Life is Short ~ Eternity Isn't
“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.” —Ephesians 5:8
If you’re a true Christian, then you’re truly countercultural.
Today the cultural norm is upside down. The things that we once saw as virtues are now vices. The things we once celebrated are now mocked. And the things that we once said were bad are now declared good.
Everything is upside down.
It takes courage and commitment to be a follower of Jesus. Wimps need not apply. So, if you want to march in lockstep with the culture, parrot what everyone tells you to say, and think what everyone tells you to think, then go for it.
Any dead fish can float downstream. But it takes a live one to swim upstream, you see. When you believe in Jesus, believe in the Bible, and stand up for that, you’re a rebel today.
Jesus Christ is worth living for. And if necessary, He’s worth dying for. On the other hand, if you believe something isn’t worth dying for, then is it really worth living for?
Think of people throughout history who gave their lives for different causes. They gave their lives for false leaders and religious gurus. They followed crazy ideas that destroyed their lives.
I want to be someone who really lives for Christ. And that’s worth dying for, if necessary. I don’t know if that will ever happen. But I know this much. The apostle Paul said, “For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21 NKJV).
For Christians, death is not the end; we just move from one place to another. In fact, we move to a much better place. But we also have a life worth living on this earth—a life worth living to its fullest.
So, it’s the best of both worlds. It’s the best of this world, and then it’s the afterlife in the presence of God.
Know the Bible!
A knowledge of the Bible is essential to a rich and meaningful life. For the words of this Book have a way of filling in the missing pieces, of bridging the gaps, of turning the tarnished colors of our life to jewel-like brilliance. Learn to take your every problem to the Bible. Within its pages you will find the correct answer. But most of all, the Bible is a revelation of the nature of God. The philosophers of the centuries have struggled with the problem of a Supreme Being. Who is He? What is He? Where is He? If there is such a Person, is He interested in me? If so, how can I know Him? These and a thousand other questions about God are answered in this Holy Book, we call the Bible.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.” —Romans 1:16
Paul was a full-fledged, bona fide, card-carrying apostle of Jesus. This man was a great theologian, the greatest in the history of the church, really. A deep thinker, he was schooled in the culture of Rome and Greece. The greatest Jewish rabbis had been his teachers.
Yet it’s interesting to note that on almost every occasion when Paul stood before a nonbeliever, he started with his testimony.
He didn’t start with some theological point or argument. Rather, he started with his story of how he came to Christ, which is a great way to begin.
Then Paul transitioned to the gospel, which is the true objective of our testimonies as Christians. This is the message people need to hear.
Paul said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek” (Romans 1:16 NKJV).
The word that Paul used for power is the Greek word dunamis. We get our English word dynamite from it. In other words, there’s explosive power in the gospel.
The gospel is more important than anything. It’s more important than our programs, our preferences, our priorities, and our politics. It’s more important than anything else. This is our message to the culture. This is our message to a lost world. It’s the gospel of Jesus Christ.
So, what are we doing about it?
The Bible says, “But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” (Romans 10:14 NLT).
Are we getting this message out to our sphere of influence? Are we getting it out to our hurting world?
MORE INSPIRATIONS ~ A couple of my favorites
Richard Ellis Talks ~ Richard Ellis CLICK HERE
Living on the Edge ~ Chip Ingram CLICK HERE
Harvest Ministries ~ Greg Laurie CLICK HERE
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