Wake Up, Christians!!

What are you going to tell God when you stand before Him on judgment day?

Are you going to say “It’s not by my power that I am redeemed, I only trusted in Jesus” or will you say “I trusted in myself and observed Jesus on Sundays or Wednesday bible study”?

What is the reason you will give so that you will be let into heaven?

Please be honest in answering these questions. Lying to yourself will only lead you down the wrong, dangerous, hopeless, path.

Have you ever said or thought “I haven’t killed anyone, so I’m a good person” or “I was raised in the church, I prayed the sinners’ prayer when I was little, of course I’m a Christian”? Is your relationship with Jesus your own or is it piggy-backed on your family’s salvation? Or are you seeking after Him daily wanting to know more about Him for yourself?

“²³ For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23

Are you content with knowing God just so you can pray to him when you are in a tight spot, and so you have fire insurance, and ignoring Him the rest of your life? Or are you constantly seeking after Him and praying continually?

Are you offended by conviction? Or are you continually crying out to God saying “Lord, search me and know me! Convict me! Change me! Make me more like you!”

Here is something I have been guilty of many times: I feel conviction and think “Oh that’s not that bad, I don’t need to confess and repent” or “I had good motivation behind that, therefore I’m fine.”

Look, our world is full of darkness and sin. As Christians, we are called to share the gospel wherever we go.

“¹⁸ And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. ¹⁹ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: ²⁰ Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” Matthew 28:18-20

We can’t share the good news with those around us effectively when we are acting exactly like the world. You might be thinking “How dare you! I go to Church twice a week, I read my devotions, I’m even praying and asking God to show me His will for my life! How could you say I’m living like the world?”

Let me answer your question with another question. How do you spend your spare time? Do you study God’s word with a humble heart, willing to hear correction and listening for His direction? Or do you turn to Tic-Tok or Netflix? Do you pick YouTube over the word of God? Why are we so captured by social media when the world is going to hell?

Ok, let me say that I know that social media can be used in a godly way and can have many benefits. But are you using it to spread the gospel, or for your own amusement while you have time to kill?

The word amusement literally means to stop thinking. Our culture is so wrapped up in amusement, we are training ourselves not to think. And you know what? That is exactly what the devil wants. When we ignore God’s voice and fill our free time with amusement, we aren’t even a threat to the enemy. We have fit right into his plan. (I don’t know about you, but I want the devil to be focusing on me because I’m the best soldier for God’s army.)

Christians! Wake up! You are ignoring the God of the universe, the creator of all things, because you would rather watch Tic-Tok, scroll through Instagram, you name it, that thing is more important to you than growing your relationship with Jesus. Tell me, why do you call yourself a Christian and act exactly like the world?

Alright, I believe my point has been made. Here is the good news. Jesus Christ is so full of mercy and forgiveness.

“⁵ For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
    abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.” Psalm 86:5

“⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

Jesus wants you to run to him. He loves you so much, that He died so you could live.

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

Please, please, please don’t ignore what He is saying! This is the gospel, the good news! Jesus loves you so much, He is more than willing to forgive you in a fraction of a second, if you run to Him, and repent. Here is something that blew my mind: Repentance does not have to be an emotional thing. Repenting is literally to stop going in the direction you are headed, turn a 180, and go the other way.

If you are not willing to acknowledge your need to repent, or you think that your past actions are too bad for Him to forgive, you have no respect for what Jesus did for you on the cross. You are telling Him “My sin is too great for you to forgive” You are doubting the power of Almighty God. And if you don’t believe that God is able to not only forgive and forget the sin in your past, but also to redeem your past, then don’t call yourself a Christian. Grace and forgiveness is the whole point of Christianity, and if you don’t believe it, you are wasting your time.

I’m begging you! Turn to Jesus, ask Him to forgive you! Believe me, He will! Pull a 180 on the way you are living and run to Jesus. Because He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He is our only hope of being saved from eternal pain and death. Wake up! Repent!

“⁶ 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

“⁸ Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8

Don’t harden your heart to the Holy Spirit’s conviction, because if you continually harden your heart, God will say, “Ok, I’m giving you what you want, which is eternity without Me.” And if your heart is that hard, that is the point of no return. I pray that you will respond with a humble heart to that the Lord Jesus can receive you with loving arms and will not have to say “Depart from me, I never knew you.”

I am praying for each of you, that you will know Jesus as your Savior, Redeemer, Friend, and God.

Read: Revelation 2&3; Romans 12; Matthew 16:24-26; Colossians 2:8