Whole Heart

My Utmost For His Highest

‘Many people begin coming to God once they stop being religious, because there is only one master of the human heart— Jesus Christ, not religion. But “Woe is me” if after seeing Him I still will not obey (Isaiah 6:5 , also see Isaiah 6:1). Jesus will never insist that I obey, but if I don’t, I have already begun to sign the death certificate of the Son of God in my soul. When I stand face to face with Jesus Christ and say, “I will not obey,” He will never insist. But when I do this, I am backing away from the recreating power of His redemption.’ CHAMBERS

Many Christians have a religious spirit and not a true devotion to the Lord.  For many, going to church, to Sunday school, to events, and talking about Jesus is their idea of what it means to be a Christian .. a follower of Jesus Christ.  But Jesus wants to be more than the Lord of your activities .. He wants to be Lord of your heart.  In Matthew 22:37 Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul and mind. That goes way beyond your schedule. What you do should be a result of who you are .. what you do does not make you who you are.  Keith Greene, a Christian singer from the ‘70’s said ‘going to church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than going to McDonalds make you a hamburger.’

Being a disciple means that you are a follower of Jesus, but that you do what He does … Luke 6:40  A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.’

So what does it mean to be like Jesus?  Denying himself, laying his life down for others, one with the Father, obedient even to the point of death on the cross … silent before his accusers … committed to doing the will of the Father.  Ministered to those who needed spiritual healing.  Confronted the religious who promoted activities in the name of God which were absent from God.  Some years ago, I attended a Sunday School sponsored “Super Bowl” fellowship.  I was new, being in the Army, that was often the case.  At one point in the evening I initiated a discussion about the Lord and was asked why I was talking about Jesus .. this was a Super Bowl party.  Someone once said that if Jesus is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all.

Matthew 15:7-9 says that people praise God but their hearts are not surrendered to Him.  The Word says a double minded man is foolish in all of his ways .. (James 1) The context of that verse has to do with doubting … but isn’t that what we do when we don’t give the Lord our whole heart?  We are living like there must be more to life than living for the One who has given us Life?  Living half-heartedly brings instability .. What about yours?  Have you let life rule your heart?  Get right and shine the light.

Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)