Standing on the outside

The world religions whether they are self religious or organized religion look in at the Church of Jesus and condemn us for being hypocrites ,because we are sinners some are there who have received grace, others in search of grace and still others who are there as plants to lead the lost away from grace.

People on the outside looking in and condemning, are self righteous and believe in themselves that they can make their way to God on their terms.

Jesus makes it clear He is not here for them,  only those who will acknowledge their need for His grace and salvation.

The picture here in Luke is a perfect picture of the Church who is in and who is out, it also is a picture of the world, the self religious and self righteous.

This coming New Year won't you gather with the sinners in a House of Worship that teaches the word of God and hear for yourself the message of God's grace and see the power it has to change the hardest of hearts.

I once to stood on the outside.

After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office, and He said to him, “Follow Me! ”  So, leaving everything behind, he got up and began to follow Him. Then Levi hosted a grand banquet for Him at his house. Now there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others who were guests with them.  But the Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to His disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners? ” Jesus replied to them, “The healthy don’t need a doctor, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

Luke 5:27-32

The cost

Jesus said to follow Me, most people follow Him to the foot of the cross , but that is where they stay.

They believe this is their salvation, but it is not.

To follow Jesus goes way beyond the cross, we must follow Him to the end. We must forsake all and seek Him and His righteousness, we must take up our cross acknowledge Him.

The cost of discipleship is grand but it is nothing when compared to being a child of God.

Have you gotten up yet from the foot of the cross?

If not get up and go to the other side, your Lord and Savior awaits to walk with you.

“Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven. Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.  For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.   The person who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; the person who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And whoever doesn’t take up his cross and follow   Me is not worthy of Me. Anyone finding   his life will lose it, and anyone losing   his life because of Me will find it.

Matthew 10:32-39

Repent and live!

We are quick to call to a day of prayer and fasting in our churches and even in our nation still.

What we are not quick to do, is call for a day of repentance. Prayer, worship and fasting without a repentant heart is worthless it is vanity and pride and will not be heard by God for He is Holy and will not regard iniquity in our hearts.

Repentance is the first step in salvation when we acknowledge our sin and repent, it is also required of us to come before God repentance is required when we sin against God.

Daniel chapter 9 tells us Daniel repented for himself and his people, because they sinned greatly against God, Psalm 51 David repented of his sins and turned back to God.

The Church today needs to repent, we as the body of Christ have gotten so far off message we no longer speak of repentance, consequences or judgment.

Make no mistake restoration and healing will not come without repentance.

This Christmas as we celebrate Christ let us remember what He said. As we share Jesus with those around us.

“The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe in the good news! ”

Mark 1:15

Israel, (we) return to Yahweh your God, for you have stumbled in your sin. Take words of repentance with you and return to the Lord . Say to Him: “Forgive all our sin and accept what is good, so that we may repay You with praise from our lips. Assyria will not save us, we will not ride on horses, and we will no longer proclaim, ‘Our gods! ’ to the work of our hands. For the fatherless receives compassion in You.” I will heal their apostasy; I will freely love them, for My anger will have turned from him. I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like the lily and take root like the cedars of Lebanon. His new branches will spread, and his splendor will be like the olive tree, his fragrance, like the forest of Lebanon. The people will return and live beneath his shade. They will grow grain and blossom like the vine. His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon. Ephraim, why should I have anything more to do with idols? It is I who answer and watch over him. I am like a flourishing pine tree; your fruit comes from Me. Let whoever is wise understand these things, and whoever is insightful recognize them. For the ways of the Lord are right, and the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.

Hosea 14:1-9