Jesus Christ – Page 6 – Resounding Shophar Ministries

C G and C

Many people are haunted with memories of their past. They struggle with thoughts and regrets of how they should’ve handled things better, and now they are in an emotional prison of sorts. I’m not talking of things for which you had no control over, but rather instead those times when you had the opportunity of handling or responding to situations differently than you had. While there may be better and more sophisticated ways of addressing these, I want to simplify things by breaking things up into three groups, condemnation, guilt, and conviction.

I’ve found that a lot of people I’ve talked to in the past are confused about what condemnation, guilt, and conviction are or look like, and because of it they don’t know how to deal with them. The first group called condemnation is a nasty one. Sometimes others are the source of condemnation, and other times it is self-inflicted. Condemnation is fairly easy to spot, but not so easy to deal with. Regardless of its source, condemnation devalues and degrades people. With condemnation you will hear statements like; “you’ll never amount to anything”, “I’m no good”, “I’ll never be good enough”, or “you’re not worth it”. All these and other like statements do is destroy your self-esteem and sense of self-worth. These statements basically knock you down, and then work to keep you down. Do these statements, or thoughts, reflect how God views you? NO! God knows and believes you are very, very special, and He has a very special plan for you. God wants you to not only know that, but to also believe it. God will never belittle you or make you feel hopeless or worthless. He sent His Only Son, Jesus, to come and die so that you could have life and life eternal. You are worth it to Him!

The second group is guilt. There is a good or healthy type of guilt, and there is a bad and unhealthy type of guilt. The bad and unhealthy type of guilt are those things that you take upon yourself when they are not yours to take. These could look something like feeling guilty because your distant cousin three states away fell and broke his leg the other day while you were home working in your garage. This may be a bit of an extreme scenario but I think you get the point. Some people have a way, one way or another, of feeling guilty over things that they have absolutely nothing to do with. This is unhealthy guilt. The good and healthy guilt is when you it is for things that you were responsible for. Guilt comes when we become aware of or acknowledge we should have done things differently in a given situation. Guilt tells us that the way we responded or treated someone was wrong, or that we went somewhere that we shouldn’t have, or that we should’ve said or done something when we didn’t. Guilt is knowing that something we said or did, or didn’t say or do, was wrong and we should have done differently. Many people deal with guilt and never get past it. The more guilt they feel the greater the chances are that they will begin to feel condemnation in their life. The more they feel guilty the harder it is for them to move on in life.

The third group is conviction. This is similar to guilt but with one added twist to it. Guilt tells us we were wrong in something, but conviction tells us that we were wrong in something and gives us hope by giving us direction on how to make things right and to be free of it. Granted, sometimes the direction conviction gives us to make things right is not what we are wanting to hear, and therefore we see the conviction as guilt with nothing we can do about it. God’s Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, and the purpose of it is so that we will make the necessary changes to make things right in His sight. God’s heart is that we be right with Him in all our ways, and because of that He will let us know what we need to do to make that happen. Conviction gives us hope that we can rise above what we’ve done if we follow and obey His lead in how to make things right in His sight. Conviction is what leads us to salvation, where we recognize that we are lost and dead in sin, and with that He gives us the instructions we need on how to get free of it and be made right in His sight through a life surrendered to Jesus. Some people think that the moment we responded to His conviction of sin and accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior then it’s a done deal. All our sin is taken care of with nothing more to worry about think, but this is a bit off. Yes, Jesus’ death made provision for all our sins, past, present, and future, but if all our present and future sins are already covered then why should the Holy Spirit convict us of sin? Some don’t recognize God’s conviction as conviction in order to avoid making life changes that are pleasing in His sight. And as I mentioned earlier, some don’t recognize conviction because they don’t like or accept any of the instructions God is giving them to make things right in His sight. Conviction is something that we should all welcome in our lives as it works to make us more like Jesus, and it prepares us for that trumpet sound we are waiting to hear. To squelch conviction in our lives, and we can do that, we are in essence quenching this role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The more we ignore conviction we become harder in our heart and more stubborn in our ways, and this can have dire eternal consequences in our life if left unchanged.

So, hopefully this helps clear up the confusion regarding condemnation, guilt, and conviction. In Romans 8:1 we’re told that there is now no condemnation for those who live according to the Spirit, but there is condemnation for those who live according to the flesh. Condemnation is not what God has for us as His followers, but if we are living according to the flesh then we are subject to it. Good and healthy guilt can help us recognize when we’ve done wrong, which is important in order to for God to help us with it. And conviction is vital in the life of every Christian, and not just convicting the sinner to salvation, because it helps us know when we’ve violated God’s will and nature in our lives and shows us how to make things right with Him and others. If we are living to honor and please God with our lives, and to accurately represent Him to the world as His ambassadors, then we need to welcome conviction instead of ignoring or pushing it aside.

John Johansson

Pushing It

A couple weeks ago while watching a football game on TV, someone commented about how much the players push themselves physically. Immediately I thought of the words of the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 9:24-27. In this passage he talks of how he disciplines his body and puts it into subjection so that he wouldn’t become disqualified. I have to ask myself whether or not I’m following the example Paul has left us to follow. Am I disciplining, or pushing myself, as I ought to in my pursuit of and devotion to Christ? What about you? When was the last time you asked yourself that question?

It’s easy for us to say we’re doing good if we haven’t fallen into any of the “big” sins dancing in front of us wherever we look, but does that mean we’re pushing ourselves as we should be? Probably not. Think about it. We can pat ourselves on the back if we haven’t been involved in adultery, drugs, alcoholism, or murder. But what about gossip, compromise, gluttony, and other not so big and subtle sins? Have we pushed ourselves to stay clear of these, or have we played “patty-cake” with them thinking we’re still okay, and that God “understands”?

It’s sometimes rather funny, and yet sad at the same time, to hear of some of the rationalizing people devise within themselves to make allowances for behavior that is contrary to the heart and nature of God. We are called to be transformed into the image of Christ, to be His ambassadors to a lost and dying world. As such, we should then be pushing ourselves to live in a way that is honoring and pleasing in God’s sight, refraining from and dying to the sins that so easily beset us. We are all tempted to sin, no matter how big or small it may be. James tells us in James 1:12-16 that we are tempted when we’re drawn away by our own desires and enticed. Our flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the nature of Christ, and to surrender to those desires is simply sin. Are we content with living as we have been, or are we pushing forward to become more like Christ in all we do? You know, to be content with living as we have been, making allowances for things in our life that should not be, that in itself is sin, the sin of complacency.

People talk about how hard it is to turn from the different temptations and sins we face continually. The writer of Hebrews reminds us in Hebrews 12:4 that we have not yet resisted to bloodshed striving against sin. Where is our resistance to sin, and where is our pursuit and commitment to live as we ought for the sake of Christ and the Gospel? Is this something we can do on our own, with our own will power, or do we need help to do this? We cannot resist sin and purpose to live as we ought in our own will power. We need the help of the Holy Spirit to do this, and that requires us to be sensitive to His voice and obedient to His leading, but it is up to us to resist and depend on Him, leaving the rest to Him.

I think it is safe to say that we all could be doing a better job of pushing ourselves for the Kingdom. As the day of Jesus’ return for His bride draws ever so close, it becomes more and more important that we push ourselves for Him. If the Apostle Paul, himself, was concerned enough about finding himself disqualified for salvation to the point that he trained and fought as though only one wins the prize, then how much more should we as we consider Paul’s resume compared to our own? Let us this day renew our commitment to live for and pursue Him, to surrender our desires and very life to Him, so that we too can be assured of winning the prize.

John Johansson

The Final Act is Being Prepared

We are living in some very exciting days right now. Biblical end-time prophecy is unfolding like never before, and we have the grand opportunity to see it unfold before our very eyes. While it is true that there are no more prophecies needing to be fulfilled before the Church can be caught up to meet Jesus in the air, we are seeing the final steps being taken to set the stage for the start of the tribulation period and the unveiling of the Anti-Christ. From a Christian standpoint we are truly living in exciting days no matter how bad things are getting because we see these things as signs alerting us to Jesus’ return for His Bride. What is ironic is that both the Jews and the Muslims are expecting their messiahs to arrive any day now, which according to end-time prophecy will probably be the same person, someone we know to be called the Anti-Christ.

Over the next several days it appears that the stage will finally be set for the arrival of the Anti-Christ. He may not take the stage right away, so to speak, and it could perhaps be several months or years before he does, but nonetheless everything will be in place for that to happen. What will it take for him to step into that position we don’t know, but one can speculate a lot of ideas for it. What we do know for certain is that he will be the one that confirms a 7-year treaty of some sort with Israel, and that will be the sign God gives to identify who he is. We also know that before that can happen, before he can be revealed for who he is, the one that restrains him must be taken away. Who is the one that must be taken away? Many say it is the Holy Spirit, and others say it is the Church. I personally believe it to be the Church, the Bride of Christ. While the role of the Holy Spirit here on earth may change very significantly after the rapture of the Church, I believe He will still be here in some capacity since God is everywhere all the time. In either case, even if the Holy Spirit is the one referred to as the one who restrains and is taken away, the Church would have to go with Him. Jesus promised us that He would never leave us or forsake us, and we are told that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, and so that would only mean that if the Holy Spirit is removed then the Church would have to be removed as well.

What does that mean for us? Well, it means that the return of Jesus for His Bride is very, very, near, and we need to make sure we are watching and ready for Him when He does return. I’m not going to get into what it means to be watching for Jesus to return, but Scripture is very clear that only those Christians who are watching for Him will be caught up, or in other words called up to meet Him in the air.

As the return of Jesus draws ever so close it is also imperative we make sure we are not only watching for Him but also preparing for Him. Is there anything, or anyone, in our life that commands our attention or loyalties more than Him? If so, then we need to make some changes to put Him in His rightful place in our lives. What do we pursue the most, or who do we seek to please more than Christ? We can say He’s number one in our lives, but would the way we live support that statement, or are we deceiving ourselves? Seek the Lord and ask Him if there is an area, any area, or any person, that keeps Him from His rightful place in your life, and if so ask for His help in making the necessary changes to correct that. When you ask the Lord about this, make sure you’re listening for an answer even if it’s one you don’t like and not just listening for an answer that meets your criteria. Jesus is coming soon. The set is being prepared for the final act even as I type this, and it would behoove us to be wise and prepare for it in advance. It isn’t something to take casually, but something to prepare for at all times.

John Johansson

Forgiveness of Sins

Here is the third of a series of blogs I will be putting out to help us prepare for the soon return of Jesus for His Bride. If you were to give a name to this series of blogs I would have to call it “The Rapture Prep” series. This isn’t so much a series on explaining the rapture and what it is or is not, but instead the focus is to help us prepare for His return. The previous two blogs of this series was called “Recalibrating Our Thoughts” and “Are You Watching?” In this blog I want to address the subject of forgiveness.

To begin with, Jesus mentioned forgiveness a number of times in the New Testament. Many try to discount them citing that they were teachings before He died and resurrected, but these are not teachings to ignore. In fact, these teachings of His were different from what we find in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament we continually read of people asking God for forgiveness, or asking for forgiveness on the behalf of others, but very little instruction was given for people to forgive others. In fact, instead we read of what many live by “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth”. So, why would Jesus call people to change the way they lived in regards to forgiveness if it was going to be invalid in about three years? This doesn’t make any sense.

Jesus’ teachings actually raised the bar on how we are to live. In the Old Testament the people were judged and deemed righteous or not based on their words and actions, but Jesus took it to a new level when His focus was on the heart and its attitudes and motivations. Nowhere do we read of Jesus telling us, before or after His resurrection, to disregard any or all the commandments. What we do read is that He gave us two commandments to live by, and He further went on to say that the law is fulfilled in obeying the two He gave us. In the Old Testament, a person could hide to a point what was actually in their heart and present themselves as righteous, but in the New Testament we learn that God now looks right past our words and actions and focuses on our heart. There is no hiding from Him, and while we may be able to keep others from seeing sin in our heart or the wrong attitudes and motivations of the heart, we cannot hide these from God.

What Jesus was teaching us was definitely based on the relationship we could have with the Father after His ascension. We could never really call God Father until we had relationship with Him through Jesus, but Jesus teaches us to call God Father, something we couldn’t do before. Jesus taught a message of love and grace that we can’t really do apart from the Holy Spirit, especially towards those who hate, despise, or take advantage of us, but He also taught a message of obedience to Him and His commandments. Jesus would mention what the law would say, and then He would tell us to live it in our heart and not just in word or action. For example, He mentioned the law that says not to commit murder, but He raised the standard when He focused on our heart and that any hate we may have for another is the same thing in the eyes of God.

Having said that, we need to remember what Jesus said in regards to forgiveness. He indicated that we are to forgive others, so strongly did He make that point that He went on to say that if we don’t forgive then the Father will not forgive us. In what we know as the “Lord’s Prayer”, even then Jesus makes the statement, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others their trespasses against us”. Some argue that this does not apply to us since it was prior to Jesus’ resurrection, but that is far from the truth. Jesus was teaching us how to pray when He would no longer be with us. This is especially evident, as we indicated earlier, because He taught us to call God “our Father” in the same prayer, something we could not truly do until after the resurrection when relationship with God was made possible.

When we look at the parable of the unforgiving servant we learn something more about forgiveness. The point of a parable is to relay a truth that might not be otherwise understandable by the hearer, and Jesus is making a point in this parable that we need to learn. In this parable the king represents God, and the servants represent Christians. At a designated time the king decides to settle accounts with his servants. One of his servants owed him a VERY significant amount of money and the king was going to sell him, his wife and children, and all that he had to pay the debt. The servant begged for more time with a promise to pay back all that he owed. The king had compassion on him and forgave him his debt. This same servant went out and found a fellow servant who owed him penny’s by comparison to what the king forgave him of, and after demanding payment laid hold of that other servant and had him thrown into prison. Later word came to the king of what this servant did, and he was grieved and called for him. The king called him a wicked servant, who after being forgiven of much did not share the same compassion towards another that the king had given him, and the king then sent him to the torturers until he paid all. Jesus concludes with telling us that God will do the same for anyone who, from their heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.

Again, some argue that this doesn’t apply to us, but it does. It reinforces what Jesus has already told us, God will not forgive us if we don’t forgive others their trespasses against us. This is not typical Old Testament teachings, but instead New Testament teachings for the dispensation of grace we would soon be living in after His resurrection.

You know, something else that crossed my mind a few years ago. In the Lord’s Prayer we are told to pray, “forgive us as we forgive others their trespasses against us”. What if God were to really forgive us as we forgive others, not just in whether or not we forgive, but if we have conditions and/or requirements that must be fulfilled before we are willing to forgive? How many of us would want God to forgive us on the same basis that we forgive others? Scary thought.

One more thing. We know that Christ’s death was sufficient to pay the debt of all our sins, past, present and future, but how is that applied? Was asking God for forgiveness when we accepted Christ as our Savior sufficient to the point that we no longer have to ask for it? Some argue that since we asked for His forgiveness of our sins when we got saved, then we no longer have to worry about asking forgiveness of sins since it was already covered. This way of thinking is inconsistent with Scripture. Yes, His death was sufficient for all the sins we have or will ever commit, but that doesn’t mean we don’t acknowledge sin in our life and ask for His forgiveness of it later on in life. When John, the disciple of Jesus and His Apostle wrote in 1 John, he makes the statement “if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. Did you notice anything about this? One, he says “if we confess our sins”. He is including himself when he says “we”. If we no longer have to ask for God’s forgiveness then why is John including himself in that statement? He’s not saying it as something from the past, but instead the present and the future. He also does not indicate that the sin was already forgiven, but that it would be forgiven. The forgiveness given us by God through Christ is only applied to the sin in our life that we acknowledge and ask His forgiveness of.

Also, the writer of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 12:1, speaking to Christians and himself, that we are to “lay aside every weight, and the sin that so easily ensnares us …”. The writer here is basically telling us to get rid of the sin that we get caught up in so easily. In Romans 6 it is very clear that we as Christians are not to continue in sin even though we are under grace. The Apostle Paul tells us that as Christian’s sin does not have dominion over us since we are no longer under the law but under grace. But, he also tells us that even though we are under grace we are not to continue in sin, and that we become slaves of whatever we submit ourselves to. To repent of and ask forgiveness of sin in our life means that we are to turn from that sin and no longer continue in it. That’s what true repentance is about, to turn away from sin. This is where we return to 1 John 1:9 where we’re told if we confess our sin, which involves acknowledging it, asking forgiveness and turning from it both in our heart and actions, He is faithful and just to forgive us. We are so blessed to have that assurance.

So, in conclusion, Jesus’s death was sufficient to cover all our sins, past, present and future. While at the point of salvation all our past sins are covered, any sin we do afterwards needs to be acknowledged as sin with the understanding that we need to ask for forgiveness and no longer continue in that sin. To refuse to do so shows a prideful heart that doesn’t see the need to acknowledge it, much less turn from it. Even though we do live under grace, it is very clear in scripture that we are not to continue in sin as we will then become the slaves of it. Just because we sin does not automatically or immediately result in broken relationship with Jesus, but it is clear that if we continue in sin with a heart that says it’s okay to continue in it we run the tremendous risk of dying spiritually. Paul is clear in Romans 8 that Christians living according to the flesh will die spiritually if they continue in it. Prior to salvation we are all spiritually dead, so Paul’s words about those living according to the flesh dying is in reference to Christians who had become alive in Christ.

When I was in high school someone I know stressed something to me, and that was the fact that unlike the Old Testament that was focused on words and actions, the New Testament starting with the teachings of Jesus focuses on the heart with its motivations and attitudes. Where is your heart? This is what God is looking at. As we see the return of Jesus for His bride getting ever so close, it is now more important than ever before that we make sure we place our sins under His blood through acknowledgment and true repentance. Just because there is sin does not mean we will miss the rapture, but if our heart finds ways to justify staying in sin then we do run the risk we will be left behind. I don’t want that to happen to me or to you. Praise God for salvation which gives us the opportunity to no longer live in or be in bondage to sin! Let us live worthy of such salvation!

Are You Watching?

A number of times in the New Testament Jesus is recorded as commanding us to watch. Usually this was in reference to His return for us, His bride. Over the years, and especially in recent months, I have talked with people who took one of three positions regarding this idea of watching and what it means to watch. Some have indicated that they believe they don’t need to watch for Jesus’ return as long as they are living for Him, and others have shared that there isn’t a need to be watching for him now as they don’t believe Jesus will be returning anytime soon but instead 20 to 100+ years from now. And, there is a third group of people who believe Jesus could return at any time and are actively watching for it.

So, what does it mean to “watch”? Perhaps this is why some people take such a relaxed approach to Jesus’ return, not really understanding what it means to “watch”? According to Dictionary.com, the definition of “watch” is;

to be alertly on the lookout, look attentively, or observe, as to see what comes, is done, or happens:
to look or wait attentively and expectantly:
to keep awake, especially for a purpose; remain vigilant, as for protection or safekeeping:
to look or wait attentively and expectantly for:
to guard, tend, or oversee, especially for protection or safekeeping:

For those who think that just living for Jesus qualifies as watching for Him, we can clearly see from this definition that this is not the case. Imagine with me for a moment that two people are cruising down the interstate at 70 mph, both of them are in the farthest lane to the left. Both of them are heading to the same destination, maybe a vacation resort of some sort. One of these people are in deep conversation with someone else in the car, listening to some music or intently observing the scenery as they go along. The other person is also talking to someone, listening to the radio or looking at the scenery, but all the while they are paying close attention to the signs along the interstate so at to make sure they don’t miss the exit.

After traveling for several hours and hundreds of miles the second person begins to make their way making one lane change after another until they are in the farthest right lane, yet the first person is still in the fast lane and busy talking to someone and taking in the sights as they go. After a few more minutes the second person activates their turn signal and prepares to exit the interstate, but the first person is oblivious to the fact that they are about to go right past their exit at 70 mph.

The correlation is that the first person is too busy living and enjoying life and not paying any attention to the signs alerting them that their exit is just ahead, but the second person, while they are still living life, are paying close attention to the signs and begin making the necessary preparations to safely exit the interstate when they reach their exit. The first person wasn’t watching at all, or even felt the need to be, but the second person knew that they needed to pay close attention to the signs so as to not miss the exit. Some Christians are too busy living and enjoying life and are not paying attention to the signs all around alerting us to Jesus’ soon and possibly imminent return for His Bride, and that is a dangerous place to be in.

The second group of people don’t feel the need to really be watching and preparing for Jesus’ return because they think it will be another 20 to 100+ years from now before He returns. Many of them like to say that it’s been 2000 years since we were first told He would be returning, and therefore it’s going to be quite a while still before He actually returns. This, also, is a very dangerous view to be embracing. One of the indicators we see in Scripture regarding the last days, which only confirms that we are in that day, is that people would mock or scoff at the idea of Christ returning any time soon. Don’t be one of those who take that position. It’s not going to be worth it!!

Like I said earlier, several times Jesus instructs us to watch, and in Mark 13:37 Jesus commands us with emphasis to “watch!” So, if Jesus is telling us so strongly to be watching for His return, and the signs that point to it, why do so many seem to think that they don’t need to? I know some think that all Christians will go up in the rapture, and because of that they feel secure enough that they don’t see the need to watch for Him, as if they know more than Jesus on the subject. Jesus wasn’t telling the non-believer, those who were not following after Him, to watch, but instead He was telling those of us who are believers and follow after Him to watch. If that is the case, apparently He knows something that many choose to ignore or refuse to believe, and that is not everyone who call themselves Christians or follow after Him will go up in the rapture.

Others seem to think that Jesus will not be returning any time soon, even though they do believe He will one day return. These people are basically sticking their heads into the sand and wanting to think nothing but positive thoughts, listening to teachers and preachers who tickle their ears. These same people are choosing to ignore for one reason or another the signs along the interstate telling them that the exit is just ahead and not as far away as they would like to think. Multiple times Jesus describes these individuals, Christians who believe Jesus won’t return any time soon and live as they choose, as wicked servants. Pretty harsh words, but Jesus is making the point of how foolish it is to embrace such a mindset. Nowhere do we find that Jesus complimented or praised those who didn’t live watching and preparing for His return, but instead He chastised them for believing and acting accordingly.

When we talk of watching for the return of Jesus for His Bride, the church, we also have to remember some other words of Jesus regarding this. In Matthew 24:32-51, Jesus reiterates the need to watch for His return. He indicates that it was the good servant who watched, prepared and guarded his household against the thief’s arrival, but it was an evil servant who did not watch and take the necessary preparations against the thief. Jesus used that illustration to point out that the “good” follower of Jesus will be watching and preparing for His return, and that the “evil” follower of Jesus will not be, and when Jesus returns he will give to the “evil” follower his portion among the hypocrites. This also corresponds with the parable of the 10 virgins who represent 10 Christians. The five wise ones who were waiting and prepared for Him left with Him at His arrival, but the five foolish ones who had not made enough provisions to last until He returned missed Him when He arrived and were later denied access to the wedding.

In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus tells us not everyone who calls Him Lord will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of the Father. Some think that just because they said a prayer and go to church they are a shoe-in for heaven, but Jesus doesn’t say that. According to Jesus, what kept some from entering heaven even though they acknowledged Him as their Lord and had an impressive Christian resume was the fact that they did not do the will of God in their life. Instead they lived as they deemed sufficient and appropriate in their sight, practicing lawlessness in the sight of God. Part of God’s will for each and every one of us is that we be watching the signs that point to Jesus’s return and taking the necessary steps in preparation for it, which according to the signs screaming all around us is imminent.

Are you watching? If not, then perhaps you should start, paying close attention to the signs around us that point to His return. Jesus warned us, not the non-believer, of deception in these last days, as well as wolves in sheep’s clothing who deceive us into thinking and believing things that are contradictory to Scripture, ignoring what is said in the Bible regarding the days we are in which will only get worse. An apathetic and complacent attitude and behavior in our relationship and pursuit of Christ, as well as in regards to Jesus’ return, is one of the biggest weapons the enemy of our souls is using to ensnare and trap Christians into. Keep watching and don’t get caught up in the lies of the enemy promoted by wolves in sheep’s clothing, no matter what his or her Biblical credentials or resume may be like.

Are you watching???? Keep watching!!!!

John Johansson

Recalibrating Our Thoughts

The way things are currently developing both within the country and around the world, I am compelled to address a series of topic over the next several weeks. A 40 day period Jews observe called Teshuva begins the evening of August 17, 2015, a period of time set aside for the purpose of repentance and preparation for Rosh Hashanah. Actually, the first 30 days is to prepare for Rosh Hashanah with the hope and prayer they will be resurrected up and not have to continue the following 10 days which they believe no one really wants to go through. Yes, those remaining 10 days are that bad. These 40 days are closely connected to the rapture, or the catching up, of the Church and the following 7 year tribulation period that will see the judgments of God poured out on the earth. So, over the next several weeks I hope to bring a series of blogs to helps us do just that, to re-evaluate our walk with Christ with the desire that we will make the necessary changes in our lives in preparation for when that trumpet sounds signaling our call home to be with Jesus.

Several weeks ago someone made some comments in Sunday school, an echo of what others have said to me over the years that concerns me. Some of the individuals that have made similar comments love God, and yet others their love for God could be questioned. Some have even voiced these comments more to justify their behavior than as a sincere belief they held, and I believe my dad could have possibly been one of those.

So, what are these comments that I’m referring to? Based on the idea that anything prior to Christ’s resurrection is of little or no relevance to us as we are now living in the dispensation of grace, this person in Sunday school commented that we are free from the law and rules, and that whenever one lives according to rules or commands they are really being legalistic. Is this truly the case, or is something missing with this way of thinking? If this way of thinking is wrong, is it really all that important? And if it is important, what is the danger in holding to such views?

Yes, we do live in a dispensation of grace. Yes, our salvation is not based or maintained by the keeping of rules and laws. And, yes, we are free from the bondage and the penalty of sin. So, where does that leave us? Does this mean that the keeping of any laws or rules is legalistic, or is our thinking off some in this area?

To begin with, some have mentioned the words of Jesus in John 8:36 as the basis for their reasoning that we are free from having to keep any laws or rules, but in context that is not what this passage is indicating. Jesus is talking about being free from sin, not laws and rules, yet some choose to use this as their reasoning for living free from having to keep laws and rules. Is this way of thinking consistent with all scripture, or for the most part after Christ’s resurrection for those who discount anything taught by Him before hand? No, it doesn’t.

As I mentioned before, some think that keeping or living according to any laws or rules is legalistic and should not be a part of a Christians walk with Christ. The fact that our salvation is by grace and not of works or in the keeping of the law confuses some into thinking rules and laws should not be a part of our lives, and this is a misconception held by many. Those who hold to such views fail to realize the presence of rules and commands throughout the New Testament in the lives of the early believers.

One of the first commands we see in the New Testament after Jesus’ resurrection, and just prior to His ascension, was a command in Matthew 28:19-20. In this passage Jesus is telling His followers to make disciples of all nations, teaching them to do all that He had commanded them. Did you catch that? Jesus is telling them, and us, to teach others to do ALL that He had commanded them?

In Acts 15:6-29 we read of the Jerusalem Council, headed by James the half-brother of Jesus and the disciples, how after much consulting among themselves and prayer presented a series of guidelines, or rules, by which gentile Christians were to live by. These were not rules they had to follow for salvation, but instead rules providing a set of guidelines by which they were to live by, guidelines that set them apart from non-believers, and the Holy Spirit approved of these.

We also have the Apostle Paul giving instructions on multiple occasions on how we are to live, a set of rules we are to follow. He tells children to always obey their parents, wives to be subject to their husbands, husbands to love their wives as Christ loves the Church. He also tells all of us to obey those in authority over us, to obey the laws of the land, and to grow in maturity in our faith, among others we can see throughout the New Testament. These are all commands that we are to live by as we become more like Jesus, commands that also work to separate us from looking or behaving like those who are not believers. Not only that, Jesus told us that if we truly love Him we will obey all His commandments, and He went further by stating that if we don’t follow all His commandments then we truly don’t love Him as we think we do.

Again, I am not talking about how to obtain or maintain ones salvation as that is another subject, but instead to refute the idea that there is no place in the life of a Christian for rules or guidelines by which we are to live by. After all, if that is the case, then why stop at stop signs, file taxes on April 15^th, pay for items at a store, or drive on the right side of the road? When one embraces a mindset of a life free of rules and laws, they are attempting to distance themselves from any accountability for their decisions and behaviors, and that is bad. When my dad, an otherwise strict and to some extent a legalistic person, held to such views, he was using it merely as a means for justifying his decision to keep God’s tithe for himself to control and give as he wanted. He was less concerned about honoring God with all he had or to reflect the Lordship of Christ in his life than he was in his intent on keeping control of his money for himself. Motivation is key, and to have a motivation that doesn’t seek to please or honor God is a motivation that seeks the satisfaction and the gratification of self.

It is becoming more and more evident that the return of Christ is right around the corner, and if that is the case as I and many others believe, then it is important for us to make sure we are ready for that day when it comes. I’m not saying that holding to such views as I’ve been addressing will keep someone out of heaven, though it might, but to not carefully and prayerfully consider these things could be very dangerous to your soul and your salvation. It’s time for us to check and see if our thinking needs to be recalibrated to match up with the Bible, and if it doesn’t then we need to take steps to get them readjusted to match God’s word. It’s not worth playing Russian roulette with. Wouldn’t you agree? Think about it.

John Johansson

Tick Tock

Things are sure pointing to the imminent, not soon, return of Christ for His bride. On July 3, 2015 one of the top Jewish rabbi’s in Israel, Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky, made an amazing proclamation. I don’t know if this has ever happened before in Israel’s history, especially since 1948, but this leading and highly recognized rabbi announced, as a result of his studies and current events, the imminent arrival of the messiah. With this announcement he has also made a call to Jews all around the world to return to Israel in preparation of this event, noting that it would add to the glory of the messiah if all the Jews were there when he came. He’s even told some Jews visiting Israel to not even go back to where they came from believing the messiah’s arrival is imminent.

It has also been reported that everything needed for the rebuilding of the third temple and the implementation of the temple sacrifices has been completed, and that various groups and governmental agencies have recently begun working together to see this come to pass. There has risen recently an excitement among Jews that the messiah’s arrival is imminent and that they are to make all the necessary preparations for that time.

When Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky has been asked about the timing of the messiah’s arrival, he has emphatically and consistently indicated it would be after the end of this sabbatical year. When is the end of this sabbatical year? On the Gregorian calendar it would be Saturday, September 12, 2015, ironically the day before Rosh Hashanah. So, where does all this leave us?

To begin with, the messiah the Jews are currently looking for is not Jesus, but we know from Bible end-time prophecies that the Jews will initially embrace the anti-Christ as messiah, someone that scripture also tells us will not be revealed until after the rapture of the Church. While it is true that we do not know when Jesus will return for His bride, there is significant reason to believe it will be on Rosh Hashanah, whether it’s this year or not we don’t know. Rosh Hashanah, one of the seven feasts God instituted and commanded the Israelites to observe, represents the rapture, or the catching up of the bride of Christ. Also, of those seven feasts, Jesus and the birth of the church fulfilled the first four on the exact day of the feast, and the next feast to be fulfilled is Rosh Hashanah. Whether or not Jesus will return on Rosh Hashanah of this year is yet to be known, but there are a lot of things pointing to major changes to life as we know it coming this September. It would be one thing if it were only Christians believing something was on the horizon within the next two or three months, but even those who do not profess to be Christians or even believe in God are believing life as we know it will change globally in September, some even forecasting a major financial meltdown in the United States during that time.

The signs of the end times are not only seen all around us, but they are screaming out to us of Jesus’ imminent return. Things are happening at such an increasing rate and intensity that more and more Christians are beginning to call out to Jesus to come quickly, but sadly only a small percentage of them. In the last book of the Bible, a book that was written about 60 years after the ascension of Christ, we read in Revelation 22:12-17 that the Spirit and the bride say “Come!”. How many of you are calling out to Jesus to come, and to come quickly?

I remember growing up and people talking about how the time was 11:59pm on Gods prophetic timetable, and that Gabriel was putting the trumpet to his lips. Well, I think the time on Gods timetable is now 11:59:50pm, and Gabriel is now taking a deep breath getting ready to blow that trumpet. The times we live in are such that it would be very hard to argue that we’re not in the last days, and that the worst days of mankind are right around the corner.

This is not the time to be non-chalant about our walk with Christ. Instead, this is the time to make sure we are actively preparing ourselves for His return. Is our life centered around Jesus and honoring Him in all we say and do? Are we motivated to please Him with our life, or to please ourselves and others? Do we find reasons to justify sin in our life instead of removing it, rationalizing it one way or another looking for perceived “loopholes” in the scriptures? Do we love Him enough to follow His commands even when we don’t like or understand them, or do we embrace the view that we are somehow exempt from them as though we’re not accountable to Him anymore? Your answer to any of these questions can indicate whether or not you are prepared for His return. Some think that all Christians will be raptured up, but scripture plainly tells that this is not the case. Jesus made it very clear to us that we are to prepare for His return, and He even commanded us to “watch!” for His return and not be caught off guard. Are you?????

John Johansson

To subscribe: http://johnejo.com/rshophar/blogcentral/subscriptions/

As Unto the Lord

Do as unto the Lord. A phrase that is often times heard within church circles giving both instruction and encouragement to fellow Christians, but I wonder how many of us really know or have any idea of what that means. For that matter, how many of us can actually say we’re doing that?

For the past several weeks I’ve found myself doing something I don’t like or enjoy doing, and the question that has been asked of me, and that I have even asked of myself on multiple occasions, is this, am I doing it as unto the Lord? Each time the question has been asked I have answered it in the positive, but this past week I have found myself really pondering the phrase and asking the Lord what does it mean exactly. Now, what I’ve been doing isn’t something that I’ve been forced into, but it is something I’ve been willing to do on a very temporary basis, which raises the question all the more. So, with that I have really been seeking to know exactly what that means and to see if I can, in clear conscience, say I have been doing that.

Where does the phrase “do as unto the Lord” come from? We get this from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church in Colossians (Colossians 3:23). We live in a society that has the mindset it can decide when and how we ought to “do as unto the Lord”, but right off the bat the Apostle Paul tells us it should be in whatever we do. Some people try to find ways to justify or rationalize why they don’t have to do so, or even to find “loopholes” that give them an excuse to do otherwise, but Paul makes it clear it should be in whatever we do. Have you ever heard someone ask the question, “what part of ‘no’ do you not understand”, or something very similar? In much the same way, when people attempt to justify or find excuses to not do things as unto the Lord in a situation I find myself asking the following question, “what part of ‘whatever’ do you not understand”? It doesn’t matter what we are doing, where we are at or even who we are with, but it is important for us to do everything as unto the Lord.

So, what does it mean for us to do whatever we do as unto the Lord? Are there indicators to help us know whether or not we are doing things as unto the Lord? As I’ve pondered things the past week or so a number of things have come to mind as indicators for us to pay attention to, and I encourage you to evaluate all the areas of your life as we go through some of the indicators I will address.

The first indicator of whether or not we are doing things as unto the Lord is found in the same verse. Paul tells us to do things as unto the Lord and not unto men. If we are doing things to gain the approval or acceptance of others then we are not doing them unto the Lord. If we are more concerned about what they think or what they may do than we are of the Lord, then that is an indicator we are not doing things as unto the Lord. Our motivation and attitudes in what we are doing are reflections of where our heart is and whether or not we are doing them as unto the Lord.

Another indicator of whether or not we are doing things as unto the Lord is in the area of integrity. In 2 Corinthians 5:20, we are told that we are ambassadors of Christ and as such we represent Him to those around us. As ambassadors of Christ it is vital that we do things with integrity as that is the heart of God and accurately represents the God we serve. Many times over the years, and especially lately, I have been tempted to cut corners in what I’m doing. Sometimes it involved doing things just enough to say I did it, or to cut corners instead of doing things right and properly, or even to report I did something I know I didn’t do. The few times I did give in to such temptations it was quickly followed by conviction when the Spirit of God would tell me it was dishonoring to Him and that it was wrong and dishonest, and in those instances I’ve had to go back and correct those things, and when necessary confess and apologize to the powers that be. If we are not doing things with integrity the conclusion is simple, we are not doing them as unto the Lord but instead unto ourselves or others. To do things as unto the Lord requires that we do them with integrity no matter the cost. As someone who trained professional bus drivers, one thing I would stress to them is that a mark of someone being professional was that they did things right, proper and safe, no matter how inconvenient or ridiculous it may appear even if no one is around to witness it. As Christians and ambassadors of Christ, the standard by which God expects us to do things should at least match this mindset if not exceed it.

In going back to Colossians 3:23 we find another indicator of whether or not we are doing things as unto the Lord. Paul tells us that we need to do it “heartily”. Now does this mean we are to like or enjoy what it is that we are doing? I don’t believe this is what is being said here. When I think of Joseph who was sold into slavery and sent to prison on trumped up charges, I find it hard to think that he liked or enjoyed being a slave or a prisoner. What I do believe is that in the midst of these times he made a point of honoring God in all he did no matter where he was or why he was there, and that should our mindset as well. So, what does it mean to do it “heartily”? I believe the idea is that we don’t attempt to do things as unto the Lord begrudgingly or because we’re supposed to, but instead we are to desire to do whatever it is as unto the Lord because of our love for Him and what He’s done for us. If we do things with this attitude and mindset it makes things a lot easier to do them with integrity and character even when others are not around to see whether or not we’re doing them right and proper.

Another indicator of whether or not we are doing things as unto the Lord is the level of excellence we consider acceptable and strive for. If we determine the quality and performance characteristics of what we do based on what others are doing, or on what those in the world considers acceptable regardless of whether or not it is right or wrong, then we are not doing them as unto the Lord. God expects us to live by His standards, standards that far exceed what the world’s standards are. To do so often times puts us in the cross-hairs of others who don’t live by the worlds standards and are usually convicted by it, and then another test of whether or not we are doing things as unto Him is whether or not we “cave” to such attacks. God is a God of excellence, and one of the indicators that we are His is reflected in our pursuit of doing things at a level of excellence that mirrors the standards by which we are to represent Him to others.

One last thing to consider as we look at this is the potential or realized fallout of not doing things as unto the Lord. I have heard of many, as I’m sure you have, of people who have looked at how Christians have done things or conducted business and as a result did not want anything to do with Christianity. Sometimes they have questioned why they should have relationship with Christ if Christians live or do things no differently than others who are not Christians. Others have been offended to think that Christians would be so “shady” in their doings and have concluded they did not want anything to do with Christianity because of the hypocrisy they see. These people usually don’t verbalize these thoughts or decisions, especially to the ones that have offended them or were hypocritical in some way, but God knows and He holds us accountable if those people did not make it into heaven as a result of how we did things. Granted, not everything that offends people or makes them think a Christian is hypocritical is correct and true as it sometimes is based on perceptions rather than truth, but we are to be mindful of how and why we do things and have a clean and clear conscience before God in it. It’s not so much a matter of forgiveness as some would have it, but instead a matter of representation and living in a way that honors God no matter what others may think or do.

So, are there areas in your life and work habits that you found do not honor God, or that you’re not doing them as unto the Lord? If so, then you need to first repent to God for it, then simply turn away from doing things as you have been and start doing them in a way that both honors God and reflects doing them as unto Him. In some cases, it may mean you need to simply stop what you are doing if there is no way you can honor Him and do it as unto Him. Take it to God in prayer and be open to His small, still voice for His guidance and instruction. For many, what you’ve read in this blog will be God’s words to you and will be sufficient in His sight whether or not you choose to accept and embrace it, so be careful not to be quick to discount it as possibly God speaking to you through it. May your life and all you do be one that can be said you did it as unto the Lord. None of us will perfectly obtain that in every area of our lives on this side of eternity, but it needs to be seen in our attitudes and our daily decisions and choices that it is clearly both our priority and truly our heart and not just words we say.

John Johansson

http://johnejo.com/rshophar/blogcentral/subscriptions/

A Regret Best Avoided

It’s often times been noted that those on their deathbed would indicate a regret or two over their past life. Either they regretted not spending more time with their family, being more loving to those close to them, or having wished they had or had not said or done something differently. As a result of these remarks by those on their deathbed many have tried one way or another to encourage others on ways they can avoid having such regrets.

These deathbed regrets are not limited to just those on their deathbed, but also extends to those close to them. These regrets often times sound similar to those who are dying, but instead of viewing things from the perspective of a life about to end, they view things from the perspective of losing someone dear to them and having to continue in life knowing this with no opportunity to do things differently in that specific relationship.

Regrets are not fun to tangle with, either to deal with your own or to help others with theirs. We know that with Christ we can have both forgiveness of the things we regret and freedom from them, but until we take that knowledge and embrace it in experience it can be very burdensome to have. While some have been able to find forgiveness and healing in these areas through Christ, for many the weight of such regrets is too much to bear any relief from and become entombed within them never experiencing what Christ can give if they would surrender them to Him, and still others will attempt to ignore them and try living life in spite of them.

As I think about deathbed regrets and what they mean to those who are left to continue through life carrying them, my mind begins to think of a time soon coming where many will come face-to-face with similar regrets they will have to carry for the rest of their life. Even though it would be great for us to live a life absent of any regrets when it comes time for us or someone we love to leave this life, these will pale in comparison to the one many will face sometime very soon. What is this great regret I’m referring to, and why would it be so great that others would pale in comparison?

There is coming a time very soon where Jesus will return for His Bride, those who have given their lives to follow Him no matter the cost. We know this event as the rapture of the Church. It is clear in scripture that not everyone who calls themselves a Christian or goes to church will be called up to be with Christ forevermore, and I can imagine the regrets many of those left behind will have moments after they realize what had happened and that they are still here. For some they may not understand at the time why they were left behind, but for others they will know exactly why. They will know why based on the many times that the Holy Spirit had tried to get their attention in the past regarding an area or two in their life, areas they ignored citing various reasons to justify why they could continue as they had been thinking these things would not keep them out of heaven. It is for these people that they will feel one of the greatest regrets of all, regrets of not heeding the voice and leading of the Holy Spirit or of the Godly, Holy Spirit inspired instruction of others. They will regret having ignored these promptings or instructions, and they will find themselves having to deal with such regrets for the rest of their life as life as we know it will no longer exist after this event called the rapture.

What are some of the regrets “Christians” who have been left behind will have? They could possibly have regrets for not being forgiving or for being critical and judgmental of others. Perhaps they could have regrets over not spending more time in prayer or the Word, or even being more involved in church. Others may be regretful that they allowed their time to be more consumed with TV, games, surfing the internet or Facebook. For others it could be because they made going to the gym, working on hobbies and projects, or going to the lake a greater priority than their time with Jesus and His people. It could be for a variety of reasons that I’m not even mentioning, but nonetheless there will be many who will have such regrets when that time comes. The question each of us have to ask ourselves, and not just once, is if there is anything or anyone that is interfering with what God is asking and requiring of us to do? These things may not be wrong in and of themselves, but if we ignore God’s promptings as we justify hanging onto them they could become the very source of such regrets experienced if we were to be left behind. We need to periodically take a close and honest look at ourselves and ask if there is anything we would hang onto even if Christ asked us to let go of it. On the surface, much like an addict who claims they can stop whenever they want, we can say we would have no problem giving something up if God were to ask us to, but we need to really take a serious look and see if there is anything that has a strong enough hold on us that would keep us from following God and being obedient to Him. These regrets, regrets for not having done things differently to ensure our place among those called up in the rapture, will be much greater than any regrets we can potentially have otherwise.

Regrets for things that keep us from going up in the rapture, these are the regrets best avoided, and at this point we still have a chance to prepare ourselves to avoid having such regrets. How about you? Are you living your life for Christ in such a way that when the time comes you won’t have any such regrets to endure?

Living Life

Within the past few days I had a conversation with someone who was sharing about someone who had just passed away. When asked if the person died knowing Christ, the person I was talking to didn’t know but had sufficient reason to be concerned for this person’s salvation. He further went on to share what this person was like and how much the lifestyle of socializing and partying was in their life. For the rest of the day I found myself thinking about this person and the life they lived, and how so many find themselves living the same type of lifestyle this person did.

In Matthew 24:36-44, and also in Luke 17:26-36, in describing what the days of His return would look like, Jesus likened them to the days of Noah and Lot. In both passages He indicates that people will basically be caught up with life itself and its many different pleasures, a description we can easily make for the times we are now living in. As I pondered these things I found myself asking a simple question, what does it mean to live life, and to live life more abundantly? In John 10:10, Jesus tells us that He came so that we can have life, and life more abundantly, but what does that mean?

I’ve talked to many a person over the years who have shared with me what living life looks like to them. Some of the people were Christians, and some were not, but I would have to say the majority of those who were Christians seemed to say the same thing that non-Christians would say. They would talk of their embracing and enthusiastically pursuing some of the pleasures this world has to offer them, and in some cases would note how they enjoyed themselves so much that they couldn’t remember what they did. While there is nothing necessarily wrong with enjoying some of the pleasures this life affords us, I can’t help but wonder if this is what Christ was talking about. Did Jesus come so that we could enjoy and find pleasure in the things the world offers us, and all the more abundantly? Or are we missing what it was He was talking about?

If what Jesus was referring to was our ability to participate in and enjoy the different pleasures of this life, then why did He come and die for us? After all, we can clearly see that the world has more than mastered that, enjoying the various pleasures of this life in passion, fervor, and enthusiasm. Everywhere we look we see people enjoying and loving “life” with everything within themselves, even to the point of living their life for the pleasures awaiting them. Some of these people live it in various forms of recreation, whether it is a weekend on the lake, a game of soccer with the guys, a day of shopping with the girls, various social activities and parties, or the tinkering on of an old car or scrapbooking, many are living for the recreation and enjoying it immensely. Some people live it in entertaining others, or by being entertained by music, TV, sports, videos or movies. And others live life in the pursuit of riches, fame, material possessions and power. And still others find it in the passionate pursuit of what we sometimes call “vices”. You know what I mean, for some it is the pursuit of the pleasures they receive from alcohol, drugs, and various sexual conquests and experiences. No matter the form, everywhere we look we see people living life, and living it with gusto, but is that what Jesus came to give us?

The other thing that comes to my mind stems from the fact that we are spiritually dead apart from Christ and the sacrifice He made for us. How can we identify what life is and what it means to live it based on people who are spiritually dead? That doesn’t make sense, yet so many times that is exactly what we do. That’s like a doctor walking up to a dead corpse and saying life is where one doesn’t breathe because that is what the corpse is doing. There is something definitely wrong with this picture. Jesus said He came to give us life, why, because we were dead. We can read the New Testament, especially the writings of Paul, and we will see that we were dead because of sin, but that through Christ we were made alive. Paul even breaks down the differences in our behavior between when we were dead and now that we have become alive in and through Christ. What was characteristic in our life before Christ in how we lived and what our priorities were should not be the same now that we’ve given our lives to Him and subsequently made alive.

I think often times we determine what it means to live life, and more abundantly, based on what we see in the lives of people living without Christ. Some may argue that they are looking at how other Christians are doing so, but even then it often times mirrors what the world is already doing. We tend to think that because we see other Christians doing the same things then it must be the way it should be, but is that deception at its best? I heard that a minister once said that one of the greatest weapons the enemy of our souls has leveled against is if found in one word, entertainment. We live in a society that is addicted to entertainment and recreation, and if they don’t have it they go into withdrawals becoming depressed and grumpy if they don’t have it to partake in. Many times people even become quite demanding in order to fulfill these desires, and that isn’t pretty. In the passages mentioned in the second paragraph, it is evident that people are caught up in living life, and Jesus doesn’t refer to this as a good thing. In fact, Jesus views it as a bad thing in that these people will not be aware of His return and be caught off guard and left behind.

So, the question remains, what does it mean for Christ to bring us life, and life more abundantly? Obviously, to answer that question based on how the world lives life will give us the wrong answer, and it would imply that Jesus didn’t really know what He was talking about if it was nothing different than what the world was already living. Some would argue that it is the ability to live in the moment without fear of eternal consequences because Christ died so that we could have the forgiveness of sins, but that is really no different from how the world lives. People in the world live for the moment with no regard for any consequences, much less eternal. So, that can’t be what Jesus is talking about either.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, they lost relationship with God and spiritually died. It could be argued this was because they were being self-centered thinking to please themselves more than God, but it could also be argued that they were thinking of others more than God as well. Yes, Eve was deceived into thinking that God was holding out on them, which is where we can find the self-centeredness, but Adam knew what he was doing and it could be argued that he was thinking of Eve more than being obedient to God. I think either argument could be summed up with one thing, that they lost relationship with God and died spiritually because they didn’t seek to please and honor God first and foremost in their lives, no matter how it played out.

So, when Jesus talks of giving us life, He’s talking about bringing us from spiritual death unto spiritual life and restored relationship with God, and when He’s saying life more abundantly I believe He’s talking of a life with God over and above anything Adam could ever dream of having. But what does that mean, and what does that look like? Again, many think it is the ability to live in the moment enjoying the pleasures this world has to offer, but that isn’t what we see in scripture. After all, does that mean those mentioned in the later part of Hebrews 11 were not experiencing the life Jesus came to give each of us? Or, what about the Apostle Paul who was routinely beaten, stoned and left for dead, shipwrecked and imprisoned for the Gospel, and subsequently beheaded for Christ? Does this mean he was not experiencing the life Jesus came to give us, and more abundantly? What about Peter and the other apostles who were later martyred for the Gospel? And the saints in the early church who suffered and endured various persecutions for the faith, often times leading to brutal deaths of various sorts? If the life Jesus came to give us and more abundantly is mirrored in how the world lives life, then those I just mentioned fell tragically short of it. The people I just mentioned were not concerned about living for the moment and the pleasures the world has to offer them, but instead they were more concerned about living for Christ no matter the cost, knowing that they now had a relationship with God that would give them life eternal in heaven with Him. This was the blessed hope they each lived for and clinged to in the midst of certain death. They understood that life apart from Christ and living for Him is not really life, and they understood that life with Christ and living to please Him in all they do, fulfilling God’s will for them, in that there was the most fulfilling life one could ever seek to have. When we allow God to breathe into us the breath of life, we become energized in our being for Him. We begin to realize that the value and purpose of our life goes beyond ourselves or the person next door, and that our value is now based on our relationship with Him and our purpose is locked up with being His ambassadors to a lost and dying world. To be His ambassador may look different from one person to another, but the idea is that our life is now centered on His will for us and what pleases Him. It’s not based on what we do or where we go, or even who we’re with, but it’s based on Jesus and His will for us. This doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy some of the pleasures this world has to offer, but if we are basing what it is to have life and to live it abundantly on how the world lives life, then we are greatly missing what it is that Jesus came to give us.

Someone once said that the God we follow should be simple, and that is very true. Our life as a Christian should be very simple, yet so many times we make it complicated. I’m not saying we make it more complicated, I’m saying we make it complicated, period. How do we complicate it? We complicate it when we begin to compartmentalize our lives and what parts Christ has any access or say over. We complicate it when we choose to push Him aside and what He’s called us to for a period of time that we want to set apart for our own desires and will. We complicate it when we try to live for Him with anything less than 100% of ourselves, our time, our resources, our energies, or anything else you can think of. Jesus wants us to live totally and completely for Him, 100%, and that means placing each and every area of our lives under His leadership 100% of the time, and that is very, very simple though difficult to do at times when our flesh struggles for control in this area or another. It could be said that the life we live, and the abundance of it, is directly proportional to how much of our life we allow the Spirit of God to breathe into, which requires daily denying ourselves, taking up ones cross and following Him.

How much of the life Jesus came to give each of us are you living and experiencing for yourself? Or, are you struggling to live for Him and living according to the desires of your flesh at the same time, trying to have “the best of both worlds”? Some people argue that there has to be a balance between the two, but in this area the only balance is one where we are 100% serving and living for Him. Jesus, Himself, said we can’t serve two masters, yet many times we do just that when we try to live for Him but hang onto the desires of the flesh. Many are afraid if they sell out to Christ 100% they will have a boring life, but then again we have to ask ourselves, much like we did regarding what it means to have life and live it abundantly, if we are basing what is boring on what the world considers to be boring. Jesus said that for those who seek to save their life they will lose it, but for those who choose to lose their life for His sake will assuredly find life. What do you want more, life as portrayed by those in the world, or life as Jesus will give those who live for Him? These are just some things to think about.

John Johansson