Windows On The Soul

Two common traps Christians fall into are either thinking that God is easily pleased, or that God is so Holy that He can never be satisfied. Like most deep spiritual concepts, the truth is that God is BOTH easily pleased AND hard to satisfy. Jesus said both " My yoke is easy, my burden is light " ( Mt.11:30 ) and " It is easier for a rich man to pass through the eye of a needle then to enter the Kingdom of God " ( Mt.19:24 ). The key is that Christianity is not simply a state, a label or a destination (and categorising people as simply as either "Christian" or "non-Christian" exacerbates this fallacy). Early Christians were known as " Followers of The Way ". " Disciples " are students enrolled in a period of learning. Whether "Taking up our cross" ( Mt.16:24 ) or putting on "His yoke", we are called to follow Him on a "journey", a journey of growth - the Christian life. Yes, signing up is easy...

In reading last week, I was reminded of the difference between " accepting " Christ, and making a " decision " for Christ. " Acceptance " does not have the sense of completeness as does " decision ", which implies a cut-off point, a turn around, of burning one's bridges.  A favourite hymn states " I have decided to follow Jesus, No turning back ". A man recently came to the Lord later in life. He felt convicted about a criminal act in his past and sought to confess and make amends. Though he has forgiveness from the Lord, the law of the land did not, and he is now serving a prison sentence. For him, taking up his cross to follow Jesus has had an enormous price. Please pray for him, his family and church, and remember the prison ministries and other prisoners who have come to the Lord through them and are still serving their time. ----xxxXxxx---- Lk.9:23 "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up ...