If you have ever wandered around a book store you’ve noticed a growing genera of books known as self-help books.  Millions of books are sold yearly to people trying to get their best life now.  It doesn’t matter what someone’s religious or secular world view is,  people want to have a long and full life.  The problem is, we can’t escape the death that comes at the end.

I don’t mean to be morbid today, but realistic.  My 8th grade daughter Anna has been reading about the Holocaust and the famous young woman Anne Frank.  Her class was asked to write a poem expressing the emotions of that dark time.  This poem moved me deeply.  Take a moment to read it.

Why?

I hear them walking closer and closer,

Their feet pound on the gravel that leads to my house.

I know why they’re coming,

They’re coming for me.

They pound down my house door!

They fire their guns!

I hear the screams of my father, mother, and sister,

Then I hear three thumps on the floor.

I’m still hidden under my bed.

Will they find me?

Will I soon be dead?

Their pounding feet approach my bedroom door.

I hear the shouts, I hear their commands,

The commands that demand my death.

Will I live? Shall I survive?

These thoughts keep frantically going through my head.

BANG!

My door is burst through and the Nazi soldiers enter my room.

They throw my chair on the floor!

They take the papers from inside my desk and throw them everywhere.

Then the man with the star covered boots stops,

Then, he turns toward my bed.

All is quiet, not one sound is heard.

Do I dare to breathe?

Not a chance.

My heart pounds so heard that I’m scared the Nazis will hear it.

The Gestapo walks closer to my bed and then flips it over.

I scream and scream and scream!

But what’s the point, nobody will hear me!

Even if somebody does hear me, they won’t care.

The man grabs me by the arm and pulls me out into the street.

Will he shoot me or will I be spared?

Hundreds of people all around me are covered in blood, bruises and tears.

We are all going to die because of the star on our chest.

I try to escape, but I fail.

I’m much too weak compared to the Nazis grasp.

I try again and then I break free!

I begin to run, but I am stopped by a horrific noise!

Then a sudden pain.

There’s something inside me, a bullet I guess.

Why did they shoot me?

I’m just a kid!

Soon the world goes black.

I know I will never see the daylight again.

When I read this poem I felt as if I was the child under the bed.  To think that so many people experienced such a moment is hard to accept.  Saddly, the reality that we face in life is that there is death.  However, the reality of God is that there is hope.  I find it incomprehensible that God gave the world Jesus and the world says “No!”  God says there is life in my Son and the world says “Go Away!” God declares that man does not have to earn his eternal life but religion says “DO! DO! DO!”

I don’t know what your plans are when this life comes to an end but let me encourage you to realize we all need a Savior and must put our faith only in Him for Salvation.  He promises eternal life to those that would simply believe that Jesus death on the cross is the only hope for having my sins removed.  Jesus paid for the gift that brings the hope of eternal life.  Don’t turn away from the only hope we have.

Our last breath, in this life, will come someday.  The good news is, God has given us the way to have eternal life through the sacrifice of Jesus.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.  Ephesians 2:8-9

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

Please contact me if you would like to discuss this topic further.

How does this man’s hoarding relate to the average Christian?  Is is possible that Christians “hoard” the wrong stuff throughout life?  Is is possible that we neglect to have an abundance of what is most important?

Most Christians don’t have a problem hoarding everything they have ever owned.  However, many Christians have a problem.   Many spend the majority of their day earning money, saving money, and spending money to get more “treasures” that will make their life “better.”  Some will spend years with a simple goal of earning enough money to buy their childhood dream.  Christians can spend a life searching for all the world’s toys but neglect to cultivate the life Christ intended for them.  They know a great deal about sports, the financial world, the hottest trends, the newest gossip, but very little about God, Jesus, the gospel, and the Word of God.  If we’re not careful, we can accumulate the wrong stuff.

On Sunday, I preached a message on John 10:10.  In this verse Jesus said that He had come that man could have life and that they would have it in abundance.  Many teachers, preachers and Christian leaders have taken this verse and used it to promote a religion that promises a perfect, blessed, and abundant life now.  Books and dvds are sold by the millions to those seeking more stuff.  Christ has become a life enhancer. The messages heard in this movement sound more like an infomercial than a spirit filled sermon.  ”Get Jesus today!  If you act now, we’ll throw in this Rolex watch for making the switch to Jesus.”  I will not be surprised on the day I see a t-shirt with a slogan that reads “Jesus – He’ll make your dreams come true!”

Is that what Jesus meant by providing an abundant life?  Is my Christian growth measured by my wealth, health and overall well being?  If I’m poor, does that mean that Jesus failed?  If I’m rich does that mean that I’m right with God?  If I am diagnosed with cancer, does that mean that I’m being judged by God?  If every person I share the gospel with spits in my face, am I doing something wrong?

Throughout the ages, faithful Christians have been rich, poor, healthy, sick, happy, sad, at rest and at war.  That’s life!  Then what was Christ offering?  Christ was offering a secure, eternal, perfect relationship with God.  Christ, through His death, provided a solution to the problem of mankind.  He provided a solution to what separates us from God.  He provided a solution for sin.  By placing our faith/belief/trust in the death of Christ as payment for my sins, I am set free from this life and placed into the abundant life.

If your a believer, I don’t know where you are in your spiritual growth today, but I know we serve a God who invites us to turn to Him and follow where He leads.  You may have some habits your not proud of and you may have wasted some years of your life going after the wrong dreams but Paul encourages the believer to press on toward Christ.  Don’t wait another minute.  Pursue the abundant life in Christ today.  You may not have what someone else has, but you’ll have all you need in Christ!  Begin now to invest in things, activities, habits, that will strengthen your walk with your God.  Get involved in your church.  Study, not just read, your Bible daily.  Spend time in prayer.  Fellowship with other believers.  Your pursuit of all things Godly will bring a fulfillment to this life that most only dream of.

Abiding – Pastor Josh

A message on John 10:10

The sun beats down with a blinding intensity that makes my shadow look like it’s about to ask for a drink of water.  I step off the path to pick up a lava rock and instead kick at the ground – dust swirls around my legs.  Layers of volcanic ash have made the area home to some of the richest, most fertile soil in the country.  Yet if you stare at the horizon, it will disappear into a shimmery haze before you spot a mountain.  This is Eastern, Washington – a land of drastic contrasts.

Lush irrigated fields end abruptly where the scabland takes over to grow sage and cheat grass.  Wheat fields sway in the breeze next to ground littered with boulders taller than giant men; and always, the gentle rolling of the hills as far as one can see.

From 1922 – 1929, geologist J. Harlen Bretz studied the topography of this strange parched land with its network of huge, riverless canyons, peculiar outcroppings of rock, and the framework of a falls so enormous that it would outsize Niagara by almost three times.

Dry Falls – Three Times the Size of Niagara

Bretz was the first to say, “It had to be water.”  Only a flood of catastrophic proportions could carry and distribute boulders like pebbles across the terrain, carve out numerous canyons, and deposit mountains of gravel.  Alone in his beliefs and despite the disdain of his colleagues, Bretz published his deductions.   For much of the rest of his life, he would continue to study and defend his hypothesis to the scorn of other geologists.  That is until space pictures revealed something incredible about the consistent rising and falling of the hills.  From space, they were not merely mounds of earth but mirrored that of ripple marks left in the sand by a river, but these were on a gigantic scale.  The ripple marks were around 35 feet high and 350 feet apart.

Undulating Hills

He had stood alone in his beliefs for more than 40 years, but with evidence from space, his work was finally recognized.  In 1979 and at the age of 96, Bretz was awarded the Penrose Medal of Geological Society of America, the highest geological honor our nation offers.

The story as told by Washington State

Of course, the geologists were quick to make explanations that would not acknowledge the Biblical flood, but the evidence remains and is undeniable, the unusual landscape of Eastern Washington was caused by great floodwaters.

“And the waters prevailed exceedingly on the earth, and all the high hills under the whole heaven were covered.”  Genesis 7:19

The Bible says that we must come to God in faith, but He has given us evidence upon which to base that faith.

“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.  By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.”  Hebrews 11:6-7

It was lunch time and I needed to buy a large tub to store our Christmas tree.  Last years cardboard box no longer looked like a box and needed replacing.  After searching for the right tub and the right sale price, I found the tub I needed and headed to the cash-register.

When I walked up to the register I was surprised with this curious question, “Are you going to burry a body in that thing?”  Seeing the surprised look on my face, the cashier  laughed and went on to tell me an horrific story.  Apparently, there was a woman who had murdered her husband, dismembered him with an ax and disposed of his body in a Rubbermaid tub.   The cashier went on to tell me that the woman denied killing her husband but she was found guilty because a security camera in Lowes had recorded her purchase of a tub, ax and duct tape.  That’s when she looked at my tub again and laughed.

Feeling a little awkward, I quickly pointed out that I was not purchasing any duct tape and that I was going to be buying the ax later!  She told me I should buy the ax at another store to throw off the law!

I have two questions that I need answered.  Question 1:  Do I look like the type of guy that would dismember a loved one and duck tape them inside a plastic tub?  Question 2:  Does this woman tell the same story to every person that buys a tub at her place of employment?  What does she say to the construction guys buying bags of cement?  Does she ask them if they’re planning to bury an enemy in the foundation of their new patio?   Needless to say, I’m almost tempted to go and purchase some other “murderous” items and bring them to her register just to see what she says!

Back to question 1 – Do I look like a murderer?  That got me thinking. What do I look like?  What kind of person does the world around me see?  I could even ask a deeper question.  Am I a different kind of person when I’m at church then I am when I’m at home?  Am I one type of person to my Christian friends, and one type of person to my family or co-workers?

Galatians 4:17-20, Paul is concerned about the churches of Galatia being lovers of the gospel when they’re in Paul’s presence but lovers of religion when he left.  They changed their way of living depending on the dominant personalities in their lives. They were eager to please men and not God.

The cashier at House Depot was simply going on what she saw.  I was a man with a plastic tub.  We all carry something with us when we are in the presence of people.  It may be our reputation, it may be our attitude, it may be our smile, or it may be an church tract.  People study each other when they’re out in public.  What does a Christian look like?  Read I John and make a list of all the things that describe a believer.  If you’re a Christian, you should resemble that list to some degree.

In closing, what would Tim Tebow be accused of being?  Some “Christian” athletes have told him to dial it down a notch.  Why?  Are they embarrassed that they would never be confused for a Christian?

You may never be accused of being a murderer, but do people know you’re in Christ?

Something for all us to think about.
If you’re in Issaquah tonight, stop by Abide for a Bible study out of Galatians!

Abiding in Christ,
Pastor Josh
Twitter @pastorzuray
www.abidebaptistchurch.com

shared with me that they never remember their dreams. I dream, and I wake up

excited to tell Kristen what I just dreamed. Note:  Most people would rather

jump off a cliff than to listen to your dreams. With that said, let me tell you

what I dreamed about recently.

First, I had a dream that I was at Oprah’s house putting my dog Buddy in the

oven for dinner. As far as dreams go, that one was disturbing.

The next night I was dreaming about the end of the world. My wife, my daughter

Anna and myself were heading to higher ground. It was an intense time as we

sought out shelter. The situation was looking grim when all of a sudden the sky

began to change and there was a great trumpet sound. At that moment we were

raptured up to the clouds. It wasn’t in a twinkling of eye but we were airborne

and heading to see Jesus. I was shouting and screaming for joy all the way. It

was so realistic that I remember saying, “This is the Rapture!  It’s not a

dream!”. 

The dream only got better. We arrived to see Jesus and I found myself standing

face to face with my Savior. I looked and saw the nail scared hands and was

overwhelmed by His great sacrifice for my sins. The joy I felt at that moment is

hard to explain even now. I can only imagine what it will be like to see Jesus

and know that we will be with God for all eternity!

It must have been some dream. Kristen said I was making some weird noises that I

apparently make every time I have a rapture dream. She didn’t dare wake me!

Unfortunately, all good dreams must come to an end. As I woke up, all I could

think of doing was grab my Bible and read the precious words of my God. The very

thought of the coming of Christ was a hope that stirred within me a desire to

know Him more.

The truth about Christ and His return is not a dream. It is a reality that will

one day be realized.  For Christians, the hope of His coming is a hope that

keeps us where we ought to be spiritually.

1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what

we shall be:  but we know that, when He shall appear,  we shall be like Him; for

we shall see Him as He is.

And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself,

even as He is pure.

Many Christians today have a challenging time living for the Lord. Much of it

has to do with their indifference to the coming of Christ. To the intellectual

mind, Jesus returning to take His Church to heaven seems ridiculous.

How are you living today. This text of scripture promises a purified life to

those who live with a faith that He is coming.

If we live as if He’s coming, we will live for Christ. If we live as if He’s not

coming, we will live for ourselves.

Jesus, we look forward to seeing you face to face!

Abiding In Christ,

Pastor Josh
Abide Baptist Church
Issaquah, WA
www.AbideBaptistChuch.com

There are many interesting “spiritual” experiences that are daily talked about, written about, and blogged about.  These stories show up in your email box, on a TV program, and sometimes they show up in your day to day life.  If you’ve been around then you’ve heard some amazing stories.  The question is, how do these experiences benefit the church?  Is my faith resting in angels, trips to heaven, or supernatural voyage throughout the cosmos?

When dealing with this topic we must go to the second letter written to the church at Corinth.  Read chapter 12 as Paul discusses his “trip” to heaven.  He had waited 14 years to share this story and even then he only used a few verses to explain the experience.  Paul’s experience was not intended to edify the church.  It was not something that He was instructed to share with believers on a regular basis.  Why?  Experiences distract from the gospel.  Almost every time I hear someone share their amazing spiritual event, the person or Christ and the cross of Christ are no where to be found.  Does that sound like a work of God?  Would God exalt something that detracted from the gospel message?

Read the New Testament Epistles of Galatians, and John and Peter.  You will see that the early church struggled with false teachers coming in to the church and spreading lies and destructive doctrines.  These individuals would deny the very person and cross of Jesus Christ.  How was that possible?  Why did the church allow this to happen?  The answer is simple.  The false teachers did not come in wearing neon signs that said they were wrong and that the information they had was deceitful.

Paul warned the church at Corinth to beware of Satan.  He said, “And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” II Corinthians 11:14

We must be on guard because Satan is not going to look or sound like error.  He will deceive or try to distract us away from the simplicity of the Christ-centered life.  He will appeal to the senses and use experiences to convince us that it “must be of God.”  Remember, Satan is the father of lies and knows how to fool the unsuspecting.

Several years ago, when I lived in the south, I was at a wedding where they were serving a red velvet wedding cake.  After a long boring wedding things were about to look promising.  I had heard about this special cake and had been desiring to indulge in a scrumptious piece of red velvet cake!  I got in the cake line and started heading toward the piece that was cut for me.  It had to be good.  You don’t make or purchase nasty cakes for weddings.  After all, the wedding of a man and wife represents the relationship between Christ and His church.  This event guaranteed that my cake experience would be memorable.  I get to the front of the line and made sure to grab a side piece so that I could get the extra frosting.  ”Hmmmm!” I said to myself as I studied the piece of cake that was perfectly placed on my little white plate.  I was one bite away from ecstasy!   “Patience!  Patience!  We don’t want to ruin the moment.”  I took my fork, and cut off a perfect, bite-size piece.  I lifted it to my mouth, carefully lowered it to my tongue and then waited for the the fireworks to go off and the orchestra to start playing the song “Wind Beneath My Wings.”  Nothing happened.  I waited patiently for my tongue to scream out in praise for the baker but I was left bitterly disappointed. There was no taste at all.  There was no moisture in the cake.  It would have been better to poor red paint on some sand, form it into a small square and eat that.  People have told me that I shouldn’t judge all red velvet cakes by that cake but I know they’re just confused people.

That cake fooled me.  The decorations around the cake looked authentic.  The bride and groom dressed according to wedding tradition.  The frosting was what would be expected on a traditional wedding cake.  The entire experience looked and felt correct, but the cake was a sham.

What’s my point?  Angels, trips to heaven, and any other such experience must be compared to the scriptures.

Romans 10:17 states, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”  I don’t need an angel or a board from Noah’s ark to convince me that God is who He say He is or that Jesus died for my sins.  God has given us the completed Word of God.

Every person needs only one thing, and that is to be saved from their sins and be placed “in Christ.”  Paul said in Galatians 6:14, “God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of Christ…”  Don’t get excited about a guy who says he went to Heaven and back, be thankful that Jesus went to Earth and back.  He came from Heaven, paid for my sins, and returned to be my advocate.

Are you in Christ?  If you are, glory in the cross and don’t get sidetracked by the Christian sideshows.

Abiding in Jesus,

Pastor Josh
Abide Baptist Church.

I was sent the following by a pastor friend of mine.  While I was reading it, I couldn’t help thinking about the passage from I Corinthians on the type of people God chooses to use.  God hates sin but He has still chosen to use the repentant sinner.  What a blessing to have the opportunity to be used of God.  Enjoy….

Pastoral Search Report

We do not have a happy report to give. We’ve not been able to find a suitable candidate for this church, though we have one promising prospect still. We do appreciate all the suggestions from the church members, and we’ve followed up each one with interviews or calling at least three references. The following is our confidential report on the present candidates.

• Adam: Good man but problems with his wife.
• Noah: Former pastorate of 120 years with no converts. Prone to unrealistic building projects.
• Joseph: A big thinker, but a braggart, believes in dream-interpreting, and has a prison record.
• Moses: A modest and meek man, but poor communicator, even stuttering at times. Sometimes blows his stack and acts rashly. Some say he left an earlier church over a murder charge.
• David: The most promising leader of all until we discovered the affair he had with his neighbor’s wife.
• Solomon: Great preacher but our parsonage would never hold all those wives.
• Elijah: Prone to depression-collapses under pressure.
• Hosea: A tender and loving pastor but our people could never handle his wife’s occupation.
• Jeremiah: Emotionally unstable, alarmist, negative, always lamenting things.
• Isaiah: On the fringe? Claims to have seen angels in church. Has trouble with his language.
• Jonah: Refused God’s call into ministry until he was forced to obey by getting swallowed up by a great fish. He told us the fish later spit him out on the shore near here. We hung up.
• Amos: Too backward and unpolished. With some seminary training he might have promise, but has a hang-up against wealthy people. Might fit in better in a poor congregation.
• John: Says he is a Baptist, but definitely doesn’t dress like one. Has slept in the outdoors for months on end, has a weird diet, and provokes denominational leaders.
• Peter: Too blue collar. Has a bad temper—even has been known to curse. Had a big run-in with Paul in Antioch. Aggressive, but a loose cannon.
• Paul: Powerful CEO type leader and fascinating preacher. However, short on tact, unforgiving with younger ministers, harsh and has been known to preach all night.
• Timothy: Too young.
• Jesus: Has had popular times, but once when his church grew to 5000 he managed to offend them all and this church dwindled down to twelve people. Seldom stays in one place very long. And, of course, he’s single.
• Judas: His references are solid. A steady plodder. Conservative. Good connections. Knows how to handle money. We’re inviting him to preach this Sunday. Possibilities here.

 

For more on Judas, go to www.vimeo.com/abide or watch the videos here.  I just finished a two part series on Judas Iscariot and two key things He was missing.

 

 

Abiding in Christ,
Pastor Josh Zuray
Abide Baptist Church
Issaquah, WA

 

Have you ever driven down the road and seen a driver talking on the phone, doing their makeup, and trying to read all while going 6o mph?  I think we all have.  They are focused on a bunch of “small” things but neglecting the most important task at hand – driving!  If they miss a phone call, they’ll live.  If they don’t read the news story, they’ll live.  If they walk into work without lipstick, they’ll live.  If they don’t see that the car in front of them has stopped, they will probably die.  Which of these task would you consider “trivial” and which of these task would you consider “important” or “weighty?”

During Jesus ministry, it was no secret that the religious leadership of Israel did not approve of Him.  In Luke 11:42 we read as Jesus declares his disgust with the Pharisees because of their focus on the trivial matters while neglecting the weightier matters.  Reading this verse compels us to ask ourselves if we are not doing the same things.

Over the years I have witnessed or heard some amazing stories that made me marvel at the trivialness of our human nature.  I know of instances where people have left churches over grave markers, flower arranging, not having the pastor shake their hand, political disagreements, ties, the size of the nursery, and the pastor encouraging young people to consider full time ministry.  It hard to believe that people will leave a Biblically sound church because of something so trivial, but they do.

What is sadder still, is that more often then not, those leaving the church were not walking biblically to begin with. They take their stand over the color of carpet, but they rarely share a gospel tract with a lost person.  They fuss and fume over singing that National Anthem, but neglect to read their Bible daily.  They criticize the attitude of a teenager, and then spend hours every week involved in idle gossip.

In life, there are areas where we can agree to disagree.  However, we must be on guard.  Our humanity is filled with pride and seeks to glorify self.  If we are not careful, our Christian life can become more focused on who’s decorating, how they’re singing, why they’re laughing, and when they’re coming.  We can focus on the trivial and forget the eternal.

Paul says it simply in Galatians 6:14.  “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ…”

How about you?  What’s your motivation for life and ministry?  Is it to serve Christ or self?  When you go to church, are you missing the weightier matters of the faith?  Are you growing in your walk with the Lord?  Are you responding to conviction as you hear and read God’s word?

What’s your pursuit?

Abiding in Jesus,
Pastor Josh
Abide Baptist Church
Issaquah, WA

On Sunday Nights we are studying through the Gospel of Luke. This last Sunday night we were going through the “woes” of chapter 11. When we came to the 6th woe in our text, found in verse 52, we read as Jesus rebukes the lawyers in the crowd. Their miserable existence was partly caused by their hiding truth from the masses. These leaders had the opportunity to influence. Instead of enabling the children of Israel to know and follow their God they hid the “key of knowledge” from them.

Keys are great for opening doors, locks, hidden chest, etc. Key’s are of great importance, especially if they lead to something of great value. If the valuable treasure is an eternal relationship with God, then the keys to obtaining that treasure are the most valuable keys in the world.

In our text, Jesus rebukes the lawyers for their disabling inaction. Instead of being enablers, they became disablers. Instead of helping people into a relationship with one true God, they kept them in a religious system that could only condemn them.

Sunday night, I attempted to tell the church a joke. You must understand, I love jokes and I love good, clean humor. However, I can’t tell jokes. I can read a joke word-for-word and still not be funny. Sunday night, I was going to overcome the odds and tell a joke that was sure to get a laugh. I practiced it and practiced it until I knew it was funny.

I stood behind the pulpit and let the church know that I appreciated their willingness to come out on a dark and rainy Sunday night. For their faithfulness I was going to reward them with a free gift. I was going to share with them a new vocabulary word from the deep south. The word was “Wiga Didg.” I asked if anyone had ever used this word. No one had ever heard of it. This was great news. I had a new vocabulary word for them. I then proceeded to use the word in a sentence. “Two men walked into church. The one fella asked the other fella, ‘You didn’t bring your Bible widgadiga.?’” I got some laughs right away but I also got alot of groans. After the curtious laughs and polite growns came what I was waiting for. “Good thing that was free,” said one of the men in the church. “You should pay us for that free joke,” said another. With those comments that church burst into laughter.

For me, it was a successful joke. I’m not a great joke teller, but I enabled others to bring laughter to a group of people. My miserable ability to tell a joke lays the ground work for those with a quick wit to bring true laughter. I’m an enabler of sorts! It was a dark, cloudy, Seattle night and now we were all transported to a happy place.

What’s my point? My point is simple. You and I live in a spiritually dark and stormy world. The hope for a bright and sunny future is a dream at best. People are looking for the truth and we have the keys. Are we going to enable them to know the God of the Bible? Are we going to give them the information they need to make a decision that will impact their eternity? I know we can get very busy living our lives, but don’t forget to share the “key of knowledge” with the world around us. Help people to know the Jesus that has transformed your lfie. Share the joy of your life. Share the person of Jesus!

Abiding in Christ,
Pastor Josh
Abide Baptist Church
Issaquah, WA

When we study cultural groups from around the world we note the presence of a binding system of beliefs and rituals.  There seems to be no limit to what man will do out of one’s obligation to religion.  What is sad, is that we often see those who have been saved from such a life treat their new faith in a similar manner.  Church and the Christian life become a binding ritual that lacks the joy and wonder of God.

God never intended man to worship out of a sense of religious duty but out of love.  We have the privilege of responding to His love that was shown to us first.

The church at Ephesus was spoken of very highly in the opening verses or Revelation 2.  However, when you read verse 4 you are shocked to see Christ rebuke.  They had been so faithful in standing against evil, discerning false teachers, and enduring in the faith.  Why would Jesus rebuke such a church.  Many pastors, including myself, strive to teach on these principles throughout their ministry.  Why is Jesus rebuking the church at Ephesus?  It was not for their biblical stand but their wrong motivation for service.

Notice in Revelation 2:4 that they had lost their first love.  What is this “first love?”  The heart of the believer is a heart that is to be in love with its Savior.  Jesus is the first love of the believer. Praise the Lord, we will spend eternity with the one who gave His life in payment for our sins. The church at Ephesus had become mechanical in their religious duties and disciplined in their service but all without a proper love for Jesus.

Have you ever had your blood drawn?  What one characteristic do you hope for in the nurse who is about to take your blood?  Here are some words that come to mind when I imagine the perfect nurse:  compassion, sympathy, gentleness, kindness.  I also hope for a sticker and a stuffed animal when the procedure is done.
I’ll never forget being in the hospital for 10 days back in 2000.  After a few days it was getting more difficult to get blood out of my over-used veins.  The hospital staff told me they were calling in someone they called “The Vampire.”  I must have looked shocked but they reassured me saying, “She can get blood out of anything.”  (Not sure how that was supposed to help me feel any better.)

When “The Vampire” came into the room she did look mysterious.  Initially I was concerned but she loved her job and it showed.  She took time with me, the patient, and made sure to do the job without causing too much pain.  It was obvious that she was not just fulfilling her medical obligations.

How many of us come to church for ourselves?  How many of us come to church because that’s what good people do in our society?  How many of us come to church because we know our out-of-town friends and relatives will check in from time to time to see how we are spiritually?  Are you coming out of obligation or because you’re just in love with Jesus?

Make sure that the next time you walk into church you’re not doing it out of obligation or tradition or habit.  Go because your in love.  Make sure that your Christian life is not a ritual but a relationship.

A few weeks ago a pastor friend of mine shared the following video with me.  You may not know all the songs but listen to the words as they are sung.  It’s funny, but not too far from the truth for many church goers.