Throw in a little "Jesus" for flavor

Throw in a little ‘Jesus’ for flavor

The ‘rat race’ is unending.  Grab a shower while thinking through the day. Get the kids some breakfast and off to school. Drive to the office, sort through email, voicemail, and yesterday’s unfinished tasks. Prioritize the day, what has to be done, ought to be done, and just isn’t going to get done! Plow through the calls, the meetings.  Get home, engage with the family, do household chores.  Relax a bit, fall into bed, do it all again tomorrow.  Oh, and don’t forget to throw in a little “Jesus” for flavor.  That is how many Christians live.  A prayer here, a snippet of Scripture there, a inspirational thought occasionally …  an hour or so for worship on Sunday – is their religion.

There is another way. The Bible says "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25, NIV)  The Message amplifies the urgency: "Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives." (Galatians 5:25, The Message) Many who claim to be followers of Christ are satisfied with being morally upright, somewhat more kind and gentle than their neighbors. If they are avoiding theft, paying taxes, and generally being law-abiding, with a dash of Christian conversation thrown in for good measure, they think they are living the Christian life. But what if their agnostic neighbor does the same things except for going to church? Where’s the difference?

Studies of people who claim to be ‘born again’ followers of Jesus Christ here in America reveal that there are no measurable differences in their daily choices from those who are not believers.  Evangelical Christians  watch sexually explicit movies at the same rate, get divorced as often,  show no more concern for the poor, are even less likely to be concerned about care for the earth, and “lie when convenient.”  The only measurable differences were that they were more likely to volunteer for their church and less likely to use profanity in public!  In other words, other than superficially, Jesus is NOT making much difference. How can this be?

Cheap grace is no grace. Jesus warned that many will be surprised at the judgment to find that they are on the outside because they only said the right things, but never really knew Him!  A person transformed by the Spirit, whose every day life is devoted to the love and service of Christ, will be markedly different.  If it is not, then there is no Spiritual life, no hope of Heaven.   The Bible says "The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. …
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. If we are living now by the Holy Spirit, let us follow the Holy Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives." (Galatians 5:17-25, NLT)

Jesus is uncompromising when He challenges us to become His disciples. He says we cannot love two masters, that we must take up our cross and die to Self, that we must forsake friend and family to pursue the will of God for our lives.  None of those things is possible without desperate faith!  But where faith is allowed to take root in us, we become people with ‘eternal life’ here and now, alive in the Spirit, and remarkably different.

So, are you a disciple or just an American with a little “Jesus” sprinkled into your life for flavor?

_____________

You are my life,

O precious Christ.

You are to me

The pearl of greatest price,

O holy fire,

Love's purest light,

Burn all desires ‘till

You are my one delight.

O conquering King,

Conquer my heart!

And make of me a pleasing gift to God.

I come to You;

I run to You.

There's no greater joy

Than knowing You,

My love for You will never die.

Jesus, You are my life!

Jesus You Are My Life

Steve Fry

© 1994 Maranatha Praise, Inc. (Admin. by Maranatha! Music)

Word Music, LLC (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055