The Obsessed...See

"He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since He is Lord of heaven and earth, He doesn't live in man-made temples, and human hands can't serve His needs—for He has no needs. He Himself gives life and breath to everything, and He satisfies every need. From one man He created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and He determined their boundaries. (Acts 17:24-26 NLT)

Someone obsessed with God sees God everywhere.  They see a sunrise and think of God providing warmth for us.  They see a tree and think of His provision of food and fresh air through His Creation.  Everywhere they go and everything they see reminds them of Him, His Provision, His Love, and His Presence.  They see Him everywhere...and they are glad.

"His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him—though He is not far from any one of us. For in Him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, 'We are His offspring.' And since this is true, we shouldn't think of God as an idol designed by craftsmen from gold or silver or stone. "God overlooked people's ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now He commands everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to Him. (Acts 17:27-30 NLT)

They not only see Him everywhere today, but they look forward to seeing Him in the next life.  The idea of a judgement day no longer frightens them, because they have already returned to Him through the saving work of His Son.  They already read His Word and talk with Him all the time, so they look forward to meeting their friend face to face.  They know that the life to come is far greater than the life we have experienced here, so they look forward to that life...with God...for eternity.

The obsessed see Him today and look forward to seeing Him more clearly in the future.  Are you obsessed?

Serving Leftover Actions

Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38 NIV)

The Church spends so much time focusing on the fact that we are saved by God's Grace, which we are, that we can "downplay" good works as being necessary too.  Rather than call good actions necessary, we refer to them as "good," "important," or something to "work toward."  We will quote passages like the one in James that says, "In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead."  (James 2:17 NIV)  While this is true, it's still not a strong enough statement.  Being Holy is a command, a mandate, and is necessary.

As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." Since you call on a Father who judges each person's work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear. (1 Peter 1:14-17 NIV)

And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won't you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, 'This person began to build and wasn't able to finish.' "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won't he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. "Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. "Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear." (Luke 14:27-35 NIV)

The conclusion is clear.  Leftover words are not good enough.  Leftover actions won't get it done.  God should be first in all things.  Count the cost.  Consider what He wants.  Put Him first.  Serve Him first.  Leave the leftovers for someone else.

Serving Leftover Faith

They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved--you and your household." (Acts 16:31 NIV)

In the modern church, we have reformed our understanding of God's grace to focus in on our faith.  This is good, because we can never repair our falling-out with God by bringing Him gifts.  The only solution to our broken-relationship problem is the solution He offers through His Son, Jesus.

[We]...know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we... have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified. (Galatians 2:16 NIV)

When someone wants to be saved, then, we simply tell them to believe in the Lord Jesus as it says in Acts 16:31 and they will be saved.  Perhaps we will have them say a prayer with us because we should confess our faith as well.


If you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. (Romans 10:9-10 NIV)

While these Scriptures are all true, stopping here is dangerous.  Believing and being saved can lead to "cheap Grace" where we go on with our lives "knowing we are saved" and continue doing what we did before.  The apostle Paul responds to such a thought process saying, "May it never be!" (Romans 6:2a NASB)  

God paid an unimaginably high price for our sin.  Continuing to run up the tab is dangerous.  Simply believing doesn't guarantee that we stay together with Him.  We can declare that we believe and still not go with Him into paradise:

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' (Matthew 7:21-23 NIV)

Is there really such a thing as a Christian with a lukewarm faith? Or, are they not really a Christian at all?  Can we serve leftover faith to a Holy God?