When God Says No

When God Says No

2 Corinthians 12:8, 9a - Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (NIV)

Sometimes God says "No."

Over the years, I have pleaded to God for the healing of others, the mending of broken relationships, and the ability to overcome my problems immediately, only to discover that God isn't going to do what I ask. It comes as a shock to my system, for I'm so used to having God help me out. So, like Paul, instead of dealing with it and letting it go, I pray over and over again, thinking that God will eventually cave in and give me what I want. In other words, I'm trying to make God bend His will towards mine.

Eventually, I accept what God has said, sometimes reluctantly, sometimes with relief. God is not helping me out, but He is helping me. He's helping me to understand that I'm not at the center of His universe. He's helping me to realize that His grace is sufficient for everything I need, as opposed to having His power to achieve everything I want. It's a hard lesson, but it makes me more aware that He is the Sovereign of life, the universe, and everything.

Perhaps some of us are struggling with God, and we want Him to sort out all of our troubles. Perhaps, like me, we've approached Him time and time again about a particular situation, person, or problem. Perhaps, we believe that the time isn't right or that we just have to pray more, be more patient, or have more faith. Let's think about what we're praying for and honestly ask ourselves this question: "Has God already said 'No,' but I'm just not listening?"

Prayer: Lord God, we pray for the gift of discernment, the ability to understand each situation we experience. Help us to recognize and realize that Your ways are not our ways and that Your thoughts are not our thoughts. Teach us to be patient and enable us to take Your "No" as an answer to some of our prayers. In Christ's name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart

Gateway to the Palace

Gateway to the Palace

Hebrews 10:7
Philippians 2:5-8

Death is a Gateway to the Palace

To be a Christian is to be a subject -- subject to a king -- that is, to welcome the rule of God in one's life. Jesus Himself became subject to the Father -- "Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God" (Heb 10:7 AV). This meant that He had come to this world, not to gain, but to lose; not to get, but to give; not to be served, but to serve; not to obtain bread but to be bread, the Bread of heaven, broken for the life of the world.

"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus... He humbled Himself" (Phil 2:5-8 AV).

That puts it in very simple terms. If you want to be a Christian, see that your mind is made up as his was: be humble, be subject, be obedient -- even to death. It will mean death. Be sure of that. Death to some of your desires and plans at least. Death to yourself. But never forget -- Jesus' death was what opened the way for his own exaltation and our everlasting Life. Our death to selfishness is the shining gateway into the glories of the palace of the King. Is it so hard to be his subject? Is the price too high?

Elisabeth Elliot

Entrepreneurial Christianity

Entrepreneurial Christianity

I was recently involved in a discussion with someone who spoke of being deeply drawn to and supportive of what they called the "entrepreneurial model of ministry". He was speaking primarily of the mega churches that successfully market their products and services.

These churches often "sell" the name of a donor on having their name on a brick of the new building or a plaque on the new wing of the church. Many of these churches seem more interested in building a monument to the pastor than further the kingdom of God. If you give to certain levels you get a "free gift", usually something suitably spiritual.

They flog everything from "anointed holy water" to "prayer handkerchiefs". There is even one that is now selling miracle manna made from some mysterious element from the middle east (likely flour) and baked in a 200 year old oven (big deal). Most of that stuff is just junk flogged to the desperate by the greedy.

The list of fundraising gimmicks is endless. Churches will bring in a "name" entertainer and rather than operate on faith as an outreach will charge secular prices to attend. What happened to trusting God to cover the costs? After all, if it is of God He will provide.

Other churches raise money through the proceeds of lotteries and other forms of gambling. That is just plain wrong!

Some churches make you pay for prayers, and even extract a toll for the dead. That is more than wrong, it is evil.

Doing ministry costs money. Churches operate in a real world where there are utilities to be paid, wages to be covered and other expenses. Yet, frankly, this reliance on worldly methods of funding ministries smells vaguely like smoke from the pit to me.

Now, I also understand that it costs to produce books, CD's and the like and have no problem with ministries recovering those costs or even raising some of their operating funds that way. Now perhaps my thinking here is a little biased because of my love for books and teaching materials. I confess that I will have to think that through some more.

None the less, much fundraising in the Christian world is done by selling worldly recognition or just plain snake oil and junk. Something is wrong with the whole picture. I am not certain where the lines need to be drawn but we need to examine the issue.

God's Word does not include a successful "sales" plan for churches to raise money. In fact Jesus was angry at the marketplace that developed outside the temple.

Matthew 21:12-13 NIV
Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. "It is written," he said to them," `My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a `den of robbers.' God is not against commerce. He is not against selling a product or service at a fair price. Yet nowhere do we read of approval for churches or ministries being funded by commercial solutions. In fact the most successful "church" fundraising project in history relied on just one thing. It depended on people responding to the need.

Exodus 35:4 - 36:6 NIV
Moses said to the whole Israelite community, "This is what the LORD has commanded: From what you have, take an offering for the LORD. Everyone who is willing is to bring to the LORD an offering of gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows; acacia wood; olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. "All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the LORD has commanded: the tabernacle with its tent and its covering, clasps, frames, crossbars, posts and bases; the ark with its poles and the atonement cover and the curtain that shields it; the table with its poles and all its articles and the bread of the Presence; the lampstand that is for light with its accessories, lamps and oil for the light; the altar of incense with its poles, the anointing oil and the fragrant incense; the curtain for the doorway at the entrance to the tabernacle; the altar of burnt offering with its bronze grating, its poles and all its utensils; the bronze basin with its stand; the curtains of the courtyard with its posts and bases, and the curtain for the entrance to the courtyard; the tent pegs for the tabernacle and for the courtyard, and their ropes; the woven garments worn for ministering in the sanctuary -- both the sacred garments for Aaron the priest and the garments for his sons when they serve as priests."

Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses' presence, and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved him came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments. All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD. Everyone who had blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen, or goat hair, ram skins dyed red or hides of sea cows brought them. Those presenting an offering of silver or bronze brought it as an offering to the LORD, and everyone who had acacia wood for any part of the work brought it. Every skilled woman spun with her hands and brought what she had spun -- blue, purple or scarlet yarn or fine linen. And all the women who were willing and had the skill spun the goat hair. The leaders brought onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. They also brought spices and olive oil for the light and for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense. All the Israelite men and women who were willing brought to the LORD freewill offerings for all the work the LORD through Moses had commanded them to do.

Then Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts -- to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship. And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers -- all of them master craftsmen and designers. So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the LORD has commanded."

Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. So all the skilled craftsmen who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left their work and said to Moses, "The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done."

Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: "No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.

The people were so delighted to give to the work of God that there was more given than the work required. They had to stop people from giving more. When was the last time you heard a church or ministry doing that?

As churches and ministries we need to examine our hearts and teaching. As believers we need to examine our hearts about giving and supporting ministries. The money that Christians alone waste on frivolous purchases and feeding their worldly needs could not only fund every church and ministry, but I suspect that it would leave the churches telling people that they needed to stop giving because the treasury was overflowing.

Until next time, may you give generously and sacrificially to your home church, and other missions and ministries. May the world's hold on your heart and pocketbooks be loosened.

Kevin Corbin

Prayer Changes Us

Prayer Changes Us

My neighbour's face was pale, haggard, and tear-stained as she told me that she hadn't slept all night. She had received very upsetting news; she was worried, afraid, and despairing. "It's hopeless," said Sally, "and there's nothing I can do -- nothing anyone can do!" I sympathized with Sally's feelings, but all her despairing, worry, tears, hopelessness, and losing sleep had not changed one single aspect of her situation. I felt greatly blessed to have the opportunity to discuss this with her, but even more so to witness the change in Sally after we prayed about her situation.

When we surrender our troubled hearts to God, faith and hope grow within and bring a measure of instant peace and comfort.

Matthew 21:22 - And whatever you ask for in prayer, having faith and [really] believing, you will receive. (AMP)

Isn't this a perfectly wonderful promise? God does indeed help those who help themselves -- to His Word.

Prayer is taking action. Prayer shows that we acknowledge our need of the Lord's loving, powerful work. Prayer not only changes every situation, it changes us and changes those involved in the situation. God listens and answers our prayers according to His purposes.

Prayer brings us into God's presence, and God's presence restores, renews, and fills us with faith and freedom to function. Prayer draws us to God through our need to know Him and His will. Prayer changes our hearts, bringing our hearts to be in tune with our Lord's heart. We begin to see ourselves and others for whom we pray in the way that our Lord sees us.

The more we sit at His feet, the more we pray to Him, and the more we pray with His Spirit, the more we become like our Lord Jesus.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18 - Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. (NASB)

Prayer: Loving Lord, thank You that we can ever turn to You in prayer with all adverse news, as well as with thanksgiving for all the good news that comes our way. We praise You, Lord, for all that You are, and all that You do in every situation of our lives. Thank You for the wonderful changes You bring about in us as we come to spend time in Your beautiful presence. Amen and Amen.

Rosemary Renninson
Westbury, Victoria, Australia

Discovering God's Will for You

Discovering God's Will for You

"I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart." Psalm 40:8 (NASB)

How do you know what God's will is for you? Or how will you know if you are called of God?

Brent Porterfield, quoting from Frederick Buechner's book, Wishful Thinking, provides an answer well worth pondering. Buechner "says that a good rule for finding one's vocation is this: Our special mission in our life is usually one of the following:

A. That which we'd love most to do and
B. It is work that the world most needs to have done.

"Buechner says that if we really get a kick out of our work, we have probably met requirement A, but if that work is writing TV deodorant commercials, chances are we haven't met requirement B. If our work is being a doctor in a leper colony, we probably have met requirement B, but if most of the time we are bored and depressed by doctoring, chances are we have not only bypassed A, we probably aren't helping our patients much either.

"Buechner concludes: 'The place God calls us to, is the place where our deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet.'" [Brent Porterfield, www.eSermons.com]

Oswald Chambers described God's call this way: "The call of God is like the call of the sea to the sailor. Only he who has the nature of the sea within can hear the call."

Like a born-sailor who never rests until he answers the call of the sea and launches out into the deep, when God's Word is written in our heart, neither will we find rest until we do what we know in our heart what it is that God wants us to do. And when we answer that call, we too, like King David, will delight in God's ways and doing his work -- no matter how humble or noble that may be.

Prayer: "Dear God, thank you that you have a plan and purpose for every Christian, and that includes me. Like David of old, please give me a love for your Word and your ways so that I, too, will know and delight in doing your will and answering your call on my life. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen."

Dean Masters

Victory over Your Besetting Sin

Victory over Your Besetting Sin

Sin causes Christians to become craven cowards who live in humiliating defeat. They can't stand up with courage against sin because of the secret sin in their own lives. They excuse the sins of others because of the disobedience in their own hearts and they can't preach victory because they live in defeat.

King David had enemies. When David was right with the Lord and in good fellowship, none of his enemies could stand before him. But when David sinned and became estranged from the Lord, his enemies grew bold and triumphed over him.

David's sin of adultery immediately followed one of his greatest victories. This great man of God, basking in the glory of a great victory, began to lust after Bathsheba, killed her husband Uriah and committed adultery with her. "But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord" (2 Samuel 11:27).

So the Lord sent the prophet Nathan to David. The prophet did not come to counsel David on how to handle his guilt and condemnation. Rather, Nathan got right to the heart of the matter. "You have despised the commandment of the Lord. You have done evil in the sight of the Lord. You are guilty of secret sin." David fled into the wilderness-a weeping, barefoot, cowardly man, shorn of his power and courage because of sin.

We have had enough teaching on how to cope with our problems and fear. We have not had enough teaching about how to deal with sin in our lives. How do you overcome a sin that has become a habit? Where is the victory over a sin that almost becomes a part of your life?

I have no formulas, no simple solutions. I do know there is much comfort in the Bible for those who are fighting battles between the flesh and the spirit. Paul fought the same kind of battle, against the same kind of enemy. He confessed, "For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do" (Romans 7:19).

Many Christians today haven't had the fear of God planted in their hearts by the Holy Ghost. The writer of Proverbs declares, "By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil" (Proverbs 16:6). "Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the Lord, and depart from evil" (3:7). "The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death" (14:27).

The "fear of God" referred to here indicates much more than reverential awe and respect. We can't receive the full revelation of God's truth until his fear is deeply rooted in us. All revelation is tied to his holy fear.

I'm convinced that without the fear of God, we cannot experience lasting deliverance from sin. Yet, in many churches the fear of the Lord has become a taboo subject. When was the last time you heard a sermon on the fear of God?

One reason for this is that society's permissiveness has invaded God's house. In recent years, the term "grace" has come to mean a cover for sin. As the psalmist writes, "There is no fear of God before his eyes" (36:1).

David Wilkerson

A Recipe for Heroes

A Recipe for Heroes

It was probably one of the greatest adventures in American history - the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The size of the United States doubled overnight and President Thomas Jefferson picked his aide, Meriwether Lewis, to lead a group of about 40 men to explore a route from St. Louis to the Pacific. The journey took more than two years, covering thousands of miles, meeting with some 50 Indian tribes, and charting a vast area, largely unexplored by anyone other than Native Americans. One of Meriwether Lewis' first steps in his preparation was to seek out his former commanding officer, William Clark, to share the command of this historic journey into the unknown. In his letter to Clark, he asked him to "participate with me in the expedition's fatigues, its dangers, and its honors." It took a long time for the letters to make it back and forth, but William Clark's reply was worth the wait. He said: "I will cheerfully join you and partake of the dangers, difficulties, and fatigues, and I anticipate the honor and rewards." That's a good answer. It made him a hero.

When I read Captain Lewis' invitation to Captain Clark, I couldn't help but think how much it reminds me of the much greater invitation that Jesus Christ gives to you and me. It's not an invitation to a party or a vacation; it's an invitation to join Him in a bold adventure, filled with "dangers, difficulties, and fatigues." Oh yes, and the "honor and the rewards."

Our Western idea of a faith that is cushioned pews and convenient sacrifice flies right in the face of what Jesus called us to. It's in Luke 9:23-24, our word for today from the Word of God. "Then He said to them all, 'If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me." To which you can almost hear someone saying, "In that case, I think I'd rather run my own life. It sounds like there's too much to lose in following Jesus." Well, you need to listen to Jesus' startling equation, "For whoever wants to save his life (or hang onto his life) will lose it, but whoever loses his life for Me will save it." Hang onto your life, you lose it. Give it away and you find it.

Maybe you've tried discount Christianity. It's very popular. Of course, it's only a pale shadow of the disciple Christianity Jesus calls us to. You go to the meetings, you believe the beliefs, you give in the offerings, you sometimes read your Bible, and you pray. But it's a surface commitment, a limited commitment, a commitment that still leaves you in control. My guess is that discount Christianity has left you unfulfilled and unsatisfied. It can't satisfy you. You were made to be abandoned to Jesus, taking up a cross, making choices that might cost you, building His kingdom instead of yours, and accepting assignments from Him that go way beyond your comfort zone.

And as for "the honor and the rewards?" Jesus said that no one who sacrificed for His great adventure "will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age... and in the age to come, eternal life" (Mark 10:29-30). You can't out give Jesus. True Christianity is expensive, but it's ultimately fulfilling and ultimately rewarding.

Jesus is asking you to take your commitment to Him to a whole new level. And you can be sure the cost of not following Him is far greater than the cost of following Him. He's waiting for your answer to His invitation. By God's grace, your answer will be, "Jesus, I will cheerfully join You and I will partake of the dangers, difficulties, and fatigues, and I anticipate the honor and the rewards."

Ronald P. Hutchcraft

When I am Weak

When I am Weak

To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10, NIV)

There are times when the world around me seems literally to be caving in. People are in distress, crying for help. People are in pain, asking for relief. People are confused, asking for clarity. People are blinded by their circumstances, asking for vision. I can do nothing. I feel helpless. I have no words to share with them, no strength to give them, and no relief to offer them. Yet, somehow a word will come, they will find strength in my presence, or they will find some comfort in knowing that I care. That's when I hear Him say, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." "When I am weak, then I am strong."

There are times when I am drawn into a situation of incredible sadness. It may be the loss of a child, the loss of a spouse, the loss of a parent, or the loss of a friend. It may be that a marriage is on the brink of destruction, or has already crumbled. I am asked to help. There is nothing I can do. I cannot bring back the dead nor can I rebuild what has been torn down. But, amazingly God takes what little I have to offer and turns it into a balm that somehow eases the pain. I don't understand it, but I know it happens. That's when I hear Him say, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." "When I am weak, then I am strong."

There are times when I am called upon to address a problem, answer a question, deal with a difficult situation that I feel completely inadequate to address. Though I try to put words together that will sufficiently deal with the matter and clear away some of the confusion, the words do not come. I sit for hours waiting for just the right words, longing for the right phrase, and searching for the insight that will bring a resolution. Then, I pause and ask for His wisdom. He gives it. That's when I hear Him say, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." "When I am weak, then I am strong."

There are times when I am stressed and disturbed and my emotions are out of control. I look at the tasks of the day and cannot see my way through the maze of confusion and frustration. I wonder if I have the strength leave my house. I feel afraid to take even one step. Somehow when I can put one foot in front of the other and step out into the darkness that so frightens me, He helps me. With Him I get through the day. That's when I hear Him say, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." "When I am weak, then I am strong."

These situations I have shared are not unique with me are they? You face the same kinds of things everyday of your life. You are confronted with the same difficult and seemingly impossible situations. You feel just as confused, just as afraid, just as helpless, and just as weak as I do. And, He gives you the strength to face your situation. He sends you the wisdom to solve your problems. He delivers to you the sense of peace that brings calmness. He provides you with the words that can bring about a solution. His promise is just as real to you as it is to me. Listen to hear Him say, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." And know that, "When I am weak, then I am strong."

His grace is sufficient for you, for His power is made perfect in weakness. When you are weak, then you are strong.

Tom Norvell

Spare Parts

Spare Parts

Okay, let's use our imagination. I'm going to buy a new car, and I'm going to pay for it with cash in full. That's lots of imagination we're talking here. I pay Mr. Dealer $20,000 for the new car, and he tells me it will be there in two weeks. Those two weeks crawl by like a turtle, but finally the day comes when I can show up for my hot new wheels. I shake hands with the dealer, and he says, "Hey, I'll be right back!" A few minutes later he comes out, carrying a big box. He sees my bewildered expression. He says, "Here it is. Go ahead. Open the box." I do, and inside I find inside two new hubcaps, a new carburetor, and a new steering wheel. This dealer and I have a problem!

I'm going to tell that dealer in no uncertain terms, "I paid the whole price! I should get the whole product, not just your spare parts!" Jesus knows that feeling. A lot of us have tried to fulfill our commitment to Him by giving Him the spare parts of our life that we don't really care that much about. But He paid the whole price for us when He poured out His life for us. He should get what He paid for.

And Jesus isn't any more impressed with getting spare parts than we are. You can tell from our word for today from the Word of God in Malachi 1, beginning with verse 6. God's people in that day worshiped Him by bringing spotless livestock as atonement for their sin. And God says, "'It is you, O priests, who show contempt for My name.' But you ask, 'How have we shown contempt for Your name?'...'When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong?'" God goes on to tell them that they might as well shut the temple doors and that all their religious exercises are (in God's words) "useless".

It's very clear that God isn't impressed with sacrifices that cost us nothing with the spare parts of our life that don't matter that much to us anyway. But far too many of us try to get by with what I call selective Lordship. We may sing, "I surrender all," but we live, "I surrender some." And while the Christians around us may be impressed with our spirituality, God says, "You're giving me your spare parts and you're holding on to the important things for yourself."

And honestly, that is an insult to Jesus - the one who held back nothing as He paid your eternal death penalty. He paid for all of you. Are you hanging onto your business, your finances, your love life, your entertainment, that wrong relationship, or that sinful attitude or way of doing things? What parts of your life can't Jesus have and why? Because you love it more than you love Jesus? Because you don't think you can trust Him with the stuff that really matters; you can't trust the Man who gave His life for you?

When David had a chance to get for free the land that God commanded him to acquire, he said to the owner, "I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing" (2 Samuel 24:24). David knew you don't try to get off cheap with God, because cheap is basically worthless when it comes to giving to the Lord our God.

So what's it going to be in your relationship with Jesus Christ, your spare parts, or your whole life? Jesus paid the whole, awful price for you. Shouldn't He get all of you?

Ron Hutchcraft

Looking Great, Having Little

Looking Great, Having Little

We were between ministry engagements, and we took a short timeout in a picturesque mountain community in the Southeast. It's the oldest town in the area and its buildings make you feel like you've stepped back into the 1890s. It's got rambling Victorian mansions, soaring spires, it's got this classic railroad station. We stopped to ask a local man directions, and somewhere in the middle of his answer he made this observation about his town, "You know, this place is sort of like a movie set. There really isn't much here, but it sure does look pretty."

Now, sadly, there are a lot of lives that are like that man's description of his town. There really isn't much there, but they sure do look pretty; especially all dressed up for church, turning on the charm, making a great impression, or saying and doing all the right Christian things. But, as God reminds us in 1 Samuel 16:7, "The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." And there's many an empty heart hiding behind an impressive exterior.

In Revelation 3, beginning with verse 15, our word for today from the Word of God, there's a disturbing example of the deadly difference there can be between what people see and what God sees. To the outside observer, the church at Laodicea was rich, successful, and experiencing God's blessing. But Jesus said to them, "I know your deeds, that you are neither hot or cold... because you are lukewarm - neither hot nor cold - I am about to spit you out of My mouth. You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.'" There's the image they had. "But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked." There's the reality. Like a movie set. There really isn't much there, but it sure looks pretty.

It's easy to make the mistake of thinking that because you've impressed other people that Jesus is impressed. Not necessarily. It takes a lot of personal courage and honesty to look in the mirror and say, "You know, I'm not what everyone thinks I am. I'm pretty empty behind this image I portray." That's painful, but it's the beginning of reality, and it's an open door for Jesus to come behind the set and start to build a deep, real, fulfilling relationship with Him. It's wonderfully liberating to let Jesus show you what He sees when He looks at you and to let Him start building a you that only He can build.

It could be that behind all your Christianity, you really don't have a relationship with Christ. You know He died to pay for your sins, you agree with Jesus, but somehow you've missed the step of actually committing your life to Him, of turning from running your own life to Him running your life. There's never been that time when you actually gave you to Jesus. And there's no way into heaven without doing that, no matter how spiritually impressive you look.

Maybe this is the day for you to actually move from just believing about Jesus to belonging to Jesus, from a religion that's all about Him, to a relationship with Him. Then tell Him right where you are today, "Jesus, I'm not running things any more. I am Yours. You died for my sins and You are my only hope." At that moment, He will come into your life, and your life will never be the same. And you will be anchored to an unloseable love, and you'll know finally that what has only been on the outside is now in my heart for real and to stay.

I'd love to help you with that commitment. And many people have found that help by going to our website and finding there information that will walk you through making sure you belong to Jesus Christ. The website is www.YoursForLife.net

I'll tell you, there's something very liberating, even life saving, when you finally face reality. And it's time to face the reality that behind all the Christianity, maybe Jesus isn't there. Well, today you can finally have the real thing.

Ron Hutchcraft