Picking Through

When I was much younger my grandparents would often take us to a discount store called Pick-N-Save. They had a buffet we loved to eat at and ridiculous bargains on clothes and many other items. The deals were there and you just had to choose what it was you wanted to buy. You didn't have to take everything in the store--that's why it was called "Pick-N-Save"--the choices were yours to make.

Unfortunately, we take that same approach to our Christianity even though God doesn't operate that way. We can't go to Him and ask for an increase in patience, but ask for Him to leave us alone in the humility department. He won't dish out extra portions of love while leaving holiness on the shelf for someone else. God isn't a discount store with bargains for you and I to pick over. He offers all of who He is as a reflection of the gift of His grace. He gives us all that we need in one package-His Son, Jesus Christ.

To truly accept the gift God has for us we should stop trying to sift through and only take what we think we want, and instead graciously take the gift that offers everything we need. It's an all-or-none principle that might seem restrictive, but is really the best thing for us.

I Have Decided

I was listening to music from my friends at Salty Church in Ormond Beach this morning and they sang the words to the old hymn, I Have Decided to Follow Jesus. The truth contained in those lyrics is timeless and brought me to contemplate what it really means to live those words out.

Following is more than saying a prayer or being baptized-it is a commitment to letting Christ lead you throughout the rest of your life. It is a journey that is started by being willing to leave everything else behind-job, social status, friends, addictions, sin, life goals, family history, selfishness and more. Choosing to follow means that you stick with it even when it's tough-when you have relationship difficulties, when your reputation is being damaged, when your emotions are telling you something that is contradictory to what God is telling you, when you are unsure of what is next and how to move on. It is a matter of trusting in the One who is leading. It is putting our confidence in His ability to take us where we need to go and having faith that His way is the best way.

When we decide to follow Jesus it is more than a statement made with our voices. It is a declaration of allegiance to the King and His guidance and plan. It must infiltrate all of our decisions, passions, attitudes and talents if it is going to be an accurate representation of our heart's intent. This level of faith isn't attained overnight, but is a journey of discovery and endurance that is traveled by keeping our eyes focused on the One who leads us.

"Christian faith is not so much what you say you believe, 

but how you behave in a consistent manner." A.W. Tozer

HFFA

There is a phrase that used to describe something that looks better from a distance. It may not be the kindest of statements or phrases, but it is certainly applicable in certain situations. It is abbreviated by the letters HFFA and stands for "Hot From Far Away." It is not something that I would like to have said about me and honestly would be a little crushing to the ego if it was used to describe me.

What if this phrase was used to describe Christians-not in our physical appearance, but in our dedication to Christ? How would it make us feel to have someone say that we appeared to be committed to the cause of Christ from a distance, but once they got up close it just wasn't the same?

That type of inauthentic belief is what keeps us from pursuing Him fully and causes the rest of the world to accuse the church of being full of hypocrites. When we pursue authenticity and are honest about the journey of following Christ we start to be real enough that people might want to experience Him for themselves.

Cultural Christianity

In one of the books I am reading, Patrick Morley talks about God's leading saying, "He has important work for you and me, and He must squeeze the cultural Christianity out of us."

That's a tough phrase to take.  It is saying that perhaps we have a misguided view of what following Christ is supposed to look like.  Maybe what we have built Christianity up to be is off the mark.  What if our understanding of following Christ has been misdirected due to the influence of American culture instead of the other way around? 

Christianity in the New Testament certainly wasn't pretty-it cost those believers more than we can imagine in our comfortable world of today.  They were willing to follow God's leading & His Word regardless of the cultural and personal consequences.  The church in the book of Acts had a different feel than the majority of American churches today because of those risk-takers.

Looking like Christ is not so much of a focus on church attendance, the number of Bibles in your home, how many Christian t-shirts you have, or the Jesus sticker on your car.  I believe it is reflected in the individuals (and families) who are willing to say, "I will follow Christ no matter the cost."

When God can create that cultural shift in each of us, Satan better be on guard.