The Greatest News of All Time

I once had a friend who committed to mentor me and my best friend every Monday morning. Nothing necessarily uncommon about this arrangement, except for the fact that he and his family had just moved to Huntsville, Alabama to start a new church, and we still lived in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Yet he honored his commitment each week and that spoke volumes about his dedication and love for Jesus and for us. 

During one of our weekly discussions we talked about if you could really know for sure, I mean absolutely sure, that you were saved and a child of God. He had a great answer, "First, I always ask people if they love Jesus with all their heart, all their soul, all their mind, and with all their strength?" (Mark 12:30) Most people will usually respond with a candid, "No". All of us can quickly recall deficiencies in our affection for Jesus Christ, because if we loved Christ perfectly, we would obey Him in all things. This is simply not the case for the majority of the human race. 

His second question went like this, "So do you love Jesus like you should?" If the first answer was no, then the second answer also had to be no because even though we are supposed to love Him perfectly, we don't. In this area of our lives rests the tension that we often experience in regard to our salvation. 

The Worst News Of All Time

"I never knew you.” - Jesus (Matthew 7:23)

It will happen. Those words will echo in the hearts and minds of many for all of eternity. And yet, on that day many will be surprised . . . 

Let me ask you something, when you look back on your week how many of these things showed up in your completed column? "Perform miracles", "Drive out demons", "Prophesy in the name of Jesus" Anyone? Yet Jesus said that on Judgement Day this is what countless men and women who thought they were working on His behalf will say and hear, "'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:22-23)

I used to write this verse off since I believed that Jesus was only talking about false prophets and fake disciples – definitely not me. But then I read it again. These ‘false teachers’ actually prophesied, cast out demons and did miracles. I’ve never cast out a demon or performed a miracle or prophesied in Jesus’ name. And if someone were walking around today doing all these things I would probably consider them a super-Christian. 

Another one of the key things that we cannot miss in this scripture is the fact that they were surprised! They didn't have a clue that they were not true followers of Jesus, in fact, they saw themselves as active participants in His Kingdom. They fully expected to hear Jesus say, ‘well done’ as they would be escorted into their faithful reward. How did they miss the fact that they were lost? How did they so inaccurately misjudge the trajectory of their life? And how do we keep from doing the same?

Making The Time . . .

Are our lives getting busier day by day or what?  Let's take a quick look at all the ways our lives are becoming more hectic;

• Staying connected to the ever-present digital world of social media; online-publications, shopping, and entertainment, and even work, through the internet and our smart devices
• Navigating through rush hour-packed freeways in nerve-racking traffic to work and home; shuttling our kids here and there. (Or we did before COVID . . . )
• Working long, hard, exhausting hours on our jobs
• Striving to keep ourselves and our families healthy by eating right and exercising
• Trying to keep our homes clean and in order and running household errands

This whirlwind of activities, noise, information, attractions, and distractions of our post-modern lives can leave us feeling exhausted, confused, and disconnected from God. So how do we find calm centers in the storm where we can rest and focus on God?

Sunset Grill

| summer evening | driving from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina | so burnt my socks hurt my ankles | day drawing to a close | |sunroof open | the world seems limitless | magic . . . | bookended by this song |