether and not even acknowledge His words. We tend to do this whenever our rebellious heart refuses to concede some aspect of life to God. We simply ignore His call on that area of life. This is exemplified by the nation of Israel numerous times in the Old Testament. Zechariah tells us that they, in response to God’s commands, “refused to heed, shrugged their shoulders, and stopped their ears so that they could not hear. Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the … words which the Lord of hosts had sent by His Spirit” (Zechariah 7:11-12, NKJV).

Their unwillingness to heed God’s commands not only resulted in disobedience but also severed their relationship with Him. Their hearts became hardened. They were desensitized to God’s ways and grew more distant from Him with each act of rebellion. There are dire consequences when that happens. Paul tells us that at some point a sinner’s heart becomes so hardened that God gives them up to their lusts, vile passions, and debased mind (see Romans 1:22-28). At that moment they reach the point of no return, allowed to chase darkness without any further conviction from the Holy Spirit.

So how should we respond when God uses His Holy Spirit to convict us of sin in our lives? David provides a sound blueprint. When the prophet Nathan confronts him with his adultery and murder David cries out, “I have sinned against the Lord” (2 Samuel 12:13, NKJV). He does not offer excuses, deny his behavior, or shift the blame onto someone else. He confesses his sin and pleads for mercy. Psalm 51 captures his response in great detail and I encourage you to read it slowly. Allow David’s response to saturate your soul and provide a model for repentance and reconciliation with God.

Have mercy on me, O God,

    because of your unfailing love.

Because of your great compassion,

    blot out the stain of my sins.

Wash me clean from my guilt.

    Purify me from my sin.

For I recognize my rebellion;

    it haunts me day and night.

Against you, and you alone, have I sinned;

    I have done what is evil in your sight.

You will be proved right in what you say,

    and your judgment against me is just.

For I was born a sinner—

    yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.

But you desire honesty from the womb,

    teaching me wisdom even there.

Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean;

    wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Oh, give me back my joy again;

    you have broken me—

    now let me rejoice.

Don’t keep looking at my sins.

    Remove the stain of my guilt.

Create in me a clean heart, O God.

    Renew a loyal spirit within me.

Do not banish me from your presence,

    and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation,

    and make me willing to obey you.

Then I will teach your ways to rebels,

    and they will return to you.

Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves;

    then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.

Unseal my lips, O Lord,

    that my mouth may praise you.

You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one.

    You do not want a burnt offering.

The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit.

    You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

(Psalm 51:1-17, NLT).

David does a number of things in his prayer to God. He confesses the specifics of his sin, proclaims God’s standards are just, and admits his tendency to sin. He then pleads for God’s mercy, compassion, and forgiveness. He asks God to restore his joy and give him an obedient heart. He concludes by asking God for two things: an opportunity to share His ways with other rebellious people, and for a voice that sings praises to God.

The next time God lays conviction on your heart, don’t ignore it. Resist the temptation to justify your behavior. Avoid shifting the blame to someone else. Instead, follow the pattern offered by David. Confess, seek mercy, ask for God’s cleansing and restoration, and share His truth and love with others. Finally, sing with a grateful heart that He hears and answers your prayer!

Faith

Eternal Life: Bible’s Specifics About Salvation May Surprise You.

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Scripture says a great deal about salvation and describes in detail the requirements for sharing eternity with God. And while the Bible illuminates a clear path to eternal life, over time the church has distilled the Gospel message to a dangerous degree. Specifics have been oversimplified (and mangled) to such an extent that many churchgoers now embrace a neutered version of what Scripture teaches. While the church’s motivation may have been (mostly) pure – to attract more people to the Lord and bolster church attendance – the results likely have produced an unprecedented spiritual disaster. So severe is this distortion of foundational, biblical doctrine it risks jeopardizing the eternal destination of many would-be believers.

To fully grasp the issue we need look no further than the most recognized verse in all of Scripture, John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God’s mercy, love, and forgiveness are on full display in those twenty-five words, proclaiming salvation for all who believe. Sounds simple doesn’t it? On the surface, there doesn’t appear any room for ambiguity.

Of course, the crux of this truth hinges on the word ‘believe.’ How we define and interpret that word is critical to our understanding of the Gospel and the prerequisite to ‘everlasting life.’ Many churches teach that ‘belief’ is evidenced by a public profession of faith in Christ, by verbalizing one’s trust in Him, or by reciting some version of a sinner’s prayer. Representing a broad compendium of denominations, traditions, and doctrine, these churches share the view that salvation occurs the moment one orally articulates his or her acceptance of Jesus as Savior, irrespective of whether any life transformation occurs or any evidence of faith is subsequently manifested.

Scripture, however, adopts a decidedly different view on what it means to believe. The apostle Paul articulates a succinct but substantive definition in his letter to the Roman church. “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes to righteousness and with the mouth confession is made to salvation” (Romans 10:9-10, NKJV, emphasis mine).

Paul declares that the faith that leads to salvation involves two distinct components: professing Jesus as Lord with your mouth and believing with your heart that He is the risen Savior. Belief limited to an intellectual assent of Jesus’ lordship is insufficient. Authentic belief always flows from the heart.

This may sound like a distinction without a difference. What does it matter, some may wonder. Head or heart, it’s all the same isn’t it? The answer, of course, is that they are not at all the same. The distinction is absolutely critical; one yields a transformed life while the other produces only outward change (if any at all) and a religious veneer. The former leads to eternal life, the latter to utter destruction and ruin.

God’s Word highlights this distinction over and over again, from Genesis to Revelation. The Pharisees embodied the attitude of those who verbally proclaim faith in God but do not believe with their heart. Jesus called them hypocrites, noting “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrine the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:8-9, NKJV).

Steeped in religion, they commanded respect within the Jewish community. They said all the rights things and appeared to behave in a manner consistent with God’s commands. But they possessed an inauthentic faith, and Jesus quickly rebuked them for the spiritual frauds they were. He informed them that their faith was futile because it was manifested in words without a surrendering of the heart.

On the day of reckoning, Christ will engage fraudulent Christians in a similar manner. These are churchgoers who, like the Pharisees, say the right things and appear religious but have never abandoned themselves fully to Jesus. Despite their claims to the contrary, they don’t possess a genuine faith because they’ve never submitted to Jesus as Lord. The totality of their faith is limited to religious acts and Christian-esque language. In short, they excel at playing church.

This may strike some as judgmental on my part, suggesting that some churchgoers have an inauthentic faith. But the view is not mine, it is Jesus’. He said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you, depart from Me you who practice lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:21-23, NKJV).

Like the Pharisees two thousand years ago, Jesus sees beneath the façade of faux-Christians and exposes them as religious charlatans. They have no place in God’s kingdom because they choose to follow a false gospel – one limited to verbal professions and religious antics but never rooted in the heart.

So what does faith look like when it flows from the heart? What evidence can we expect to uncover if we follow the advice of the apostle Paul, who challenged us to, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Prove yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5, NKJV). The short answer is: our lives will look a lot like what we see in Jesus’ followers as captured in the New Testament: flawed men and women who love God, desire His presence, and share the Good News of Jesus with others.

But if that response is too vague and not particularly enlightening, let’s consider a few specific points to help us determine if our faith parallels that of the disciples or that of the Pharisees. Again, these are just a few indicators of authentic faith, according to Scripture. There are others, to be sure, but these will help facilitate some healthy internal reflection.

1] Your treasure reflects the things of God. Jesus informed His followers, “Wherever your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). Genuine faith that springs from the heart stores up treasure in heaven by pursuing God’s will, advancing His agenda, embracing His priorities, and submitting to His leadership. It influences how we invest our time, direct our resources, and spend our income.

It is insufficient to simply say we treasure the things of God; the evidence ought to support our claim. This verse, then, represents a critical truth. It asserts that the one true love radiating from our heart is easily identified, because our heart and our treasure are domiciled together. Ask yourself what you treasure in life: the temporal things of this world or the eternal things of God’s Kingdom. What does the evidence show?

2] Authentic faith bears spiritual fruit. Jesus declared, “He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit” (John 15:5, NKJV). The form of that fruit will vary widely by individual and may include leading others to faith in Christ, discipling new believers, sowing a seed of faith in unbelievers, watering that seed, or restoring one who has fallen away from faith. Notice that Jesus indicates His disciples will not only bear fruit for His kingdom, they will bear ‘much’ fruit. Is your life marked by production of much spiritual fruit? If not, what does the above verse suggest about your relationship with Christ?

3] Believers obey Jesus’ commands. Those who possess real faith observe God’s commandments and they are not burdensome or a source of resentment. Jesus proclaimed, “If you love Me, keep My commandments… He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me… If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word” (John 14:15, 21, 23, NKJV). Do you desire to keep God’s commands? Is your obedience limited to those commands that don’t inconvenience you or disrupt your lifestyle? Do you pursue Jesus’ words with joy in your heart or begrudgingly, out of a sense of obligation? While we will never perfectly follow all God’s commands, our heart ought to yearn for victory over every area of sin in our lives. Moreover, we ought to observe sure and steady progress over time in becoming more like Christ in our obedience (the process of sanctification).

4] Genuine faith produces good works. While it is true we cannot earn salvation with good works, it is equally true that the absence of good works reveals the absence of genuine faith. In his epistle, James tells us, “Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead … For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:17, 26, NKJV). The apostle Paul echoes this perspective in his epistle to the church in Ephesus, “For by grace we have been saved, through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:8-10, NKJV).

Do you see the relationship between grace, salvation, and works? God’s grace alone saves us, but if we are indeed saved then we pursue the good works God prepared for us from the foundation of the world. Though the substance of those works will vary by believer (just as the spiritual fruit did above), they will adhere broadly to the principles outlined in the parable of the Good Samaritan and in Jesus’ Olivet Discourse (see Luke 10:25-37, and Matthew 25:31-46). Are you pursuing works of mercy, generosity, compassion, sacrifice, and love that help others and bring God glory?

5] A surrendered life manifests true faith. This is no mere throwaway concept but is foundational to authentic Christianity. Jesus communicated this truth on numerous occasions during His ministry and its essence is grounded in substance not superficiality.

He does not call us to express a willingness to surrender our lives or merely claim to do so. Rather, He calls us to actually and substantively yield our lives fully to Him – every nook and cranny, every thought, every dream, every act, every decision. The breadth of Jesus’ expectation in this regard perturbs many churchgoers and flat-out offends others. But Jesus does not make this demand optional for His followers.

He informs us, “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies it produces much fruit. For whoever loves his life will lose it, but he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (John 12:24-25). Jesus’ metaphor is clear. We must set aside our own interests, desires, and dreams, and embrace His instead. Absent an abdication of our rights we cannot begin to fulfill the plans He has for us. Without surrender there is no salvation.

The above verses and biblical truths hardly scratch the surface of what Jesus taught about salvation and discipleship. But hopefully they rebuff the misperception that eternal life awaits those who merely verbalize faith in Christ in a single moment of time, no matter how insincere that commitment becomes. Hopefully the passages illustrate Jesus’ expectations for those who claim Him as Lord and profess their fidelity to Him. Hopefully they reveal that authentic belief flows from the heart and necessarily transforms the life of anyone who professes such faith.

Let me conclude with two critical points. First, the above elements are not requirements for salvation. In another words, God does not demand we bear spiritual fruit, keep His commands, or perform good works to secure salvation. Rather, those behaviors reveal the presence of authentic faith in our hearts, not just on our lips or in our minds. So although they do not precede salvation, they absolutely do proceed from salvation.

Second, don’t assume your salvation is sure and your faith real without looking at the evidence. What is at stake is far too important to trust to casual conjecture. Your heart may try to convince you that ‘you’re good with God’ and dismiss as poppycock the notion that any evidence will be made manifest in the life of a genuine believer. Resist that argument. Scripture makes clear that there will be overwhelming evidence of a transformed life in every believer. Remember, the Bible tells us, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9, NKJV). It is better to trust what Jesus taught and what Scripture communicates than to trust our own deceptive heart on the issue of faith and eternal life.

No topic is of more importance. I hope the evidence in your life supports your claim that Jesus is Lord. If it does not, or you have never surrendered your life to Him, take a moment to do so now. Admit you are a sinner and ask for His mercy and forgiveness. Ask Him to wash away your sin and fill you with the Holy Spirit. Let Him know of your desire to love Him with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Place your entire life in His control to be used for His purposes. Inform Him of your desire to begin a lifelong relationship with Him and begin to develop that relationship by spending time with Him in prayer and studying His word. Finally, ask Him to direct you to a local church you can attend regularly and get baptized as soon as possible.

May God bless your decision and commitment to Him.

Faith

Unconditional Faith.

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One of the most powerful examples of faith found in the Bible involves three young men named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. Many of you will recall they were exiled Jews living in Babylon, along with their friend, Daniel. Over time they had distinguished themselves as leaders and were entrusted with administrative powers to manage the king’s affairs.

Eventually, the king issued an edict demanding everyone worship a statue of gold, a violation of the Lord’s command that people worship Him alone. Anyone defying the decree would face immediate death by being thrown into a fiery furnace. The declaration forced these young men to make a critical decision. Where would their loyalty lie: with God or with the king; with their faith or with their careers? Would they compromise their faith by trying to have it both ways: loving the Lord in private while publicly obeying the king’s decree?

Once the order was made public, colleagues immediately leveled accusations against the three young men. The rabble-rousers informed the king that this trio of Jewish exiles refused to obey his proclamation. Furious, the king demanded their instant obedience, taunting them with this rhetorical question: “Who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?” (Daniel 3:15, NKJV).

The young men responded, “O king, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand” (vs. 16-17). What a bold witness. The men not only refused to obey the king, they used the encounter to testify of God and His omnipotence. Instead of destroying their faith, the king’s threat fueled it.

The three men then declared, “But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up” (vs. 18, emphasis added). With those words the Jewish exiles removed any doubt about their commitment to God. They knew He could rescue them from the fiery furnace and the painful death that would result.

But if, for whatever reason, He chose not to, they would refrain from denying Him or serving a false god. Their faith was not predicated on God blessing them, making life easy, or protecting them in the face of danger. They trusted Him implicitly, even if doing so yielded intense pain and a brutal death. They understood that God worked in ways that did not always make sense to them and therefore would obey Him no matter the cost. What a powerful testimony.

Job possessed a similar perspective and evidenced a comparable commitment to God. His faith was not predicated on having his desires met or his agenda fulfilled. It did not ebb and flow with the tide of God’s blessings. Instead, it remained steadfast in the face of whatever circumstances he confronted, including a series of relentless and brutal attacks by Satan that left all ten of his children dead, destroyed his wealth, and weakened his health.

Yet in response to that collection of tragic events, Job didn’t shake his fist to the sky and curse God. Nor did he renounce his faith in the Lord. Instead, Scripture tells us “he fell to the ground and worshiped” (Job 1:20, NKJV). What a remarkable reaction. Despite being unaware of what had precipitated the catastrophes or why God would allow them, Job instinctively placed his trust in the Lord and praised Him. He knew that out of the ash heap of overwhelming pain and tragedy God would raise up something good.

Not surprisingly, Job’s response pleased God, who subsequently described him as “a blameless and upright man who fears God and shuns evil and still holds fast to his integrity (Job 2:3). Though obviously grieved and devastated by the news of the calamities, Job resisted the temptation to blame God. Instead, he found solace in his Creator and worshiped Him in the midst of his tears.

That response, however, shocked and angered his wife, who remarked contemptuously: “Do you still hold to your integrity? Curse God and die!” (Job 2:9, NKJV). Her statement captures the predominant view of faith in our secular society: unless faith yields immediate and lasting temporal benefits, what’s the point. Sadly, that perspective infects many churchgoers today as well. As long as the sun shines on their lives, they remain loyal to God. But the moment tragedy strikes, their faith weakens or collapses altogether.

Job provided the perfect rebuke to such faith, telling his wife: “You speak as foolish people do. Should we accept good from God but not adversity as well?” (Job 2:10). Later Job would proclaim, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him” (Job 13:15, NKJV). Job did not withhold his own life from God nor condition his obedience on understanding God’s purpose. He assented to follow, worship, and praise God irrespective of his circumstances or the condition of his life.

Do you possess a similar commitment to God? Is your faith as steadfast in the midst of painful trials and difficult circumstances as was the faith of Job? Are you willing to obey God, no matter the cost, as were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego? Confronted with a comparable choice between life and death, would you choose the Lord or your life? As our world grows increasingly hostile to God, a modern version of the scenario confronted by that trio of Jewish exiles seems more and more possible in our generation. Are you prepared to stand firm for God? I pray you are.