Power, Faith or Pixie Dust?

I am fairly sure that most of us have heard of the differences between the path to heaven and the one to hell.

..."You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way. But the gateway to life is small, and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it." (Mat 7:13-14) nlt

I think it may be easier to visualize this as struggling up the side of a steep mountain. Going down is a LOT easier than going up, we have to put a great deal more effort into the ascent than the descent. You are aware that many will spiritually give up and leap to their doom. Why don't we all? Because we've chosen to be with God in the next life.

Thanks to Jesus, we have that option. He gave up His life for us, and took the blame for all the foul, evil things that everyone has ever done, just so we could have the chance for salvation. Of course we still have to do our part. We have to recognize our misdeeds AND accept His sacrifice.

Tough, isn't it?

Sometimes, the hardest part (for us) is being able to put our trust in someone other than ourselves. That is exactly what faith is all about.

Growing up, we've all heard the expressions;

-"Give it your best shot!"

-"Put your back in it!"

-"A 110% effort is required!" &

-"We're all counting on you!"

Athletes and sportsmen hear these comments so regularly that they have nearly religious significance.

So, what's wrong with that?

They teach us to put our faith and trust into ourselves, alone. No matter how good any of us thinks he or she is, no matter how successful we may have been, and no matter if you or I have shown forth as something of a "superstar" in ANY field of endeavor... we just are not good enough! Remember, "for all alike have sinned, and all consciously come short of the glory of God" (Rom 3:23) wnt

What are we supposed to do, instead?

Imagine this... you are standing in front of the judge in a court of law. All the evidence is clearly against you, and you know you'd committed the crime. Then, out of the blue, the judge's kid tells you he will take the blame, go to jail in your place, pay your fines, and completely clear your name. All you have to do is agree.

Would you do it?

It’s a trick question, right? Who wouldn't, you ask. Sadly, most of us will blow this opportunity. Get back to the steep mountainside, and your efforts to reach heaven up that narrow, difficult path. What would make the task easier?

If you've ever done any cliff or mountain climbing, you look for handholds and footholds. Whenever the going really gets rough, you need something you can bet your life on. Good, solid, rock... that is what you really wants to keep you from falling to your death.

Perhaps you remember this song...

..."On Christ, the solid Rock I stand,
......All other ground is sinking sand.
.........All other ground is sinking sand!"

It will never be an easy climb, up that narrow, rocky pathway! Faith in Jesus will help us find those solid rocks we need to make it. Here are two biblical examples of faith that I think should be an inspiration to us all.

-First-

..."Jesus saith to them: But whom do you say that I am?
...Simon Peter answered and said: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God.
...And Jesus answering, said to him: Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona: because flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.
...And I say to thee: That thou art Peter; and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." (Mat 16:15-18) drv

-next-

..."A woman from Canaan who was living there came to him, pleading, 'Have mercy on me, O Lord, King David's Son! For my daughter has a demon within her, and it torments her constantly.'
...But Jesus gave her no reply - not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. 'Tell her to get going.' they said, 'for she is bothering us with all her begging.'
...Then he said to the woman, 'I was sent to help the Jews - the lost sheep of Israel - not the Gentiles.'
...But she came and worshiped him and pled again, 'Sir, help me!'
...'It doesn't seem right to take bread from the children and throw it to the dogs,' he said.
...'Yes it is!' she replied. 'For even the puppies beneath the table are permitted to eat the crumbs that fall.'
...'Woman,' Jesus told her, your faith is large, and your request is granted.' And her daughter was healed right then."
(Mat 15:22-28) tlb

Two examples of faith... both show us that we need to have an absolute trust in God. Money, land, possessions, luck & political power are not mentioned, nor even pixie dust!

Just faith...

The handholds and footholds we all need are already there! God wants us to be with Him! He knows how hard the journey will be. He sent His Son to show us the way, pay the price and be our inspiration!

Have a little faith!

Stretch out your hands and start climbing.

See you soon, in paradise!

Are you a "Stick in the Mud?"

Are you a Christian? Have you given up sin?

As Christians, we are supposed to be trying, with all our might, to overcome the urge to sin that is a part of everyday life. There is no way anyone could be totally successful, but we ARE supposed to make every effort.

Nobody is perfect. In much the same way that you cannot expect your kids to score 100% on every test in school, God knows you will not "ace" every test the devil throws your way. David, the "man after God's own heart," messed up in some major ways. But he repented, he was remorseful. He promised God that he'd never repeat his mistakes. This, in effect, is what God expects from us. He doesn't want us making excuses, He wants our best, and our apologies when our best isn't good enough. Follow that with a promise to never "mess up" again. He will give you all the help you can stand, you might not recognize it as help, when it comes.

We often take this as an easy way out. OK, we say, I blew it again, at least I'm saved, right? And then we often go back to sin.

So, are you "a stick in the mud?"

Are you usually slimed with sin, even if it is of a type you consider to be "minor?" Can you see that this isn't what God wants from us?

I was raised in a religion that believed that membership in that particular religion was the only requirement for you to reach heaven. Every so often, you tell God "Oops, I sinned again," and all the blame was washed off. If you happened to die without your "oops" session, you'd spend some time in an "almost" hell, getting all the "ouchies" burned off, then you'd head for heaven. They referred to this almost hell as purgatory. Interesting idea, but it is one that has no basis in the Bible. Although there are similar beliefs in a number of pagan religions, there was none in any Christian religion until the Council of Florence, around 1440 AD, declared it to be a part of the Catholic religion. The Council of Trent, around 1550 AD, confirmed this belief within the Catholic church. Jesus made the greatest contra-indicator of this belief with his statement to the thief being crucified to His side, "...I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise."
(Luke 23:43)nlt

The word "purgatory" comes from the same root as does "purgative," and is supposed to serve the same purpose, flushing out and away all that is harmful. It is an interesting idea, though, isn't it? Sin some, suffer a little, then go to heaven! But, what does the Bible say?

" The devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur, where are also the beast and the false prophet. They will be tormented day and night forever and ever. I saw a great white throne, and him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. There was found no place for them. I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne. Books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged out of the things which were written in the books, according to their works. The sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them. They were judged, each one according to his works. Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. If anyone was not found written in the book of life, he was cast into the lake of fire."(Rev 20:10-15)web

Nope! No "penalty box" mentioned here! All the dead, those who were great in life as well as those who were completely insignificant, are judged "by the book." If you don't measure up, eternal torment awaits. So, how do you know your fate?

"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (Jas 2:14-26)kjv

I can already hear some muttering angrily that it is only by salvation can anyone be saved. You must follow the "ABCs," accept Christ's sacrifice, believe it is the only way to heaven & confess to others. Yet, if we are to believe that which James has said, "faith without works is dead!" Yet another apostle has included something noticeably similar in his works...

"And when the Son of man shall come in his majesty, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his majesty. And all nations shall be gathered together before him, and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on his left. Then shall the king say to them that shall be on his right hand: Come, ye blessed of my Father, possess you the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in: Naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me. Then shall the just answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, and fed thee; thirsty, and gave thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and covered thee? Or when did we see thee sick or in prison, and came to thee? And the king answering, shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me. Then he shall say to them also that shall be on his left hand: Depart from me, you cursed, into everlasting fire which was prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry, and you gave me not to eat: I was thirsty, and you gave me not to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked, and you covered me not: sick and in prison, and you did not visit me. Then they also shall answer him, saying: Lord, when did we see thee hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to thee? Then he shall answer them, saying: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to me. And these shall go into everlasting punishment: but the just, into life everlasting." (Mat 25:31-46)drv

Remember what Jesus said to the church at Sardis; "Be thou watchful, and establish the things that remain, which were ready to die: for I have found no works of thine perfected before my God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and didst hear; and keep [it], and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. But thou hast a few names in Sardis that did not defile their garments: and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy. He that overcometh shall thus be arrayed in white garments; and I will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches." (Rev 3:2-6)asv

You see, you are NOT saved by your works, BUT, you are defined by them. If you show no evidence of your salvation, then you have NOT been truly saved! Those who are saved, WORK to show their love for God! They never stop trying to better themselves and help others. They strive tirelessly to rid themselves of Satan's influence on their lives, to cleanse themselves of the mud and filth that is the devil's domain. A true Christian is NEVER satisfied with "life as usual." He or she will never accept a lifestyle of "kicking back and taking it easy!"

Do you believe that faith is dead without works?

Or, are you a "stick in the mud?"

Just what is it about kids that Jesus loves?

What was it about children that made Jesus love them so much? Why did He instruct His apostles to let the children come to Him? Is there something here we are overlooking?

Almost everyone loves little babies. As children age, they go through the "terrible twos" and eventually reach their "terrifying teens." Still, most people like most kids (of any age) better than their own-age peers. What is it that is so different about kids?

There is no doubt that there is a lot that is evil about our world, and all of it is a corrupting influence on our lives. Kids have been exposed to less of it (so far), and are therefore less corrupt and more pure than are most adults.

Hmmm...

From the book; "Jesus answered and said unto him, 'Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.' Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, 'Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again.' "(John 3:3-7) kjv -and- "If I have told you earthly things, and ye believed not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?"(John 3:12)kjv

Here is the problem, in a nutshell.

Our understanding is shaped and influenced by our exposure to things that have happened to us, here on this earth, and in our lifetimes. Little children take almost everything on faith, because people they trust tell them it is so. God wants us to take His Word on faith, because He said so. He wants us to place our trust in Him!

As our kids grow older, their willingness to believe is whittled away by being hurt, by being lied to and by being ignored. In short, what is good is steadily eroded and eaten away by the evil of this world.

Jesus loves the innocence of children. He loves their trust and their hunger for His friendship. That is the goal we have, in our relationship with God. We must be reborn into the childlike trust in Him that is the hallmark of children! As a little child trusts mom and dad to take perfect care of him or her, so must we put our trust in Our Lord to take perfect care of us.

We must be born again!