I see all these people promoting their books and Bible studies and preaching series and this and that and all the other marketing-of-Christ. And sometimes I just want to shout: I don’t want to buy your book. I don’t want your Bible study and I don’t want to hear your preaching series on power or happiness or any other thing Christianity can sell me. I want to stop sinning. I want to have peace in my soul because I know that I’m right with God. I want to know how I can be holy like Him and I want to know how I can be in a real, authentic relationship with Him because my soul is hungry and my heart is thirsty and all the books and Bible studies and preaching series in the world won’t fill my soul like the authentic presence of God.
God wants to be in relationship with human beings, but he can’t do that until we are ready to turn away from our sin. It’s either sin or Him, but we can’t give ourselves over to both. No doubt, even after turning to Christ we will make mistakes and we will commit sin in weak moments, but after truly putting your trust in Christ as your Savior and Lord, there should be a perpetual desire in us to run from sin. Human beings were created to know God. We were created to be sated and satisfied by Him alone. You were created to be holy because you were created to be an image bearer of God. And if you don’t want to stop sinning, then you’ve never truly put your trust in Jesus Christ. Not the real Him, anyway. Maybe some counterfeit version of Him that is cool with your sin and your brokenness, and as long as you are happy, he is happy. But that ain’t the Creator-of-the-universe-Jesus. Or maybe you believe in Jesus, maybe thoughts about Him make you happy, but deep down inside there is something missing. The devil believes in Jesus, but he is a devil still. There is a difference between believing in Jesus and trusting in Jesus. Trust requires faith. Belief is acknowledgement of a set of facts, it’s knowledge without understanding.
Christianity is hard and Jesus is real. That’s what you need to know. Jesus was crucified to pay for our sins and deliver us from them, saying “Your sins are forgiven you, go and sin no more.” Faith in Christ means that you accept His sacrifice that paid for your sins, you trust Him enough to follow Him in obedience, and you desire to turn away from sinful behavior. That’s what you need to understand.
Christianity is hard and Jesus is real. That’s what you need to know. Jesus was crucified to pay for our sins and deliver us from them, saying “Your sins are forgiven you, go and sin no more.” Faith in Christ means that you accept His sacrifice that paid for your sins, you trust Him enough to follow Him in obedience, and you desire to turn away from sinful behavior. That’s what you need to understand.
One day, Jesus is going to show up and it’s going to ruin a whole ‘lotta people’s day. Even those who thought they were ready, won’t be ready. Minds utterly blown all across the globe. Every single living human mind will say in unison, “My God, it’s really Him.” People who thought they were ready, realizing they weren’t. Shock. Awe. Terror. Joy. Mourning. Rejoicing. All happening at the same time. And the one thing you need to understand is the reason for Jesus’ words at Matthew 7:21, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father Who is in heaven.” Jesus says that they will ask Him, “Lord, didn’t we serve you and help others in your name, for your sake?” And Jesus says, “Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from Me, you evildoers!’” Jesus calls them evildoers because they did good deeds and they believed in Him, but they never put their trust in Him because of a desire to turn away from sin.
Sin matters because sin separates us from God, but God has offered us reconciliation and forgiveness through Jesus Christ when we desire to turn away from sin and back to God and put our trust in Jesus as Savior and Lord, Who alone quenches the thirst of our heart and sates the hunger of our soul. All you really need to know is that Jesus saves. Call out to Him. Go to Him. Be honest, cry that ugly-face cry, tell Him how you feel, that you're confused, scared, doubtful, addicted to porn, bitter against your spouse, mad at the church, tired of your kids, can't stop cussin', can't stop eating all the things, don't want to stop drinking or smoking dope, feel dead in your soul, don't wanna be nice to nobody, don't want to forgive, whatever it is, He already sees it and knows it. Jesus saves. Trust Him. Jesus saves. Cry out to Him. Jesus saves, because that's who He is. Jesus saves, because that is what you need.
It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Whom you crucified but Whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed...Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:11,12)
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
After several days, Felix returned with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. As Paul was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, "Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you." (Acts 24:24,25)
Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He will not hear. (Isaiah 59:2)
Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matt 11:28,29)
It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Whom you crucified but Whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed...Salvation exists in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:11,12)
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)
After several days, Felix returned with his wife Drusilla, who was a Jewess. He sent for Paul and listened to him speak about faith in Christ Jesus. As Paul was discussing righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, "Go away for the present, and when I find time I will summon you." (Acts 24:24,25)
Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor His ear too dull to hear. But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you so that He will not hear. (Isaiah 59:2)
Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matt 11:28,29)
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